Comments By Phillip B.

Yep I passed my DOT today I'm good for a year! I hope that's okay with Swift I had to chill for a while to get my BP down so I could pass. Now my next step is to watch 5 hours worth of videos! That's on tonights agenda!

Went thru both the High Road and practice test but I get bad service at my house so mostlyvthe practice test app

Wish I could sit in a truck and go over pre trip! But I'm trying to memorize it all for the permit test

OK so I've studying the TT app practice test and can't seem to grasp air break portion

Taking a vacation day Friday to do the online course thing. Any tips? Any tips on getting through Swift training?

Bunk heater.

The bunk heater is good for heating cans of soup/ stew/ tamales too.

You need to check out ADM (Acher Daniels Midland) their a huge company! They haul a lot of high fuctrose corn syrup pretty sure they hire anywhere

I think Prime has food grade.

You're right. I know about them and forgot to list them. Thank you. If I don't do food grade grade, I'm also looking into fuel hauling. My experience is in food grade tanker and flatbed. I haven't seen anyone here talk about fuel hauling or companies.

I was just wandering if im able to use the air conditioner while shut down in swift trucks or the heat for that matter. If so how does it work

Well what about the trucks? Do they have apu and mini fridges ?stuff to make life eaiser.

Thanks man! I'm definitely going for it. I have to get my foot in the door and what I get in return is way more than what even a little bit I might have to pay back.does swift run a lot of automatic trucks?

Phillip asks:

Hey Errol any info you got would be a great help! Can I really make 450 to 500 a week while in the truck with the trainer only making 9 buck's a hour?

A year ago, the rates were $9.50 while driving, $7.25 when you're "on duty not driving". A random weekly paycheck from that time shows I was driving for 40+ hours and On Duty Not Driving for 25 hours. (Yeah, 66 hours, no Overtime!) That was a gross $568.55 before taxes, etc. I averaged about $550 while training. My mentor made a point to keep me driving, even literally driving around town at 2 am just to fill out my maximum driving hours. (bad news: He does not mentor anymore)

Rick asks:

Are the Swift schools OWNED BY Swift? Or a private approved school?

What's with the 26 month commitment for training payback? Is this the reimbursement, or are you obligated under contract for that much time?

Yes, Swift Academy is owned by Swift Transportation. One advantage of a company school, I figured out, is they have no shortage of well maintained equipment for training.

As for the school tuition deal, the details (Like the exact $ amounts) are somewhere in Trucking Truth, and of course your recruiter should get them to you. Read all this, then try to see the big picture:

Swift deducts a certain amount (??$75??) to pay your tuition for 13 months. At the same time they pay you about half of that back, so your net deduction is around $35 for the 13 months. At that time, you are done paying the tuition off and you are free to move on, if you want. (You have paid way less than the $4400 you contracted for.)

If you continue with Swift, they continue paying you back. What this means is if you stick out the 26 months, your school is free!

(Remember, the concept is there, but the dollar values I used mean nothing! - I guessed for them! Personally, I went the Veteran route where you get a "scholarship" that pays the tuition 100% after your first year, and there are no paycheck deductions in the meantime.)

okay so I have a topic. can you carry a gun in the truck with you to protect yourself across state lines even know my permit is for the state of Alabama.