After researching decent start out companies that pay for the CDL school, Swift was the only one to call me after filling out online applications. (This may be due to the fact of having a criminal record; felony I received while enlisted in the USMC, however I use to work in a few chemical plants and pipelines down in S. Louisiana and have a current TWIC from the TSA after my release).
After talking to a Swift recruiter and verifying my eligibility of employment by their security department I was signed up for school in Charlotte, NC with Trans Tech. After getting a slight run-around with enrollment in either the Ashville or Charlotte location (due to my personal schedule).
As for COST OF THE SCHOOL it determines your agreement that was made with the Swift recruiter. I needed housing due to the fact that I don't live in the area so that added in to the final amount.
$3900 for the school
$500 for housing (hotel room you share with another student under Swift contract)
$4400 total.
Now I have a 13 month contract with Swift so if I honor that contract I only pay half of the school cost and none of the housing. For a total of $1950 that I will be responsible for, BUT if I do not honor the 13 month contract I will be responsible for the total $4400 WITH interest.
I was told that the class that I'm in is fairly large, but even on the first day one student dropped and I'm assuming like any other school that class will be getting smaller the closer we get to graduation day.
Just completed the first week of school, strictly paper/Power Point reviews and took the test at the DMV for my permit.
As for PASSING THE PERMIT TEST there was a lot of guys stressing about not passing it. The test consists of 3 subjects 1. General Knowledge (50 questions) 2. Air Brakes (20 questions) and 3. Combination Vehicles (25 questions).
My advice for passing these three tests is to go to the DMV and ask for the CDL manual (its free) and read that sucker cover to cover (its dry knowledge), also download the app CDL Prep on your smartphone (the icon is a picture of a steering wheel and also free), and pay attention in class. I passed all three of the tests in 20 minutes (the permit test is timed, but it's plenty of time).
As for my current TRANS TECH REVIEW my current instructor is Bobbie Keller, great person with a lot of knowledge to share. A/C in the classroom and if you don't understand something they are there to help.
I'll try to keep this updated as much as I can during school and into Orientation that I am scheduled for at the Greer, SC terminal. Any questions or comments are welcomed.
Swift Contract with Trans Tech CDL School (Charlotte, NC)
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by trey0311, Jul 15, 2017.
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You made the right choice staying in their housing. When I went to the Corsicana school, 100% of the people who stayed at the hotel left with their cdl. 100% of those who didn't, didn't get their cdl. Take from that what you will. My theory is that everyone at the hotel was quizzing each other on the extensive pretrip information and discussing what was and wasn't working with certain backing maneuvers... we shared in successes and failures. We celebrated the victories when one of us advanced and we mourned those who failed and had to stay back.
Out of 22 people in our class, 18 people have their cdl and came to swift. 13 of them are still with Swift 9 months later. 6 of us either bought or leased trucks and 2 are trainers, and most of us are either on or have been on various dedicated accounts. We have flatbed guys and dry van guys and reefer guys and girls.
I'm still in touch with every single one of them and most of them I talk to every day. Consider them all lifelong friends. We are in this together! Don't underestimate the importance of having someone you can call at 0400 and they will wake up and talk to you for 2 hours to keep you awake and make it to the truck stop alive when you are dead ### tired.
On top of that, I went to DPS in Waco, Texas 4 times to watch people test and also in case everyone either passed quickly or failed quickly I could test early for my cdl... Swift was the only school to get their drivers past the first test all 4 times, the pretrip. The private for profit swindlers came in worse equipment and couldn't name a single part on it. I tried to get my uncle to get his cdl and come team with me, but he refused to go OTR. So he paid like 6500 dollars for a cdl mill that he only attended nights and weekends. He drove for a couple of hours twice.
Even with my help and making him an hour and a half video of a full level 1 pretrip and every part of the truck and trailer exactly as they wanted to hear it... he still didn't even pass the pretrip. He's back to welding now.
For real, take advantage of what swift offers. Make friends and stay in touch. And stay company as long as possible. Don't let them con you into leasing a truck. Don't let them make you a trainer in 6 months.
Do your 13 months, keep extensive notes of everywhere you go, how #### fuel you used, where Swift wanted you to fuel, what you hauled, which shippers and receivers ####ed you over etc... which lanes kept you moving or had you sitting. See all 48 states as a company driver, while they still pay you layover for sitting.
I bought a truck while still having not ever run most of the northeast. Now I never will because it's simply not profitable for me fuel wise, time wise and risk wise. There's also nowhere to park. Had I run there as a company driver, I wouldn't have spent a week losing money running New York and PA
trey0311 Thanks this.
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