Have the home time rules changed?

Well, you guys let it happen. So I'd say that most of the blame lies with the driver.

 

There home time policy is something that is discussed with a recruiter before hire. Any one who is at orientation should already know this. Most swift drivers are inexperienced and don't argue with the home time rules. I do wish I could be home more but I'm not gonna demand it.

 

I agree with you.

I don't work for, and will never work for Swift.

Even inexperienced drivers can do better than Swift. The point I was trying to make is that every Swift applicant should know this, and they should voice a unified and resounding NO to an offer of employment with Swift. When this happens, Swift will have to sweeten the offer, or die.

The drivers with verified poor track records? Swift may be one of their last options for employment, unfortunately.

 

That is true.. but there are a lot of factors they go into... so not always just a mater of one driver being dumped on and one be treated better..

One major factor would be the account a driver is on.. some account can have a truck sitting and some can't...

If as a DM I have 10 trucks and only 7 drivers out driving then I probably cannot have another truck sitting and would have to get or more of the trucks turned in and off my account...

Although usually a DM will have 75 or more trucks and drivers.. but they will have to keep the percentage of trucks sitting at or below a certain level...

Could also be, since trucks are assigned at a terminal and there are only a limited amount available at a terminal, and have drivers waiting for a truck, if they know that more trucks will be delivered to the terminal in 5 days, by having a driver turn in his truck for an 8 day home time, they can get a driver whose waiting for a truck in it, and have another truck for him when his hometime is up.. as well as the DM doesn't have a driver waiting for a truck not running loads.

That was all just a scenario to point out that sometimes it is just business and making the most use of resources rather than just dumping on drivers...

Knowing how all the little wheels, gears, cogs, belts and springs all work together.. can help you as a driver get better results for yourself...

 

That is kind of true.. although not completely accurate...

As a recruiter, yes, we can tell you about the hometime of the specific account you are applying for.... however, recruiters do not do the hiring, the hiring happens at orientation and after the DOT drug test.. for those going out with a trainer they are not actually hired until after their training..

It can and does happen, that the account you talked to the recruiter about is full, in which they will get you on another account...

 

I see what your saying. Most swift applicants don't take time to do some research, they probably just apply. @windsmith

 

No ... you are employee and coded before you leave orientation. Trainees are employees and on the payroll ...

Are you a recruiter. If so for Swift? Nothing wrong with it, just want to know.

 

I think that is just making excuses with the home time promises.
You say that they want a truck running a certain percentage of the time, which is what the home time policy is based on.

What I said before holds true.
If a driver stays out for longer intervals the company is making more money and the percentage of sitting trucks stays lower, and it should not matter if the driver takes the full amount of home time days they are entitled to.
The driver should not be penalized for it.


On the other hand, there is a way to fight back.
If every driver went home for 2 days every 2 weeks... What would happen?
The percentage of idle trucks at any given time would skyrocket.
Not to mention driving the planners crazy.

 

Yes, before you leave orientation... to get on a truck you are an employee... but before orientation when you are on th grueling bus ride there.. you are not yet an employee.. you have a conditional offer of employment.
Conditions such as, passing a DOT drug test, road test, etc

No, I do not currently recruite for swift... however, after during college and just after I graduated I interned as a driver recruiter... and yes, swift was one of the company's I recruited for when I interned.

a condional offer of employment is not the same as being hired... recruiters screen applications and submit them, they will either get the okay or nay.. if they get an okay, they call or email the driver and offer a conditional offer of employment and schedule orientation, as well as arrange transportation and boarding for orientation.

Once you get to orientation you will be given a drug test, if you do not pass the drug test you are not fired... because you were never hired.. you were given a conditional offer of employment.. and now with the failed drug test, you will not be hired.

Trainees are employees, but are not considered "qualified drivers" until after their training and road test.

 

First, I do agree with you that a driver should not be penalized.. I also, think having to turn a truck in for home time is ridiculous... and not a good practice... especially if the driver is in a truck they like... it is their home away from home...

So, I don't agree with the practice, I am just pointing out some of the reasons it happens... my personal opinion is that a good DM will not have the driver turn in their truck.

But, they also have a job to do and numbers to maintain, and they may be up against the wall, from a driver wasting time on a load, another one too tired to drive and pulling off the road for sleep, another driver who won't drive cause it is too windy, another driver pulled out of service at a scale... and so, they are backed up against the wall and need to do something. So, shuffling trucks seems like a viable solution.

As for hometime.. yes, that is figured in.. but as I said, things can go bad on a DMs board...