SWIFT or Stevens ??

I'd go with Swift as they have a lot of dedicated accounts you could get on after training or as they open up. Also it's nice to have all those terminals to use for parking if you start OTR. I believe having a terminal near your house is important, or at least a secure yard. You don't want to be worrying about your rig while you're on home time. This may not be such an issue if you live in a more rural area.

 

Here's an example, one of many, where it benefitted me as a reefer driver.
Hauled a load of produce from Florida Everglades to Ohio.
Unloaded and no reefer loads available, so loaded a dry load of paint going to Los Angeles.
Unloaded the paint and picked up a refrigerated load of produce going to El Paso, TX.
Unloaded that and picked up a load of ceramic tile going to Jacksonville, FL
After that a refrigerated load, etc., etc., etc.

 

Refrigerated Truck Driver Jobs - Halvor Lines

 

Get that in writing from Swifty. They will jerk that offer without notice and will do it flipping you the bird.

Stevens is the safer bet between the 2.

 

I would work for the company with the biggest terminal closest to my home. No truck parking problems when home, maintenance gets done when you are home instead of wasting half a day for no pay while it gets worked on. Personally, I would jump off a tall bridge before doing anymore reefer driving but you do you. If you haven't driven before then whatever you do first will seem normal. I didn't haul any reefer until I had 26 years of driving van and tanker experience. For me reefer had too many hassles, very bad customers, too many issues with the freight, but my perspective was 26 years of no problems with the freight and almost always customers in a hurry to load/unload or eager to make delivery/pick-up run like a Nascar pit-stop.

 

Which ever has the most cpm and miles. I'd guess.

 

I would probably go with Stevens. Swift has refrigerated, but I don't know that they have the big reefer running lanes that Stevens does. I think Swift reefer covers a fraction of of the country. I've seem Stevens everywhere. Company reefer gigs that's where it's at for steady money.

 

Agree 100% on that.

 

Just for comparison --

If you live in "the Valley" area of TX -- Swift's closest terminal to your location would be in Laredo:

Swift Transportation Laredo, TX Terminal

Meanwhile -- Stevens closest facility will be up in Dallas.

Having been before....where you are now -- that much closer terminal to where you live will later cut out A LOT of headaches for you.

Also: if Swift will take you on next week -- you would of course start making money sooner....rather then waiting longer to start out with Stevens....in August.

-- L

 

Due to his location, I'd jump on the Stevens Transport job.