So, What does Swift Really Pay New Drivers?

Its a starter company. Dont look at weeks, look at months or quarters. Weeks or hours will make you think your not making money, getting screwed ect...

 

You may want to adjust your expectations for at least a year. Rare is the rookie who makes that straight out the gate. I've seen a lot of people in my first year of driving come in with dollar signs in their eyes only to be deflated by the steep learning curve that is OTR trucking. Everyone says what you say, "I want to run hard." But let me ask you this. Have you ever driven your car 10 hours a day for seven straight days? Try it, then understand that driving an 80,000 pound truck and trailer is exponentially harder. No one starts out running as hard as they can, it's lime anything else, it takes time to build endurance.

Good luck.

 

Consider it. Swift flatbed drivers get more miles plus accessorials like tarp and stop pay. Ask to go flatbed before orientation, so you have a shot at going through training with a flatbed mentor. I didn't and by the time I was asking about switching to flatbed I was told I would have to go through training again plus the week securement class in Phoenix.

 

Not necessarily. While Swift is a starter company, you can thrive if you are motivated and squared away. I took my dad's advice MHRIP and committed to at least a year. I did two years with Swift. That qualified me to make the jump to to running flatbed to the oil field. I have absolutely no regrets about my time with Swift, other than not doing flatbed with them.

 

What's the minimum age for OTR?

 

21. But a lot, if not most, require 23.

 

Im not saying you cant make a living, or even good money, but people looking for quick cash are gonna be disappointed, and if they focus on a "week" to week idea of a "paycheck" rather than say a monthly goal, it will cause dissatisfaction quickly

 

Just to add to this. Not only have you probably NOT driven a vehicle 10 hours a day for 7 days a week, but you also probably haven't driven those kind of hours in NEW areas and constantly CHANGING conditions. I think the biggest eye opener for a new driver is the fact that you are in a new place ALL the time.

Yes, a majority of the driving rules are same, but different cities have different traffic regs, different layouts, wildly different traffic patterns, etc. The list goes on. As a beginner you cant possibly prepare for all of these things, except to just gain experience by doing it. Running hard and putting in your ten across 500-650 miles of interstate is one thing.

But running hard, making your appointments on time, dealing with shipper/receiver delays, driving shift changes, traffic, routes and mapping, DOT inspections, truck and trailer maintenance, and that all mighty thing called your log book takes a lot of preparation, planning and experience.

I'm not trying to give a lecture here, but there is a whole helluva lot that goes into "running hard" and its far easier said than done. Just my two cents, and as always good luck.

unloader

 

What ever it is make sure the pay is worth picking up the slack of your co worker. Happened to see this just south of minneapolis months back. Sorry for the buggy windshield.