SWIFT Training Diary, July 2021, Memphis, TN

I haven't updated daily because there hasn't been a need, all virtual classes all day, all CDL-P review. Going to memphis Sunday.

Okay... cliffhanger until Monday... I'll TAKE IT!!

Dave W. (The 'article guy' on here... Friday Short Hauls, et al...) is the KING of cliffhangers, as a published AUTHOR!! Credits in his bio, and yes, his books ARE good!! :)

IMHO, no forward motion, IS forward motion..for not sliding in reverse!!

Be safe, good sir.

~ Anne ~

Well Day 1 at the academy in Memphis was a whirlwind.

I got to the hotel late Sunday after moving all day, I wasn't scheduled for a room, I knew instantly that all was not well, I still think my recruiter dropped the ball. Hotel got me a room, got in, relaxed, 04:00 came quickly Monday morning.

I got to the academy and of course I wasn't on the roster, however, because it wasn't my fault and just the recruiter, everyone at the academy was wonderful and made it happen. I had to do one more day of virtual class, my recruiter said I didn't, and I did everything I could paperwork wise, I have to go back in the morning, before school starts, and he's going to run through everything quite quickly for me and get me processed.

First day at the academy was great, except for more zoom classes lol, tomorrow I will be out on the range!

They put us up in the Best Western Plus in Olive Branch, MS, single occupancy, and there is a shuttle to and from the academy, leaves at 5:15 every morning. They also provided lunch for us today.

Tuesday July 13th.

2nd day there, the morning was mostly medical stuff for everyone, getting all the final i's crossed and t's dotted. FINALLY got behind the wheel. Did a few straight line backs, an offset back, and then a pre trip. I didn't get out there until mid morning because of medical.

They are a little packed in range classes, probably due to the holiday, so my group was very large. Backing the truck wasn't much different than some of the trucks and trailers I've been backing my whole life, especially my 20' foot pontoon, so I looked like a pro compared to some of those folks that literally had only been backing for 2 days. Excited to get back out there tomorrow and do a full day, it's hot though! Hoping to get a smaller group tomorrow because I think they finished testing today.

Ok y'all, it is damn hot in Memphis, TN this week. Spent all day on the range backing. The one and only MR. T lead the instruction for my group today. Felt like a real life celebrity! All is going well.

Off to study pretrip!

Ok y'all, it is damn hot in Memphis, TN this week. Spent all day on the range backing. The one and only MR. T lead the instruction for my group today. Felt like a real life celebrity! All is going well.

Off to study pretrip!

Holy wow, AWESOME!!!!!

You are blessed with our ONE AND ONLY, Mr. T ?!?!?!?

Sweet. Awaiting MORE UPDATES!!

~ Anne ~

Hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day of my second week and then next week is my last week before testing. It flies.

Today we did more backing. BACKING BACKING BACKING.

I've been backing some type of trailer since I was a wee lad, grew up on a farm in michigan and today was by far my worst day of backing a trailer ever, but it's ok, I learned a lot. Honestly it was only bad because I am having to adhere to the CDL testing rules, but that's what I gotta do, so i'm gonna get better tomorrow. Feeling good about pretrip and need to get a better grasp on air testing.

So, I haven't kept this up to date because it's been mostly the same thing every single day.

Here is what to expect when you come to SWIFT's driving academy.

The first week will be spent in a classroom, during that week you will do all of your paperwork to pass the medical clearance, the second and third week will be spent on the driving range and road learning the basics of driving and pre trip inspections, then you will test out at the start of the 4th week.

Tomorrow is my last day of class and I find out what day I'm testing next week. Last Monday I was handed a pretrip booklet and I thought that there was no way I could learn all of that, but now I feel confident I could pass the test TODAY, so that is insane. Time FLIES while you are here.

I will update with the results of my testing and then I will focus on what it's like having a mentor.

Ok, sorry for no updates for a while. Life turned into a whirlwind. Let me catch everyone up.

I took my CDL test the Tuesday after my last post. I failed my first attempt because I wasn’t all the way in the box on my 90 and sounded the horn. Literally the only mistake. Haha. I passed the next day, a Wednesday. I finished my test at 4:30, but everyone was gone for the day, so I stayed in Memphis an extra night, reported to the terminal the next morning, Thursday, did all my paperwork and headed back to Birmingham.

I got a call from the Atlanta terminal Friday with my mentor assignment, they gave me Juan’s phone number, he was on home time in Clanton, which is about 45 minutes from Birmingham. I reached out to Juan and we arranged to meet Monday and start our life together.

Monday, august 2nd we met at the truck stop and loaded up my stuff. From there we drove to Lanette, AL to pick up a preloaded trailer of fiberglass insulation and head to Denver, CO. Of course when we get there the trailer wasn’t ready and they actually needed our empty, so we went and grabbed lunch while they loaded us up.

We headed off to Denver after lunch, we stopped in Memphis for the night at the SWIFT terminal there, then from there we drove out my 10 hour clock in Newton, KS, then we got the load to Denver the next day.

From there we were supposed to pick up a T-Call but they weren’t there yet, so we ended up waiting at the SWIFT Denver terminal for 24 hours.

We left yesterday and stopped in Rock Springs, Wyoming on the way to a Walmart DC in Hermiston, OR.

From there we are going to Idaho and then down to Vernon, CA.

Loving it so far. When we get to Oregon I will be done with my 50 hours and we will switch over to team driving, which seems way more productive, but hopefully we can stay loaded and rolling and run out my 200 hours quickly so I can upgrade and make real money!

Thanks for the update, JB! Congrats!

Things seem to be moving right along, eh?

Stay safe, stay blessed~!!

~ Anne ~

Racking up the miles and states already!