Prime vs Swift

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by jdshroudie, Aug 7, 2014.

  1. jdshroudie

    jdshroudie Light Load Member

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    Dec 28, 2010
    Punta Gorda,Florida
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    Prime vs Swift ......I am gonna dive head first into on of them...any advice about either company would be helpful !
     
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  3. michaelg

    michaelg Light Load Member

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    Nov 14, 2011
    Michigan
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    Prime starts the rookies at 42cpm + up to 6cpm on top of that for hitting good fuel mileage numbers. Thus the reason a majority of us putz along doing 55-58

    You can make 55- 60k easily here as a solo company driver your first full year solo. And we have good equipment.

    Wouldn't recommend leasing if you're just starting out thou
     
  4. Honch

    Honch Light Load Member

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    Mar 30, 2012
    Ohio
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    I see your profile says you live in Florida, which means (if you chose Swift) your home terminal will likely be Ocala, FL. Would be a bit of a long commute to and from home once every few weeks.

    A friendly warning to you:

    I trained and drove with Swift for 1.5 years and my experience was overall positive from my terminal in Columbus, OH. Was put directly on a .40CPM / Guaranteed pay account, Dispatchers were great guys, planned intelligently, always drove nice, clean equipment, never pushed to do anything illegal, paid what I was owed, always home The Day I asked to be...

    However...
    A good friend I met while in the training school in Millington lived in N. Florida and was based in Ocala after our training was completed (Nice guy, respectful, professional, skilled driver), had a polar opposite experience... Dispatchers pressed him to inhuman workloads, shorted pay, stayed out longer than supposed to, etc... He ended up quitting after 4 months with his dispatcher following him to the parking lot trying to start a physical fight.
     
  5. MrIT

    MrIT Light Load Member

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    Dec 13, 2013
    Pittsburgh
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    #### that's insane lol
     
  6. Pahrump

    Pahrump Medium Load Member

    Both suck,, keep looking
     
  7. born&raisedintheusa

    born&raisedintheusa Road Train Member

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    Sep 20, 2012
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    Are there any veteran truck drivers or "old timers" at either Prime or Swift?
     
  8. sazook

    sazook Road Train Member

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    Jun 1, 2009
    Springfield, MO
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    Given that you live in Punta Gorda, be sure to check with both of them before to make sure you're eligible to be hired. I drove for Prime for 5 years and highly recommend them, but recall that anything south of I-4 was outside the hiring area most of the time. A good number of companies have similar polices to this due to lack of available, consistent freight in south Florida.

    According to a post in another thread, effective next week, base pay at Prime goes up 1CPM across the board, and there is some adjustment in the fuel bonus. So it would be .43+ fuel to start after training, and while in training, guarantee pay goes from $600 to $700 a week.
     
    jonthebritnc Thanks this.
  9. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

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    Mar 5, 2012
    Ontario Canada
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    Well .. do you want to be viewed as slow, or just plain stupid?
     
  10. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    Dec 9, 2011
    South west Missouri
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    You better watch it there kiddo - one of the 2 has a severe allergic reaction to the 'S' word . . . I can't even say which one !
     
  11. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    Dec 9, 2011
    South west Missouri
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    Either one you can make work with the right attitude.

    Just don't lease a truck.
     
    123456 Thanks this.
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