Any one here with a cdl?

Been wanting to get a class a cdl for awhile. Have little experience driving semi's around the ranch, Been looking at company sponsored programs.

We have a swift terminal in my town, but I don't hear great things about it. More or less I've heard it's just a foot in the door, and they give you access to a truck. The instructors aren't really helpful. In particular my buddy said while he was in there program a guy was struggling with alley docking and they wouldn't help him. They let him struggle for over a week till he figured it out.

Maybe the majority of company sponsored programs are like this, maybe there are some good ones? I've read good and bad things about all the company's, but it seems that indeed has quite a few "good" reviews about Cr England's training program. But the company sucks, and no recent reviews on swift.

Reason I'm looking at company sponsored programs is because my buddy dropped swift and took cash out of his 401k to go to an actual school. Training was 1 on 1 but he had a hard time finding a job when he got out, because he had no experience. I have no kids so I can drive long haul for a year or whatever.

Any input/advice on this?

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The way things are going, trucks will self driving in the future. Whenever that is.

I have thought about doing something like this as well, my only issue is I hate dealing with idiot drivers on the roads which is only one of the reasons I've never pursued it. The other is once you get a CDL, places that hire drivers want a ridiculous amount of experience...well how the hell do you get that if you are new at it LOL.

A lot of the stuff you hear about these companies you gotta let go, most of it lies on the driver (you) and what you are willing to learn and how much you are able to practice and get behind the wheel time on the road.

I can drive an M1A1 Abrams Tank and the Super HETT that hauls the Tanks.

http://www.military-today.com/trucks/m1070a1.htm, but that don't do any good in the civilian world LOL.

I've seen the self driving trucks, I'm sure it'll be a long time before the majority of them are like that. And even then so they can't drive in town.

The experience thing is why I was looking at company sponsored programs. The majority of them give you a job after schooling.

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Company sponsored bs isnt bad. BUT, they will own you for atleast a year, and whatever you dp DO NOT let them talk you into a lease purchase program.

If you have a clean record, avoid swift, werner, jb hunt, etc. Ive heard the flatbed companies are a way better platform (TMC, maverick, etc).

Good news is, after 2 years if you dont wreck or do anything else dumb you can pretty much write a ticket to work anywhere you want.

rusty ol ranger said:

Company sponsored bs isnt bad. BUT, they will own you for atleast a year, and whatever you dp DO NOT let them talk you into a lease purchase program.

If you have a clean record, avoid swift, werner, jb hunt, etc. Ive heard the flatbed companies are a way better platform (TMC, maverick, etc).

Good news is, after 2 years if you dont wreck or do anything else dumb you can pretty much write a ticket to work anywhere you want.

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Only reason I was really considering swift was because I could go home at the end of the school day. But If there are better places I'm all ears and willing to take a bus and stay in a motel.

I was talking to one place and they said that they would deny me because I have a misdemeanor within 5 years. It's just a disturbing the peace charge. August this year will be 5 years. Other than that everything is clean.

After 2 years I was wanting to get a local job. My landlord works for a road construction company and makes 25$ an hour. Home every night. Said he can get me a job after I have experience.

As far as a lease program, grandpa has 2 semis but is getting to old to drive them. So if I did anything like that I would try and get one from him.

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swynx said:

Only reason I was really considering swift was because I could go home at the end of the school day. But If there are better places I'm all ears and willing to take a bus and stay in a motel.

I was talking to one place and they said that they would deny me because I have a misdemeanor within 5 years. It's just a disturbing the peace charge. August this year will be 5 years. Other than that everything is clean.

After 2 years I was wanting to get a local job. My landlord works for a road construction company and makes 25$ an hour. Home every night. Said he can get me a job after I have experience.

As far as a lease program, grandpa has 2 semis but is getting to old to drive them. So if I did anything like that I would try and get one from him.

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Heres what i would do...

If hes willing, have your grandpa teach you, if hes willing.You'll learn more from an old trucker in a day then a swift school will teach you in a month. Contact your DMV and get a study manual, the written test is pretty basic. Then once you get your cdl go to swift or one of the big companies to get your experance.

Sometimes though, even with a cdl and no experence, some smaller outfits may take you on. It really pays to "pound the pavement".

Big companies like swift will run you into the ground, and make you hate trucking.

I've worked for swift for the past 6 years. Haven't had any problems with the company but have had a few problems with the office people. The best bet at swift is the flatbed division. Lots of dedicated accounts some that get you home everyday.
As far as the schools, I went to a private school and had no problem getting hired after. All the schools are basically the same. They teach the basics so you can pass the test and that's about it. You're still required to go through a training program that requires 200 hours behind the wheel before you go solo.

Also, keep in mind, ive heard that if you test in an automatic truck, it says that on your lincense and you can only drive automatic trucks, that would severly limit your options since most small companies (once you leave your mega carrier) still run manuals.

Start slowly, get a job on a school bus (not kidding) you get a class B cdl out of it and you ge the experience of moving a large vehicle around others. No no dock training etc, but you leave with some experience. Also you can move on to commercial bus companies which pay fairly well and probably about same as a truck co. I was a trainer and trained some class A holders to be a bus driver. They had gone thru 'schools' and did not have a lot of knowledge as to what made what work. Costs were about $3500 for a course with 2 weeks BTW or so. Some school districts also have big trucks, we just had a request for drivers wanting to upgrade to a A license to apply for the transition. Check it out.

hank857 said:

Start slowly, get a job on a school bus (not kidding) you get a class B cdl out of it and you ge the experience of moving a large vehicle around others. No no dock training etc, but you leave with some experience. Also you can move on to commercial bus companies which pay fairly well and probably about same as a truck co. I was a trainer and trained some class A holders to be a bus driver. They had gone thru 'schools' and did not have a lot of knowledge as to what made what work. Costs were about $3500 for a course with 2 weeks BTW or so. Some school districts also have big trucks, we just had a request for drivers wanting to upgrade to a A license to apply for the transition. Check it out.

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Oddly enough,, i drove bus before driving truck. I find manuevering a semi is much eaiser then a bus.

Biggest issue with grandpa helping is that he is 2 hours drive away, and that's only 1 way. But my buddy drives truck and he can help me. I've always thought that it wasn't so much the school as it is the driver/student. You've either got it or you don't. I have backed a car trailor a few times and haven't had many issues. I've actually heard that the longer the trailor the easier they are to back.

In all it sounds like I should just get help from friends and family where I can and attend swift.

I don't need anyone to hold my hand, I've always been good at figuring stuff out.

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swynx said:

Biggest issue with grandpa helping is that he is 2 hours drive away, and that's only 1 way. But my buddy drives truck and he can help me. I've always thought that it wasn't so much the school as it is the driver/student. You've either got it or you don't. I have backed a car trailor a few times and haven't had many issues. I've actually heard that the longer the trailor the easier they are to back.

In all it sounds like I should just get help from friends and family where I can and attend swift.

I don't need anyone to hold my hand, I've always been good at figuring stuff out.

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Yes, the bigger the trailer the eaiser. I can back a 40 or 44 ft milk tanker into a 12 ft wide door first shot, but it takes me numerous tries to back up a damn lawn cart behind my garden tractor.

The best truckers are those with common sense and self reliance. Its a one man show.

rusty ol ranger said:

Yes, the bigger the trailer the eaiser. I can back a 40 or 44 ft milk tanker into a 12 ft wide door first shot, but it takes me numerous tries to back up a damn lawn cart behind my garden tractor.

The best truckers are those with common sense and self reliance. Its a one man show.

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I'm probably one of the most self reliant people out there. From time to time i put my self in a sketchy situation because I hate asking for help. I'd rather buy more tools and do it on my own then have extra hands in the way. Which is why I wouldn't really care if swift handed me some keys and let me "train" myself during backing maneuvers. I'll figure it out eventually.

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SWIFT stands for Sure Wish I Finished Training, haha. That's what we always said when I worked at sears on the dock and the truckers looked like backing up that day was their first time. Any one have acronyms for other ones? id like to hear them.