Swift drivers, sound off

Please show me...or tell me...what person in "upper management"...or "middle management"...besides Jerry...started out as a driver!

DM or ECT supervisor is in reality all you can expect to attain. Swift recruits not only drivers, but recruits college graduates for the middle and upper levels of mangement.

Jerry is the only one left in Swift that was a driver with Jerry when he started. I do believe that there is one maybe two of the "old guard" over in the IEL section...

 

No, I do not count Jerry Moyes. Your probably correct and since I cannot find the economic report that listed a couple others as former drivers, I retract that statement and removed it form my original post. Sometimes when you debate you get caught out!

I did not mean to imply that you could be COO just because you were a driver. But if you educate yourself and pick up a degree in business or logistics along the way, I firmly believe, based on my research, that you can certainly get to middle management having started as a driver. And Swift does do College Tuition Reimbursement as well as stating clearly that they will, if qualified, hire drivers into corporate.

That said, since I cannot offer proof, that statement is a reasonable belief, but not a fact. It does not change the context of my argument in my first post though. I was just debating another point of view.

What do you have to say Shrek?

 

Man, I wish I had more regular internet service so I could reply on here sooner than 25 pages later.

For the record, I never said anything about adding miles to a run because I wanted to go thru home and expect to get paid for it. That is a completely idiotic thought and only a total moron would even expect something like that. That also has nothing to do with getting paid practical miles. In your example, you said "450 miles from point A to point B." Practical miles pays from shippers dock to customers dock. HHG pays from zip code to zip code with the possibilities that the shipper or customer could be at the far ends of their zip codes equating to extra miles driven that are unpaid (That sounds like it could be considered "out-of-route to me.) Which would you rather drive for? There are companies who do pay practical miles, or miles driven.

I understand that every industry has to have a set of standards, as you said a base. Every company in that industry should meet at least those minimum standards. What I was trying to say is that good, quality companies seeking good quality employees are not going to settle for minimum industry standards. They would (or should) strive to do better than industry standards and offer better pay and benefits.

For the record, I'm not one of those who usually do nothing but complain about Swift. I actually do enjoy driving for them and am grateful they have given me the chance to work for them. And other than an occasional encounter with an inadequate shop, I really have nothing major to complain about.

The original purpose of this thread was to ask us our opinions about what is needed to help Swift retain more drivers (and I would also assume to attract some drivers as well). As you can tell, one of the big topics on most drivers minds is getting paid for the work we actually do. While some of the items seems to be somewhat petty, I think we can agree that pay is at the front of most drivers minds. It's probably the number one complaint. While it is probably out of the question to expect to get paid for changing a lightbulb, is it really too much to ask to be paid for the miles from the shippers dock to the customers dock? Rise above the industry standard and pay the drivers for services rendered.

BTW, I was an auto mechanic in a former life. I've worked for salary and I've worked for flat rate. I know all about doing work you don't get paid to do.

 

To illustrate your point: Sumner to Spokane run Costco delivery. Paid miles: 290. Dock to dock: 299 miles on truck route. For fun and games, your backhaul picks up in Spokane valley, 22 miles away (unpaid cause your still in Spokane!). Then it's 15 more freeway miles to the edge of Spokane's zip code. At .32/mile thats $14.72 unpaid. I'm not even getting into the sliding scale.

If that was your daily run, it's $73 less in your check. That's why we think HHG miles stink. If I was still with Swift I could give a lot more examples, but it was a major deciding factor when I went to a local job. Nobody in their right mind want's to be paid the 5 miles out of route to a favorite rest stop or burger barn. But if your gonna pay us by the mile, at least pay for the miles driven for the company.

 

FYI:
The kioks at terminals have a new 10 question survey asking about dm's, night dispatch etc.
(Rate from 1-10)

Question 10: how would you rate your last shop experience? Favorite/least fav. shop?

I gave mostly 7 and 8's.
A '1' for the shop..... with Denver my fav.

So take your gripes to the kiosk!
(edit: if u can find 1 that works that is hah! *##
out of order, broken, frozen screen, and a line for the 1 out of 4 working..
Where is the question about that - *cough*)

 

BB i am sorry bout your shop troubles--they sposed to fix mine when i go home--i hope they can get it done in 3 days. LOL We shall soon see i guess

 

That question was raised in post #30 of this thread. BS the OP managed to skip right over it. Perhaps it will be revisited since you brought it up again.

I don't understand why any information which is currently available exclusively through the kiosk cannot also be made available through the online portal. It isn't like either will tell you where Richard hides his house keys. I like my truck and my computer works. The kiosks don't work and all terminals suck. It's a no brainer.

Additionally, the payroll pipeline, Transflo, has a feature called MyTransflo that would allow each and everyone of us to scan directly from our own scanners at home or on the truck. No more filthy kiosks!

They must be waiting for the Android app to come out. It will! DDL is already on Iphones. Next: Shoot your bills, etc and the money is in your account before you remember how to turn the camera off.

My last fuel stop was a Sapp Bros and my next is a TA . . both without Transflo. I might be going near a terminal on my trip that starts tomorrow but I'm not going out of my way to drop by unless my truck is on fire.