Swift Transportation CDL Training:
The Swift Driving Academy

Information Updated 11/20/2008

"To get your career in trucking rolling, a Swift Driving Academy is the place to start. Tuition for the comprehensive 23-day course is $3,900. Swift will reimburse you for the total cost of the course over the period of 26 consecutive months of employment with Swift. Your tuition includes the following:

• 207-hour course
• Student housing
• Bus transportation to and from the Academy
• All study materials and testing
• Physical, Workwell, and drug screen testing

New classes start weekly on Monday. For complete program details, contact the Swift Driving Academy nearest you.

Students attending the Millington Academy as well as students from Pennsylvania, North Carolina or South Carolina, please check with your Swift recruiter, as special permit requirements exist.

TruckingTruth's Notes On Swift's CDL Training Program:

After speaking with one of Swift's recruiters for a while there are a few things I'd like to explain.

Overall Impression

First of all, my overall impression of the program is positive. The process was explained thoroughly to me and if I was considering becoming a truck driver today, I would consider Swift a possibility for sure. Again, you must do your own research. I know a little bit about Swift's program, but I don't know anything about you. You have to find the program that's right for you.

No Hire Zones

Swift does have some "no hire zones", meaning they don't hire people from certain areas because the freight lanes and terminal placement doesn't work well with certain areas. I'm rather certain they will not make acceptions, but you could always call and ask. They were explained to me as the following:

• Western New York through Erie, PA
  


• Maine
  


• New Hampshire
  


• New York City and Long Island
  


• Delaware
  


• The Carolinas east of I95
  


• South Florida below Port St Lucie
  


• Southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle
  

Out Of Pocket Expenses and Up-Front Costs

The only basic up-front expenses are $150 registration fee for the schooling. Swift will pay for your bus transportation from your home to the terminal where the schooling is, and the room you'll be staying at while going to school. You will have to pay for your own meals.

Your Obligation After Completing the Schooling

This is a bit complicated, but no big deal. Basically, it boils down to this:

• You will pay Swift $150 per month for the first 13 months you work there. It's taken out of your check through payroll deduction.
  


• Swift will then reimburse that money by paying you an extra $150 per month for the next 13 months that you work there.
  


• If you leave before you've been employed there for 13 months, you will owe Swift $300 per month for the remaining months. In other words, if you work there for 5 months and then quit, you owe Swift $2400 ($300 per month x 8 months remaining).
  


• If you work there for 13 months and then quit, you will not owe Swift anything, but you did pay $1950 for the schooling ($150 per month x 13 months) at that point and you will not get that money back.
  


• If you remain with Swift for 26 months, you will have been reimbursed every penny you paid them for the schooling, other than the $150 registration fee. In other words, your training has cost you a total of $150, period. Nothing else.
  

How The Schooling Is Structured

Basically, you will spend 4 days in the classroom to begin with. Then, you will spend 17 days in which you will split time between learning to back up on the yard, a little bit of classroom time, and time out on the road driving with an instructor. You will then take your CDL exam. Once you pass, you will then spend two days in orientation before heading out on the road with a trainer. So overall, in about 21 days from your arrival you will be getting your CDL. Within a few days after that you will be out on the road one on one with a trainer.

You will remain on the road with your trainer for about 6 weeks. You will be paid $450 per week for the first 4 weeks, $500 per week for the next two weeks, for a total of $2800 for the 6 week training period. At that time, if the trainer feels you are ready, they will bring you back to the terminal, you will get your own truck, and then you'll be heading out on the road alone.

Your starting pay once you go solo is $.26 per mile. You will get a series of 5 raises over the first year, and by the end of your first year you will be making $.33 per mile. You can expect to average somewhere in the area of 2000-3000 miles per week overall. That is the industry average, not a specific quote from Swift.

Some Final Notes

• You will not be permitted to have any members of the opposite sex in your room with you during your 21 week training period at the academy unless you are married. If so, you will be required to show proof of marriage.
  


• You will need a couple of references to verify your employement history, including any periods of time you were unemployed. If you have been unemployed for longer than 24 months, you will need 2 notorized statements explaining what you were doing during that time.
  


• Immediately after going solo you will be able to drive in what they refer to as a "comfort zone", which is generally a region of the country within a couple days drive time of where you live. You can visit this page to view their comfort zones and terminal locations.
  


• You will qualify for benefits on the first day of the month after you've been with the company for 60 days. Your official employement begins the day you head out on the road with your trainer.
  


• Most people will be required to get their CDL permit at home before coming to the Swift Academy. You will then be returned to what will be your home terminal to take the final CDL exam. Contact Swift for more details, but don't be concerned about this at all. The CDL permit is a simple written test and Swift will give you details on where and when you will be taking your final CDL exam.
  

Conclusion

Overall I feel this would be a good program to consider. There are others like it and I recommend you do a lot of research. But Swift has been around for a long time. They are an enormous company with a full range of opportunities for both driving, and non-driving jobs. They have outstanding equipment and a large variety of freight. As always, please do your own research and come to your own conclusions about which trucking school you should attend. I've presented this information to you so that you may make an informed decision for yourself. Other than to say I feel this program qualifies as the type of program I would consider enrolling in, I am not giving any other opinions on the company itself.

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