Diary of a current Swifty

I believe we left off heading to Atlanta. We got unloaded and headed to Forest Park (right around the corner) and did a drop and hook heading to Columbus, OH. Did another drop and hook and dead headed to Lima, OH for a load going to Pineville, LA. Got to Pineville and did another drop and hook then headed to Zachary, LA (just outside of Baton Rouge). Did yet another drop and hook and headed for St. James, MO. Got to St. James and dropped and hooked yet again and headed for Earth City, MO (suburb of St. Louis) to get a load headed for Mexico City which we T-called in Laredo, TX. I ran over something while dropping the trailer at the consignee and here we sit waiting for a flat to be repaired. I have almost 200 hours of the minimum 240 they require. We have a load going from Laredo somewhere, but we have to get the tire fixed first. The truck is still in shop status. So far the training is going real well and I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor. I’m hoping to have my truck by Monday, February 1st. I can’t wait to get home. I’ve been gone since December 20th for my training.

 

As a former Swifty this can be the source of more irritation and depression while on the road...what some knuckle head drivers spew out as fact. Most of the time it just isn't true.

I remember being laid over for a weekend in the Columbus terminal and a fellow driver told me, "Swift is so far in debt I've been told by the terminal manager that they'll be closing their doors within four months." A year later I was still driving a Swift truck.

If you are a newbie do yourself this favor...don't take that crap in as fact. It will kill your spirit.

Oh, and for those of you not getting home when you want to may I suggest a comfort zone AND be sure and start asking your driver manager about loads heading you home no less than 5 days out. It may just be where I live (near Chattanooga, TN) but one thing I give Swift: I was never more than a day or two late for my home time and never when it was really important to me. I wish you safe driving and many miles a week.

 

Big Mike Swift is 12+billion in debt? That is why they put the stock on the open market. They raised 11+billion in stock sales. We haven't been offered an employee discount purchase plan either. I would invest in that in a heartbeat!

They begged everyone to run 190mi. more a week to make the company more money I am all for more miles! Just the planners need to work things differently.

They increased the B service interval an extra 5000mi, and they are letting the fleet get old. There is some Freightliners out there with 700K+ on them. Personally I don't care how old my truck is. Does it do a good job making me money? I am happy.

This company sometimes trips over a dollar trying to save a dime. Typical corporate yadda-yadda.

Do I think the doors are closing? Not at all!

 

I am writing this on Friday, 01-28-11. As soon as I get an internet connection I will post this. We got a load that came across from Mexico later that evening (01-25-11) going to Chillicothe, Ohio for a next day delivery. That was rescheduled for the next day because the load came across the border late. We got to Chillicothe at about 0630 on the 26th and was empty by 0800. We promptly left there and headed to the Columbus terminal where we were to pick up a T-Called load heading for Somerset, Mass. The load got to the yard about noon or so and we headed out. Arrived in Somerset at 0600 or so and was empty by 0800ish. They already had planned on us picking up another load in the area. Little did we know it was #### near downtown Boston. What a mess that was. All that snow piled up as high as the windows on the truck and everyone trying to get to work as fast as they could. We finally got to the shipper and had to dig our wagon out of a snow bank. To top that off the brakes were frozen. Finally got it out and did a once over and noticed that the trailer ties looked a little low on air. We decided to go weigh it and maybe put some air in the tires. After we got the scale ticket and noticed that there was 36,000 pounds on the trailer tandems we figured it wasn't slack on air, just a tad heavy. After sliding the tandems, we are now on our way toward Canton, OH to deliver this one. Swift said they were going to route us back to the Greer terminal so I can test out and get my truck. (WHOOOPIE!!!!!!!!!!)
It's now Sunday, the 30th and we went from Canton to Weirville, WV to get sheet metal to make baked bean cans out of and took them to Dandridge, TN. Took them about 15 minutes to unload us and we went next dooe to the Bush Beans plant and picked up 45,000 pounds of beans going to Jamesburg, NJ. As of now, I need 6 hours and 45 minutes and I will have my 240 minimum in. I am hoping that they dead head us fom Jersey to Greer, but I am not holding my breath. I now hope to have my truck by Friday. I guess I get it when I get it. Nothing I can do about it. I'll let everyone who wants to know, know.

 

God I hope when my 240 is up they can get me to Houston to test out right away. I really do not want to stay with this mentor any longer than I have to.

 

Congrats to you on finishing your 240 db911! I hope they find you a truck right away, and that the truck is in decent shape!

 

Hang in there. You will probably be better off because of it. You will know exactly what you DO NOT want to do.

 

I don't believe everything I hear. My brother, who also drives for Swift, was in a Fontana truckstop and said it looked like a Swift terminal. I was at the Flying J in North Las Vegas and there were quite a few Swift trucks in there as well.

 

Thanks. All I will ask for is a truck that isn't all beat up and runs good. I told them that a bent up truck will be a reflection on me and I don't bend equipment. If I was to recieve a bent up truck people would automatically assume that I was the one that made it look that way. I say if you take care of your equipment, your equipment will take care of you.

 

Congrats. I got 14 hours to go and were sitting on a load that will get me finished, going to try and t-call it then get routed back to Phoenix but we'll see. Might have to take it to the consignee. Either way, soon, sweet, sweet freedom.