Calling All Swifties!

I will be starting at the Swift Academy in Phoenix at the end of March. I live in Tucson (about 100 miles south of Phoenix), and will be driving my personal vehicle to attend school. I will also be providing my own housing arrangements while at school. I know ill need to pack "light" with just the necessities for schooling and eventually with my mentor. Now a few questions.

Will I be able to park my personal vehicle at the terminal while out with my mentor?

Once I am issued my Truck, do I need to drive my personal vehicle back to Tucson to retrieve the rest of my "stuff", then drive back to Phoenix and load my "stuff" into my truck. ( Sheets, pillows, cooler, food, cooking/eating utensils, cb radio etc.), or will I be allowed to drive the truck to my house and load it?

I read a lot of horror stories about being issued a filthy, pig sty of a truck. (My personal vehicle is always clean inside and out. I can not stand filthy cars). Is there a truck wash/ detailing area at the terminal that drivers are allowed to use. If not, how and where do you do this. Also, I WILL NOT sleep on a mattress of unknown origin. YUK! Will swift provide a new one or is that my responsibility?

Since Phoenix will be my home terminal, do I leave my personal vehicle there while on the road, and drive it back to Tucson for hometime or will I be allowed to park the Truck in Tucson. If that is the case, I'll need to make arrangements for someone to drive my personal vehicle back home for me.

I know this has been a little long winded, but i will appreciate any feedback

Thanks!

Will I be able to park my personal vehicle at the terminal while out with my mentor?

Yes.

Once I am issued my Truck, do I need to drive my personal vehicle back to Tucson to retrieve the rest of my "stuff", then drive back to Phoenix and load my "stuff" into my truck. ( Sheets, pillows, cooler, food, cooking/eating utensils, cb radio etc.), or will I be allowed to drive the truck to my house and load it?

If you have the space to park it there, yes you can do that. However unless something has changed you will likely be assigned a tractor when you reach 200 hours of driving time with your mentor. They will assign your tractor at the terminal closest to when and where the 200 hours is reached. Since you will have a sleeping bag and pillow on your mentor's truck already, you can use that until you are routed back through your home terminal. Might have to get by for a few weeks until your first home time. I suggest you inquire with your recruiter and ask them this question; "once mentoring is completed, what terminal will I get the truck assignment from?"

I read a lot of horror stories about being issued a filthy, pig sty of a truck. (My personal vehicle is always clean inside and out. I can not stand filthy cars). Is there a truck wash/ detailing area at the terminal that drivers are allowed to use. If not, how and where do you do this. Also, I WILL NOT sleep on a mattress of unknown origin. YUK! Will swift provide a new one or is that my responsibility?

Yes, it happens. Most terminals have an area where they "clean and prep" tractors for assignment. Some are better than others. As a new driver they are going to give you what is available. Once you have established yourself and gotten to know your DM , if need be you can request a replacement tractor. Word of caution, give it time before making requests like this. They should issue a new, shrink wrapped mattress. Many drivers replace the standard issue mattress with a higher quality model/version.

Since Phoenix will be my home terminal, do I leave my personal vehicle there while on the road, and drive it back to Tucson for home time or will I be allowed to park the Truck in Tucson. If that is the case, I'll need to make arrangements for someone to drive my personal vehicle back home for me.

Either place. If I were you I'd try to make Tucson your home base, if you have a place to park both the tractor and trailer. The last thing you want to do is use precious home time, driving for hours to your residence.

Some additional thoughts, from another "Swifty":

First, you'll be based out of Phoenix, the Big House of all Swift big houses. (That's where Richard Stocking works.)

Your parking lot will be in a safe place on the terminal property. I live about 30 miles from the Memphis terminal. This is what I do: I park my car at the terminal. And when I go home, I park the truck at a close by truck stop. If I need to be at the terminal for something, or the tractor needs service, I bring the tractor to the terminal and I can drive my own car home!

When you get your very own tractor, yes that should be already cleaned out by a detail contractor. The horror stories you hear are from when somebody has to pick up an abandoned tractor and usually the "abandonor" leaves a huge mess. Yes, the new mattresses are available at the parts counter. Just ask for one. They come rolled up and wrapped in plastic so it's easy to get it into the truck its a real PITA to take the old one out because its so big and floppy!

Scope out a place now for your truck. First choice, a truck stop. Most larger ones won't mind your truck parked there for 2 days or so. Also other places that trucks park. You may have to check with the owner or manager, but if you do that now, you have a place to park!

A final suggestion: get 3 large jugs about one gallon each. Maybe antifreeze or large oil jugs. Do not use milk bottles they are too flimsy. The shop will allow you to fill the bottles up with engine fluids, such as motor oil, coolant, and windshield wash. Saves you the hassle of having to buy this stuff at the truck stop. (BTW, if you do need to buy truck supplies, most items are covered with your ComData card anyway.) Also ask for some glad hand gaskets and keep them in a baggie. Another PITA is having a leaky glad hand connection when you're hooking up a trailer.

I just upgraded February 1 and while my home terminal was at the time Rochelle IL, we were at Lathrop CA so that's where I was issued my tractor.

It was clean. Not detailed but still much cleaner than I expected as well too had heard the horror stories. The parts department issued me a new mattress - my coordinator told me that they would. I was also issued the lock, gladhand grommets, breakers and wiper blades. The whole permit packet was already stocked as was the folder they give you with info on chaining, kingpin settings, Comchecks and a bunch of other info.

Good luck!