Must start another GOOD SWIFT thread...

[NickyBobby]

Redcoat, where's he going for Orientation. I"m going to Swift orientation this week as well.

[6pak4-two]

Originally Posted by Redcoat wife

OK so now I have another question. Without going into a lot of detail, we've gotten into a bit of a financial crunch and my goal is to get us out as quickly as possible. Realistically, how much money do you think you can live off of each week while on the road? I'd like to keep 3/4 of my honey's check each week for our bills and give him 1/4 of it to live on. Will that be enough? I don't want him to starve while on the road but we also need to take care of some stuff like right away. Also, how does Swift pay their drivers? Direct deposit? Comdata card? Obviously we'll find out next week when he goes to orientation but it would be kind of nice to know in advance.

It all depends on the miles he gets. Showers can come from cards given by truck stops most give a shower with 50 plus gallons of fuel he dosen't have to pay for the fuel. Things like food if you do the walmart thing you will save alot by a cooler for $70.00 dollars and have a small ice chest for drinks. Allow $ 10.00 a day for a truck stop buffet and your set.
Allow atleast $ 125.00 a week and like I said showers are free with fuel.
Laundry per load with dryer about $ 3.00 plus soap that you bye at walmart. There are ways to save but be prepard to spend alot at first with a trainer when you get a truck you can go home and set up with items you want to take. Walmart has a nice 15" LCD tv for $ 228.00 and a dvd player for $ 29.00 you'll want this and a play station 2 if your into games if so remove the dvd player ps2 plays dvd's It's not cheap at first but it goes down as you go.

Good luck and look at the T/S for items coolers micro waves also theres a thing called a hot lunch box you can go onlien and look for items for the truck as well.

[doubledragon5]

Make sure you get all of the cards from truckstops as possible ie TA, Petro, Loves Pilot. yrs ago shower lasted forever, now there only good for 3 days. This is why you need one from all the truck stops, because you never know where your going to be from one day to the next, and which TS will be on your route.. Doing the walmart thing like 6pak4-two mentioned is a great way to save on $$$. I made the mistake of not doing this when I first started out and it cost me big time...

[knighton5]

The secret to saving money on the road is STAY OUT OF TRUCK STOPS unless your fueling,showering or laundry.... My first year on the road I would eat in truck stops and look at all the goodys for sale., I look back now and think of all the money I wasted (nothing to show for it) except CB etc. DRIVE SAFE

[MGASSEL]

Originally Posted by knighton5

The secret to saving money on the road is STAY OUT OF TRUCK STOPS unless your fueling,showering or laundry.... My first year on the road I would eat in truck stops and look at all the goodys for sale., I look back now and think of all the money I wasted (nothing to show for it) except CB etc. DRIVE SAFE

I never done laundry at the truckstops the company I worked for has laundry facility's for free if you get through the terminal that has them.

[lostnjax]

Swift pays you weekly by direct deposit unless you request it be loaded onto your comdata card. You are also allowed to split your pay between two accounts or one account and the balance loaded on your comdata card.

You will never need money for tows or fuel. The only thing you will need extra cash for is scale tickets once you go solo ($8.50-$10.00 depending on the truck stop) you will not spend much on these either since Swift has so many terminals. Most of the terminals have scales. Most of the time you are within a day or two distance from a terminal so you can do laundry there. You will also find that you will be routed to one of the nearest terminals for fuel most of the time. There you can get your shower.

Starting out I would'nt go out buying TV's. If you must watch TV or play video games every terminal has big screen TV's and video games including pool tables and foosball at some.

As a beginner I would start out with a 12v cooler to keep my food and drinks cool. Swift does not allow you to install an inverter so keep electronics to a minimum.

When I have a student on the truck, he is welcome to anything in my cooler. I, as most mentors know that it's hard on the student the first few weeks. I also make it a practice to buy students a decent meal at least once a week.

[CANGST]

Lostnjax,

Great post. Someone was saying on another thread that they changed that inverter policy. I remember when I was with Swift they were pretty strict about it. The guys at the Ohio terminal would drill a hole through one if they found it. Be safe out there. Have things changed since Jerry has been back? I am going back to Swift flatbed in 2 months.

[desert_son]

Originally Posted by Redcoat wife

OK so now I have another question. Without going into a lot of detail, we've gotten into a bit of a financial crunch and my goal is to get us out as quickly as possible. Realistically, how much money do you think you can live off of each week while on the road? I'd like to keep 3/4 of my honey's check each week for our bills and give him 1/4 of it to live on. Will that be enough? I don't want him to starve while on the road but we also need to take care of some stuff like right away. Also, how does Swift pay their drivers? Direct deposit? Comdata card? Obviously we'll find out next week when he goes to orientation but it would be kind of nice to know in advance.

I buy groceries to take with me nothing frozen but lunch meats, can goods, bread you know the staples. I got a coleman 12v cooler from Wal-mart that works really good for things that need to keep cold. I'd use the terminals microwave to heat any of the food I want hot. I uselly keep about $100.00 to $150.00 for myself (everyone needs are different). Average meal in the resturant is about $10.00 to $15.00 (not fast food) buffets anywhere from 8.95 (breakfast)to 10.95 (dinner). If I need moneis for company expense I'd request co-advance, scales, tolls, showers ect (always keep copies of receipts). As to pay first couple of weeks it goes to comdata then you can have it direct deposit also can have part of it going to comdata card. Keep a few of comdata checks for yourself your husband can activate for you then you can deposit into your bank until DD starts, Use comdata like an ATM, I'd always take all the money out since your charged an ATM fee for each use.

[Redcoat wife]

NickyBobby he's going to Lancaster, TX. I'm taking him up to the Days Inn in Red Oak tomorrow. After the last bus ride from hell to Tulsa and back for an Arrow orientation disaster, I felt sorry for him and am going to take a day off from work to make the 80-mile drive from Waco to Lancaster.
Where are you going for orientation?

[desert_son]

Originally Posted by Steelaworkn

He might even need available capitol for towes and scales...not sure on that one. Might even need available capitol for fuel...not sure there either.

All tows, fuel and repairs are taken care of by Swift either by comdata card or com-check, some places they have an account. Scales need cash but will re-imberse (no hand written receipts I know from experiance), Tolls will need cash except ez-pass on the east coast if running Oklahoma, Florida, Ohio ask for transponders/cards for those toll roads.