The start of my first year with Swift.

I actually spent a lot of time looking online for information. I didn't find anything quite like mine but, some were close. Most of what people write about are ######## and it never seem to be their fault. I figured that not many people will take the time to go online and say something good. It also seemed that most of the complaints were the same for all trucking companies. I just decided that since Swift was in Idaho, had a yard in Boise, and I knew some of the folks there, I would give it a shot.

 

To bad I didn't see this before I left this morning...LOL...I owe so much for your words of encouragement..

 

I'm still here. It looks like I'm doing my 34 here.

 

Today has been a short one. Last night I got two preplans and thought I was headed home soon. Since I was in the shop when I got them I called my DL and asked him if I wanted them AND if I had enough time to do them. He said sure. I didn't worry about it. BIG MISTAKE. I didn't check the second load until this morning before I left for the first one. There is now way I had enough time to make the delivery and since it's a Walmart load, there was no room for movement. Making the story a bit shorter...I sent in a Macro 9 refusing the load.

I msg my DL and told him I didn't have enough time and that I think I should take a 34. He disagreed and wanted me to keep driving. When I got back to Memphis I went to the Tcall window with my paperwork. While there I asked the gal about the loads and to look at my hours. She was showing that I still had 15 hours to drive. I really only had 1.5 hours left. She put in me for a reset. It's just as well. I have to take the Sym class if I can get signed up. The guy hasn't been there when I've gone over.

I did manage to get a preplan for a load to Canada. It would have been great but, I couldn't Tcall it in Great Falls. I had to deliver and I don't have enough time.

I think that Swift wants you to push the envelope with your hours all the time. I'm sure they make more money if you are rolling, even if it's for a few hours a day. My take is that I don't want to risk getting a Service Failure on my record. I'm sticking with the reset.

 

I hope this will be the last post for the day. I talk a lot when I have nothing else to do.

I took the Simulator class which really didn't have anything to do with a simulator. Most of the class was on the computer, we took a test at the end and that was it. There was a simulator sitting there but it was never mentioned.

One thing I'll say about the instructor. From the way he was talking, if you log less than 30 minutes for your pre trip inspections and you crash, you are not going to win when you go to court. When he asked how long was being logged, guys were saying 15 to 20 minutes. He then asked how long does it take to do a PROPER pre trip. Of course the answer was longer. "Well....were you lying when you logged it or are you lying now?" Another thing he talked about was the proper way to sign a bill of lading. I was never taught to do anything but sign my name. He said that you need to put SL&C, your name, date. Without it you are saying you loaded and counted everything on the truck. You are also responsible for anything that is missing. He made it clear that Swift will withhold money from you for lost freight if the bill is not signed properly. When we said we had never been trained that way, he said we all signed a document on the second week of our training that said were did. Heads up for the new guys...READ EVERYTHING swift has you sign. If you didn't get the training, don't sign it.

I finally got tired of being yelled at like I was in court and told him I had an attorney who could answer the questions and that his tactic was volume and proximity. He kind of backed off then. It might be a good idea to at least research an attorney that handles cases involving commercial vehicles. It sounds like Swift will through you to the wolves if they can.

That's it for now.

 

You'll have to take it. It's required after you go solo just like a log class is.

I was told I would be sitting in the truck simulator and driving through different scenario's. The class gave what amounted to a high end power power point class on safety, driving in different conditions, towing, and a few other things. There was a test at then end. No big deal really. The instructor did say to take a stick and cut it to 13'7" and the tops of your antenna's should be at that height. That way if your are going under a low bridge you can stop when they hit and before the trailer hits. If you don't have something like that, he indicated it would be your fault...I think it's your fault anyway if you hit the bridge.