My name is Tammy. I hope you don't mind listening to my story. My husband decided after driving a school bus for 2 years to get into trucking. I am a truckers daughter and was against it at first. I know first hand of the hell my dad went through.

Anyway, they put him through truck driving school and sent him out with his 1st mentor. That mentor treated my husband like a dog and when my husband complained. The mentor left him stranded in Atlanta. My husband stayed in Atlanta for almost a week. One morning. My husband had enough money to call me. He said he had tried to get a hold of his DM. I called up at Eden and finally got a hold of her. told her that my husband had been on the road for 3 weeks and just wanted to come home for a few days. She got him the bus tickets. Her and I talked and she asked me if I had given thought to becoming a team operator so I could be with my husband. I told her that I was toying with the idea and before I knew it I was put through to a recruiter. I was sideswiped in a way. I talked briefly to the recruiter and when I went to pick up my husband later that day. I had the news for him that I was going to Richmond, Virginia to the Swift Academy to truck driving training school. He said, Why didn't they send you to the one they sent me to? ( Future Truckers of America. ) I told him. They said I wouldn't be charged if I went to the training facility in Richmond. If I went to the other one. I would be responsible for the tuition. He came home and spent a few days and they linked him up with another trainer, but didn't work out the arrangements for him to get to Eden. He had to call dispatch and get a driver from Kannapolis NC to pick him up and take him to Eden because his DM had left without making arrangements for him to get up there. I took him to meet the driver in Kannapolis and he made his way up there.

The following week. I went to Richmond. I got up there at 1:30 in the morning. I had to pay my own cab fare to get to the hotel. I got to the hotel and the desk clerk said we don't take Swift anymore. He gave me the name of the other hotel to go to. I had to run out and stop the cab driver and get him to take me to the other hotel. It cost me 52.00 and my driver recruiter said I would be reimbursed when I get my first paycheck. Just turn in the receipt. I never got reimbursed. The said I needed a PO and DM never called me back to give it to me. I never got my money back.

I got to the hotel at 3:30am. I never slept that night. I just unpacked and got ready for my first day in class. It was awful. I got up to go to the bath room and Mary....classroom instructor told me to go sit down. I replied I really had to go. She said, "Go ahead and I'll have to write you up ." Other students just looked at me. I sat there quietly and cringed, but held it. She bad mouthed the students like she was some kind of queen. After 1 week in class. I was happy to be out on the 'Range'. It was no better. We basically taught ourselves as instructors just stood around. I had never driven a stick before. I had alittle help by a poor fellow instructor the Academy mistreats a lot. He helped me learn how to put it into gear, but after they saw he was helping me. They put him with some other students. Anyway...the next week came the road training. I was put with Lee.....Mr. Super Trucker and he stayed on the phone all the time when the we were training. I had no experience on the road shifting gears. We went to the so-called shifting pad and drove around a few hours. The next day he let the guys take the rig on the road. He told me as soon as they were done. He would take me back to the shifting pad so I could practice. It came my turn to drive. He made me go out on Broadway and drive through downtown in lunch hour traffic. Yes I was very uneasy and he didn't care. Then came the big hill. I sorta lost my nerve when I saw cars pull right up on my bumper as I sat on the hill. I finally got it rolling and took it back to the yard. I had to stop to let the rig in front of me in the entrance to clear before I proceeded in and he started yelling at me, "What the f*** are you doing? Your gonna get us killed. I couldn't make the truck in front of us move. So he made me get out of the seat and cursed at me under his breath going in. The next day I was called into the office and they wanted to send me home. They talked to me as if they were talking to a little girl. I agreed to try just this one more time today and went on back out with the group. They agreed if I didn't get it. They would send me home and bring me back in a few weeks. Well things got really nasty when I couldn't shift properly on the hill again and he yelled at me, " Get out of the seat! You are through...You are through!" The students in the sleeper just looked at me. I sat in the sleeper and listened to them holler out the window at college girls and laugh like nothing happened. He could had taken a few minutes to talk to me like a human. See during the time I was out there with him. He was having marital problems and fought with his supposedly ex wife out loud on his cell phone while all of us had to listen to him. He often made remarks about women in front of me and didn't even think about if it bothered me or not. It didn't bother me, but did make me think he had a attitude toward women by some of the remarks he made about his ex-wife. He did treat me different that the male counterparts that were in training with me. I am 48 years old. I have had alot of bullshit in my life, but never of this magnitude. When we got to the turnaround at the Home Depot on Broadway. I had finally gotten sick of the sexist remarks and hollering out the window. When they got out to go to the bathroom. I sat there a second and replayed the scenario in my head. I knew what was going to happen and I had 3 more hours to ride around with these guys. I just got out and figured I'd walk back to school. I was so humiliated and so ashamed at the same time. Finally they had to pick me up and Lee took me back to school. I was called in to the office. They didn't say much. They told me to given them my log book and I would be taken back to the hotel and sent home. I asked if I would be given a bus ticket home and I was told that I had to get my own way home. Nothing else was said. I was not told I would be brought back as agreed to retrain...nothing. I went to the van and got in. I told the driver...a female trainer named Marta if they could get me a ride home. She just sat there silently. I had no money in the bank. Husband was with his trainer in PA. on his way back to Eden. I went back to the hotel. I packed my things. I went to the ATM. I only had a few dollars. I then called my husband and told him what happened. He freaked out and had to pull over to let mentor drive. I told my husband if there was anyway he could come by this way to pick me up. He conveyed the message to his mentor. Mentor had a too bad attitude and replied he didn't have time to go that way to pick me up. The mentor had a family reunion to go to and couldn't go just a few miles out of their way to pick me up. Husband was hysterical and I told him I had no other alternative than to hitch hike. I carried all my things to the I-95 on-ramp and stood there for 2 hours. I finally got a ride 10 miles to the next on-ramp. I hitched there for another hour and finally got a ride to the Pilot truckstop. I went in and talked to the people that worked there and told them I was not a lot lizard and to not become alarmed if i had to approach drivers for my dilema. I explained what had happened. The lady there was horrified at Swift doing that to me. I went back outside and get a driver to let me use his radio and conveyed my message to others out there that were going to Eden. Where Swift put him in a hotel when his mentor was off duty. I finally was approached by a driver and he said he needed to sleep to 10:30pm and he would be glad to take me to Eden to be with my husband. I went and sat in the grass and talked with other drivers til about 10. I waited and the guy finally woke up. I went and he put my stuff in his rig and we went in to get a cup of coffee. I finally made it to my husband about 3:30am.

I stayed with him and when Monday came. I went straight to my recruiter and she was horrified. She apologized and said she would send me home and in about 2 weeks would send me back to the ACADEMY. I told her I couldn't go back up there. Then my husband asked if they could send me to Future Truckers of America. She agreed and set me up and even told me they would waive the Academy fee. They sent me home. I attended truck school. I passed and got my CDL. I went to orientation and husband had some classes he was suppose to attend.So he went to his classes as well and also went to mentor class. 2 weeks on the road. Out of the blue...in Kansas. We had a load going to Olathe, Kansas. We made that appointment 1 hour ahead of schedule. We dropped and hooked the empty. We got a load going from Councel Bluffs, Iowa to Redbluff, CA.

We stopped at a truckstop to get ready and to plan our route. We got our route planned and went in to get coffee. We came back with a little dance in our steps Finally husband said. I'm getting miles now. I said yeah...that's cause we're together. As soon as we got into the cab. The Qualcom beeped. They put my husband on hold and took our load away. Within a few minutes. We were redirected to Edwardsville to pick up another load not knowing what was about to happen. Once there. They fired my husband and told him that his wife (me) was going have to bring in the load solo. I refused. I hadn't been on the road along enough to be driving out there alone. They told my husband he was fired because of some bogus accidents. One he didn't do. One his mentor caused him to have and the other he did do. One thing the training sucked. They didn't teach about the Qualcom. My husbands mentor never let my husband touch the Qualcom and only let him back 3-4 times in 5 weeks. The mentor never helped my husband with the log book. Husband is a inexperienced trucker and had a hard time understanding all the rules cause the mentor never went over everything with him. They made my husband my mentor knowing about all his little problems and told me everything had been straightened out. My husband was constantly being harassed by the DM about missing logs. I was with him several occasions when he turned them in and the same logs kept coming up missing. I was getting furious. He always turned them in and I even went over them so I knew they were done right. I used to help my dad with his. My poor husband went to apply for unemployment and was just denied on his appeal. That lawyer and the Safety guy lied about everything and now we are about to become homeless. My pickup was re-poed and Swift won the fight and they screwed us royally. There's got to be something we can do. For what they did to him and me. Now Swift is billing me for 7800.00 for all the hell they put me through. My husband has asked for his check stubs several times and they have sent him nothing. They told him they don't have his correct mailing address, but they sent his bill for truck driving school to our right address. He has called and left his address several times, but no check stubs. I am a tough lady. I am a firefighter/EMT and a mechanic. I have attended alot of different types of training, and I have never been s**t on this bad before. Husband and i are honest hardworking/Godfearing people. Now this.

I am looking for a way to clear our names so we can get work. I haven't never had it this hard finding a job. My dad told me that I may have been put on a black list. My dad has been a trucker for 40 years...now retired. He said if I am on a black list. Most trucking companies won't hire me and most employers won't touch me either. I had a excellent work record before this. So did my husband. We aren't used to being unemployed. We are losing everything behind Swift. About to become homeless. I feel like I am living in a nightmare and Swift created it. I can't sleep and I stay worried and depressed. I was a happy person once. Now I am actually scared. Swift did this to us. We both had good jobs before this company. I was a service writer for Pep Boys and husband was a school bus operator. We both had class B CDls and driving jobs was no stranger to either of us. I had mine since 1997 and he got his 2004. We just upgraded and decided it would be good to drive a rig and see the country. Our kids are grown. I just keep asking God for guidance, and help us through this.

Hopefully you can offer me and my husband some advice. I would appreciate any advise or help on this matter.................

Have a Blessed and Safe day, Nicolas and Tammy XXXXXXX

Tammy Albemarle, North Carolina
U.S.A.

Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on Swift Transportation

12 Updates & Rebuttals

Chuck Biscuits

United States of America

So sad to hear of your experience

#2Consumer Comment

Fri, September 14, 2012

I recently applied at swift and when I called the recruiter back, today in fact, he really seemed to dodge my questions i had, the fontana,ca. office is the closest to me being at 150 miles away,too far away. I have read a 1/2 dozen of these complaints and man it sounds like a living nightmare working for this company, I have had a CDL since 1997, this guy was talking so fast about me getting my background done I had to ask for his answers to my questions twice even 3 times.I could sense the bad juju right away. I am in no situation finacially to go without good pay for weeks and months at the beginning,I would lose everything and be living out of my car, being unemployed sucks but dealing with the abuse of these fools is unbelievable, could you imagine working for a month and only making $13.00, hell no!! thanks for sharing your experience, that is a nightmare i dont need in my life, I've had enough power hungry know it all losers at my last job which i was at for over 22 years. I am not taking someone elses abuse or bullshit ever again. Why do the good hard working nice people the ones who always get screwed,It seems this world has changed for the worse somtimes. God bless and good luck Tammy and Family!

Tom

Rosemount,
Minnesota,
U.S.A.

Better business bureau

#3Consumer Suggestion

Wed, July 18, 2007

Unfortunately the better business bureau even has complaints against it!!! Being in business and always pleasing everyone is next to impossible.

Jake

Rosemount,
Minnesota,
U.S.A.

Who to contact!

#4Consumer Comment

Wed, July 18, 2007

Swift is a publicly traded company, find out who their largest investors are, complain to their investors. send every one you speak to about swift to ripoffreport so they can see for themselves the numerous complaints, that will speak volumes!!! Complain to the better business bureau!!! I live less then 1 mile from swift's new terminal in Inver Grove Heights MN and was planning on going to work for them until i read the ripoffreport, now i'm having second thoughts!! One thing you need to keep in mind is that they have 18000+ drivers, it sounds like they are understaffed as far as DM's go, Being a publicy traded company they are under much pressure to perform for the investors, they are in a precarious position with the price of diesel yo-yoing the way it does, i don't want to make excuses for them. I'm going to sign on with a company based in marshfield wis. [ I don't know if i can mention their name here or not] ROEHL, they have excellent ratings by the federal motor carriers. Type their name in this site and they don't have any complaints, but they also do not offer free training or lodging while at their school. I wish you well in your pursuit of swift, I hope Mr. Moyes opens his eyes a little wider and cleans up his company.

Rodney

Grandview,
Missouri,
U.S.A.

best of luck

#5UPDATE Employee

Mon, June 04, 2007

I wish you and your husband the best of luck. I know that the trainer you had difficulties with is no longer there. I wish you would have come to this Academy...you would have been treated like a student.

Tammy

Albemarle,
North Carolina,
U.S.A.

Maybe you should look at the date.

#6Author of original report

Sat, June 02, 2007

I have a trucking job already. I have been working for 4 months. I have always known I was cut out for it. Since I have been a commercial driver since 1993 and I was a helper to my dad when I was a teen. As far as the academy in Richmond. Even my DM said she has complained on that school many times. She said it had a lot of problems. She knew the trainer as well. The school is run like a military. I like a little discipline, but writing people up for getting up to go to the bathroom. Especially the older people. My trainer fought with his ex wife on his cell phone all the time while he was in the rig with us. Then he text messaged people the rest of the time. A few times he cut women down in front of me and then would turn around and say, " I hope I didn't offend you." A couple of times I overlooked it, but then I started getting annoyed by his behavior. I was told by another trainer who had quit a few days after I started, that this particular trainer was always causing students to drop out and if I got him to refuse to go out with him. I refused when I did get him, but was told to accept that trainer or I could go home. While I was in class. A student came upstairs to the office next to our class and got into a argument with a trainer and the trainer attacker the guy. He slammed the guy against the wall and punched the guy. The guy just told the trainer he was a f....ing liar and the trainer jumped. Us students had to stop taking the test til it was over. I thought they were going to come through the wall Besides My husband was fired and he didn't want me to go on alone. He had a irresponsible mentor and was afraid what had happened to him...would happen to me. I'm not doubting you are a good trainer and the school you work at is good, but that school needed to be reevaluated and restructured according to the Eden office. Another DM commented and chuckled that they should just shut that one down. He said too many hillbillies running it. Anyway I have a good job driving. I enjoy driving the most and sometimes I think back to the experience I had and I just laugh at them and that screwed up school. I should had attended your school. Maybe I wouldn't had been treated like a 'Female'....LOL

Rodney

Grandview,
Missouri,
U.S.A.

A little over the top

#7UPDATE Employee

Thu, May 31, 2007

I work at the Kansas City Academy and I guarantee it is not a CDL mill. Our students are tested by the state...not us. You say Swift is responsible for all of your loss.....no...you guys are. If you have as much experience in different fields that you stated...why are you not working? I have seen many students who fail and decide to blame everyone but themselves. You are not "black-listed" unless YOU did something for this to happen..ie abandoning a truck. Your time and effort complaining about Swift should be put into finding a job as so not to lose your possessions. Not everyone is cut out for this job and it sounds as if you and your husband fall into that category. You are being charged with both tuitions because you guys quit. A 6 month obligation was all that was to be met to release you from paying tuition. As for Dave in KC. Are you the Dave who was an instructor here and got fired? With the lame advice you post, I believe it to be true. On your next rebuttal...why not tell these poor Swift students why you got fired? And no, even though you run at the mouth about me....I had nothing to do with it. See ya soon!! Oh....if it is not that Dave.... disregard... except about the lame advice part.

Dave

Kansas City,
Missouri,
U.S.A.

Ridlicious

#8Consumer Suggestion

Sat, February 24, 2007

I'd contact the Truckers Justice Centyer in Minnesota, ans ask for Paul Taylor, review his web site.

Tammy

Albemarle,
North Carolina,
U.S.A.

Chuck, they are scum bags.

#9Author of original report

Sat, February 10, 2007

I know what you are going through. My husband lost his unemployment case. The lawyer talked to my husband like a dog and made snide remarks to me. I guess the people with the money has all the power. They fired my husband in Kansas and wanted me to go solo without him. I protested and then they gave him a 3 day extension to help me get a load back to Eden. I got a bill in the mail for 7800.00 the other day for truck driver training. If you read my other posts. You will red how the road instructor got upset with me because I had a hard time getting the rig into gear on a hill. I told them in advance that I had never driven a stick shift before. I was dogged by the instructor. He knew what he was doing. He was having problems with his former wife and made no bones about it. Hr talked on the phone most of the time while we were training. That's no lie. He text messaged when he wasn't talking. He stayed on his phone 90 % of the time. He presented to us students like he was some kind of super trucker. When it came to my turn to drive. He put the public in danger by letting me drive on a very busy city street. Knowing well I had never driven a stick before. He also knew I was alittle scared. He used that against me. He was constantly making jokes about women. When He demanded that I get out of the drivers seat. While another student was driving. I had to sit there and listen to these animals yell out the window to college students. I requested to go to the shifting pad before the incident. He made a snide remark to me and forced me to go on Broad street downtown Richmond. I protested, but he made me go anyway. Anyway while I was riding in the sleeper berth after the incident. He didn't even try to talk to me or help me. He completely ignored me and he and the other students were having a good time yelling and making obscene remarks to the women walking on the sidewalks. I just sat there in silence. Once in a while, the instructor would look back at me and sneered and continued making jokes about women. By the time they got to Home Depot to turn around. They went to the bathroom. The guys got out and looked back at me and were laughing. I knew I had to ride 3 more hours with these jackasses. I just got out and started walking. I wanted to call the school, but didn't have the number on me. I called my husband instead. He was in Philadelphia on his way back to Eden with his mentor. He was very upset and I just let him know what I suspected what was about to happen. Well anyway, The instructor drove by once and they just kept going. They saw me and I was hoping that they would just keep going. I was relieved. A half an hour later. He came by again and demanded that I got into the truck. I told him I would get back on my own. He demanded," Get into the truck now! " I thought, "Oh sh**. This guy is gonna make me look like a troublemaker and make himself look like he was the innocent one." So I got into the truck and just kept my mouth shut til I got back to the school. I got back to the school and they took my logbook. They said I was through and they were going to take me back to the hotel to get my things. I asked if they were going to get me a ticket home and he said I had to find my own way home. I told him I had no money. He replied, " Sorry I can't help you." So I was taken back to the hotel and I gathered my things. I worked so hard on this and now I am being treated like an animal. I got through the class and the range okay. Kudos to Glen the instructor that helped me out there.(On the range.) They mistreated that poor fellow too. He is a great instructor and he had told me how they treated him. Hell several instructors had quit while I was there. I was told they quit all the time. We were basically out there on our own. Instructors just stood around with their heads up their butts. I got back to the hotel and packed my things. I called and checked my balance in the bank and it was only 4 dollars. I sat there on the bed in disbelief. I then knew I was going to have to hitch hike home to North Carolina. I gathered my things and went to the I-95 ramp and started hitch hiking. I called my husband because I knew they were on their way down and asked if he could swing by and pick me up. He said the mentor was in a hurry to get back so he could go to his family reunion. He told me to call back and to get off the road. I waited a few minutes and called back. He said the mentor didn't offer to help and my husband was very scared for me to hitch hike. I had no other choice. My husband then told me if I had to hitch hike. To make it to Eden. He said we were going to the office Monday. It was Friday. I got to rides to get to a Pilot Truckstop. I figured a good hearted trucker would get me to Eden. I got to the truckstop and asked a trucker if I could use his radio. I got my message out and waited. Several hours later. A trucker came up to me and asked me what happened. I told him and that wonderful trucker said. I got to sleep til 10 pm. I will get you to your husband. I arrived in Eden at 3:30pm. What gets me. Swift put me in great danger. I asked for a ticket home. I was refused. I tried to talk to them, but they took the side of the instructor. They put me out and later told Arizona I dropped out. I had intended to ask for another instructor. They didn't even give me a chance to tell my side of the story. They put me out like I was a dog. I even told them the only way I had home was hitch hiking. All they did was wish me luck. Anyway, I went to my DM and she was horrified to hear what I had been through. She got me home from Eden and put me in another school. A better school. Also Kudos to ' Future Truckers of America'. They got me through my fears and I did get my class A license. I went on with my husband and out of the blue they canned him. By the way, all of you that had read my previous posts. He was relieved of one of the accidents. They couldn't prove it and had lied about it. They said it happened at 9:35 am. He had slept til 11 am. They said it happened at a truckstop. He wasn't at a truckstop. The company that had accused of him of the accident never came forward to submit a claim. Also according to a lawyer. My husbands 1st accident was not his fault either. The mentor was at fault of that one. Husband protested to the mentor that his was going to hit the trailer and the mentor intentionally yelled at my husband and told him to 'Do as I told you'. Husband had even got out to look and the mentor still continued to yell at my husband. Anyway I just got a bill for 7800.00 dollars for both training sessions. I am not paying them one red cent for all the hell they put us through. And I may have a lawyer to fight them. I did finally land a driving job and it is great. I run local and I have a great boss. As far as Swift. I just chalk it up to one bad experience and will not give up til I get justice for all the hell they put me through. I am a very intelligent person. I have been through alot of different training programs and never seen such a disorganized organization til I went to Swift Academy. Future Truckers of America is a great place to learn to drive a rig. The instructors are patient and understood I had never driven a stick shift before, and made me feel like a human being. The instuctors were friendly and never once made me feel uneasy because I am a female. When I made a mistake. They joked about it and made me laugh too. Great place to learn. Great people and good training. They don't throw you out. They give you alot of time to get it right. I graduated with a 95 on my final. Swift Academy is a CDL mill. They care about no one but the money. Only scumbags get to the top. One day they will hit bottom. One day the DOT will take notice to all the bull they put people through. You are right Chuck and we have to work to put Swift and companies like them out of business. I am ready to fight. I am not scared of doing the right thing. I am pushing 50 and know what companies like them are capable of. I also know what I am capable of. One day Swift, you will know the wrath of a woman scorned. Keep in touch Chuck. We can get something going against them somehow.

Chuck

Reno,
Nevada,
U.S.A.

Hang in there!

#10UPDATE EX-employee responds

Thu, February 08, 2007

I posted a summary of my so called "training", and mentoring a couple of days ago. I have over $400 in owed monies and I was fired for not having my personal physician 100% clear me of my sciatica which I have had for almost 6 years now plus they wanted me to sign a statement that I would no longer take my pain medicine for this, but DOT and Swift handbook both state you can take prescription medicines under Dr. care...and I disclosed to the DOT examiner along with everything else this OLD man has wrong with him, so Swift had knowledge of this months ago. I even talked to my first classroom instructor and my mentor in DETAIL about me and my medical issues. After I was released to solo status they NOW review my application and DOT examine and terminate me. They wants to drop me in Laredo, TX and I said NO. I have too much stuff on this truck to give it up to my team driver...give me a ride home. They did do that, but no final. We ALL have to start fighting these people. Go after them like the previous rebuttal states.

Matthew

Kennewick,
Washington,
U.S.A.

seek legal help

#11Consumer Comment

Wed, February 07, 2007

Hi Tammy&Nicholas I so feel for you people and I truely wish I could help you financialy but since I cannot at this time I offer you this advice. Seek a labor lawyer that is the best thing I can tell you at this point. I am sorry for your miss fortune and my wife and I will pray for you. There are many lawyers out there that will give you free consultation. Good luck!

Matthew

Kennewick,
Washington,
U.S.A.