i've known for quite some time that this company and swift are basically cousins. kevin is nowhere near running this company the way swift is operated. while i was at swift, i was never sent on a wild goose chase for an empty trailer, never got bugged for an empty trailer that i had been rightfully hooked up to, their trailer-tracs system WORKED, i got paid for everything without having to ask/beg, i wasn't put on per-diem, and their payroll department actually recommended drivers to stay away from any per-diem plan within the trucking industry. i stayed out of trouble at swift and they ran me all over the place. if i wanted to take a week off and keep the truck, it was no problem. when i was just a regular schmo at knight, if i wanted more than 2 days off, there was a crap storm. i took more than 2 days off anyway. after going through three trucks on the regular OTR deal, i changed over to express and i've been somewhat more content since then. however, it doesn't change my opinion of how this company operates. a lot what they do makes no sense whatsoever. for instance, what really bothers me is how every terminal acts like its own small business. it's so counter-productive and stifles any progress that needs to be made in order for this company and its drivers to make money. i notice quite a few of those trailers sitting in yards for way too long. i know customers can't be thrilled with this company's logistical planning. most of the people i've dealt with at swift had actually been drivers before ever getting "promoted" to the office. they actually had a clue when i had to talk to them about something.
I once picked a trailer up in Olive Branch for a whopping 100 miles (85 paid) going to Wal Mart in New Albany Ms. The trailer wasn't due there for 3 more days but they told me take it anyways. Wal Mart refused it until the next day but after some asking they would take it two days early. So a day lost for 100 miles. Not sure about you, but I consider that BS babysitting junk freight for no pay. Even more interesting is this load originated in Waco seven days prior. Why in the hell...who in the hell schedules a 700 mile load with nine days on it? An idiot that's who. That's a storage company not a trucking company and then to read these recruiting articles in the trucking rags. Who reads these articles and believes this crap?
I don't miss that at all! I too never understood the Us Vs them(regarding the terminal vs terminal) I had thought that someone had said they got a bonus if they were ahead in miles and freight, operating cost or some BS like that. It's been over 3 years since I worked there so I may be remembering it wrong. I do remember the 400 mile runs with a 32+ hour delivery window with an open appt at the end(to knight that means you have appt like 0800-1500 and they unload you at 1600 and you get no detention pay because of the 2 times and YOU HAVE TO be there at 0800) Godawful company
well keep us posted. I hope youhave a better experience than I did but I would not expect much if I were you.
I worked for Knight in K.C. If Joe still works in safety, he is your backup. Whatever you think of him personally, he has always backed me up when I had a legitimate HOS issue with dispatch. He also got my steers replaced. If you have a flat on the road, be ready to drive it to the truck stop, they will not send anyone out. The K.C. mechs are extremely rude and they are "so much better" then drivers. Pump one at the fuel station is always broke down. If you get a night time load, or sit for a couple days, and you are somewhere in temperatures above 80 degrees, you will have to idle to stay alive. And Knight does not give a rats left butt cheek about your health when it costs them money. They will come down on you hard for idling. There are alot of good drivers at Knight, who have learned to work under those conditions. But alot of the experienced drivers have left due to work conditions. Mechanics do a good job, but you have to wait. And always check your oil after there PM service. You will spend alot of time in K.C. searching for a trailer. Many times 3 drivers including me showed up at the same place for one trailer. On an off topic note, the gas station next to the terminal makes some of the best chicken and biscuits you have ever had. Their Chicken tenders actually taste like home style fried chicken. Also note: Drew runs this terminal in about as friendly a manner as he can. He treats the drivers with respect, and dignity. Something the mechanics could learn from. When I had a family issue, they were very supportive. Its unfortunate that I have to downgrade my opinion of them due to there aggressive anti idling policy. A company has to realize that when on the road, a driver has to sleep well in order to drive safe. Furthermore, there are many places I would not be able to sleep "safe" with my windows down, which is what they ask. Someone still needs to lock the company owners in there expensive suv's with the engines disabled in a mall parking lot for an afternoon. Just so they can understand what they are asking there drivers to do. I wish you the best and the best of luck to you.
If you got hired already, then good luck! Just be sure to stand your ground when something doesn't seem right. Don't be afraid to tell anyone NO! If you don't stand up for yourself, then you only leave yourself open to failure. An example? You're asked to haul a 700 mile load that picks up in the evening and delivers at 6am the next day and can't be rescheduled. It sounds crazy, put they tried to pull that crap on me more than once. You just have to tell them no. Don't worry about your reputation, your DM will be more concerned about your productivity and give you another load anyways. And if you enjoy scavenger hunts, and easter egg hunts, then be prepared to play the never-ending game of Trailer Search and Rescue. More trucks than trailers. Literally.
if you're around so-cal, DO NOT put down the trailer you have after a live unload, or that you actually FOUND. just leave the trailer part blank. trust me. if you don't, you'll be hounded for that empty trailer.
Listen to this man, he's very right about that. Let them think you don't have a trailer. They will preplan you anyways...eventually. Knight always thinks it's the drivers problems regarding minor things like finding trailers. Go get your load and get out of there, problem solved. I and two drivers from the Las Vegas terminal were told by someone at the Fontana yard "you need to drop those empties or leave the yard." I left and went to that burger joint down the road and awaited my next load. That's Knight for you. Do they dislike drivers or are they idiots? I think it's both.
