Comments By Dan427

So you went to a private training school to have the freedom of choosing who you work for and the best option you have is a company who’s closest yard is over two hours away from you? Swift doesn’t meet your standards based on someone else’s opinion yet at this point you’re not even sure you can pass a drug test? This approach isn’t going to be very conducive to your growth. As others have said, yes you are just a number until you’ve proven yourself. That in itself should motivate you to be open to any opportunity to succeed with any company willing to give you a shot. It seems like you’re just making a stance instead of looking to align yourself with a purpose in this industry. Swift treated me, my classmates and fellow drivers very well. They accommodated us as much as possible and held us to a very high standard.

Stern, but fair. It was a great environment for us that wanted to do nothing but be the best at what we do. Do not apply anywhere until you know for sure you can pass a drug test. Once you get to that point, focus on making your own success instead of listening to other people’s self-inflicted failures and worrying about following in their footsteps. Focus on what you want and not what you don’t want. Best of luck to you man, I’ll be rooting for ya!

I got cited for driving on a non-truck route road about a year ago. I was delivering a tractor to a company doing work on that particular road so I had no choice but to drive on it. The DOT officer looked at my paperwork but wrote my up anyway. 5 other drivers from my company along with some grocery store drivers have been cited by the same officer on this road so I avoid it like the plague now lol. It is a misdemeanor and can get real ugly if you fight it. When I went to court, the prosecutor told me they’d reduce it to a civil violation if I plead guilty. Which I did, I decided to pay the $200 and move on.

Hi Jake, I haven’t commented on here in a few years but I went to a trade school in Arizona for Diesel engines/heavy truck and also worked as a truck mechanic for about 4 years. I left that side of the industry after our shop was broken into and my tools were stolen. I always wanted to get a cdl and be a driver so I figured that was my sign to go after it.....especially after the company offered no help to recoup our losses. I have been driving for a little over 5 years now so I figured this would be a great opportunity to give some insight from my own personal experience as a driver and mechanic.

Yes, being a truck mechanic can be difficult depending on which avenue you take. Some prefer just to work on the lube tech side to change oil and grease all the fittings while others prefer to stick with chassis components ( brakes, wheel bearings , etc ). There’s also opportunities to specialize in specific brand like Cummins. My uncle was an engine builder with Swift for many years and he got me a job working on their safety lane years ago doing inspections as the trucks come in to the terminal. As an engine builder he made great money, but it is a long road to get there. You’ll do yourself a huge favor by focusing on learning the whole truck instead of just the engine, which is what most students gravitate towards.

I use to replace clutches and it is VERY tight underneath some models between the cab and chassis so that might be a challenge. It’s also very tough on the knees. I honestly don’t miss anything about wrenching on trucks, the sore joints, being covered in oil and grease and the occasional finger smashes. Oh and I don’t miss seeing the tool trucks pulling in the yard every week to collect their money lol. I was paying about $100 a week almost every week of those 4 years on my tool bill. But that’s life, we all have to pay our dues, each step is the foundation for the next step brother. If being one of the best diesel technicians around is your goal, then go for it!

I live in Arizona, not too far from Tempe where they’re testing these cars. It’s near the ASU campus and unfortunately there’s a bunch of students around there that like to “troll” the cars by jumping in and out of the street right in front of them just to see what they do. I’m not a huge fan of autonomous vehicles but if self-driving Uber vehicles can provide a huge benefit with minimal downside, I’ll keep an open mind but unfortunately I think ignorant actions like that will eventually put the kaibosh on their plans.

I joined TT a few months before I went to the swift academy in phoenix back in 2015. Unfortunately I was one of the many newbies who didn’t make it the full year, about four months in I was just fried mentally so I decided to walk away. I was able to find a local gig hauling tractors and other construction equipment but I always regret not finishing out that first year. I’m a huge fan of the site though, I almost never comment but I come here every day to read peoples advice and experiences.

I think another important factor in driving for a mega carrier vs a mom and pop outfit is the stability and reliability of a larger company. They have resources to get you moving again in a timely manner if you have a breakdown, none of the "we're not able to pay you this week" drama and plenty of support for what you need. I've never driven for a smaller company, but based on hearing drivers talk about how their checks bounced or how they sat for a long period of time waiting for a service call for whatever reason would make me question how pretty the picture they're painting is. But ya never know, this new place could be exactly what you're looking for.

Ad, I hope everything works out for ya. I spent hours researching the industry and talking to drivers ( I was a truck mechanic ) and thought I had it all figured out so I took the plunge and enrolled in swifts driving academy. Like you, my world turned upside once I was actually out on the road. Left my debit card at a truck stop, missed my brothers graduation and even dropped my pillow in bird doodoo walking around the swift terminal in Memphis. All these little things added up and I bailed after a few months with the assumption finding a local job would be easy lol. I found a job with a equipment rental company and ate some crow for a bit working in the yard and driving a class b truck. Got promoted a few months ago to a semi driver finally. These opportunities do exist for rookies but it requires hard work and a good attitude. It's good money and I'm home every night just long enough to shower and eat before bed time but not a day goes by that I don't regret not finishing out the year with swift. there's a good chance you'll feel the same way about Werner one day. Good luck to you sir!

Right on man thank you! I will definitely check out and read your experience. yeah I was a truck/trailer mechanic and when we worked on trailers, we were in charge of getting our trailers and backing them up to the shop. I never got trained on how to back up trailers so I basically taught myself what little I know about backing them up. I noticed overstearing was a big problem I was having so I'm really excited about getting some actual training and learning proper techniques.

well ive been working on trucks for about 5 years now, ever since i finished diesel mechanic school ive always had an interest in driving at some point. Last summer someone broke into the shop i worked at and stole five thousand dollars worth of my tools, so i figured that was my sign to start going after my CDL lol. I start training with the swift academy this monday (march 16th). i quit my job, saved some money, and sold my tool box so i pretty much threw all my eggs into one basket on this one because of how bad i want to drive. im 25 years old, single with no kids and i couldnt be more excited and happy about my decision. being a mechanic, my job relied heavily on my knowledge of trucks and DOT regulations so i feel somewhat comfortable that ill do well in the class. As comfortable as i am, im also very nervous that i may struggle on tests or wont get hired on and be stuck with a nice bill to pay off with no job. ive heard swifts training school runs for 18 days straight with no time off, does anyone know how true that is? also does anyone know how well the chances of getting hired on with swift are after completing the course? I am truly thankful for any of the advice i get from experienced drivers on here and for brett for running such an informative site for guys like me to come get help from! I live in phoenix,az so that is the location ill be training at.