You need at least 1 year OTR for them Vet.

When I got on with Estes I was an experianced delivery
driver (class B) and they hired me straight out of school.
This was back in the ninties. But my point is if you have
your CDL you may be able to work the dock for someone
until you get old enough. I know all the dock workers
don't have CDL's. I would rather work the dock for a
good company and have a future then go somewhere
with a huge turnover and gamble my future and safety.

Thanks for the help fellas. I did get put off his truck I have been in limbo since. They put my in this hotel in Monroe Michigan waiting for thier conclusion to what will become of me. Not to worried about it. I am getting paid for my time. Just not sure weither I still want to remain with Swift or not. I owe the company because they trained me but on the other hand the political part of the job is retarded. I have been violated 4 times for the same logs. Even though they now have 3 coppies and the originals in thier possesion. Oh well I am looking for day cab driving positions around the state of Michigan now.

Mascmo,I wish you the best of luck.I just noticed your age and Swift might just have to be it for a while.Who knows you might like it.If not stick it out long enough to get a couple yrs.experience under your belt,then you can write your own ticket.

Take a look at every Swift tractor and you will see chains hanging on the side.And you are expected to chain up and keep going in bad weather.Was told by Roehl in orientation,no chains ,if the weather is that bad,park the truck till things get better.A late delivery is better than a wrecked truck and God only knows what else.This crap of the load has to be there right now dont cut it with me.The safety of me and the ones around me comes first.

Here a story to explain what some have said before. Your incharge out on the Road.

I drove for a small Company out of North Georgia. One of my best paying jobs. Trucks were the pits but I got a good check. Dispatchers were tough though. Reggie was the worst. I delievered a load to Bismark, ND. Started to snow when I went in to the drop. I witht the Load I was fish tailing a little so I was not comfortable. After I unloaded, I went and made my call saying I was empty and started to say I will be sitting there till the Roads clear, but as I was speaking he started to tell me of a load to go and pick up. I already heard something about the Interstate being closed, so I told him I can not, the Road closed. I'll call when I can. Next day the Roads were clearer and reopened. So I then went and picked up the load, still had a hard time geting into the Shipper, even got stuck.

Second example I had a load that emptied out in Homestead Fla. I was told before my last drop to head back up toward Orlando and call. I really had a few more hours I could drive Legally.
When I called He asked me to dead head back to Atlanta, and pick up a load and be in Charlette, NC by 7AM the next morning. Ok, I had 1 or 2 hours to do that in before shutting down for the 10 hour rule. (this is before the new log book laws). My responce was, Reggie, How in sam Hill can I drive from Orlando, to Atlanta, then to Charlette and be there by 7Am tomorow and it's 5 PM now, and I have to shut down by LAW in 2?
His reply Ok wait one minute, ok come on to the Atlanta, same place and get this load going to NJ be there Saterday. Gave me 2 1/2 days to make NJ. No problem, easiest NJ run I made with them...

As a Greener Horn than I was then of these Stories above, I was saying OK BOSS... and I was getting there late. But after I started to say no to him, I got better loads.

I had one of those so called swift trainers stop a student driver going up a hill in the middle of the road and take over driveing for some unknown reason. I thought the student was doing a good job on the hill.

Today I was officially terminated. Reason given. Unstableness.

Now how can I be stable when my first mentor was a nut. My second I have no idea why he put me off his truck and this third one put me off because I refused to break the law.

I called pheonix and tomorrow will have a report waiting for them. I told them I was illegally terminated and now they want a full statement from me.

I will give them a day by day conclusion of my events with all of the proof I have in my possession. I will also be sending copies of these documents to my state government. To the AG the DOT the ACLU everyone. Absolutely every agency in this state along with several news organisations will recieve copies of this report. I will have the report made visable to you guys on a web page to be created by fridasy so you can see what kind of mess I got myself into by chooseing swift.

Thanks for trying to help fellas but now I have to find another trucking company who wants safe responsible legal drivers.

My nephew started and ended his 4 month career with Swift,he would have killed himself if he had stayed,working long hrs unloading and trying to get the miles expected by Swift. i wrote all about them on another post.

Ok heres the thing...I would like to keep reading how bad Swift is and things of that nature. But for me they pretty much are my only option. Im gonna be 21 have had my CDL for 2 years drove a tractor trailer for about a year and have driven class B truck for the past 6 months...no one else will really hire unless im say 22 or 23. It seems like everyone that has a problem with them puts themself out in the open with a shoot me sign on their back. Trust me i am not being ignorant to the fact that they arent the most liked company out there nor do i think that people that have worked for them are lying. I totally believe your stories, but heres the thing i need to get some driving experience OTR so i can get hired back here locally. I understand the risk at hand...and a risk is what i will have to take.

Having said all that, like some have told me and this is exactly what i planned on doing. I planned on staying well under the radar...doing my job taking the "bad" loads but most of all trying my best to not stand out. Now I know you all might jump on me for this but I have brought this up in the past and the general concensus was to just go to Swift dont stand out and get some experience.

I am totally open to suggestions and i will read everything everyone has to say...i guess i know what im stepping into and im just gonna be prepared as i possibly can.