Profile For J R.

I drive for Swift and have not seen any company trucks with APUs. You should be able to run a CPAP on the inverter in the newer company trucks. I have a 2018 t680 and it'll run a microwave so a cpap shouldn't be a problem.

Orientation was 3.5 days of boredom, which was to be expected. I didn't need a new physical.

Had to stay an extra night in the hotel waiting for my mentor.

Driving Day 1: Richmond VA to Suffolk VA to pick up a load headed for Target in Amsterdam, NY. 95 through Washington DC on my first day driving a semi truck. Was completely exhausted at the end of the day. Shut down at the Swift terminal in Harrisburg, PA for the night.

Driving Day 2: Harrisburg, PA to Amsterdam, NY. Drop and hooked and headed to Greenwich, NY to pick up a load of paper products headed to Galesburg, IN. Tons of two lane roads, super tight right/left turns in old New England towns. Really having to learn at an accelerated pace it seems. Backed twice, both being very close to straight backs. Ended the day at a service plaza near Syracuse, NY.

Day 3: Syracuse to Gary, IN. Nothing remarkable. Surprising amount of parking left for being nearly 8:00 by the time we pulled in to the Flying J.

Headed to Galesburg IL tomorrow. Don't deliver till Monday so that'll leave us with a little down time.

Loving this so far.

I'm headed to orientation with Swift in Richmond, VA on Monday, 10/9/17. I intend to update this post with updates from 10/9 until I'm in my own truck.

I started training with CDS in Woodford, VA on Monday, 9/11/17. I successfully passed my CDL skills test at the DMV today, 10/4/17.

I can't say enough good things about this school. The instructors, atmosphere, and environment were great. It was a great experience from beginning to end.

So, slightly more in depth review (if anyone is interested):

Facility: The Woodford/Thornburg, VA location appears to be an old truck stop/truck service station. The driving range used for maneuvers is a gravel and dirt lot with between 3 to 5 "stations" set up where you'll take turns performing the straight, offset, and parallel backing maneuvers just like you'll have to do at the DMV. The range is bumpy and uneven, there are very seldom any lines painted on the dirt, and cones for maneuvers aren't perfectly straight like they are at the DMV. The trucks and trailers aren't all identical either -- they regularly use a short flatbed trailer for one of the backing stations even though you will test using a 48' dry van trailer. These might all sound like negative things but they're absolutely not. The backing at the DMV will seem easy once you're used to doing it on a bumpy dirt lot without freshly painted lines and cones that are "straight-ish". Backing the 48' box trailers will seem easy after backing the shorter flatbed a few times.

Instruction: Many of the instructors are former students of CDS that came back to teach. I enjoyed all of my instructors -- they made what could've been a very stressful experience in to one of the most rewarding experiences of my life so far. I can't say enough good things about these guys. As you get in to your 3rd and 4th week at the school you'll be taken on "road trips" that begin with an easy route out to a truck stop and back and as you progress you'll move on to interstate and highway driving. With each road trip you'll be instructed less and less until you're essentially driving on your own.

We had several recruiters come through during my time there -- TMC, Stephens Transport, Melton, Maverick, US Xpress, Werner, and Epes. I had prehires from all of those companies as well.

The school helps you with job placement (if you need it) and have employers that are willing to work with you whether you want to drive local, regional, or OTR.

Awesome! Thanks so much, Terminal Rat. I think I'll go with my gut and drive dry van for Swift. Everywhere you've been in the last two weeks are places I'd like to see. Thanks again.

I was really hoping they'd run me around the mid west for a while before winter gets here. Nope, pick up a load this afternoon and I'm headed for Louisiana. LOL!

JJ

Just wondering where all you've been sent since posting this, Terminal Rat. Really liked mapping it out on google maps.

OK I had to think about it. Louisiana got cancelled so I deadhead ed over to Tulsa OK. From Tulsa up to Chicago then ran a couple local loads. From Illinois out to Detroit MI. Then down to Orlando FL, up to Pageland SC. After that DH to Charlotte NC to Atlanta GA. Now I'm sitting in Decatur GA waiting on my truck to be inspected. I think that's about right. LOL!

JJ

I was really hoping they'd run me around the mid west for a while before winter gets here. Nope, pick up a load this afternoon and I'm headed for Louisiana. LOL!

JJ

Just wondering where all you've been sent since posting this, Terminal Rat. Really liked mapping it out on google maps.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I'm having a hard time deciding between reefer and dry van.

Jim J and Roadpilot - really enjoy "seeing" where you've been running around to. Thanks a bunch!

The headquarters for the reefer fleet is in the Salt Lake City area. I have been running a lot of freight staying west of the 25 mainly.

That's awesome to hear. How do you like running refrigerated with Swift?

I intend to go with Swift for my first year and I'm curious - how often are either dry van or reefer on the west coast? Or west of the Mississippi in general? West of the Rockies?

I ask because I'd really love to see those areas, and I'll run reefer if it means seeing those places more often.

Also, can hometime be taken wherever you'd like, or must it always be taken in one specific place?