SWIFT or Stevens ??

Full disclosure: Have you ever worked for a reefer company?

 

Oakley Transport -- Lake Wales, FL.

They had about 50 trucks doing reefer...at that time.

Where else do you think I would have learned all of the above?

Oakley is not just food-grade tanker (anymore).

Also: one cant help but wonder...how well Stevens (or Swift....for that matter) will coach our fledgling new recruit here on the proper ways/usage of that "split sleeper" clock function for reefer duty...which I'm pretty sure the recruiter will be completely clueless about (much like that oh-so-elusive Laredo, TX dropyard)....

-- L

 

Well, the new driver has to start somewhere. Stevens is a good place to get this new career started.

 

The reason I asked is because you're so negative about reefer companies. You must have had negative experiences pulling reefers for Oakley.

 

Perhaps.

But what if....our new recruit here decides...after 3 - 4 months with Stevens....that reefer duty (indeed) truly sux -- as "lual" (& others) tried (in apparent vain) to point out?

Then -- he's painted himself into a corner -- the ONLY "out"...is if he changes emoloyers/carriers.

Then -- he thus joins the beleaguered leagues of the so-called first-year "job hoppers".

NOOOTTT COOL.

Especially in the current (as of this writing) CDL job market.

~~~~~~

Meanwhile -- if he (instead) started out with Swift -- he could merely swap/switch over to the:

• flatbed
• intermodal, or
• dry van

fleets.... & get some more nifty experience there -- instead of having to look for another carrier/employer -- & jumping ship.

"WORK SMARTER -- NOT HARDER"

-- L

 

What if he doesn't have the bad experiences? Some of us love the reefer life.

 

That's....at BEST....a 50/50 bet.

Not great odds.

With the Swift fleet -- he wins, either way.....

A bonus: pretty much every time I sat down to a CDL job application -- they will invariably ask, "list all the different trailer types with which you have experience (with dates, & mileage)."

As common sense would dictate -- the more trailer types one can list (especially if all with the same/one carrier) -- the better a driver candidate looks, to subsequent employers.



Once again....

"WORK SMARTER -- NOT HARDER"

-- L

 

Many owner-operators spend tons of money buying a reefer trailer. Why would they do that if reefer trucking is so bad?

 

An analogy (it's loose....but still kinda close):

Many people overspend greatly every day buying new vehicle makes/models....that are PROVEN LOSERS for reliability.

And yet....it never seems to stop.

Even with this same info readily available on the internet (& from reasonably reliable sources).

~~~~~~

To be fair -- reefer duty is indeed a cakewalk -- compared to what many/most vets see while in the military.

So they can indeed tolerate it much easier....



-- L

 

The mileage at this point doesn't matter if your not getting the miles, I know SWIFT has the loads to keep you moving. But what do I know I have not been at this for long. You can sit wait for a trailer to get loaded, you will move around just enough to kill your 14 and not be able to move. Then your dispatcher tells you gee, thx but I'll have a team with hours pick up the load from you in about an hour, but don't worry we'll get you something to make it up tomorrow. And this can and does happen all the time if you try to do refer solo.