Starting My New Journey With Swift Transportation

Greetings everybody!

I am embarking on my journey with Swift Transportation in the next couple of weeks. Everything went do fast. Let me tell you a little about myself. I have always thought truck driving was interesting and fun and - dare I say - romantic. Like the bleeding artists of the modern era. I have always seen trucks and truckstops and wondered "I wonder what that would be like."

I have worked a desk job at a large insurance company for a little over five years. THis was going to be my career, the place I retired. I loved the culture, the pay, the benefits. I drank the Kool-Aid. I would ignore the little red flags that things were getting pear-shaped until it was too late. After many missteps regarding general care for employees and employee movement, I decided it was time for me to leave.

I search and searched for a different job, but I found I would be stuck either maing minimum wage in a new field, making less money in the same field, or living my hopeless existence dying slowly at my company. The reality crashed over me hard. Then, it happened. One after the other I was given job recommendations for "No CDL needed" driving positions. THis sparked my interest. I will not bore you with the rest, but hours of YouTube videos, blog posts, and late night brainstorming sessions later, and I am on the phone with a recruiter for Swift Transportation.

I know of the various reputations, and I frankly don't care. I want to break in. I want to try it.

I know there are a lot of struggles coming my way, and I am excited and terrified all at the same time. I will be leaving the woman I've been with for almost five years at home. We have not been apart for more than a few days our entire relationship. She has been my rock through many things good, bad, or indifferent.

So, here I am. I start training with all the book work and such in Fontana, California on April 10 of this year. I will do my best to keep this updated with my endeavors.

I hope to get to know you all and build a community with you. Thank you for having this available.

Welcome, and thanks for bringing us along. As you may realize, there will be many challenges ahead. With determination and perhaps a little touch of luck you can reach a rewarding career at the end of it all.

Be sure to come to us with any questions or problems you encounter along the way. We can help. Good luck!

Welcome, and thanks for bringing us along. As you may realize, there will be many challenges ahead. With determination and perhaps a little touch of luck you can reach a rewarding career at the end of it all.

Be sure to come to us with any questions or problems you encounter along the way. We can help. Good luck!

Thank you so much for the encouragement! OI am really looking forward to starting a new trade.

Also, if anyone can give me some good recommendations for how to get through training in the best way and what to do to really maximize this opportunity, I would greatly appreciate it.

Also, if anyone can give me some good recommendations for how to get through training in the best way and what to do to really maximize this opportunity, I would greatly appreciate it.

Read as many of the training diaries on here as you wish. The answers on what to expect are there.

Congratulations. There is a good set of instructors there at Fontana. I was just there last week. I am a flatbed mentor for Swift. Pay attention and listen to your instructors. Don’t get over confident and you will do fine in cdl training. After that and you get your license and officially hired by swift, you will begin your over the roadtraining. It is proficiency based not a set period of weeks or driving hours. It usually takes most of my students about 4 weeks. Plan for that. Don’t rush that part of your training. Suck up as much knowledge as you can while your trainer is there with you in the jump seat. It will make it easier when you are on your own. I still talk to all my former students atleast weekly. You will always be learning something new. There is more to this than just driving from point a to b. Good luck and before you know it I’ll see you rocking down the road.

I just finished my first week @ my CDL school and it kicked my ass. I know it's hard by try your damnest to not get stressed out. Relax, take your time. The biggest issue will be learning the pre-trip. I am not sure how company training programs are. I have read they work on the pre-trip for a couple of weeks. I had to learn it in 4 days. That was not four whole days. They spent the first half of day 2 going over the front of the tractor, the in-cab inspection. The 2nd half of day two going over the rear part of the tractor. Day 3 we got a 2 hour less on the air brake test while we were in the cab and everyone in our group of five ran through it with the instructure. Day 3 we went over the trailer and day 4-5 we started yard maneuvers. Every morning for an hour we all did the pre-trip. 5 on each truck with our group of 10.

The rest of the studying is up to us. We were not allowed to look over the trucks during off school hours. I live two blocks from my private school. So what I did was we had to walk with the truck while doing the straight backing. So what I was walking with the truck I had my book and did my pre-trip looking @ the truck from the distance while the others just BS and waiting for their turn.

We were tested on our pre-trip this past Friday. Our group started this past Monday. Now that doesn't count for the test but it counts for our overall grade in our class. Many carriers are looking for a gpa of 90 or better and you get more money in that range as well.

When I got home from school Thursday afternoon I was nauseous from so much stress. I lost five pounds that week and was worried I was going to have a heart attack or stroke from the stress. But I studied and did my pre-trip while others BS and I smoked that test on Friday. I did the pre-trip in 30 minutes and got one item wrong with a 99 for my grade. Now I just have to focus on the yard maneuvers and driving for the next three weeks.

This is what you can possible expect. I would think that a company school would not be that stressful and they would give you more time. I've read where folks can spend the weeks looking over the trucks practicing the pre-trip. Either way take your time, relax, and practice it every chance you get. You can even do it in your hotel room. Walk yourself through the truck doing the pre-trip. Sit in a chair or if you have a car sit in your car and practice your air brakes and in-cab inspection. You have to tell the examiner everything you are doing anyhow.

Good luck...

Do. Not. Be. Afraid. To. Ask. For. H-E-L-P. :)

Congratulations. There is a good set of instructors there at Fontana. I was just there last week. I am a flatbed mentor for Swift. Pay attention and listen to your instructors. Don’t get over confident and you will do fine in cdl training. After that and you get your license and officially hired by swift, you will begin your over the roadtraining. It is proficiency based not a set period of weeks or driving hours. It usually takes most of my students about 4 weeks. Plan for that. Don’t rush that part of your training. Suck up as much knowledge as you can while your trainer is there with you in the jump seat. It will make it easier when you are on your own. I still talk to all my former students atleast weekly. You will always be learning something new. There is more to this than just driving from point a to b. Good luck and before you know it I’ll see you rocking down the road.

Thank you for the advice. I am very excited to start. Class starts tomorrow, and I think I'm ready. I hope to see you out there.

I know it's been a couple weeks since I have updated everyone. I guess I may have posted this prematurely. Thank you everyone for all the advice and well-wishes. It has been greatly apprecitated.

New update: 04/09/2023

I just checked into the hotel. It is weird sharing a room with a complete stranger, but he seems alright. I don't think I'll have very many issues sharing the room. It's just awkward at first.

I do miss my family already. It's really pre-missing. I know how long we will be apart, and it does make me sad. I know that the journey I am on has a lot fo opportunities and those opportunities come with initial costs. So, I am going to just let myself be homesick and be okay with it.

I am ready to start class tomorrow. We will be going bright and early to class from the hotel. I want to get my rest and be as prepared as possible.