I am 52 yrs. Old and decided on a career change last year.in mid-July of "06 I applied for the Swift Driving Academy and was accepted by the recruiter in Tennessee. I was going to attend on 7-26 but due to my house being sold, etc. I delayed the attending until 10-18-06. (The sale fell through also) I contacted my recruiter again on 10-16-06 to tell him of I would be there in Lewiston, ID on 10-18-06 but he informed me that he had to resubmit everything and to call him back. Next day I did so and he requested I attend the following week... Which I did. On 10-25-06 I show up for class along with 10 others in Lewiston, ID and immediately (at 6:30am) was bussed to a medical clinic to pass a "work-well" physical which includes lifting, carrying around 85 pounds and also pulling a specific amount of PSI from a wall pulley and finally a step-up test on a ladder. Well, I passed. Day 2 was the DOT physical in which I DISCLOSED ALL my "old man" health issues of sciatica, high BP, anxiety meds and high cholesterol and the medicines I was taking. (Diovan, Zoloft, Vicodin and Tricor) After leaving that clinic I was asked later by the school to have my personal physician fax to the DOT physician all the meds I take and why. Well this was completed and I was issued my medical card on Monday the 30th. Leaving out many of the insane details of the school, I passed and was issued an IDAHO Class A license with double-triple certification only. I go home to Reno, NV and have to attend orientation for 2 days and I was officially hired by Swift on 11-21-06, but now off to Phoenix for 6 weeks for mentoring. (After being home for 7 days of which 2 was in orientation) I will again leave out the highlights of this wonderful experience but I will say that me and a colleague were both 100% team mates with our "mentors" on day one... Yes DAY ONE!!! We were left alone in the driver's seat while the teacher slept. Other than not being able to get sent home for the holidays I survived mentoring, but not without a few "juicy" stories to tell. So on Jan. 9th of this year I am release to go solo, and along with my colleague we go TEAM for Swift. Time to make money and god only knows I need it badly by now. Now here is where it gets good... On Jan. 15 I was contacted by an employee/admin. From the Sparks, NV terminal stating I was to be put on SAFETY HOLD in a few days (mobile suspension that is) if I did not get back to Sparks, NV and sign a waiver stating I had been convicted of shoplifting in 1987, which I had put on my application. (Stupid me!) Well the next day (by mere chance) I was in Sparks and did that. That is when I was told that Swift was not have hired me because of that. No one is to be hired with any kind of theft conviction EVER! But now it gets better... My sciatica is being helped with the pain prescription "Vicodin" and I am being told that this is a NO-NO by Swift policy. I was told not to go anywhere, but 2 hours later my driver manager calls us to head to Troutdale, Oregon. I called the person that is telling me all this good stuff and asked her "Do I stay, or do I go?" and she replied "go".in the next couple of days I am contacted by "her" again and was informed I needed a FULL doctor's release for my sciatica and I will have to sign a statement to the affect that I will no longer take pain pills. WOW, after 5-6 years of sciatica and pain pills. Swift now sends us from Troutdale to Laredo, TX. My doctor has signed a release but one statement said by him was "Heavy lifting, pushing or pulling could aggravate the condition". Well that was not a 100% release and I needed a 100% release. Well my Dr. Is not in on Wed. And Thurs. Anyway to sign a new release and so I contacted the Sparks lady doing all this to me and said this to her and on Wed. Jan. 24th she terminated me in Laredo, TX and was going to BUS me home. (She would not even allow me to call my Dr. On Thur. Morning for a release.) Well I at least got someone from Swift to allow me to ride home on the truck since I had a car full of personal belongings on board. I got home to Reno on Jan. 31 (8 1/2 days in a truck/prison cell) I have NOT been paid my final monies. I have now been notified by mail to contact accounting about the $3900 I owe for school, it reads "Please contact us to avoid being sent to collections) AND last but not least I was sent a letter from Swift stating I QUIT!!! Of course I was suppose to get "benefits" on Feb. 1 also. (How convenient!!!) Well, enough said. Except my son and a good friend of mine both TOLD ME SO) I was a transportation mgr. For over 10 yrs. And worked for Rockwell for 5 yrs. On their on board logging computer/software so I am no stranger to trucing and DOT, and how Swift does this is beyond me.
Chuck
Reno, Nevada
U.S.A.
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