Swift - Time off questions. How long do you take and when does it officially start?

I was an owner op leased to Swift so it is a little different for us, however once I got a load up to Sacramento and when I emptied out I just set my PTA out a few days and parked at the Lodi Flying J and went home. Got a call from someone asking about the trailer. I just said I was going to hold onto it because I would need it in a couple days when I come back to work. She kept saying "oh you're on hometime" I said, 'no, I'm home but don't put me down as on hometime because that will reset the 12 day clock thing I need to be home again in a few days.' She agreed if I brought the trailer back. I just told her it would be later that night as I had my son. I knew as soon as she went home for the night the whole affair would be forgotten but I did go back to the trailer that night and unplug the pigtail so it wouldn't ping 'location empty' anymore. Every hometime after that I did that for 7 to 10 days off with a trailer never heard a word from Swift about their trailer.

 

I have had 5 trucks in my 4 years.
Most have been old and problem challenged.

I got my current truck a couple years ago, brand new, and it has been the best truck I've ever had.
Why would I want to give up a gem only to wait several days for an old beater, just because I might need 4 or 5 days off after being in service for 5 or 6 weeks?

And why would I want to clean everything out of it simply for a home time that I an owed and due?
It takes hours to clean out a truck, and more hours to get everything back in to a new one (which will probably be older and dirtier than the truck I left).

Not to mention, I KNOW this truck.
I know what to expect from it at most times, as I am the one that has been responsible for it for the past couple years.

You are not a dumbbell, but you do need the experience to understand why we don't want to simply walk away from our truck.
It may be a company truck, but it is MY truck. I try to take care of her, and she tries to take care of me.


And be grateful for the job and work with whatever equipment?
I am grateful to Swift for giving me my start in this industry, to be sure.
But I've been here for over 4 years, when Swift has a nearly 100% turnover rate.
Swift has not seen fit to fire me because I am a safe driver with an excellent on-time rating.
Swift should be just as grateful to me for staying, IMO.
I could easily get a job elsewhere that pays more, but I like it here and tend to be loyal to whom I'm with.

And I expect the same from my employer.
That includes giving me the home time they promise, without repercussions.

 

Easy live 300 miles to closest terminal lol plus I never turn in my truck. But I take 4 to 5 days off out 3 to 4 weeks.

 

Your company has not said anything about you taking 4 to 5 days off? Do you work for Swift?

 

Yep I work for swift been here going on 11 years company driver. but soon will change once camera gets installed last straw for me.

 

mje.~.where does it say i'm not grateful. i'm just stating company policy. if you even work for swift, you'd know that every terminal has their own rules. even differant dl in same terminal has their own way of doing things. but my next reponse would be the same as moose's response,so i wont repeat it.

 

Easy, my "time off" starts with the first day I do not drive a Swift truck for Swift. I've taken four days off consecutively after being out four weeks. Five days and they start pestering you to turn in the truck.

 

And that gentleman is the #1 reason I leased a truck.

 

After getting screwed out of a day of hometime, since his fleet leader would not budge on the fact that his time started on a friday even though he did not get home till 8pm, we go by hours. He doesn't budge before 48-72 hours, depending on if he stayed out 2 or 3 weeks.