Think about this one a second, Swift has the potential to be a good company. If I had the money and the inclination to I'd like to buy Swift. They have a huge fleet, broad customer base, and with an experienced trucker at the helm it could be a real cash cow. First thing I'd do is talk to as many former Swift drivers as possible to hear their biggest concerns. Devise a new payscale to attract experienced drivers. Let the most experienced drivers (say drivers with over 1 million accident free miles) spec out their own trucks. Drastically revamp the dispatch system. I think the ideal would be dispatchers have to have a minimum 5 years OTR experience. Completely overhaul the training program. Get instructors in from the best schools in the country as consultants to set it up. Minimum six years OTR experience to be a instructor or a trainer. Start newbies out in trucks that are governed to 60, then for every 6 months accident free driving they get a 5 mph increase up to 90mph max. Achieveable bonuses, electronic logging to keep everyone honest.
Give drivers a home time agreement in writing, breaches of the home time agreement by the company would result in the driver being paid as compensation. For example if you're guranteed to be home by 12am Saturday morning and the company gets you home at 1am you get a monetary compensation.
An achieveable lease/purchase program. Figure out someway to use the companies buying power to help drivers become profitable owner ops. An honest, profitable way to own your own truck.
Say no to cheap freight. Quality will sell itself. It's like buying a Lapco shirt to weld in instead of a no name brand. If customers know their freight will be delivered in a timely, safe, and undamaged manner by courteous professional drivers then they will pay a little more.
Swift has the potential to be a great carrier and a great company to work for. They just need to be remanaged.
If you owned Swift what would you do to make it a better place to work? It may all be a pipe dream, but here's your chance to dream big about making your ideal company.
Paddy

If your suppose to be home for the w/e, it would not be just 34hr reset. Like Walmart, they get you home Friday afternoon, and you leave back out Sunday evening for Monday deliveries.

If I ran a trucking company....

Equipment:
Tractors:
Volvo VNL670/Kenworth T2000/International 9400i
70" stand up double bunk sleepers
ISX Cummins 400-T2 engines, 400 hp and 1450/1650 lb-ft torque.
10 speed O/D transmission
3.58 rear ratio
295/75R22.5 tires
daytime running lights
cruise control
jake brake
webasto bunk heater
Trailers:
53' refrigerated

Experience:
Company drivers: At least 6 months OTR or a recent school graduate.
Owner Operators: At least 1 year verifiable OTR experience.

Pay scales:
Training - base $400 a week plus while with an OTR trainer, an additional $.05 a mile. With an average of 2500-3000 miles, that's an additional $125-$150 a week. Trainees should at least see some additional income for all the miles put on a truck.
Regular Solo OTR - $.30 a mile for the first 6 months, $.32 per mile to one year, $.34 thereafter, loaded or empty with raises every 6 months
Regular Team OTR - $.36 a mile for the first year. $.38 thereafter loaded or empty with reasonable increases.
Trainers - additional $.02 per mile on top of regular solo pay.
Owner Operator - $.96 per mile loaded or empty. Full fuel surcharge to the driver.

Trip Pak is provided for all drivers.

Benefits:
Choice of HMO or PPO plans.
Dental
Vision
401(k)
Insurance discount programs for owner-operators
Qualcomm provided for owner operators.
Discounts on fuel/tire purchases and low cost repairs at company terminals.


Trainer requirements:
1 year minimum OTR with the COMPANY, not just experience. No tickets or accidents. Must be in the passenger seat at all times with the trainee during the first week of training and during inclement weather/city driving. If the trainer is satisfied with the trainee's progress, he/she can spend time in the sleeper during the trainees rural driving time, however this time should be spent awake if at all possible. The trainer should be out of the truck at all times when backing to observe the trainees progress. The company will provide hand held 2 way radios and charger for the trainer to keep in contact with the student.

Trainers will be required to attend a trainers meeting anytime they are at a terminal to discuss any issues they may have or that have come up within the company.

Trainers who obtain 3 serious complaints against them will be suspended from training for 6 months. Any subsequent complaints after that suspension will result in prohibition froom training any further students. Suspended trainers will lose their additional training pay during the suspension. Trainers who have been prohibited from training will have their pay reverted to their solo base.

Trainers can dispute a complaint during a training meeting.

Sexual Harassment:
Any sexual harassment complaints will be taken seriously and will result in termination from the company.

Dispatchers:
Must have at least 5 years experience in the OTR industry.

Speed policy:
Drivers with at least one year experience and all new student drivers will have trucks limited to 64 mph cruise/66 mph throttle. After one year the truck, all drivers with satisfactory records (no tickets, accidents) or more than one year experience when hired will have trucks limited to 68 mph cruise/70 mph throttle. Drivers who maintain the company minimum mpg and low idle time will have their cruise speed increased to 72 mph. Senior drivers (6 years with the company) will have their trucks set to 74 mph regardless.

Training trucks will be limited to 65 mph.

Overspeeding by coasting is prohibited. Drivers who log speeds more than 78 mph while coasting will recieve a verbal warning from safety. Drivers who exceed 85 mph while coasting will be terminated. The jake brake is there, use it!

Owner operators will not be governed but are encouraged to maintain safe speeds.

Fuel economy policy:
Drivers should maintain at least 6.0 mpg. Drivers who maintain 6.2 mpg or better are eligible for a $.02 per mile bonus.

Idle policy:
Idle time should be kept at less that 20% if at all possible. However drivers should not sacrifice comfort. Use of the Webasto bunk heater is strongly encouraged during cool periods.

Tolls and scales:
All tolls and scale charges will be reimbursed for both company and owner operators.

Safety bonus:
$.02 cents per mile for drivers who maintain a clean record for one year.

Repairs:
Any repair under $50 on company equipment can be authorized by the driver and reimbursed by the company with a reciept. Any repair over $50 must be authorized by dispatch.

Log Books:
Electronic logging through Qualcomm will be used.

Home Time:
1 day off earned for every week OTR. Drivers are guaranteed either Christmas or Thanksgiving at home. Under certain circumstances, immediate routing for home will be given (child birth, death, medical emergency). In extreme circumstances where routing home is not feasible, the company will arrange for the truck to be secured and will fly the driver home.

34 hour reset:
Motel bills for a 34 hour reset will be covered by the company. Drivers will be offered $125 hotel fee that will be dispursed via a cash advance when a 34 hour reset is needed. If the fee doesn't cover the entire room bill, the difference will be re-imbused on the next trip turned in. Any other motel bills must be pre-approved by dispatch.

Tractor Purchase:
Company drivers who wish to become owner operators can buy a company tractor off the fleet at a discounted price.

Company tractors purchased by company drivers will have the following at no charge:
New tires
Speed limiter disabled
Engines programmed to 500hp.

__________________

U'all got to much time on ur hands Just be like ME and have a MOTEL for a home. Then u dont have to worry about HOME TIME hehe I got 15 years of my job left with USX, then i hope to save enough $$$ to buy my own 45' fleetwood motorhome. aaaahhhhhh

There is no reason a driver should have to be out a week for one lousy day off, home every w/e, or a least 46 out 0f 52.

Unless you're running dedicated, you can't really expect to get every weekend off.

__________________

OK, If I am out six, I want 2 off. And not 34 hours, 48 straight.

And in a perfect world I'd get $20 an hour for sitting my my butt picking my nose.

__________________

Most of it sounds good, i have a couple suggestions.

Your company should do like USX, and offer Toll Cards for IN,OH, and electronic Tolling Devices.. IE: EZ Pass(North East, Chicago), K-Pass(Kansas), Sun Pass(Florida), Pike Pass(Oklahoma)

PrePass, Advantage 75(georgia), NorPass(OR,KY,WA i think), for Scales
and GPass i think is what its called for FL if you haul produce

And offer EZ Pass to O/O's,

also mabe a Discounted Permit and baseplate program

And Some Brand of generator's for trucks, they come with a 400lb wavier
and Enforce a Strong NO Idling Policy That will protect your drivers in the North East from Idling Laws

And you should consider Automatics..
And as far as pay goes i like your set up but for slow freight season you should a Minimum salary program of sorts

__________________


There are Old Truckers and there are Bold Truckers, But there are no Old Bold Truckers.

See everything you guy's are saying is why I'm glad I'm not OTR with a fleet company anymore. I'm home everynight, all weekend ( friday after noon-Mon morn), paid by the hr with a 8hr min, work 3 paid for 8, work 10 paid for 10 w/ OT. And I take home the same as before. I'm not rich but, it works, OTR didn't seem worth it, more con's then pro's (with fleet a company ).

I'd go OTR again if I could set up a dedicated weekly run, with my own truck, and it's not for a trucking company. I do envy the folks that drive for a fleet for decades.