Swift Transportation Company, Inc. - Phoenix, Az.

That Swift driver won't last too long, surprise, surprise. It seems he's an eager beaver lap-dog who'll do anything to please his dispatcher. I'd guess he doesn't have much patience and is willing to "risk it" to win approval from his company. He's a "Gotta get that freight to the customer on time so Daddy dispatcher'll be proud" type of dumb###. Ya gotta love these morons. They open up jobs for others sooner or later. This is because these eager beavers usually end up having accidents and then get forced out of driving completely.

 

Of course he's not going to last. He drives for swift, the minute you step into a swift truck starts your downfall. Which reminds me of something. My uncle wanted to be a truck driver down in florida and the only company willing to hire him down there was swift. He never went to work for them but he came up to visit and he was wearing a swift hat. I said "Why are you wearing a swift hat?" and he said "Because I might be getting a job with them." And I said "I'm sorry."

He didn't get it, I felt bad.

 

Hold on, CreteD. You're not talking to a chump here. I know all about Swift. I made the mistake of actually working for them once. You're right about it being all downhill after getting a job at SwiftCo. I myself took a little dive after hiring on with them. This is because I hired on with them as my first company, quit 'em after about 4 months, and then couldn't get a job at a good company because I quit Swift so soon after training school. A training school whose training set me back a cool 5,000 bones, not to mention the money I missed because I was at the training school instead of working.

I remember I paid for my training school tuition while a driver for Domino's pizza way back in like 93. I gave up delivery driving and washing dishes and went to training school on my tip money (this is where I get the moniker) in 1995. I graduated from training, hired on with Swift, and quit 'em soon after. It wasn't too long after graduation that I found myself back at the pizza place washing dishes, only then I was out about 5 grand. I did have a pretty little trucking school diploma sitting on my desk, though, and the CDL burning a hole in my pocket. But I also had a DAC record, a record that handcuffed me to crappy companies like Swift for the next year or two.

Yeah, you're talking to a guy who has a PhD from the college of hard knocks when it comes to truck driving companies. This is why I threw my CDL away and have more or less been on strike since January 2003. Well, this reason and Michael Belzer's book "Sweatshops on Wheels".

I don't drive anymore and won't ever again if trucking's status remains "quo".

 

Turbo Tucker's reply in the beginning of this thread makes the most sense.
Most all new drivers are in a career change and are NEW, NEW to the trucking industry all together.

They have no sence when it comes to driving truck. In fact, Anyone can drive truck. ANYONE!!!! It's not the truck you drive at LOAD/TRIP/DROPOFF. It's all the 48FT / 53FT of trailer you've got to drive.

Again, Anyone can drive truck, but many cant DRIVE the TRAILER!

I have been lurking the forums here for a while now. After a few week's of reading topics and threads on the site THIS topic got me to join and a few others I would like a chance to reply to.

I myself am a truck owner.
After driving for companies for 15 years i reached a breaking point.
#1: I was tired of no control
#2:Tired of no pay increases without TIME ADDITION!
#3RIVER SLIPSEATING
#4: Instability of where my next paycheck was coming.

And I could list more, and more... But I'll save time. and Just get to my point.....

SWIFT is a big fish. Big fish like to EAT little fish so.... We Fleet owners have to deal with Loss of contracts and lower rates because of Companies like swift and other's.
I wont leave BROKERS, out of this... Dealing with brokers do us TRUCK and fleet owners one thing. MAKE us ( BROKER ).

I don't encourage a green horn to go buy a nice new truck and just lease onto a company and HOPE to get stability but I would sat to you (HIM/HER).

Do research, on a company before you Apply for it. READ the companys history. Goto FMCS and run the companies MC#. Find out all the info on the company you can. Read the CO's SAFTY rating's . REVIEWs... Everything you can to locate a GOOD paying company. ( WITH ) health benefits!

I've been driving trucks for close to 15- 20 years and in only 31!!!!! That means YES, I was pushing on WOOD blocks to make the truck move. ( NO #### ). I was raised in Braxton County WV. And LOG Trucking was my family's thing back then. So I tasted the DIESEL way early, It's been in my veins for YEARS now. I understand the WANT, and NEED to be around big trucks.

Sence this is not an into post I'll save all that INTRO stuff for another thread. SORRY for trying to tell you all wanting to get into the industry to RESEARCH, ALOT... But trust me..... And Others... It pay's off in the long run!!!!!!!

I own only 2 truck's... And run local around OHIO. Im home every night and my other driver is too. I try very hard to take care of my driver. With out him the Company would not be seeking to purchase another 2 trucks this year.

We only wish Companies treat their drivers like themselves!!!!! But many do not!

All the best,
Mr . Matthew..

Sorry for any typos!

 

I agree. It takes some "getting used to" if you want to drive the combination.

The worst drivers I saw on the road were those sad saps who had no confidence in their abilities or were at the other extreme and believed they were the best drivers on the planet. Avoid these two groups.

 

I tried to get a prehire from swift and they told the school director that I did not make enough money did not see how I could live on 15k.
The school director told me that is all right you did not want to work for them anyway they treat their drivers like crap.
I thought why the he:: did you even give me an app then.

 

Matthews, I wish I had my CDL in a way. I'd come drive one of those trucks for you in Ohio you're gonna be adding on.

The only stickler is it's "Ohio", but I'm good at keeping it at 55.

 

lol.... 55 isnt so bad.... It's great for fuel mileage.. (we are told) saves lives...
It's better for the motor not running at 15-1800RPM all day and....................

YES IT SUCKS!

Lemmi know.... Im always willing to help out someone WILLING to work...
But the catch is will you work as hard as I do?

When in a truck... it's a 60Hour PLUS week for me... Oh and I like getting a preload on SATURDAY for a early morning DEL on mondays....

It's a jumpstart for that next weeks revenue....

All the best,
Matthew

 

Uh, Mathew, I have to tell you.....I don't have a CDL anymore, man.

I'd love come work for you, but I'd have to get my Class A back. I'm in no hurry to do that, as my memories of what trucking is like are just too vivid.

Call it "Traumatic Trucking Syndrome".

 

lol, you make it sound all that bad.....

I respect your view points on trucking..... It's a pain.... from time to time.

All the best,
Matt