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  ^ Top   #831  
Old 07.19.2008
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"Their safety rating is in the toilet and has been for quite sometime. "

SafeStat reports that Swift for driver caused accidents at 63.02 and vehicle caused accidents at 42.15. Werner is 36.71 and 42.85 respectively. Taking into considearation that Swift is twice the size in no. of drivers and trucks the ratio is about the same so I'm not sure what you mean when you state there is an error in fact data?

"Werner as of They are consistently late in getting freight where it goes and they have a national reputation for not being that upfront or nice to their customers on the pricing end. The reputation is not just with the drivers like some of these pro-Swift people think. Also If Swift is so great, then tell me why their drivers are constantly defending the place. "

Each driver should take pride in how they present themselves to s ahipper so how Swift or Werner treats them is irrelevant. Also Swift won awards for customer service based on polls of CUSTOMERS so again not a good argument!

"They can do the cutthroat prices on the freight and operate more than 35% of their company trucks at a loss (which they do either operate at a loss or are barely breaking even on them), but you can only do that so long until your quality catches up to you."

This again is none of your concern you are a driver. If you care so much about profit/loss on a company balance sheet open your own company!!
I'm not promoting ANY company but I find it a pain when bitter drivers come on here blasting whoever claiming they know "the facts" when thier logic is crap!!
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  ^ Top   #832  
Old 07.19.2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rollnrock View Post
"Their safety rating is in the toilet and has been for quite sometime. "

SafeStat reports that Swift for driver caused accidents at 63.02 and vehicle caused accidents at 42.15. Werner is 36.71 and 42.85 respectively. Taking into considearation that Swift is twice the size in no. of drivers and trucks the ratio is about the same so I'm not sure what you mean when you state there is an error in fact data?

"Werner as of They are consistently late in getting freight where it goes and they have a national reputation for not being that upfront or nice to their customers on the pricing end. The reputation is not just with the drivers like some of these pro-Swift people think. Also If Swift is so great, then tell me why their drivers are constantly defending the place. "

Each driver should take pride in how they present themselves to s ahipper so how Swift or Werner treats them is irrelevant. Also Swift won awards for customer service based on polls of CUSTOMERS so again not a good argument!

"They can do the cutthroat prices on the freight and operate more than 35% of their company trucks at a loss (which they do either operate at a loss or are barely breaking even on them), but you can only do that so long until your quality catches up to you."

This again is none of your concern you are a driver. If you care so much about profit/loss on a company balance sheet open your own company!!
I'm not promoting ANY company but I find it a pain when bitter drivers come on here blasting whoever claiming they know "the facts" when thier logic is crap!!

Actually this should concern you--since no profit--no paycheck. If they continue to operate this way in this economy, they might as well say hello to bankruptcy and you might as well start looking for a job. Im not bitter, but I refuse to sit back and watch people who know nothing sing the praises of a company that anybody in trucking knows just dont have their stuff together. BTW, you quoted percentages based on accidents/incidents per million miles driven. Last time I checked 62 was quite a bit higher than 36, no matter how big they are--might want to do that math again.

Also, thank you yet again for proving my point!
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  ^ Top   #833  
Old 07.19.2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rollnrock View Post
Tim you may have stated in an earlier post what company you started with but I was just curious what outfit it was? The school I'm attending also states 100+ companies they recruit from and funny that I got "prehired" to Werner when I got there and I noticed all the Werner swag, calendars, pens, model trucks about the recruiter's desks!! Not to say that they are bad to work for, actually I've read in numerous posts they were a good place for new grads but the conflict of interest is there at schools etc if one is paying attention.

I'd rather stay away from the biggest outfits but with frieght declining a bit and consolidation, a new driver may have to suck up that .26cpm and get your year in?! I haven't heard anyone dispute Tim's figures for 1 year newbie at Swift either so they sound pretty close?

I guess my question is can you get those miles at other outfits because Swift etc are larger companies and they have more fright sources than smaller carriers. Someone can pay more but if your miles are cut in half with the economy downturn right now you're not better off.
Timtruck is not someone you want to get information from; unless you want lies, misinformation, etc. The little red block on the right side of his post shows he has a low reputation on here. Most of us have been able to see right through the garbage he spreads on here.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Timtruck View Post
I started driving at a small company in Southern Kentucky. The original company went bankrupt, but they are back in business under a different name. they had approx 300 company trucks and about 45 O/Os and they had an excellent training program, and they paid pretty good also. Top company drivers were making $.48 cpm back 7 years ago when I was there. A newbie started at $.30 cpm. I have not said what driving school I went to--Im not sure I can say on this board. I will tell you it was in Sellersburg, Indiana( down by Louisville) and they have I beleive it is 10 other schools across the country and they are consistently reanked in the top 4 or 5 schools nationwide. EVERY single instructor there MUST be DOT certified to do the actual driving exam. In other words-the only time you have to deal with the state is for the written test.

In fact the driving school that I attended has a contract with Werner to train their drivers here in Indianapolis--but you are not required to go to work for werner. Actually the school I went to was big fans of TMC and Covenant--or at least the management was. They all have their favs, but by law, they CANNOT either tell you that you should or should not go to a particular company. If they do so they are breaking federal laws and could be subject to loosing their license. 2 of our instructors were million mile drivers at TMC. You had to be at least a millionmiler with 10 years experience in order to teach there. One of our instructors was a former driver development mgr for Covenant.

The facts are that the beginning salaries have gone up some, but they havent gone up substantially

Im not sure where these guys are getting the "fact" that Swift is one of the top companies out there. Their safety rating is in the toilet and has been for quite sometime. They are consistently late in getting freight where it goes and they have a national reputation for not being that upfront or nice to their customers on the pricing end. The reputation is not just with the drivers like some of these pro-Swift people think. Also If Swift is so great, then tell me why their drivers are constantly defending the place. If they are "the place" to work for, then they would not need to be defended and their reputation and merit would carry that company. But it does not.
You have to remember that this is a company who ousted their chairman because he got caught being an inside trader--I agree that he didnt plead guilty, but he did pay the fine.When you pay a fine and dont fight allegations, that does imply guilt. And then 2 years later they sell the company lock stock and barrel to him for cash.

I can tell you about customer after customer that Swift has been booted out of over the last several years because they just cant get it together. They can do the cutthroat prices on the freight and operate more than 35% of their company trucks at a loss (which they do either operate at a loss or are barely breaking even on them), but you can only do that so long until your quality catches up to you. A customer will pay the high prices if he can get his stuff intact and timely. As far as the "carrier of the year awards" Sears, for example had 8 "carriers of the year" last year--so that says nothing.
Actually, outside examiners are better. Insiders, like at the school you attended, have a vested interest in signing you off. In other words, they will let things slide just to keep their graduation rates up. And before you get on your high horse, that is exactly what you have accused Swift of.

And what is your source for this information. Their safety rating is in the 60-70 range as opposed to many companies in the 90's. Why don't you list your company here or the company you started with so we can check their safety rating? It sure is interesting that they continue to get Carrier of the Year awards from the largest companies in the country. Kind of hard to do if you are always late and have a bad reputation don't ya think? Oh that's right you just want to rag with no factual basis for your comments. They have to be defended from people like you who tell nothing but lies. Why is it that so many choose to go to work there?

Hate to give you this breaking news but the "ousted" chairman once was and again is the owner of the company.

So list the companies so we can check your facts. Oh, that's right, you don't have sources just stories you make up as you type.

Well, they must be doing something right to be among the top 8 of all the companies that haul for Sears. I have been to Sears Distribution Centers and there must be at least 60 or 70 different major companies whose trucks are bringing product in and out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Timtruck View Post
You know, you should read the rules on this board before you spout off about what you know nothing about. I am not disclosing a job history or a school history to satisfy you. The rules say that you cannot advertise for jobs with a company or with a school, and our company is always hiring all over the country and the school I went to is well on the way to having one of their best years ever, but Im not gonna advertise for them. I hope that when you get with your trainer, you dont have this know-it-all attitude or he will throw you off the truck rather quickly. I have thrown trainees off for arguing with me and have never had a company tell me that I was wrong for doing so.
What a lame excuse for not telling who you work for and where you went to school! I hate to break it to you but that is not what the forum rules are referring to when they talk about advertising. If that is the case then the "good companies" forum could not exist. Hundreds of companies are mentioned by name there and the moderators haven't banned those folks. The only one that displays a know-it-all attitude is you. You know so much about Swift and yet you cannot even provide sources for your information.

Plus the purpose of this forum is for people to share THEIR experiences with a company. I believe you are in violation of the rules then because you are not sharing YOUR experiences with Swift.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxgussam View Post
Wrong.

Your example is flawed because you assume that the percentage of poor Swift drivers is equal to that of every other company.

The notion that the number of proficent Swift drivers is equal to that of each and every other company is laughable...The rate at which they churn out new drivers, and unleash them on the highways prevents it.

For example:

How many Swift drivers have 1 Million mile accident free awards? 2 Million? 3 Million?
How many Swift drivers have even driven 1 million miles, regardless of accidents?
Not many I'll wager.

Many LTL companies have lots of drivers with 1 Million Mile (and more) Accident Free awards, and the more selective TL companies do too.

Try and sell that garbage to someone else, I'm not buying it...
Swift has lots of million plus milers. At least they did when I worked there. Here is a newsbreak for you: Swift has made one of its goals to be a company who will take on new drivers and train them. They hope they will stay, and many do, but they also know that many come there for the year or two experience needed to go somewhere else.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Timtruck View Post
Actually this should concern you--since no profit--no paycheck. If they continue to operate this way in this economy, they might as well say hello to bankruptcy and you might as well start looking for a job. Im not bitter, but I refuse to sit back and watch people who know nothing sing the praises of a company that anybody in trucking knows just dont have their stuff together. BTW, you quoted percentages based on accidents/incidents per million miles driven. Last time I checked 62 was quite a bit higher than 36, no matter how big they are--might want to do that math again.

Also, thank you yet again for proving my point!
Why don't you hold your breath for Swift to go bankrupt? You don't even work for the company and yet you know how "terrible" they are. You are probably one of the few drivers that Swift fired and are ticked off because you couldn't make it there. So your going to come on here and get back at them. The only point that is being proven on here is just how little you really know and how bogus your facts really are.

Last edited by MACK E-6; 07.19.2008 at 08.48 PM.
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  ^ Top   #834  
Old 07.19.2008
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Originally Posted by pawpaw View Post
Swift has lots of million plus milers. At least they did when I worked there. Here is a newsbreak for you: Swift has made one of its goals to be a company who will take on new drivers and train them. They hope they will stay, and many do, but they also know that many come there for the year or two experience needed to go somewhere else.

Here is a newsbreak for you:

The fact still remains that the VAST majority of Swift drivers have very little experience,(and, 1 year=very little) therefore, they are no where near as proficent as drivers working elsewhere with far more time on the road.
Thus, your "law of averages" example is not valid.

Swift has achieved the goal you stated above...Their primary source of driving employees are new licensees.

I have suspected for years that Swift derives nearly as much income from their "schools" (which I strongly suspect only teach a student to pass the test)and their "Apprentice Program" as they do from moving freight.

Following this example, it is in the companies interest to get newbies trained (to Swift standards) run them as long as possible at newbie pay, knowing that they are indentured servants for 1 year, then have them quit, to be replaced by another new driver, fresh from the Swift CDL factory.

This seems to be the buisness model they have adopted, since you don't achieve turnover numbers like Swift has by trying to keep employees for the long term.
Sure, some do stay, they probably have a dedicated route that works for them, or something else that keeps them.
Here's the deal...There are no where near enough of these type of jobs to keep experienced guys working there, Swift accepts this, and instituted their "revolving door" driver retention policy. It must work for them, I'm sure they have a staff of high dollar actuaries telling them so.
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  ^ Top   #835  
Old 07.19.2008
MIA (Banned or Retired)
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Timtruck View Post
You know, you should read the rules on this board before you spout off about what you know nothing about.
Two words come to mind...."kettle" and "black".

and i love the 'ive thrown off trainees out of my truck before'. Tell me, you wearing your blue tights and red cape, Superman?

And if those who drive for Swift are so unhappy and leave after a year or get canned before they make it that far, and Swift accepts their high number of turnover, then we shouldn't ever see any Swift driver with more than a year experience, yes? Then explain to me how i've run into two swift drivers passing thru the local truck stop, and BOTH have been with Swift for 3+ years. Kinda shoots your theory out of the water.
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  ^ Top   #836  
Old 07.19.2008
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I'm a swift newbie too. Got released to solo three weeks ago. I've met and chatted with a total of eight Swift drivers at truck stops since I've been out on my own, and seven out of eight were just starting out, like me. I won't jump to any conclusions because of that though, since it hasn't been but a few weeks...
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  ^ Top   #837  
Old 07.19.2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxgussam View Post
Here is a newsbreak for you:

The fact still remains that the VAST majority of Swift drivers have very little experience,(and, 1 year=very little) therefore, they are no where near as proficent as drivers working elsewhere with far more time on the road.
Thus, your "law of averages" example is not valid.

Swift has achieved the goal you stated above...Their primary source of driving employees are new licensees.

I have suspected for years that Swift derives nearly as much income from their "schools" (which I strongly suspect only teach a student to pass the test)and their "Apprentice Program" as they do from moving freight.

Following this example, it is in the companies interest to get newbies trained (to Swift standards) run them as long as possible at newbie pay, knowing that they are indentured servants for 1 year, then have them quit, to be replaced by another new driver, fresh from the Swift CDL factory.

This seems to be the buisness model they have adopted, since you don't achieve turnover numbers like Swift has by trying to keep employees for the long term.
Sure, some do stay, they probably have a dedicated route that works for them, or something else that keeps them.
Here's the deal...There are no where near enough of these type of jobs to keep experienced guys working there, Swift accepts this, and instituted their "revolving door" driver retention policy. It must work for them, I'm sure they have a staff of high dollar actuaries telling them so.
Another person showing their intelligence by their responses. Obviously if Swift were making more money off of the schools than hauling freight, they would reduce their risk of liability and just go to running schools. And of course they are going to have a high turnover rate. Part of those numbers are all the wannabees who find out that driving a truck is work. They thought they were joining to see the country and travel while being paid. They leave and don't look back. And there are a number who go there for a year to go someplace else they want to work. I find it personally disgusting to be told by a director of recruiting to go drive for someone else for a year and then come back and talk to us. This was told to me by the director of recruiting at Schaffer. I doubt he would like it if I came to work for them for a year just to go to someone else.

Face it, Swift does the industry a great service by weeding out alot of wannabees who can't hack it on the road. Rather than ripping them apart for doing what many other companies are too afraid to do, you ought to be grateful.

And on the flip side they have thousands of drivers who have been there in excess of two years, som give your bogus arguments a rest. It is an old story that is just as false today as the day it was first started. If you haven't driven for Swift then you really shouldn't be commenting as this is for people to share their experiences with a company.
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  ^ Top   #838  
Old 07.19.2008
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Originally Posted by Snowman&Fred View Post

And if those who drive for Swift are so unhappy and leave after a year or get canned before they make it that far, and Swift accepts their high number of turnover, then we shouldn't ever see any Swift driver with more than a year experience, yes? Then explain to me how i've run into two swift drivers passing thru the local truck stop, and BOTH have been with Swift for 3+ years. Kinda shoots your theory out of the water.
Since this appears to be a reply to me, I will reply to you...

Of course Swift accepts the turnover, they have been operating this way for many years!

Your sample of (2) drivers is not enough to indicate a pattern. Try asking the next 100+ Swift drivers you see, or ask the next few if they expect to be working at Swift 10 years from now, and report your results.

The likelyhood is that these guys were staying on until they had enough experience to move on.

My "theory" is undamaged.

Your staunch defense of an outfit that you have not even worked 1 day for is amazing.

You would do well to keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth closed, no matter what company you end up working for. Otherwise, your driving career is liable to be short lived.

I mean no disrespect, but if I were in your shoes, I would lose the chip(s) on my shoulders.

Believe me, we have all seen drivers with this sort of "I'm going to tell them what's what"
attitude, with their companies as well as with customers, cops, DOT, etc..

Usually they don't stay around long.
Dont let it happen to you...
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  ^ Top   #839  
Old 07.19.2008
MIA (Banned or Retired)
 
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well the items in my signature line are there to be funny, the one in red is the way i will operate. You said earlier that 'nobody stays longer than a year. I just ran into two who have been there 3 and 4 years. According to your theory, i shouldn't run into any. Havent worked for Swift, no. Have you??
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  ^ Top   #840  
Old 07.19.2008
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You all have great info
But we need to be more civil to each other!!!!!!!!
__________________

So if Carter( worst ) got us Reagan (one of the greatest presidents of all time)
One can only imagine what Obama will get us!!!!!
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