Swifts Reputation

I'm not a Swift driver, I start a VoTech school in a couple of weeks, but I've noticed a lot of "I'm going back, I should have never left" posts regarding Swift lately. They are one of the companies on my short list that I have been monitoring.

 

If I had intended my thread to be part of this one, I would have put it here myself. Thanks for overstepping.

 

Really?

I had a trailer that developed some issues which would have earned me a a "Time Out" had I been pulled into a scale and inspected. I made my delivery, and then informed my DM that I needed to take the trailer to our Lathrop terminal (60 miles) to get the trailer put into the shop. He flat out told me NO. I said "Trailer is Illegal". He said "It's too far out of route". Then tried to dispatch me on another load with the same trailer.

It was a battle to get that stupid trailer taken off of my hands.


Then, a few weeks later... I get dispatched on a load. Pre-Loaded trailer at the Costco DC in Salt Lake City. A I go the next morning to pick up the load. During my inspection of the trailer I noted two major issues.

1) One of the tires had a huge chunk of tread missing out of it.

2) Almost all of the brake shoes were UNSAT. They measured at 1/8th of an inch or less. Yes. I got my tape measure out and measured them. Not that I needed to. It was OBVIOUS they were ILLEGAL.

I notify my DM of this, and say "I'm taking this thing to the terminal to have it fixed.. This may make me late delivering though".

He replies "Ok, do what you need to do. Do a Mac 22 if you are going to be late".

Took the shop at SLC three hours to do the repairs. In the meantime I sent in a Mac 22, gave my new ETA, and explained my reasoning for being late. The delay was going to cause me to go over my "14" if I had tried to keep my original delivery appointment (was a "one day" run). Whereas, had the trailer I'd been sent to pick up not been FUBAR everything would have been fine.

I was given a service failure, and the appeal process fell flat on it's face. I was told "You should have managed your time better". Huh? How's it my problem some other ###### drivers let an UNSAT trailer stay in circulation. (I know why.. many don't pre-trip a trailer beyond checking the lights). Had there not been an issue with the trailer I'd of made it on time thank you very ##%#$ much.

So, what that says to me as a driver, is there are those that deem the delivery more important than running legally. Not saying everyone in the company is like that- but there are those that are.

 

Yep, communication was on the Qualcomm. As for on road, given the experience I had with them the one time I've dealt with 'em. It would have been faster to shoot over to Lathrop and just put the trailer in the shop. You know.. Cut out the middle man.

Second scenario. No... I did not wait until the last minute to pick up. Edit to clarify something: My DM fought hard to get the service failure taken off, as he did not agree with it either. But the people above his head won out and it stood.

 

Of course it's more important for a company to make the delivery on time, forget the safety issues on the trailer.// My hubby said "welcome to Swift", but it's not just Swift, it's everywhere. Some drivers don't do their job and those that do their jobs get to bear the brunt of those that don't. Don't ever think for one minute that Swift's #1 priority is safety.........it's the almighty dollar. I have to laugh every time I read this in some news article, what a joke.

I absolutely love your signature. My hubby and I got quite a good chuckle out of that. Thank you.

 

Sounds like you ticked off the wrong person in the company. Personally, I think those in positions of power in the company aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer, if you get my drift.

 

Gereke, what happened to your signature? I really liked it. Did someone go whining to a moderator about it?