New To Trucking

Hi everyone! My name is Maia and I am a 26 year old woman currently in the middle of training. So far my career has been in receiving and purchasing but the money and availability of those jobs here in Phoenix isn't what it was six years ago. I am currently being "trained" by Swift (gasp). I am trying to get the most out of it, I hope at least my trainer is experienced so I can learn the vitals from him/her.

Anyway, my girlfriend and I are training together so that we can be team drivers. Sadly she is two weeks behind me now due to slow transfer of medical records. I am eager to be on the road with her once we are done. I have lurked for bit and just wanted to introduce myself. So nice to meet all of you!

-Maia

Hello Maia, and glad to have you in here!

I am currently being "trained" by Swift (gasp).

Maia, you don't have to fear making a comment in here and then ducking for cover. We are going to treat you with respect. To be honest with you we have an awful lot of respect for companies such as Swift who are totally willing to take someone like you right off the street who has probably never even been in the cab of a big rig, and then take a huge chance on you by paying all the upfront costs for your training and then guaranteeing you a job once they've managed to train you. You can't name very many places that are willing to do that for a total stranger. Yeah, I'd say that is one great company.

Listen Maia, we've had a lot of folks in here go through Swift's training and go on to have very successful truck driving careers, I think it's a great place to get your start - don't let all that trash talk on the internet about these trucking companies throw you off. You just keep a great attitude and be willing to learn in a sometimes stressful atmosphere and you will be just fine. You don't have to refer to them as a "mill" in here to feel accepted into the group, in fact we try not to use that term because it seems to carry a negative connotation, and we think what Swift is doing for folks like you is a very positive thing.

Again, we're glad you are here and hope you will stick around and be a regular visitor in here. You will find a lot of helpful people and insights in here, and if anyone is not acting right Brett and I will bloody their nose and throw em out of our sandbox. You gotta play by the rules in here.

I hope at least my trainer is experienced so I can learn the vitals from him/her.

Maia, Swift mentors/trainers have to meet some high standards to get to that position. My Swift trainer was what Swift calls a Platinum level driver. (One step below Diamond.)

Yes, the Swift training course is short, and if you don't take responsibility for your own training it can lead to failure.

Continue hanging out in Trucking Truth's forums. There's a lot of trucking lore that you don't get in school but you'll find it on these web pages.

Welcome to the website, Maia!

Welcome Maia!

Take what Old School and Errol said to heart. You're in great hands over there.

I'll add this for ya. One of the biggest mistakes people making coming into this industry is thinking they know more than they do about how things should be done in this industry. Without five minutes of driving experience or even the license to do so they think they know how recruiters should recruit, how trainers should train, and how management should manage. They decide there are a lot of bad companies out there and if the company they're in training with doesn't do things as they expect then the company is a lousy company run by idiots. Their attitude sours, they don't work as hard as they should, they start doing more arguing and less listening, and it spirals downward until they're sent home without a job. And of course they blame the company for being a bunch of idiots, never realizing they did it to themselves. It's happening to people in your class right now and in classes across the country. Careers are either being delayed by failures, or in many cases they never get off the ground at all. Sent home empty handed because they thought they knew more than they did.

My advice for you and your girlfriend is to keep an awesome attitude, enjoy the learning process as much as possible, and focus on yourselves. Don't waste your time and energy on distractions that aren't getting you closer to your goal of being an amazing driver. Don't judge the company and how they do things. Let them worry about that. You have plenty to worry about yourself. Don't get bent out of shape when you come across abrasive personalities at the company, because you will sometimes and some of them will be trainers. Just keep smiling, do what they ask, and focus on the end goal of becoming a great driver.

The next 6-12 months are going to test every last bit of your character and nerve. You're going to want to quit sometimes. You're going to think you've chosen the wrong company sometimes, or even the wrong industry! At times you'll be exhausted, terrified, and so stressed out you'll just want to pack your bags, walk away and pretend you never had this stupid idea.

You have to see it through. You have to stay the course, keep moving forward, and keep a positive attitude. Know that the next year is going to be some of the most memorable times of your life, and some of the most difficult times. Expect it. But like most things you'll get out of it what you put into it. The harder you work and the more you struggle, the more rewarding this will all be in the end.

To many of us, nothing is cooler than driving a big rig. There are millions of people all over the world that dream of just seeing a beautiful American big rig in person someday. And I think most people would give anything to try driving it just one time. Don't lose that perspective. Don't get so caught up in the petty details of day to day life that you stop enjoying the incredible opportunity you have. Even if you only do this for a short time you'll have memories and lessons that will last a lifetime. You'll have stories you'll be telling 50 years from now. So enjoy yourself, work hard, keep a great attitude, and stay focused on the things that matter. Let the rest just slide on by.