Profile For Soggybiscuits

There are plenty of billboards that advertise the in home for $200 to $400 and one of our members did it for Prime but got sent home for a failed drug test (whhhyyy go through all that and risk it i dont know!)

Prime made me do it and i passed and got a 2 year card. Then they made me do it again in 2 years, and they said I needed the machine and gave me a 1 year card.

At Prime the test was $500 and the machine is $600 depending on which you need i have an APAP which automatically adjusts. Maybe that will give you an idea of costs if you are able to shop around.

If that was your only hold back at Swift, i would indeed try to come up with the money and return. If you cant and really want to get into trucking, then perhaps finding a company that fronts the costs will work for a year then return to swift after your commitment is up.

Prime fronts the cost and takes weekly payments once you get your CDL.. i think $50 for machine and $25 for the test. Im sure they aren't the only ones who will front the money, so if all else fails, dont give up!

Thanks Rainy! I definitely am not giving up. My wife wants me to succeed and is very supportive and says we will do what we can to make this happen. Maybe I can go to Prime lol

I was doing some research and if the results come back that you have moderate to severe OSA they give u a CPAP machine and then you can just submit the reading to ensure you’re compliant. What if your test results don’t warrant a CPAP machine but maybe a mouth piece. Would that be acceptable to companies?

Take a look at NASTC (National Association of Small Trucking Companies). They have a home sleep study program I've heard about for the past several months on XM Radio Channel 146.

Oh really?? Cool I’ll check that out. I’m so disappointed but you gotta do what you gott do I guess

Thanks Gtown. The doc measured my neck at 18 3/4. I’ll try and see if o can get it done and see if I can get back to them I really want this to work out so ilm gunna talk to my wife when I get home and see what we can do

I also want to add that even though I was only here a few days I have nothing bad to say about Swift. It was of no fault of theirs and they were real nice about the whole situation. I know some people will start bashing a company because they let them go in training for one reason or another, but there are certain rules and regulations they need to follow so there’s no reason for me to be mad at Swift.

Well.....since I had to get my physical done over again they gave me a 5 month medical card because the doctor wanted me to get a sleep study. That being said, in order to stay at the academy you need a minimum of 1 year medical card. So needless to say I’m being sent home. I’m at the bus station now to head home.

I was extremely upset and ticked off. Not at Swift at all but more at the doctors office who filled out my paperwork in the first place.

Now I’m not sure what to do. Spend the thousands of dollars and get a sleep study or get a second opinion and another physical and go to a different company? Swift said that they WANT me to come back so if I decide to do the study I am more than welcome to come back to another class. The instructor even said “you come back real quick okay?” He was disappointed to see me leave.

So that’s where I stand now. Any advice?

It's like the old joke. What do they call the person who graduates from a medical school with the worst GPA?......Doctor.

Pretty much! Hahahaha

Notice all the salt on this tarp?

Underneath are two 23k coils of sheet aluminum. In addition to my tarp, each coil is double wrapped in plastic.

Precious cargo indeed. You're looking at about 46,000 lbs worth of future beer cans!

Future beer cans! You take care of that load sir! Lol

Day1: Well we started with about 21 people in the class and are already down to 17. Some left because apparently they had already gone through CDL training (some left before it was finished and I’m not sure if the details on the other) and didn’t want to start over so they quit voluntarily. One of them was my room mate.

The first day was pretty much rules, hours of service, and map reading. We were also given out pre trip study sheet to get a head start. Today is DOT physicals for those who haven’t gotten them yet and for those of us whose physical wasn’t acceptable due to being filled out wrong or missing information. Unfortunately I am among that group, ugh. When they put my urine results on the sheet they just put a line instead of actual results, which were negative, so that wasn’t accepted. So today I need to get my physical done again and we are all getting hair follicle and urine tests as well.

Not too much to really report other than that. More updates to come if I have time. Lol study study study

Well everything is packed up in my duffel bag and backpack. I’m actually surprised I fit almost all of it in the bag. Couldn’t fit my pillow but I guess I can always get a new one later? Or a bigger duffel bag lol *shrugs* the bus leaves at 2:15 tomorrow and then 25 hours later I’ll be in Memphis. The paperwork says I’ll be going straight from the academy to on the road training but I have read that I will go home first to get my license in my home state then go to the nearest terminal. I’ll probably defer to the paperwork they gave me and expect to be out straight after. Not sure how I’ll get my license then?

Awesome!

Best of luck. Try not to be too nervous.

I wrote this a couple weeks ago, might be helpful as you nentally prepare for a successful 3 weeks of schooling...

The Ego Becomes the Downfall of Many Students

Thanks G-Town! As I was reading that article I tried to give myself the same mindset that I am there to learn and not make friends and chit chat about nothing. I have a tendency to study alone though so that I can focus. I just hope that doesn't make me look like a "loner" so to speak. It's just how I can pay attention and retain what I am reading.

I will do what I can to learn as much as I can and be successful. My goal is to pass the CDL exam at the end. One hurdle at a time.

Well I received my bus ticket to Memphis today. I leave Saturday and arrive in Memphis, TN on Sunday morning. All my nerves are kicking in now because it is becoming reality now that I have my bus ticket in hand. But I am also excited and ready for learn and drive! I have my CDL permit and DOT physical completed. Wish me luck!

So it would seem that metal loads are the ones that mostly require tarping. I can see that. Wouldn't moisture damage wood loads as well? I would think that they would warp the boards? Guess it depends on the customer and type of load.

Maybe the exposed lumber load IS covering the secret government project though....

Hmmmm, maybe! lol

I'm curious as to why some flatbed loads that I see on the road are covered and others are not. For example I saw a trailer hauling a load of lumber with no tarp and then I saw another truck that was covered. Clearly I am wrong to assume that every load requires tarping.

As a side anecdote, when I was a kid I always thought that the loads that were covered were some kind of government load that is classified.

Thank you guys for the advice! I need to just focus and do the best I can. Turtle, It's good to know that they only fail you for THAT day and don't just go "Whelp you failed so see ya!". I am probably working myself up honestly. Just have to focus on one obstacle at a time.

I'm looking forward to this new venture! My only issue is I am aware of my own fault that I don't like failure. For example, some of the road test aspects are if it happens once you fail. That scares the crap out of me. I really want this to happen and to work out. I'm eager to learn and WANT to succeed. But when I know that something is automatic fail I get caught up in trying not to do that and I may mess up and get sent home. That's my biggest fear.

I welcome all advice for calming my nerves.

Thanks Bob!

I just received a call from my Swift recruiter that I am scheduled in the February 4 class for training. Swift here I come! So excited and nervous at the same time.

Thanks everyone! I'm really excited for this new venture and can't wait. Of course there are some nerves with anything new and leaving my job, but my wife is very supportive and that helps. The only issue is that when it finally does come time for me to test for the CDL are the auto fails that could happen. I don't want to screw up and get sent home. BUT one step at a time :-)