Swift C1 Training - Indianapolis, IN

You're welcome! We are projected to graduate on the 29th so I am sure we will run into each other at one point or another! Good luck if I don't see you, though. They'll set you up for great success!

Thank you for this! I start my class for Swift at Indianapolis on the 25th. I will be keeping a close eye on your posts!

Great detailed post!

Second day has been completed!

The day started at 0645. There were about half of us in our seats when Brad started taking attendance. He said he had quite a few people call in sick (for their first day of training?!) and he did not know where the rest of the people were. They showed up intermittently between 0700 and 0930... not good.

We had a few new handouts. The first was the C1 pre-trip study guide. This gives you pictures of what you're looking for with arrows that point and describe the part. It includes those items you need to know for your state exam and reference items. We were also given a binder with all of the exams we will be taking (those binders stay in the classroom).

The morning started off with those with a Permit being ushered outside (in 25 degree weather) and watching an instructor (Dion) do the pre-trip inspection. We were then broken up into groups of six (2 groups) and he went over the in-cab inspection and 4-point break check with each group individually. We then went and started straight line backing, one group with Dion and one group with Ed. Those with no experience got two attempts and then tested out for straight line backing (Dion's reasoning was that they are trying to eliminate test anxiety early on). Those with experience got one attempt and then tested out for straight line backing.

Those without their permit did things in Brad's room. I don't know what they did, I am sorry. I do know one person failed their first test and quit then and there. I would provide the insight and words of wisdom that anything you are trying to accomplish is going to require dedication and is going to present a challenge. The EASIEST thing to do is quit. Don't do the easiest thing, push through it. The reward ALWAYS outweighs the easiest course of action.

We were sent to lunch at 1100 and told to be back in Brad's room at 1200. I returned at 1135 (McDonald's is in the C1 parking lot).

We returned to find two copies of our DOT physicals and a copy of our contract. Dion took those who had not completed their straight line back and completed that with them. While we sat with Brad, he covered specifics on the pre-trip inspection and gave us tips and tricks. Brad also reminded us that the trucks are available for our use anytime, 24/7. We are not allowed to start the trucks without an instructor present but we can pre-trip them as much as we want. During lunch and breaks we can start them without an instructor, but no other time.

Dion took all of us out to the range at 1315 and covered off-set backing and parallel parking. It looks very intimidating but Dion breaks it down. Take notes and listen. Dion sent us back to Brad at 1415.

Brad went over more fundamentals of driving with us, as well as Tanker. We took our Tanker test (even those of us with the endorsement had to take it because it's required for C1 graduation). I was called back to Emily's office to have my hair cut for my hair drug test. I do not have a lot of hair on my head so she cut my arm hair and she took quite a bit. Another student had parts of his beard trimmed off.

I returned to the classroom to a lecture on HazMat. Again, even if you have the HazMat endorsement, you still have to take the C1 test to graduate. Brad sent us home with the HazMat test and told us to have it complete by tomorrow's class.

I am off to study, take this test, and then relax and eat. If you guys have any questions, just ask! I know this curriculum is brand new (to the C1 staff). I will do my best to answer questions.

Have a great evening!

Lil Triscuit, these are great detailed posts - thanks a lot for doing this!

You will soon discover that only a very small percentage of those who started this journey with you will even come close to finishing it. We tell people this all the time, but it still surprises them how many just don't have the Commitment to see it through. Trucking is a great playing field, but only a few are able to compete at the level required for success. Our hats are off to you for taking it seriously, and getting off to a great start.

Day 3 is complete.

Class started at 0645. Most folks were on-time, there were still some stragglers who showed up late, again. We started off by turning in our test from last night and taking our DOT Test and Entry-Level test. I have a word of wisdom... make sure you have all of the test questions in your book. Ask Brad how many questions are on the test and make sure you have that many. My book was missing a page and I didn't answer the questions and it hurt my grade. We went out to the pad at 0915 and stayed out there working on pre-trip until 1100.

We went to lunch at 1100 and returned at 1200. Everybody was on-time except for one person, he enjoyed his 1:20 lunch, I am sure, until he got pulled by the school.

We did the MapTrip section and took the test. This took until 1515. We then covered the pre-trip, in detail, in the classroom. Brad covered every single detail and how to study for the pre-trip. The goal is to be ready to test, for the pre-trip, by next Wednesday.

Brad gave us study material to cover logging and math, which is the majority of tomorrow's class. Class ended at 1600. I went, with a friend, to do some pre-trip practice and breezed through the entire pre-trip in 23 minutes. I was pretty stoked.

I hope you all have a great evening!

Hey all,

I am sorry for not updating yesterday. I have been kind of down these past two days. There's been a lot of sitting around and staring at my phone throughout the day. I've studied as much as I can and have the stuff I need to know memorized and you can only stand outside, in the freezing wind or 50mph wind for so long so... sitting in the classroom on the phone has been the thing the past two days.

Yesterday we did our MapTrip, Logging, and Math tests. We covered how to use the Trucker Atlas, how to properly log, and how to use recaps and the math associated. Our scores were posted, for the entire class. Lots of people failed tests and, if you failed a test, you cannot graduate. I have an overall of well above 90%. They handed out many packets of paperwork, one of which is an 8-page packet that is due on Monday. It just covers the pre-trip and other things in the binder that they gave you.

Today we were released to start our parallel backing and offset backing. We did that from 0700 to 0900. We were supposed to have a BMV examiner in the class, at 0900, to talk to us about the test and what to expect, but he did not show. From 0900 to 1000 we sat in the class while people re-did their tests. At 1030, we were ushered into another classroom and told that is our new home. We took lunch at 1100.

At 1200, they started taking more people for their backing maneuvers and road demonstrations. During that time, I worked on pre-trip and played on my phone until about 1530. I was taken for a road demonstration from 1530 until 1600. The instructor covered shifting, operating the vehicle, and several other things (including specifics on the road test and 4-point brake test).

I hope you guys have a great weekend!

Hey all,

I am sorry for not updating yesterday. I have been kind of down these past two days. There's been a lot of sitting around and staring at my phone throughout the day. I've studied as much as I can and have the stuff I need to know memorized and you can only stand outside, in the freezing wind or 50mph wind for so long so... sitting in the classroom on the phone has been the thing the past two days.

Yesterday we did our MapTrip, Logging, and Math tests. We covered how to use the Trucker Atlas, how to properly log, and how to use recaps and the math associated. Our scores were posted, for the entire class. Lots of people failed tests and, if you failed a test, you cannot graduate. I have an overall of well above 90%. They handed out many packets of paperwork, one of which is an 8-page packet that is due on Monday. It just covers the pre-trip and other things in the binder that they gave you.

Today we were released to start our parallel backing and offset backing. We did that from 0700 to 0900. We were supposed to have a BMV examiner in the class, at 0900, to talk to us about the test and what to expect, but he did not show. From 0900 to 1000 we sat in the class while people re-did their tests. At 1030, we were ushered into another classroom and told that is our new home. We took lunch at 1100.

At 1200, they started taking more people for their backing maneuvers and road demonstrations. During that time, I worked on pre-trip and played on my phone until about 1530. I was taken for a road demonstration from 1530 until 1600. The instructor covered shifting, operating the vehicle, and several other things (including specifics on the road test and 4-point brake test).

I hope you guys have a great weekend!

Thanks for keeping us up to date. Wow. It amazes me how many people can’t be punctual when their future is riding on it. I wonder what that guy was doing that required a two hour lunch?

Keep in mind while learning in any of the Paid CDL Training Programs, it’s also an extended job interview. Everything you do is being evaluated and considered.

So a quick question. Are the training trucks Auto or manual? I know I heard somewhere they were switched to Auto, but can you confirm or deny this for me? Thanks!

Mr Techit asked:

So a quick question. Are the training trucks Auto or manual? I know I heard somewhere they were switched to Auto, but can you confirm or deny this for me? Thanks!

This was in the last update about road instruction:

The instructor covered shifting, operating the vehicle, and several other things...