Feeling Stuck

I haven't posted on here in a while, but things have been going pretty well. I finally completed all my training (with Swift) and got assigned my own truck a few weeks ago. It's been great to have the truck to myself and start seeing the country!

Here's where I'm feeling stuck though. While I don't have any restrictions on my license, my company training was in an automatic and that's all I'm allowed to drive with Swift. I actually think the automatics drive just fine and don't have any major issues with them, but I'm kinda concerned about what this might mean down the road for me (no pun intended). I'm very quickly waking up to the fact that this job doesn't pay as well as I originally thought, and it's a real possibility that after some time I might want to switch companies. I didn't even know about ltl and linehaul when I got into this, and I think eventually after some experience that might be a better fit for me. But if I only have experience driving an automatic, I'm afraid it might really limit my options.

Obviously, there's a real possibility I'll want to stay with Swift as I'll start getting quarterly bonuses and could land a sweet dedicated gig, but I'm trying to prepare for the alternative as well. I'm thinking about asking Swift if they could send me out with a mentor for another 50 hours in a manual. But even if they say yes, I don't know if I can afford that right now--I'm broke.

I just don't want to find myself with a year of class a driving experience that means nothing to certain companies because I can't pass a drive test in a manual. I know other companies are switching to automatics, not just Swift, so it's possible it won't matter that much in a year or so, but I still want to be comfortable driving manual just to widen my options.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I should do at this point to help keep my options open?

Hey Paul, don't sweat it. As long as your CDL doesn't have any restrictions on it you won't have any problems landing a job with a company that runs manual transmissions. If you've learned how to shift already it won't take you any time at all to pick up on it again.

If you were worried about it down the line you could always pay for a short refresher course at a local school and they'll let you practice some shifting. But right now I wouldn't concern yourself with it.

Hey Paul, don't sweat it. As long as your CDL doesn't have any restrictions on it you won't have any problems landing a job with a company that runs manual transmissions. If you've learned how to shift already it won't take you any time at all to pick up on it again.

If you were worried about it down the line you could always pay for a short refresher course at a local school and they'll let you practice some shifting. But right now I wouldn't concern yourself with it.

Thanks Brett I appreciate the advice! It's not something I'll have to worry about for a good while anyways if I stay with Swift for that first year.

I haven't posted on here in a while, but things have been going pretty well. I finally completed all my training (with Swift) and got assigned my own truck a few weeks ago. It's been great to have the truck to myself and start seeing the country!

Here's where I'm feeling stuck though. While I don't have any restrictions on my license, my company training was in an automatic and that's all I'm allowed to drive with Swift. I actually think the automatics drive just fine and don't have any major issues with them, but I'm kinda concerned about what this might mean down the road for me (no pun intended). I'm very quickly waking up to the fact that this job doesn't pay as well as I originally thought, and it's a real possibility that after some time I might want to switch companies. I didn't even know about ltl and linehaul when I got into this, and I think eventually after some experience that might be a better fit for me. But if I only have experience driving an automatic, I'm afraid it might really limit my options.

Obviously, there's a real possibility I'll want to stay with Swift as I'll start getting quarterly bonuses and could land a sweet dedicated gig, but I'm trying to prepare for the alternative as well. I'm thinking about asking Swift if they could send me out with a mentor for another 50 hours in a manual. But even if they say yes, I don't know if I can afford that right now--I'm broke.

I just don't want to find myself with a year of class a driving experience that means nothing to certain companies because I can't pass a drive test in a manual. I know other companies are switching to automatics, not just Swift, so it's possible it won't matter that much in a year or so, but I still want to be comfortable driving manual just to widen my options.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I should do at this point to help keep my options open?

hey man I work for swift. went through the whole training program and everything . like Brett said as long as there are no restrictions that's good. and waiting around to gain experience for dedicated is not the only way. you have to network . my first day solo I got a dedicated account and a raise because I made Friends with my mentors friend and he put in a word for me and I got the account . try to be friendly with as many as the older guys as possible and you'll never know what you run into. Note I said make friends and not kiss up , I did not know the the guy I made friends with could help me lol

in fact I'm on my 2nd dedicated account because swift lost the contract on my first one.

I feel you on the pay. now that im on the new account (mid west regional &2nd week in ) my last 2 checks have been 300 or less. luckily I have some money saved . I definitely want to stay with swift as I only have 6 months left until my year is up , but if I keep getting checks like this I may have to really consider other options .

I haven't posted on here in a while, but things have been going pretty well. I finally completed all my training (with Swift) and got assigned my own truck a few weeks ago. It's been great to have the truck to myself and start seeing the country!

Here's where I'm feeling stuck though. While I don't have any restrictions on my license, my company training was in an automatic and that's all I'm allowed to drive with Swift. I actually think the automatics drive just fine and don't have any major issues with them, but I'm kinda concerned about what this might mean down the road for me (no pun intended). I'm very quickly waking up to the fact that this job doesn't pay as well as I originally thought, and it's a real possibility that after some time I might want to switch companies. I didn't even know about ltl and linehaul when I got into this, and I think eventually after some experience that might be a better fit for me. But if I only have experience driving an automatic, I'm afraid it might really limit my options.

Obviously, there's a real possibility I'll want to stay with Swift as I'll start getting quarterly bonuses and could land a sweet dedicated gig, but I'm trying to prepare for the alternative as well. I'm thinking about asking Swift if they could send me out with a mentor for another 50 hours in a manual. But even if they say yes, I don't know if I can afford that right now--I'm broke.

I just don't want to find myself with a year of class a driving experience that means nothing to certain companies because I can't pass a drive test in a manual. I know other companies are switching to automatics, not just Swift, so it's possible it won't matter that much in a year or so, but I still want to be comfortable driving manual just to widen my options.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I should do at this point to help keep my options open?

hey man I work for swift. went through the whole training program and everything . like Brett said as long as there are no restrictions that's good. and waiting around to gain experience for dedicated is not the only way. you have to network . my first day solo I got a dedicated account and a raise because I made Friends with my mentors friend and he put in a word for me and I got the account . try to be friendly with as many as the older guys as possible and you'll never know what you run into. Note I said make friends and not kiss up , I did not know the the guy I made friends with could help me lol

in fact I'm on my 2nd dedicated account because swift lost the contract on my first one.

I feel you on the pay. now that im on the new account (mid west regional &2nd week in ) my last 2 checks have been 300 or less. luckily I have some money saved . I definitely want to stay with swift as I only have 6 months left until my year is up , but if I keep getting checks like this I may have to really consider other options .

That's awesome man! I've been contemplating asking about dedicated..my mentor thinks I could probably get on Costco dedicated since he trained me on it, but I think I might just stay otr til I get to see more of the country. I finally started making a little bit more once I started logging sb at customers. I just log on duty while I'm backing in and such and log sb while I'm waiting (which is honest since I usually just take naps while I'm being unloaded) and I'm getting 3000 plus miles a week now. My last two paychecks have been about 650 each after taxes and such. I've started looking into some ltl jobs and even local jobs but most require a year experience, which is fine with me cause I don't want to owe anything to Swift. I love the crap out of this job though, it's so easy I think haha. Are you running reefer or dry?

there's a good chance you get it . go for it my man. I run reefer. yeah I log sleeper at customers or off duty if I'm the driver lounge. my my loads are drop and hook so for the 15-30min I'm there I log on duty. in speaking of logs I messed up mine a a week ago , and I have one more day before my full 8 days of perfect logs return! I'm so nervous about getting pulled over and getting busted for it. lol

oh idk if they told you this in training but always check your tag and registration. I got a ticket for that not too long ago and I was upset because I was never taught about that and it cost me a 115 ticket . it went on my record too for 0 points but still the fact is a ticket is a ticket to me.

but the job is a lot of fun. I just turned my passenger chair into a gaming chair by mounting my gaming monitor to the visor. and i have surround sound from it's the stereo . its sweet

my current issue is I have a damaged trailer (the inside of the door is messed up , but it is patched as if someone had already tried to fix it) and it was done before me . but when I called my dispatcher he told me to report it as an accident . no sir! I'm going to call the higher ups and see what the proper protocol is because no way I am getting blamed. nothing is going to ruin my accident free year haha

Interesting, must be a dedicated thing. I never get drop and hook unless I'm hauling a dry load in my reefer trailer. Oh well, it's fine, I just avoid 34 hr resets and that usually makes up for the time sitting at customers. My goal is to hit all fifty States and then go dedicated.

Haha your dispatcher must think you're an idiot! I wouldn't report it as an accident if you paid me to.