Pittsburgh Training Can Someone Give Me Information About Places.
Topic 19677 | Page 1
Welcome to the forum Big Ezzy. I can definitely share my experience with Swift and also validate that Prime and PAM are both very good companies. Prime is well represented on this forum (as well as Swift)...search on threads by Rainy for all that matters about Prime.
First off, have you had a chance to review the renowned Trucking Truth starter kit? As follows:
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road Training Program
The first two links are primer information that will help establish an excellent information base and a reasonable/realistic set of expectations. Many times a new driver fails to research and understand all that is expected to be successful in this business, thus a primary factor for failure and high attrition. The High Road Training link is the de-facto computer based training tool that is designed to enable success in passing the CDL permit exams and offering additional knowledge in other trucking basics. We highly recommend investing some time reviewing and studying the links.
You asked about Swift...this Memorial Day weekend I will be celebrating my 5 year anniversary as a Swift driver. I am assigned to a Dedicated Northeast Regional account delivering for Walmart. I am well paid, treated with respect and professionalism. My Swift experience from the initial interaction with recruiting, training, up to and including today when I received my daily marching orders (dispatch), it's been a really good ride. The net answer is good drivers can be successful for any of the companies. What you get out of the experience is proportional to what you put into it. For me Swift is my employer of choice and not a bridge to something perceived as "better".
If you choose Swift's Company-Sponsored Training Program you will be bused to Richmond Virginia for 160 hours of classroom, yard skills, and road skills. The training's primary objective is to prepare you for passing the CDL tests. Once you have your CDL, Swift will assign you to a Mentor for 200 additional hours of road training and team-driving. If all goes well, you'll be promoted to solo status and have your assigned tractor and Driver Manager. The whole process requires about 2+ months.
My suggestion is spend some time reviewing the threads in the diaries section. There are several active diaries on Swift, Prime and CFI. Take a look! Good luck.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
Driver Manager:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.Company-sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Thank you G-town. I have been reading as much information about these companies and I just wanted a first hand account of the schools.
I work for Prime and I have a friend here as well who lives in Pittsburg. He runs a dedicated account out of Chambersburg, PA and this allows him to get home about once a week or once every other week just depending on the season like if the freight is slow then they are able to get him home more often than the busy season. I know nothing of the other companies or what they offer, so all I can do is speak of Prime. But at Prime if you get tired of OTR and would like to get home maybe a little more often then our dedicated account in Chambersburg could be a good option for you.
Jonathan
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
That sounds so good to my ears. I dont have a child at home just me. I can get on the road and stay out. Dont get me wrong I'll take what comes to me. As of right now im in the place to sort some stuff out. Studying everyday just accomplishing a few things out.
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Im 26 and have this burning desire to become a trucker. I've been around trucks my whole life. Granddad an my Dad where drivers. I live in Pittsburgh,P.a. My top companies so far are Swift,Prime and Pam can someone give me first hand info.
Thank you