Swift Start Date 4/3~

Talked to my recruiter again yesterday and today.

I have confirmed for a start date of 4/3 in Fontana. Pretty excited, even though this isn't my first rodeo so to speak (as I am a former city bus driver, I'm not new to commercial vehicles). It's still another step in the grand adventure and such.

Now I'm spending the next two weeks packing, cleaning up my room so that I'm at a point where I'm okay leaving it.

I'm still a little nervous about me being me and maybe not fitting in as well as I'd like— I'm 25, teal-haired (yes, it's teal, and I may or may not re-dye it in the next two weeks before going off to training; on the one hand I like how it is now on the other hand I'd love to have it a bit brighter for those first impressions), LGBTQ, one of those liberal progressive coastal elites that everyone seems to hate so much, but also from a fairly disadvantaged and not urban background. Not precisely your average person going into trucking.

I've read through a lot of the forums, been posting here for a while, but as a general question, if there's anything that I should know about Swift's training/academy that comes to mind I'd be grateful for hearing it again. What're the food options in the area and area of the motel like? I know we're responsible for our own meals but Fontana isn't so local to me that I've been there before, and knowing ahead of time will help. Is there anywhere particularly good (or on the flip side particularly bad that I should avoid)?

I'm fully planning to stay with Swift the two years-ish time to get it all paid off and paid back.

Anyway, that's that for now,

Kianan

Good luck at Swift, have a friend that drives for them, spoke with him today, he said the driver facing cams can now be covered as long as you don't damage it. As for the teal colored hair, be yourself, I am 55, the older I have become, the more tolerant, I don't care who you sleep with, I just care that you can do the job, and I think most of the world thinks that way, this is not the 1980's lol.

After I read your post I asked my friend about LGBTQ issues and how Swift deals with it. He said there are the usual idiots, but for most part everyone is more concerned with getting from point A to point B, his trainer was in a same sex marriage, no one seemed to bother him, but he said walking in someone else's shoes is always different. He said there are some support groups on Facebook for LGBTQ drivers.

Welcome to Swift Kianan!

Like ChosenOne indicated what really matters is you apply yourself to learning everything you can to operate your truck in a safe and efficient manner. Focus on yourself, not how different you think you might be from anyone else. What matters is eventually when you and I are shoulder to shoulder on the hilly and circuitous sections of I-80 through the northeastern mountains of PA or any one of numerous Interstates with similar terrain, you hold your lane and maintain control of your truck. That's it...at the end of the day we are all equals bound by the singular focus to arrive safely at our final destination or the most important stop, wherever that is. You'll hear that theme repeated during your training...

How you look, your religious affiliation or sexual preference makes no difference to me. You'd take one look at me, and you'd think, "OMG he's an old, battle worn trucker who wears a lot of lime-green reflective gear, he'll never talk to me." Couldn't be farther from the truth. Never judge a book by it's cover. I mentored with a 10 year Swift Veteran from Haiti. Our culture and background were as different as night and day, yet we got along, made it work, had a blast, and he helped me springboard to become the driver I am right now. I have never forgotten the lessons he taught me, and I know I taught him some things as well. That was quite a while ago, but never forgot any of it.

As long as there is mutual respect with my fellow drivers, I can get along and work with anyone. Trucking is about as diversified as any contemporary college campus; represented by every color, faith, political belief, country of origin and background. You'll be fine...and you will make friendships that will last for as long as you want them to. You'll be fine.

There are a lot of current and former Swifties on this forum We're all happy to help you. Stay focused and good luck!

Thanks, folks!

As for the driver facing cameras, one way or the other they don't really bother me. I'm coming from public transportation, where driver-facing cameras are an absolute norm, and I've had several experiences over my career where the camera was what helped prove to the company that I was doing my job, driving safely, rather than whatever the accusation was.

G-Town, I appreciate it a lot. Looking forward to hopefully getting to meet you in person sometime down the road.

I think this is also one of the areas where there's a huge difference between freight and passenger transportation. In passenger transportation, although the emphasis on safety is the same, there's also a lot of emphasis on personal respectability and conformity (which I often found to be very stifling).

Anyway, I have more laundry to do than I know what to do with. Luckily I have laundry facilities available at my house, lol.

I'm going to have one small-ish not much bigger than a gym bag duffel with my clothing for training and such. Another, larger duffel bag that'll stay in my car with extra clothes in it for if I find that I forgot anything. A couple of various weight jackets, from the lightweight corduroy one to my leather jacket and a number of things in between. And my backpack with my computer, iPad, notebooks, and stuff. My iPad also has my kindle app with lots of books and I plan to purchase a few more books so that I have some recreational reading with me as well.

Thanks, folks!

As for the driver facing cameras, one way or the other they don't really bother me. I'm coming from public transportation, where driver-facing cameras are an absolute norm, and I've had several experiences over my career where the camera was what helped prove to the company that I was doing my job, driving safely, rather than whatever the accusation was.

G-Town, I appreciate it a lot. Looking forward to hopefully getting to meet you in person sometime down the road.

I think this is also one of the areas where there's a huge difference between freight and passenger transportation. In passenger transportation, although the emphasis on safety is the same, there's also a lot of emphasis on personal respectability and conformity (which I often found to be very stifling).

Anyway, I have more laundry to do than I know what to do with. Luckily I have laundry facilities available at my house, lol.

I'm going to have one small-ish not much bigger than a gym bag duffel with my clothing for training and such. Another, larger duffel bag that'll stay in my car with extra clothes in it for if I find that I forgot anything. A couple of various weight jackets, from the lightweight corduroy one to my leather jacket and a number of things in between. And my backpack with my computer, iPad, notebooks, and stuff. My iPad also has my kindle app with lots of books and I plan to purchase a few more books so that I have some recreational reading with me as well.

Well actually the front facing camera is being removed as today..

Hey K,

I head to Syracuse to start Orientation on 4/11. I'd love to know what it'll be like, if you'll post details. Do you know what your training region will be?

I am psyched, but nervous too!

Hay-K :)

KaTow asked:

Hey K,

I head to Syracuse to start Orientation on 4/11. I'd love to know what it'll be like, if you'll post details. Do you know what your training region will be?

I am psyched, but nervous too!

Hay-K :)

Hey KaTow...gettin' close!

For a CDL A holder, Swift orientation is 3 days of drug tests, physicals (if needed), paperwork and classroom instruction. I know this sounds obvious, but bring your license. Someone actually forgot theirs during my orientation... Stay awake/alert and silence/stow your cellphone during classroom instruction. At some point they will administer a road test and yard skills test. Probably in an older, 10 speed Columbia. GOAL, and be obvious about it after setting up and before the backing move. Treat the whole affair as an extended job interview. Once they give you a driver# and CommData card, you're hired as a Driver Trainee.

After lunch on day three, you will meet your driver development manager; they will work to match you with a trainer/mentor, and offer expectations and discuss periodic evaluation calls during mentoring. Be prepared to leave that day so come packed and ready to go; 200 hours total, 50 of it fully supervised, the remainder you operate as a team with your mentor.

During training you will learn trip-planning, performing daily PTI, and Qualcomm; elogs , the NaviGo system and macro communications. A paper log must be maintained during this period. You will learn Swift procedures with shippers/receivers, how/where to locate empties, driving under a load, drop and hook , scaling, and basic life on the road.

Between me, Errol, Tractor, Pianoman, JimJ and Gladhand we can answer Swift Mentoring/Training questions. All of us have been through it.

Good luck and safe travels!

Why thank you!

Pretty much what I figured, but having it spelled out is great.

I've spent the last two weeks making packing lists, searching for decent travel bags, and hoeing out my house. And I mean full-tilt reeling from pile to website to storage totes!

I still need to sneak in some driving practice, just because it's been so long since I've driven with a trailer.

With all this chaos, the details help to calm me!

My start date has been pushed back a week— by my own request. In getting things ready to go off to trucking school I had some dental work come up. Better to take care of it now than end up with a bad problem while I'm out OTR , so I am doing that (not fun, but necessary), and I'm grateful that my recruiter and Swift were willing to work with and accommodate this.

Oh well. On the bright side it means I have one more week to pack. On the less bright side, I'm losing teeth 31 and 32, but hopefully will feel a lot better once they're gone.

Looks like we will be hitting the academy at the same time then.

We have some similar experience. Although I never drove a city bus on the streets, I used to drive a school bus and worked dispatch, fueling, and washing for a company in Oregon.

Im coming back to trucking after being away since 09.

Good luck

My start date has been pushed back a week— by my own request. In getting things ready to go off to trucking school I had some dental work come up. Better to take care of it now than end up with a bad problem while I'm out OTR , so I am doing that (not fun, but necessary), and I'm grateful that my recruiter and Swift were willing to work with and accommodate this.

Oh well. On the bright side it means I have one more week to pack. On the less bright side, I'm losing teeth 31 and 32, but hopefully will feel a lot better once they're gone.