Students With Idiots For Trainers... in case you did not know the true meaning of SWIFT....

I have a mid-roof truck. A lot of the flatbed trucks are condos. I specifically requested a mid-roof and they purchased one for me that I had to drive down to Greer, SC to get. I'd say right out of the mentors truck you'll get a condo, however. They usually don't take requests from new guys. Get established and show them you're a runner and you should be able to get the truck you want later on down the line. I just got mine a month ago... before that I had a condo.

Thanks for the info. What kind did you end up getting? See my pm.

Kinghunter

Never heard of a company taking requests from its drivers for the truck they want then the company going right out and buying a brand new truck for that driver. Maybe you should have stayed with the condo and let SWIFT use the money to fix up their other trucks...and oh yes... LOTS of back up training...

My bet is he got an International, because they don't take requests. My International is a mid roof as well. Before that I had a Columbia.

As for Fixing thier trucks. They are constantly replacing trucks, trading them in for new ones. I guess when you have 19,000 trucks out in your fleet there might be a few that need repaired. Then again if thats the case its more on the driver then the company... I can tell you first hand that if I don't tell anyone I have a problem it doesn't get fixed..

Judging an entire company based on the actions of a few is the real problem with EVERY trucking company put there.

Swift may have the worst rep for certain things, but that is 99% in the department of Swift NOT hiring good driver mentors. You can be a mentor in our company for 6 months and become a trainer, and until that changes i dont see things getting better.

On the other hand, there are a handful of GOOD mentors out there, and I was lucky enough to get one that taught me everything he could in the short 6 weeks i was with him. My first day solo I was not really worried and was confident in my abilities, and so far it has paid off.

I will tell anyone reading this the KEY TO SUCCESS with Swift...your driver manger. Your DM will make or break you, and I got a good one! Your DM can get you loads, extra pay, and help you in almost anything. All you have to do is show your DM that you CAN and WILL run your ### off if you have too. My FIRST month with swift I paid out 11,900 miles and blew her mind, from there, anytime i needed freight, I got it. I ran solo for six months and never did less than 11,500 miles a month, and NEVER sat for more than a day at a time, she made sure i didnt.

If you have a lazy or bad DM, transfer to a new one.

I drove for a 16 months for them solo and team (went team a year in) and me and my girlfriend did over 23,000 miles a month the whole time and had plenty of time to relax and run.

We enjoyed it so much that in early Feb we leased a brand new T2000 from them and it so far has been even better.

I have no complaints from Swift. I have several grand in the bank, time off is fair, and im always moving when I want and sitting when I dont.

A company is all in what you make it. If you go into this company or any company for that matter, do go in with your hand out, no one is gonna give you anything. Go in with your ears and mind open, and ready to do your job.

End of my OPINION

Whats Swifts rule for idling and what do their Volvos have in them being engine wise?

Kinghunter

less than 16% idle for total engine time (for the month) is the new policy for company drivers. O/O do what they want.

Its not that hard either, as a company driver solo and team never got over 8%

The volvo's now have the Volvo motor, dont know much on the specs of it. The 05 and 06 models had cummings in them

Not so--had a 06 with a 13L volvo..Big POS

pjw06,

How much HP did it have? If it had 410, 400 I can understand but a 430=HP should be sufficient.

Kinghunter