Thoughts on driving for First Fleet

Lots of happy drivers with nice homes and new cars ... atleast in my area. I live on one of their freight routes between phoenix and vegas, but am unhireable because of distance from a terminal. Depending on account/location its a home every night or every other night company. 40+cpm drop hoook pay, nice equipment... all the goodies that make you smile.

 

must be different here. waiting to hear back about job with them out of Elkton,VA the drivers here happy too good miles, but pay is .35 pm and home 2 days a week

 

Guess that depends on who u talk with, my experience is what they tell you in phx at least going into the door isnt close to the crap you actually get to do. Starting to become another swift trucking starting with the head guy in phx which is where the problem starts.

They don't pay for wait time unless you have 4 stops/stores or less unless at the warehouse, you dont get paid for scaling time, fueling their refer's when they let them run out. Might want to talk with drivers on the road before looking into any company...they have no reason to not give it to you straight. You know the drill....if it sounds to good to be true....u can bet it is.

 

A friend of mine drives for them and was on the verge of making $56000 this year. He seems to like it.

 

FIRST FLEET

well if you can get past the terminal manager who lets you know there are always 50 people ready to take your job if you have any problems with the obvious lack of knowledge in dispatch skill here, even when you bid for runs, where the paperwork said no matter your senority you will do back halls(that you are not paid for) then yeah ....money is great.

If your not into your family or even seeing your family, if money is all that matters, plan to get just your 34 hrs reset when you do see one day off(never 2 days together), but plan for it to take 6 days to do 3 or 4 vegas run from phx.

So yeah ...its a great company for money, wonderful equipment(slip seat, no matter what they tell you is assigned) & great insurance.

 

If the head guy in Phx is still who I think it is, he WAS a Swifty. He ran the Costco dedicated fleet for a time. All I know is what I've heard from others, but they said he could be tough to work with/for.

 

I drive for first fleet and like it alot, I run for one of the dedicated accounts and normally see the family every other day and most weekends.

 

Its a great company to work for unless you feel the need for pride in your work or any self-worth or maybe any worth at all. I have worked for this nickel and dime trucking company for about 6 months now and as far as the flat bed side of trucking these guys are as lost as stevie wonder scuba diving in a bathtub. The dispatchers they have for the sherman-dixie pipe contract have as much knowledge of trucking as I have of chemical warfare. This great company starts off at 34cents a mile and tops out at 34cents a mile all of wich is local miles (about 350 a day) O and did I mention not one single holiday not even Santa Claus Day but don't worry you will get 10.00 an hour for any detention time after you waste your first hour sitting on a job site and you then get that same measley 10.00 an hour detention time after you waste two hours sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire you called in 3 times the day prior to be replaced for breakdown time. Also make sure you have about a million cell phone minutes because the dispatchers you will have can not call anyone at anytime for any reason on your behalf this includes mechanics,customers or even you unless they need to tell you they have no loads for you to take the next day because they have used a temp. service for drivers all summer and now its winter and they have basically worked you out of work until about June of the next year. Good Luck

 

I worked for First Fleet for approx. 2 1/2 yrs. I ran hard for these people. I never once called off in bad weather when others would call off, I never once complained of a dispatch and I never had a complaint, as far as I know, against me. I had a terminal mgr., dispatchers and a human resource mgr. treat and speak to me with no respect as if I was a low life truck driver. I spoke to the company H.R. Mgr. about this situation and was told that sometimes us that are older have a tough time taking direction for those that are younger! After my blood pressure went down I hung up on her. Oh, by the way the dispatchers were released for taking money for dispatches. Are you starting to get the drift about this company. One more item about this company, they replied to my future employer that I had refused a drug test! I guess they were pissed at me. So as I tell anyone that brings up the name First Fleet that you need at least 3 things to have 1) A good lawyer, 2) A good camera and 3) A good recorder.
So driver beware!!!!!!