Originally Posted by Injun

You quit a job before lining up another one??? That's risky.

I worked with Swift for a year. I never had a problem getting miles even during the "slow" time. I was able to collect the mileage bonus every month except one (February) while I was there. I hear these stories so much, but in my experience, it came from the drivers sitting around the gossip table saying they just turned a load down because it wasn't worth their time to run less than 300 miles. I would ask whether they talked to their DM's about it and usually, no. Why? DM's a butt...can't talk to him/her because he/she hates me. Why does he/she dislike you? I won't run short loads. That's when I roll my eyes and walk away.

I only left because I had some friends who had a tiny company and were offering me a truck if I'd run for them. I took them up on it, but the business folded because of the American Axel strike. They had a contract running parts for American Axel...paid really good, too. In the mean time, I got a dog that I'm not willing to abandon for anyone, so I found a company who would let me have him with me. Prime. And I'm not happy here.

But I'm not going to quit before I have something else lined up. I might not be making much of a paycheck, but I'm making something.

Originally Posted by quickdodge

I currently drive a daycab for Swift so I'm at the terminal on a daily basis. Just tonight a driver was asking about a load and when offered a 225 mile load, he said no and "that ain't #### to run." A few hours later, I got back to the terminal to do something and saw the same driver sitting in the lounge. He was actually complaining to two others that he wasn't making anything on this week's check and that he was stuck "again tonight" because there was no freight for him to run. I hear this day in and day out. It makes no sense to me.

Hmm. I'm not making money with werner right now, but it sure isn't because I'm turning down loads. We're not allowed to, but i've had a couple of times when my FM asked if i wanted one before assigning it to me...therefore i could have. Still didn't. I had just split a load at the drop yard in battle creek and was going to go home to stevensville, and there was a driver that was going home to battle creek that had just picked up an 800 mile load going to olive branch MS. I dont know what happened exactly, but i was asked if i wanted it..I said HELL YEAH. I had to wait in that yard an extra couple of hours (whereas if i rejected it i could have gone home immediately most likely), and it cut my hometime short a few hours...but dayum. I got down to MS and I stayed down south for two weeks. Never even came within 500 miles of the canadian border...best money week in a while! hahaha...

I wonder if i should go work for swifty then. Hmm. I won't tell them I have a passport, since that seems to be my main problem at werner, besides shitey maintenance.

Now, a 300 mile load isn't the best, but....what the hell. How can you let yourself be stuck somewhere for days because you wont take a load. A 300 mile load with a 200 mile load after that is a great 14 hour day. 300 miles is better than 0 miles any day any way...

I wonder though, if I tell them i loooove NYC, what they'd do to me...hehehe.....

When I was there, Swift did not go into the city. They would have the OTR guys drop at the yard and run the local guys on those. If you think about it, it makes sense to do that. The local guys will know which roads to take, where all the clearance problems are and whose palms to grease to get around the city.

I didn't see the NE very often. This company? I get sent there about every other month and then left there for three to four weeks at a shot until I'm begging to get out. And I usually lose money on tolls and high fuel cost. Told them I was getting ready to buy property up there. When asked why, I said so they wouldn't send me there any more. Seems this company likes to send you as far away from your home as possible and then keep you there with the statement that there isn't any freight going back to where you want to be.

Hello how are you ? good I hope. I am writing you because I am trying to find my way in the trucking industry. I have no experience and I would like to know is swift a good place to start at. I have been doing some research and I found that not all cdl school are scams and are not certified by the ptdi. Please let me know what I should do. Thank you in advance im in Richmond VA.

Originally Posted by allikatzpop

Find a Community college or Vocational School that has a CDL training class.You'll be better off there.Trucking companies that have schools will allegedly train you for free ,but you must sign a contract to work for them 1 year after training.If you do not complete 1 year of employment you will have to pay them for your training(at inflated cost).
During the 1st year they will treat you like crap and do everything in their power to get you to quit.Low miles,no home time,you'll basically be a mushroom(kept in the dark and fed nothing but horse manure)...

on the contrary at swift. if you do as you're told, don't cry, go where they tell you (unless you're due for home time or can't due to HOS), and stay out of trouble. they'll treat you rather well. however, once you no longer owe them anything, they'll start pushing you away. that push will be even harder if you refuse to sign on to their fleece-purchase and/or refuse to become a trainer.