Profile For Captain "Cappie" K Miles

Am I mistaken or did I read that Swift claims the camera will only record 10 seconds before an "event" and 10 seconds after?

How the heck do they know something is going to happen 10 seconds before an event. I must have read it wrong.

Cam runs all the time but overwrites the file every so often probably every 4 hours at most likely every 1 or 2 hours

I don't buy it. I think we need to see some actual proof besides you stating that you watched a video. Maybe a QC message? A Swift safety video? I need actual proof before I throw Swift under the bus.

It's true seen video myself HOWEVER the camera both inside and out ONLY show 10 seconds of footage before and 10 seconds after a critical event such as lock the breaks, turn way to hard or swerve, hit something or push the button. So if your texting on your phone and run off the road they will see you and you will know it by the blinking red light on the Qualcomm. Now I don't know about everyone's driving but I seen that light once when I hit the brakes to hard avoiding a colision. So this year thus far they would have seen my mug all of 20 seconds NOT a big deal. I have a dash cam and 1 camera not 2 at a resolution of only 720 creates a 1.2 gig file every 10 minutes. Now if you think there going to upload about 2.5 gig every 10 minutes from how many trucks?????? Your wayyyyyy to paranoid. They just don't work like that.

So I was running hard towards Knight Transportation after reading through this website and doing some research online. I completed my CDL Permit this past Monday thanks to the study guide on this site, solely. I called Kristy my recruiter at Knight on Monday after getting my paper copy of my permit here in NC, and left her a message. Called back Tues a couple times, and left messages, and then called today and finally got her. Apparently she can't assist me any longer because Knight has Blacklisted NC and 5 other states for CDL trainees. She would not give any more information than that, and just said sorry can't help you any longer. I called Prime and filled an app out with them, and they were like a Blackout for NC, what is wrong with NC? So I was wondering if you guys have experienced this before and what is usually the cause of these Blackouts. I live like 20 mins from the Knight Terminal here in Charlotte, so I find it kind of crazy.

I don't know how you feel about Swift but there Richmond academy is open for NC students. Just no class the week of Christmas. I had good experience with them. See thread swift richmond academy

Congratulations, "Cappie" and a very nice post with lots of details . . . that week will go by so fast you won't even realize it . . . I assume your "mentor" is just what other's (like Prime) call a trainer.

Yes one in the same I'm sure. The person you do 200 hours with before testing out and upgrading to solo Swift calls a "Mentor" . I do hope to get a good one because I feel that you can't be a jerk AND a good mentor at the same time. If I don't feel that I'm being trained well I will request another. The school was good however they have 3 weeks. What they teach is pretrip, shifting, backing and some time on the road so just what you need to know for the DMV exam. This leaves a few things to up to the mentor to teach you to say the least. Things as basic as drop and hook, actually moving the tandems not just insuring there properly locked.. words like Jake brake and DEF all not required to know for the state test so we're never even mentioned in the 3 week course. These are just things I consider common sense but the list of things I need from a mentor I'm sure is endless and I at this point clueless as to what they are. In short my expectations from a mentor is that in the short time we have teach me everything possible for the safe and efficient operation of that truck just as I would teach him the same about transporting passengers in any water born vessel and how to deal with DOT regulations and stay legal as I have learned to with USCG regulations.

Just realized with the timing of all this I may not get a mentor until after Christmas. I was not planning on an extra week out of work. O well I will get through it.

I took the high road preparation test here and aced the DMV exam for my permit and went to Swift Academy on November 17th and December 5th I graduated at 97% overall. I got 100% test scores on all but my road test where I got a -6 points. Three of those were not scanning intersections but truth is I just didn't swivel my head to make it obvious to the tester and the other 3 were ramp speed to high. I was 5 under posted and they wanted 10 under. At any rate I feel good about my scores and my overall experience there was great. I'm local so I didn't stay in the hotel but classmates that did lover the room. Fridge, stove clean rooms good area new building and everything you need close buy the shop cheep and cook in the room. As for the Academy make no mistake slackers will go home. Fail one test and you are on AP (academic probation) witch means fail it or any other test range included and your on a bus home. Fail a drug test or get busted drinking even in room on weekend and your out with no bus ticket home... your on your own. This also applies to opposite sex company in your room and they pop in to check. Your there for the school and the school alone so stay focused. With that said I don't want to make them sound unfair because that would just not be true. The tests are challenging but if you.. and I can't stress this enough PAY ATTENTION you will do just fine. It was a fun time and the 5 of us that made it out of the classroom became friends and all graduated this past Friday. We all assigned each other with nick names. It was raining one day and this guy pulled out a box of ponchos he had in his pickup.. he became "poncho" there was "marine" that use to be one "chatter" because he would never stop talking "recluse" never talked and keeped to himself and I was "cappie" being a charter captain and always the voice or reason. Anyway fun times good school and I feel I'm well prepared for my state test at DMV this coming week. So anyone that is thinking about going to this school if you live in PA. NC. or VA. I would highly recommend it. After graduation for your CDL they take you in a truck to your home state to test at DMV. There is no going home transferring your license or saying you live in the state the school is in to get licensed there. It's not a sponsored school swift pays. It is there school at there Richmond terminal and all the instructors are Swift employees so your best interests and the companies do come first. No half ass training just to push you on to fill the needs of some trucking companies paying there salaries.

Thanks for the input guys.. I took their online tests last night and passed them all so im just waiting to hear from one of them so i can go to Millington, TN for the school... Im really nervous and upset that i have to leave my 3 year old boy and 3 month old girl but I desperately need money to give them everything they deserve. They told me the training was two weeks and orientation was the last week? Also im confused on the pay cuts for the schooling... One person told me $30 a week and the computer says $75 a week. ?

Don't wait. Call your recruiter. I just did all this and start the academy in Richmond monday. Here after the online test I was asked to get a health exam for DOT. No Swift did not pay. I was also told to get my CDL learners permit from DMV before I was scheduled for the academy so use the High Road Training Program here and you will pass at DMV first time. Things may not be the same there but in Richmond they do it this way.

Went to get my physical today. 2 year cert. And stopped by DMV and took my exam and aced it. Only 3 questions missed out of 95. Thanks to the high road program and all of you. With that behind me I know there is much more to study. I start Swift Academy on the 17th so ten day to get familiar with maps pretrip and logs so I can breeze that and just concentrate on learning to drive the truck.

I would scale the truck there. If scales not certified check it down the road.

There is plenty of time to make delivery however in my experience it is best to leave ASAP because things happen and the closer to you destination you get the less opportunity they have to occur. If you have 2 hours to get 1 hour away drive 45 min and wait the 1 hour 15 min out rather then wait an hour to leave and get a flat or get jammed up another way and be late.

Don't know log books yet but looks like you got around a 12 hour drive and 8 hours you can drive. That would put you 4 hours out. Take your 10 and 8+4+10=22 hours. If I remember you had 29 hours to deliver. Going west perhaps +1 hour if you cross a time line. You should be early if all goes well. See if they will take it earlier.

Ginger lowers high blood pressure.

I don't know about ginger be I read you can drop 10 points from beatroot juice. Now it don't sound tasty but hey..

Ginger hu.. like ginger ale