My 3 Week School Experience At C1 Driving Academy In Indianapolis, IN For Swift Transportation

I'm not gonna go into great details about everyday stuff, but just a quick rundown for anybody who is thinking about going to school in Indianapolis for Swift Transportation or Pam Transportation.

I started school on July 20, 2015 and graduated on August 7, 2015. 3 weeks (minimum of 120 hours of instruction), which is exactly the length of time the school is supposed to be. I am either one of the lucky ones, or I really did pay attention and watched and learned as most don't graduate until the 4th week, some in their 5th week, and some not at all. This is not something that everybody is cut out to do. I suggest before doing this you think about, talk to others (especially experienced OTR drivers, especially Swift drivers if you can find them), talk to your family, do your finances and figure out whether you can go at least a month without a paycheck as Swift doesn't provide paid training. Pam students, you get $50.00/week in weeks 1 and 2 and $100.00 the third week. Make it count and graduate, as the money stops there.

Anyway, the first day is long. You have to be there at 6:00am ( the remaining days at school you are required to be there at 6:45am) to stand in line to be checked into the school. The week I went we had 10 Swift students (which is what C1 has room for, and there were 30 Pam students = total of 40 students). Swift transportation has just started using C1 Indianapolis for training, I believe my class was either the 2nd or 3rd class to be enrolled. You get checked in and then you SIT until it's time to take a wiz quiz followed by a DOT physical. Some results of your wiz quiz is immediate, others are sent off FedEx and results are back Wednesday or Thursday of the 1st week. Don't be stupid, they will come in and pull you out of class unceremoniously and send you home at YOUR expense, we had two such Einsteins.

Week 1: The first week is all classroom time. I believe there are 9 test, 6 of which is MUST PASS. They are open book test and the instructor Brad Butts is very good at explaining the material. Let me give a shout out to Brad, great guy!!!!!! Just don't have your cell phone on in class, you will lose it until the end of the day. During the first week you are given plenty of time to go to the local Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), to begin testing for your CDL permit. In-state students are not required to have their permit before attending school, out-of-state students are supposed to, although there where a dozen or so who did not, in which case you must go to your home state to test for your CDL permit. C1 provided transportation to students from Ohio (all of which were Pam students), all other students from other states had their permits before attending. Study hard and take and pass as many of the test for your permit early, as I will explain why later in my post.

Week 2: The fun begins... You are moved out of the classroom and you get to start learning how to back up and drive the trucks on the street (city traffic, Indianapolis is a very large city and lots of traffic). Because our class size was so large, we were not able to follow the itenerary the school provided (which was aggravating, but if it happens to you just hang in there), we were not given the opportunity to drive out on the streets everyday ( I drove 3 days ). Learn to back the truck up!!!!! Straight back, offset backing and parallel parking (Yes, you must learn how to parallel park the truck, and yes it does have a 48' trailer attached). It's not that hard, just pay attention to the instructors!!!!!!!!! ( I got to be on the range backing up trucks everyday, and all 3 back up exercises are tested when you go to state to take your test). We had a lot of free time this second week, take advantage of it, if you take nothing else from this post heed this warning...... on your free time STUDY FOR YOUR PRE-TRIP INSPECTION!!!!!!!!! There is a lot to learn, and most have keywords that must be included for each part (82 of them I believe) in order to pass the state inspection. You get all that information, study it, you will be happy you did come your third week if you really want to get out of there in 3 weeks and get back home, family or wherever it is, not to mention the sooner you get out the sooner you can start to make some money.

Week 3: You should have been in the truck on the streets and on the range a few times by now. This week is to enhance your skills you have learned. You must pass the schools test which includes the range test (straight line backing, off-set backing, and parallel parking), the pre-trip inspection and a driving road test before you are able to test at state. Remember earlier when I said get your permit as quickly as possible? You must have your permit for 14 days prior to taking your test with the state. Get your permit that 1st week if you want out by the end of the third week. If you don't get your permit until the 3rd day of the second week, you CAN NOT take your state test until the 3rd day of the 4th week. You should've been home by now!! Remember Pam students, you no longer get that weekly check and Swift students you never got one to begin with if you roll into a 4th week.

Pay attention, study hard, use your time wisely and hopefully your first trip to state will be your only trip you have to make and you can earn a red hat as pictured.

Are all C1 students committed to either Pam or Swift?

Are all C1 students committed to either Pam or Swift?

Hi Indy

No, you can attend C1 without having to go through either Pam or Swift.

With that question in mind, maybe someone out there can answer this question.

Once signing the enrollment contract with Swift, and after one graduates and decides to work for another carrier or private company other than Swift, what can one expect?

Once signing the enrollment contract with Swift, and after one graduates and decides to work for another carrier or private company other than Swift, what can one expect?

One can expect to get the bill in the mail for the training and then the collection agency will start calling.

That is a real contract that you signed, and if you read it you will know that what I'm saying is true. Don't take a hit on your credit over this.

I know once you get that license in hand you start seeing all kinds of opportunities that seem to sparkle, but please do yourself a favor and keep your word to Swift or to whomever you contracted with. It is only one year, and man that year is going to fly by so fast that you just won't hardly believe it. That entire first year is a steep learning curve for most of us any way. We've had a lot of folks in this forum get their start with Swift - some of them stayed on longer after that first year, and some of them tested the waters elsewhere after completing their contract. Swift has so many different divisions that you could transfer over into if you wanted to try something new during your first year. They do dry van , refrigerated, flat-bed, inter-modal, even some car hauling, and other things also.

Tazzy, that was a great post you gave us about your school experience - if you can keep that type of attitude up during your first year of driving you are going to be great driver wherever you settle in at. Seriously though, that first year you are going to be learning a whole lot of things about this career and how to make it work - most people don't make it through that rookie year because of their unrealistic expectations. That is what I loved about your post about your school experience - you just told us how it was, and you made some great observations about keeping your head in the game. You didn't post a bunch of complaining about how it wasn't done the way you thought it should be, you just followed the program and did what was required, and you came out successful.

These driver training programs are simply a fast paced program to get you a CDL. They really don't do a whole lot more than that. The next step will be your time with a trainer, which can be a trying time depending on the personality of the person you are stuck in that truck with - trust me that truck won't seem so big after being stuck in their for about a month with a complete stranger! You will learn a lot during that time, and then that learning curve will grow exponentially when they hand you the keys to your own rig. Hang in there, and we're real glad to have you in here.

Any time you run into a difficulty or a problem that you are not sure how to handle, jump in here and someone will be in here to try and give you some good advice.

Tazzy, O.S., as usual, said it all. I went through Swift in Memphis last December (I took the veteran deal.)

Swift actually starts paying you back at the same time you begin your payments. You will lose that benefit of you walk away.

Cheapskate special: those re-payments continue for an additional 13 months (total two years +) so the Swift Academy is free!

Thanks Old School!!!

I have read the contract thoroughly. It only states that this is a loan, the weekly payment and where to mail the payment to if direct deposit isn't chosen as the payment method. What it doesn't say is that I am contracted to drive for Swift for any period of time, unless I want to be reimbursed for the cost of tuition, which would require 3 years, 1 year paying them $75.00/week for the cost of tuition (which is the loan amount) and then two years of them reimbursing me $37.50/week to pay for the schooling. That's quite a long commitment for a $3900 loan............ With that being said, I have every intention on paying the loan back whether Swift is where I end up or if I end up with someone else. I understand this is a legal document and a loan which can adversely affect your credit score. I have decided to keep my options open to other employers as I think everybody should have options and should look into them in case one feels that others may just be a better fit. There are a few companies right here in Indianapolis that hire new CDL A drivers, and like Swift, they also have a period of riding with someone you don't know for a period of time. The difference is, these companies have their drivers home every weekend vs. being told to pack for 6 weeks , their terminal is 45 minutes from me vs. Swift's terminal being 3 hours away, and if that isn't enough their starting pay during training and when you get your own truck is significantly higher than what Swifts pay is.

What I was asking is, "Once signing the enrollment contract with Swift, and after one graduates and decides to work for another carrier or private company other than Swift, what can one expect?" I appreciate your honest response, but I was really hoping for someone to respond that has done what I am asking and thinking of doing. Will Swift request my employer to do a direct deposit to them? Can I ask my employer to do a direct deposit to Swift (which I know will depend on who my employer is)? I am just looking for some insight of what others experiences may have been if they have been in this situation.

Thanks again Old School!!!!!

Tazzy, O.S., as usual, said it all. I went through Swift in Memphis last December (I took the veteran deal.)

Swift actually starts paying you back at the same time you begin your payments. You will lose that benefit of you walk away.

Cheapskate special: those re-payments continue for an additional 13 months (total two years +) so the Swift Academy is free!

Thanks Errol on your insights as well. Not sure if they have changed their contract or not, but my contract explicitly states that the reimbursement does not start until after the 13 months of repaying the loan and the loan is completely repaid (if for some reason the loan was not paid as scheduled ei: missed a payment). Then the reimbursement would be $37.50/wk until the loan is reimbursed in full.

Good Luck and thanks again!!!!!!!!!!

I have the veteran thingy where I work for Swift 12 months then a "scholarship" pays it off. So I really didn't pay attention when they talked about this. (No pro-rate: anything less than 12 months and I owe the whole enchilada. I called & checked on this.)

But check with a recruiter. I understand you start making payments and Swift also starts paying you off at the same time. That makes your paycheck out-of-pocket way less than the whole $75 (I think) per paycheck.

I believe it is described somewhere on Swift's web site.

Thanks again for your valued input Errol, and thank you for serving our country!!!!!!!!!!

Tazzy, I see some form of your recent posts that you are not going to continue with Swift. I think you are making a mistake, and let me explain why.

Swift has something invested in you now - they really want to see you succeed. They have got a great program to give you all the tools you need to make the difficult adjustment to the new lifestyle before you. They've also got a ton of options for you to choose from as far as freight.

Any where else you go to will not be as willing to work with you if you prove to have some difficulties along the way. Lets say you have a minor fender bender and cause some damage to another vehicle (a scenario that happens way too often for new rookie truck drivers). Who ever you are with now is more than likely just going to cut their losses and send you back home, where you will discover that as a rookie driver who just had an accident, with out yet even having a years worth of experience, you will find it very difficult to land another trucking job. Whereas I have heard tales of Swift drivers getting sometimes three different chances at proving themselves after an accident. They have an investment in you - that makes you worth hanging onto so that hopefully they may see some return on that investment in a year or two. Paschall, or whomever you end up with has no financial commitment to you and will not think twice about letting you go if there are some bumps in the road for you.

I'm posting this not so much to get on to you, but rather I want others to realize what is at stake here. I know you think you have your reasons, and they seem reasonable and rational to you, but the problem is that you don't really know what might happen during your first year. Swift, or any other company who sponsored you for training is going to be more willing to help you get established and will work hard toward that end of helping you to become a professional driver.