"Don't listen to what other drivers say about a company until you've tried them out"....what kind of bogus BS is this? You're an O/O and THIS is what you're offering up for advice to this guy? You should know better. Besides, Gecko is a NEWBIE. He isn't gonna be an O/O like you when he starts out. He's gonna be a company grunt, just like most drivers.

Here is some much better advice, Gecko.

1. Know that big companies love to feast on newbies like you, and will do whatever it takes to sucker you into their dungeons. If you have no tickets, no criminal record, and a stable job history, this makes you an especially "tasty" morsel. Watch out.

2. Know that drivers are independent-minded. They don't act like herd animals...unless there is a great reason. And you'll see plenty of herd-behavior at a company like Swift. Help-wanted ads in the papers daily (some of those papers are hundreds of miles from a Swift terminal), enourmous orientation class sizes, tens, if not HUNDREDS of rigs sitting around lots that were cleaned out this past week by disgruntled drivers who've quit, safety ratings that are in the toilet, and negative feedback on websites like this are all things to look for. You'll see "all of the above" with Swift, man.

3. You have a choice. Don't let people scare you into thinking you are "stuck" on a certain track because you don't have experience. Maybe you are, but you should always be looking for something better. If you "have" to go to work for a hugeantic your first six months, do it up, but on the very day after you get that 6th month in, be cleanin' 'er out and heading to a better company. You don't wanna hang around a second-best outfit any longer than you absolutely have to. Swift is about 10th-best, btw.

4. Know what DAC is. If you don't, you need to find out quick. DAC is something that is abused by some companies to keep you leashed to their outfits or "keep you off the market" if you quit 'em. Swift is a company that loves to do this, especially to those "tasty morsels".

Hope this helps.

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--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.

Thanks buddy, I appreciate the advice.
I have heard so much bad about Swift but then a dude comes in and says it is just disgruntled ex-employees saying things to stir the pot. Makes you think.
I will take your advice and look for greener pastures so to speak.
Be safe

In the case of swift, there are a bunch of discruntled employees not just a few...

Yeap. There are thousands upon thousands of disgruntled ex-Swift drivers, and I'm just one of those.

I love these guys who come in and think they'll "buck the trend". They believe in their deluded minds THEY will be the drivers that succeed where hundreds, if not thousands, of drivers who've come before them at these rotten apples have failed. We who know better look at these people as being either very stupid drivers or very slick recruiters pretending to be drivers. Watch out for them. Don't let 'em sucker you into a bad situation.

Watch the herd, Gecko. That advice will serve you better than just about any other.

__________________
--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.

Well, the thing is, 1 or 2 complaints can be easily overlooked. Hundreds on the other hand cannot. Not when they're about the same thing.

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Z-Lady's devoted hubby.

You know what.. this may seem stupid and kinda silly.. but swift trucks are the only truck I've ever seen (besides city haulers) with "CAUTION YOUR IN MY BLIND SPOT" plastered all over the side(S) of the cab..... really makes you wonder about the quality of the drivers they put on the road

Tip, if you were in my shoes, say you just finished at an independant driving school (I haven't signed up yet but plan on it next year), and the only in state outfits that will take students is Werner and Swift, what would you do?
I'm asking because I'm stupid in this field. It seems that if I signed on with an outfit like Schneider, I would never see home for a long time as I don't think they even have a terminal anywhere near Denver.
I think the other big outfits are mostly the same.
So I'm leaning on going with Werner to get my first year in. Then maybe move up to Interstate Distributors or Rhoel if I can get on.
I really am not worried about getting on somewhere right away to get my $3500.00 back. As I know some of these places will pay your schooling fees back. I'm thinking that if they pay you your tuition, that money is ultimately coming out of your gross pay.

A mistake?

__________________
The only thing better than two wheels is 18.

IT Doesnt matter if there is a terminal near by most of the Time As Long as you Fall into the hiring area you can take your truck home or park it somewhere close to home as long as its secure.... some companies make u fill out a bit of paperwork for where you will be parking your truck... USX i just tell them hey i wanna go to Los Vages for the weekend or Niagra Falls ect and thats fine with them... they will get you on a load that goes as close to your hometown as possiable then u should be able to take the truck home or B/T to your hometime location

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

Really? I assumed that at least the first year that I would have to drop the truck off at the terminals and drive my pickup home.
The recruiter for the trucking school I looked into was talking about how I would need to leave my personal vehicle in their lot for weeks at a time. I assumed he meant as long as I worked there. Or at least until I had over a years experience........
I didn't like that idea much as both of my personal vehicles are nice and there is no way I would leave them unattended for any length of time. And buying a junker just for that seemed kinda dumb.......

__________________
The only thing better than two wheels is 18.

Since the 1st day i started Driving i have yet to Park my Truck at a Terminal i dont trust it arround there if im not there i dont want my stuff stolen and ive seen it happen, also if something happens and i have to take 1 or 2 days past my 6 off they cant slip seat me easily with it parked at my mother-in-law's house back in the woods with no road signs and a gravel road

__________________


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