Swift Driver Notes
Short posts and videos from real days: what went right, what was hard, and what new drivers should understand.
Real driver experience. Straight answers. A road-tested start.
Thinking about trucking? Follow my Swift journey before you make the leap.
I work with Swift Transportation, and I am building this as the place where new drivers can learn what the road is really like, ask questions, watch the journey, and connect through my referral path.
Swift Driver
Personal experience, not corporate copy
O/O Watch
Follow the decision if I go owner-operator
Q&A First
Your questions become videos and guides
Start here
Pick the lane that matches where you are.
01
No CDL yet
Learn what to ask before signing up, what training can feel like, and how to talk with a recruiter.
02New CDL driver
Get honest answers about starting out, first truck expectations, home time, gear, and early mistakes.
03Owner-operator curious
Follow my thinking if I move toward O/O: risk, numbers, maintenance, freedom, and pressure.
The platform
Built around the real journey, not a sales pitch.
The strongest version of Ride With Donnie B is personal: what I am learning at Swift, what I would do differently, how the money works, what road life actually feels like, and whether owner-operator life is the right move.
People trust specifics. Paycheck lessons, sleeper setup, trainer stories, bad weather decisions, hard weeks, good loads, family time, and recruiter questions will make this useful and believable.
New Driver Toolkit
Gear lists, recruiter questions, training expectations, and honest first-month advice.
Owner-Operator Decision Log
Document the numbers, tradeoffs, and decision process if I take the jump.
Video hub
The dedicated trucking channel starts here.
New trucking videos will be organized by the questions future drivers are already asking: money, training, road life, gear, and the owner-operator decision.
Coming Soon
My Swift story: why I started and what surprised me
The first anchor video for the site and YouTube channel.
Video
Questions to ask a trucking recruiter
Video
What I keep in my truck
Video
Should I go owner-operator?
Avoiding Tornado's In Omaha
Know when to park before the winds pick up
Driver questions
Fast answers future drivers care about.
Is this an official Swift website?
No. Drive With Donnie is my personal website. I currently work with Swift Transportation and share my own experience to help people make a better decision.
Can you help me talk to a recruiter?
Yes. The goal is to connect serious people with my recruiter or referral path and help you ask better questions before applying.
What if I do not have a CDL?
You can still start here. The best first step is learning the training path, costs, expectations, and what life looks like after training.
Are you going owner-operator?
I am considering it. If I move that direction, I will document the decision honestly: money, risk, maintenance, freedom, taxes, and stress.
How do referrals work?
Use the referral path on this site when you are ready, then come back and let me know you applied so I can keep my follow-up organized.
Ask Donnie
Your question can become the next answer, post, or video.
Start with the question you would ask before signing anything. The more specific it is, the better the answer can be.
Training
Pay
Home time
Gear
O/O path
Referral path
Ready to talk seriously about Swift?
Send your name and contact info first, then I will track the referral click and send you through my recruiter link.
Referral disclosure
I may receive a referral bonus if you apply or are hired through my referral path. Ride With Donnie B is personal experience and general information, not an official Swift Transportation website.
Skip form and open referral linkAfter you apply
Tell me you applied so I can follow the referral trail.
This does not replace Swift's official process, but it gives me a record so I know who to follow up with and what questions are coming up after the application.