DO NOT TRAIN WITH SWIFT!!

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Availability will vary.

You've made me want to lease. I'll head over to Wal-Mart and start making payments! Then I'll lease me and my new truck to a company. My plan is flawless.

Why, yes, I come with my own 15 tractor trailer combo. 15? 15 inches.

Bubber, I hope it's going better for you out there. When you aren't behind the wheel, watch the more successful seeming students like a hawk to see what they do and the students that are doing worse, watch and make sure you don't make the same mistakes. Every minute you can learn something about driving even when you're not behind a wheel.

Hey Bubber, Instructors are not giving the test, there are 3 testers there that will be administering the test, Tony, Dave, Mark. There are actually a lot of good instructors at that school, but Swift overloads the classes every week and it can get crazy out there. You just have to force your way into a truck sometimes, ask instructors to come in on the pad on sundays and work on backing. It's basically them showing/telling you how to do the maneuver the first time, then work it out on your own and with help from other students. No matter how big the class is you will get plenty of time to practice your backing I promise you, now road time might be an issue for your class, but should be no issues with backing. And my class had 93 percent pass rate, and DMV is involved, when you do your first test for the day which is pre-trip, you cannot start testing until DMV arrives, its heavily regulated and they have strict rules to follow, the examiners have DMV officials looking over their shoulders the whole time. The test is Federal approved exam. Errol is right also, if those ****** bags are messing with you while your backing, set your brakes, put it in neutral, get out and tell them to move. You'll get it, just stay with it. Are you still in Class?

Hey Bubber, Instructors are not giving the test, there are 3 testers there that will be administering the test, Tony, Dave, Mark. There are actually a lot of good instructors at that school, but Swift overloads the classes every week and it can get crazy out there. You just have to force your way into a truck sometimes, ask instructors to come in on the pad on sundays and work on backing. It's basically them showing/telling you how to do the maneuver the first time, then work it out on your own and with help from other students. No matter how big the class is you will get plenty of time to practice your backing I promise you, now road time might be an issue for your class, but should be no issues with backing. And my class had 93 percent pass rate, and DMV is involved, when you do your first test for the day which is pre-trip, you cannot start testing until DMV arrives, its heavily regulated and they have strict rules to follow, the examiners have DMV officials looking over their shoulders the whole time. The test is Federal approved exam. Errol is right also, if those ****** bags are messing with you while your backing, set your brakes, put it in neutral, get out and tell them to move. You'll get it, just stay with it. Are you still in Class?

I got put at the end of the line to test and had to sit in my hotel for a week before I could finally test. Thought I was gonna forget everything I'd learned. LOL Apparently I didn't forget much cause I breezed through the pre-trip and backing with no problem at all. My driving could have been better, but considering how little road time I've had I'm surprised I was able to get through it. But I passed!! And they must have changed things in the last few weeks. As far as I know, the DMV isn't involved anymore. Probably because we're not getting a Utah CDL anymore. We now come in from our home state with our permit and then take our test results back home to get the CDL.

Anyway, I still stick to my original opinion about Swift's training program. If you have no other choice, then its worth it. I feel like they are pushing a lot of people through with a CDL that aren't quiet ready. They may have a high pass rate here at school, but I bet those numbers don't hold up for long after they're put out with a mentor. And I'm sure Swift isn't the only ones that do it this way. But just having a few more trainers here would make a world of difference. And maybe a few more trucks for getting road time or maybe smaller classes. People should be getting a minimum of 5 to 10 hours of road time. I got less then 2 hours total in the three days we went out on the road.

Now I'm waiting to start orientation and get with a mentor. If you're a mentor with Swift thats looking for a trainee, and you'll be in SLC next week, give me a shout. I'm looking for a non-smoker who's been driving for a while. At least a few years. No offense, but seems like a bad idea to let people thats only been on the road for 6 months take on a trainee. I know I wouldn't want to be training someone in my first year. I'm from Charleston, West Virginia. Not sure if that matters or not for a mentor. I'm a non-smoker, obviously. I'm a hard worker and a quick learner. I'm pretty easy to get along with. I prefer to stay away from topics of politics and religion. I'm here to work hard and go solo ASAP. So let me know and we can talk.

Bubber observes:

And they must have changed things in the last few weeks. As far as I know, the DMV isn't involved anymore. Probably because we're not getting a Utah CDL anymore. We now come in from our home state with our permit and then take our test results back home to get the CDL.

You are right. Brett posted some rule changes for CDL training & testing here: New Rules For CDL Learner's Permit And Skills Testing. That may have something to do with it. And it will really make the testing part easier!

Glad you got through the testing, Bubber! do what you can to enjoy your training cruise & your mentor!

Bubber,

I know nothing about Swift except that they give lots of people an opportunity to get started in a career who wouldn't otherwise get the chance.....including you! Since you passed they must be doing something right unless you are a some kind of brainiac and I'm pretty sure that's not the case! How about showing a little gratitude instead of biting the hand that feeds you! By the way. I haven't met anyone who felt they were ready to go out and drive just after getting their CDL! Good luck!

Bubber,

I know nothing about Swift except that they give lots of people an opportunity to get started in a career who wouldn't otherwise get the chance.....including you! Since you passed they must be doing something right unless you are a some kind of brainiac and I'm pretty sure that's not the case! How about showing a little gratitude instead of biting the hand that feeds you! By the way. I haven't met anyone who felt they were ready to go out and drive just after getting their CDL! Good luck!

I know my original post may have been a bit too much and I do appreciate the opportunity, but that doesn't change the fact that they are running a school with way too few instructors and way too many students. As for not feeling ready, I know most people are gonna feel that way no matter how much training they get before their CDL , but rushing so many people through without enough training is dangerous.

Bubber admits

I know my original post may have been a bit too much and I do appreciate the opportunity, but that doesn't change the fact that they are running a school with way too few instructors and way too many students. As for not feeling ready, I know most people are gonna feel that way no matter how much training they get before their CDL , but rushing so many people through without enough training is dangerous.

Props to you when I read your reply to me after your first post, that you calmed down a bit and acted sane/not whiney. I think most company schools come up with an instructor shortage (classroom and driving). One of our instructors owned up to taking a pay cut to teach the classroom portion. We all have our calling and motivations. And the schools know about the high attrition rate, but they don't winnow out lesser students at the start.

Then you nailed it with "not feeling ready". Each step: School → road training → CDL test → Mentor trip → on my own, I felt some inadequacy. But, hey, you learn to swim by getting wet. The people who successfully get through this process will be safe enough on the road, as long as they Get Out And Look, and use those mirrors. Even safer after 10,000 miles.

Bubber, you have stumbled on the same thing that thousands of people trying to get into truck driving do. That is that the schooling experience doesn't even come close to your expectations.

People think they are being trained to be a truck driver, but all they are really getting is the bare minimum training to be able to pass the driving test so that you can obtain a CDL. There is so much more to learn, so many more skills to develop, but those things can never be taught in a school unless you are willing to pay about thirty thousand dollars for it. The costs of training someone to the level of being a proficient professional driver are way to prohibitive for it to work that way.

Trust me when I tell you that Swift, or any other company that is willing to train new drivers, won't hardly make a dime off of you for your first year of driving for them. That whole year is basically a training time for you. You will start out with a trainer or mentor for about a month, and then after that you will go solo. You won't be ready to go solo yet, but you had better step up your game and get serious about it. That is just the way it works. I was nervous as I could be for my first three months as a solo driver. There were so many things I was still learning. A little bit of nervousness along with a healthy amount of fear are what you need to keep you from getting over confident in the beginning. There is nothing wrong with confidence, but it needs to have some kind of a decent foundation to stand itself on.

This industry is so misunderstood by so many people that it is mind boggling, but even the new drivers coming in have their false expectations that cause them to stumble. Keep at it, and hang in there - as you develop into a professional driver you will begin to understand why they couldn't make you into one at the school, and why they can't afford to have one instructor for every two or three students. They are simply trying to get this done without going bankrupt while trying to bring in new drivers.

Bubber, you have stumbled on the same thing that thousands of people trying to get into truck driving do. That is that the schooling experience doesn't even come close to your expectations.

People think they are being trained to be a truck driver, but all they are really getting is the bare minimum training to be able to pass the driving test so that you can obtain a CDL. There is so much more to learn, so many more skills to develop, but those things can never be taught in a school unless you are willing to pay about thirty thousand dollars for it. The costs of training someone to the level of being a proficient professional driver are way to prohibitive for it to work that way.

Trust me when I tell you that Swift, or any other company that is willing to train new drivers, won't hardly make a dime off of you for your first year of driving for them. That whole year is basically a training time for you. You will start out with a trainer or mentor for about a month, and then after that you will go solo. You won't be ready to go solo yet, but you had better step up your game and get serious about it. That is just the way it works. I was nervous as I could be for my first three months as a solo driver. There were so many things I was still learning. A little bit of nervousness along with a healthy amount of fear are what you need to keep you from getting over confident in the beginning. There is nothing wrong with confidence, but it needs to have some kind of a decent foundation to stand itself on.

This industry is so misunderstood by so many people that it is mind boggling, but even the new drivers coming in have their false expectations that cause them to stumble. Keep at it, and hang in there - as you develop into a professional driver you will begin to understand why they couldn't make you into one at the school, and why they can't afford to have one instructor for every two or three students. They are simply trying to get this done without going bankrupt while trying to bring in new drivers.

Bubber, Good job making bud, welcome to the team. Make sure you and your mentor are on same page before you leave.

Old School, well said sir!