Ways swift can lower turnover rate

Discussion in 'Swift' started by ronjeremyjr, Mar 7, 2020.

  1. JOHNQPUBLIC

    JOHNQPUBLIC Road Train Member

    1,324
    1,041
    Apr 19, 2014
    Central New York
    0
    Does that 30 days have to be consecutive or can it be for example 1 week at a time, 2 weeks at a time etc...? Also is that for any driving assignment (dedicated, otr, flatbed...)
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. LarryTX

    LarryTX Bobtail Member

    39
    56
    Jun 17, 2018
    0
    I took mine 2 weeks at a time and I would guess it's easier to arrange it for OTR drivers, where you're not gonna be missed as much. As always, having a good relationship with your driver leader facilitates everything.
     
  4. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

    13,776
    16,234
    Nov 1, 2010
    Burnsville, MN
    0
    And be ready to clean out your truck and possibly wait to be reassigned another when you come back.
    They probably won't have a truck sitting idle for that long.
     
    born&raisedintheusa and LarryTX Thank this.
  5. LarryTX

    LarryTX Bobtail Member

    39
    56
    Jun 17, 2018
    0
    Yep...i guess the rules are 4 days max time off, or clean out the truck. And it's always a crap shoot with getting in a truck on return to work.

    But, as Moosetek13 knows, Swift is really flexible with a lot of policies once you establish yourself and prove to be a safe driver.
     
    Moosetek13 and JOHNQPUBLIC Thank this.
  6. trucker2121

    trucker2121 Light Load Member

    89
    49
    Apr 29, 2013
    0
    i been with swift transportation for 2yrs. Had a great time there communication with dispatcher was superb. Job was comfortable, no pressure on deliveries, but if i want more money i would deliver early. Many terminals around the country would have stayed longer. Some trailers were a headache at times since they were old/tandem issues/lights issues and had heavy loads on them but breakdown handles it if road safety and issues. Also didnt like the idling policy but might have changed over the years and fuel being at all time low.
     
  7. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

    13,776
    16,234
    Nov 1, 2010
    Burnsville, MN
    0
    We don't speak with dispatchers, only Driver Leaders. (Driver Managers to us old people here.)
    That is because there are no real 'dispatchers' at Swift.
    There are planners, and the DM's. FM's get into the mix sometimes, as do some TM's.
    The only actual dispatcher is a computer program, and there is no talking to that.

    Not that many of those older trailers in the fleet right now. It was much worse 6-8 years ago.
    I guess in another 3-7 years we will be feeling those woes yet again.

    And idle? I idle when I need to, even if I have to cheat a bit.
    What are they going to do?!
    Like always, ask me to get it down some.
    Be on time and safe - and the idle is not that big a deal.
     
    born&raisedintheusa Thanks this.
  8. Rubber duck kw

    Rubber duck kw Road Train Member

    6,082
    17,653
    Dec 9, 2017
    0
    Swift isn't interested in lowering their turnover rate, or they'd be a lot more stringent with who they put behind the wheel, which would benefit the whole industry.
     
  9. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

    13,776
    16,234
    Nov 1, 2010
    Burnsville, MN
    0
    Swift doesn't need to worry about the turnover rate because they understand, from the beginning, that most drivers will be moving on to other companies.

    Swift is a starter company that gives the new people a chance.
    And there will be both good and bad coming in.
    Some things just can not be vetted as well as we would like.
    There is no test for how someone will actually do things out here once on their own, is there?
     
  10. Six9GS

    Six9GS Road Train Member

    1,473
    3,692
    Dec 3, 2012
    Yuma, AZ
    0
    I've been told by my driver leader they 'can' unseat you if you are gone more than 5 days. Which, not totally coincidentally, is usually the number of hometime days I take ( I usually stay out 6 weeks or so, I was told I 'accrue ' one day of hometime for each week I am out). Unsure if this is Swift wide, or if different terminals do things differently. All that said, I Love my truck and they know that. Twice I was gone longer than 5 days and wasn't unseated. Once, I was trying to get home for hometime and my truck got stuck for a few days in the shop for repairs at a terminal 600 miles from home. So, I rented a car and drove home. They 'gave' me the 2 extra days of travel time from the terminal to home, and I actually ended up being gone 8 days total. The extra day had to do with my truck not getting back from the Volvo dealer.
    Anyway, only downside to the hometime situation is when you are home, you aren't earning money. So, the week I take hometime, I end up with either 2 small paychecks or 1 week of almost no pay. I budget that into things, so it isn't a big issue for me.
     
  11. dptrucker

    dptrucker Road Train Member

    4,551
    2,979
    May 14, 2012
    adelanto,ca.
    0
    when I first came came to swift in 2012, my dl said if more than 3 days off you turn truck in. I always took 4 and he said I could keep it.
    now the norm.is 5 days.
    if you become a diamond driver, you can order your truck and can always keep it
     
    born&raisedintheusa Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.