Swift drivers, sound off

I took the test and I'm going to keep on taking it until I get all 3 answers correct.

 

There is a woman on the Lancaster terminal ECT who will not turn around and look at who she is talking to. You have to talk to her back while she looks at you in the mirror. I actually had to say something to her about it because I couldn't understand what she was trying to tell me. Then she got mad and started acting like I was a dummy. I said something about it the next morning. The response I got was nobody seemed surprised. Why do we keep people around who have a known history like this?

On another note, the night supervisor in Oklahoma City is one of the most patient men I've ever met in my life. I was in the office BSing for a few minutes after t-calling a load. The supervisor was working the desk for a minute. Here comes this young man with hair askew and paperwork in hand. He was dropping a load and picking another up. Since it was noisy in the drivers' lounge, he was asked into the office area. Here is a brief synopsis of the conversation:

Manager: What was your truck number again?

Driver: *blank stare*

M: Do you remember your truck number?

D: *mumbles something*

M: Okay, got ya on. Let's see your paperwork. Where'd you pick this up?

D: *vacant stare* .............*says nothing*

M: I need to know where you picked this up.

D: *repeats last actions*

M: (name) Focus for me here. Where. Did. You. Pick. This. Up?

D: *lights begin to flicker* Uhm.....Texas?

M: Okay. Texas is a really big state. Can you narrow it down a little?

D: I was at a terminal.

M: Did you pick it up at a terminal?

D: No.

M: Where were you?

D: Uuhhmmm......

M: Okay. Which terminal? Was it El Paso? Houston? Laredo? Lancaster?

D: Yeah!

M: Which one?

D: Lancaster.

M: So you were at Lancaster, but you didn't pick it up in the terminal?

D: Yeah.

M: Dallas area?

D: No.

M: *sighs heavily* *looks helpless*

D: Uuhhmmm....big city.

Injun: (to other office guy) *sing-songy whisper* Wiiiiiizz-quiiiz....

Other Office Guy: *nods*

M: Okay, a big city near Lancaster, but not Dallas.

D: *nods* *intensifies vacant stare* (I never knew that was possible)

M: (naming off cities) Dennison. Garland. Irving..... Arlington? Fort...

D: Yeah!

M: Which one?

D: Fort ....something....

M: Fort Worth?

D: Yeah! Got it in Fort Worth....


This manager showed more patience with this kid than I could ever have mustered. He showed a level of professionalism that is rarely seen in any field, much less, the transportation industry. I was singularly impressed with how this was handled.

 

I think that many, maybe most, of the issues Swift has are similar to the issues other large carriers have. If I'm right about this, then it just seems to follow that either the issues are not fixable because of the nature of the business or the "cure for the disease" is too painful to the bottom line.

I would be interested in the results of the survey Swift did. I'd also like to know what, if anything, is being put into place to ameliorate some of the identified issues.

Finally, I find it more than a little bit puzzling that Swift (or any carrier) doesn't know what the issues are and has to ask drivers. Haven't they been listening?

 

I'm sorry...what did you say?

You want a load to Fort Worth? But could you handle that many miles...we are in Dallas you know...or is it Lancaster...could be El Paso, or even Houston....aw heck everything looks the same in Texas!

 

I'm sending you a pm *nods*

 

I really like the idea of the mani/pedi. Just saying.