Salt Lake City Swift Academy
Topic 11202 | Page 1
I attended Swift's Richmond Academy several years back, excellent experience. Not familiar with the Salt Lake School, but I would expect there to be a consistent curriculum and process. Nothing you described sounds out of the ordinary. They will explain the specifics of taking your home state's CDL tests. Call your recruiter if the bus tickets don't arrive by Monday. 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.
The salt lake school isn't one of Swifts schools. Swift bought central refrigeration and it's their school, so i guess its a "swift school." I'm wondering if I will be strictly reefer or dry van. There's not a lot of info out there for this school! I'm hoping someone will chime in that has actually been there! Thanks for the reply though!
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
The salt lake school isn't one of Swifts schools. Swift bought central refrigeration and it's their school, so i guess its a "swift school." I'm wondering if I will be strictly reefer or dry van. There's not a lot of info out there for this school! I'm hoping someone will chime in that has actually been there! Thanks for the reply though!
For what you will need to know to pass the CDL test a reefer and a dry van handle the same, back the same, etc.
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.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
I don't know how it is now but in April 2014 it took 16 days to get my cdl... The first week is studying for the permit and on Monday you go to SLC DMV to take the test... If you pass on Monday Tuesday you start backing and Wednesday Thur Saturday is driving... They have a stretch of road they take you on then go to industrial area plus city and mountain driving... Sunday is all day backing.....
Monday is pre trip test and backing and Tuesday is road test with dot certified instructor...
I would get your permit first cuz then you don't have to stay in the dorms that first week... Take some extra cash for food and personal stuff...
When I was there central drivers could pull both reefer and dry and swift drivers could only pull dry van but nows its changed cuz I see swift trucks pulling reefer trailers... Its a fast paced course and they are really good at what they do....
Any more questions just ask..
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.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Dm:
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.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
I've already got my permit from my home state. The email I got for the recruiter says it's gonna be 13 days of schooling then off with a trainer. I keep reading how a bunch of folks have to go to let's just say, Millington TN for a few days then they go to SLC. How come I get to skip the first step and go straight to SLC? And I was told 36 cpm once I go solo, is this accurate? Or are they blowing smoke
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
I don't know how it is now but in April 2014 it took 16 days to get my cdl... The first week is studying for the permit and on Monday you go to SLC DMV to take the test... If you pass on Monday Tuesday you start backing and Wednesday Thur Saturday is driving... They have a stretch of road they take you on then go to industrial area plus city and mountain driving... Sunday is all day backing.....
Monday is pre trip test and backing and Tuesday is road test with dot certified instructor...
I would get your permit first cuz then you don't have to stay in the dorms that first week... Take some extra cash for food and personal stuff...
When I was there central drivers could pull both reefer and dry and swift drivers could only pull dry van but nows its changed cuz I see swift trucks pulling reefer trailers... Its a fast paced course and they are really good at what they do....
Any more questions just ask..
And I'm sure everything will make sense once I get there and get into it. I'm not worried about the driving part. I've been pulling trailers my whole life and have even had a few times being the wheel of a rig. So I'm very comfortable with what I'm getting into I just like to know the details before I go. Call me anal but I like to have my **** together in everything I do.
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.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Dm:
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.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
I've already got my permit from my home state. The email I got for the recruiter says it's gonna be 13 days of schooling then off with a trainer. I keep reading how a bunch of folks have to go to let's just say, Millington TN for a few days then they go to SLC. How come I get to skip the first step and go straight to SLC? And I was told 36 cpm once I go solo, is this accurate? Or are they blowing smoke
I'm guessing it depends on where you live.. If your on the west coast they won't send you to Tennessee and if your on the east coast they won't send you to SLC... Not sure the pay cuz it was much lower when I went there but I'm sure someone else will clear that up for you.... Since you already have your permit you skip a week of the course which is why its 13 days for you not 16 like I had to do...
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Do you like working for swift? They treat you pretty good?
I don't work for them anymore... I couldn't transfer my Utah temp cdl over to my home state... I had to start over and went with crst...
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.
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I've been looking into being a driver for quite some time and I put in to have swift provide my training and what not. They called almost immediately after I finished the RFI, told me that he wanted me to fill out a full application and start on online cdl training. So I did the online course and passed with a 98! I was instructed to call when I finished, so I did so and he told me I would be going to salt lake city on november 16. He also told me to get my cdl permit from my home state. Passed the 3 main tests and the hazmat , tanker, and doubles/triples tests. Sent an email saying I've completed everything, all he said was "great" so I'm assuming everything is OK. It's the 4th of november now and I still haven't received bus tickets yet and I put in for my notice for quitting today. So, I'm at the point of no return now. Does all of this sound right to you guys? Seems legit to me, just wanna be sure. How's the program up there? Seeing as I have a louisiana cdl permit... how will I get my cdl without coming home first? The actual driving is not the problem. I'm confident in my driving abilities and know my way around a truck. I just want this to be quick and painless as possible. Idk like to have all the firepower I can get before I go into battle so to speak lol
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.