SWIFT Driving Acadamey Memphis, TN AUG '15

started swift driving acadamey on aug 10. first 2 days were in the classroom doing drug test and paperwork. 3rd day we was out doing strait line backing. 4th day was pre-trip and incab brake test. saturday we was off and sunday we had more classroom time doing logs and mapping. monday we started on the range. i feel they do not have enough trainers for the amount of students on the range. i cannot do offset backing or 90 degree alley dock. i asked a trainer if her could help me and he said no i should read the notes i took. REALLY??? i cant read notes and drive at the same time. so needless to say i failed my driving test today. hope to pass both tomorrow or im here for a 3rd week.

Rick lamented:

I feel they do not have enough trainers for the amount of students on the range. i cannot do offset backing or 90 degree alley dock. i asked a trainer if her could help me and he said no i should read the notes i took. REALLY???

Rick, I did the Academy at Memphis (actually Millington, 20 miles north) in December. Same instructor/student deal. No, yo don't stare at your note paper while you are moving the truck!! Watch others mess up or do good. Have your partner tell yo what's going on as you back up. The instructor will be by sometime or other. (My experience is they get you to make that particular back-up good, then leave. I didn't get much from that.)

Remember, or look in your notes, about where the Money Cone is. It's a different cone at each back-up practice, but that's the key to getting the trailer in. Later, you won't have to deal with tiny orange cones you can barely see. You get to back up between trailers!

Change the attitude. You can worry about "I'm drowning!" as you splash around. Or you can think about how to get out of that situation. To that, each time work hard to get the trailer between the cones, don't worry even about doing "good".

Finally, you are limited to "no pull ups" and getting it right the very first time. This is the toughest two weeks of your driving career. Even the DOT test is a bit easier. (The cones/barrels are farther apart, you probably get to do a pull up and even get out to look for the test!)

I sent you a PM. Check your email.

This is why I chose a community college program. 8 weeks long, only 6 in the class, and much much cheaper.