Swift drivers, sound off

Because Swift has to pay for the fuel and the higher-ups lean on the DMs for it. DMs get write-ups if their company drivers run too many miles out of route.

I just did the math on my routed, UNpaid miles. As of 06 April, it stands at 3.4%. I'm actually not going to quibble over it because there are times we just have to go around accidents and construction, make a wrong turn or just don't get paid for that last 10 miles when we hit the zip code. I have run myself about another 3% out of route and unpaid for personal business or just because I don't feel like following the fuel route. But I don't hear one word about it since I'm the one paying for the fuel and maintenance.

 

Just real quick about 'out of route' for the company driver--

I was on my second load out of Compton going to Kansas, talking to another Swift company driver about the time of day and the strange route out of LA they wanted me to take. He suggested to take 91 all the wayout of town to pick up 215 to Barstow I think it was.I thought I was going to get into so much trouble. Never heard a word about it.
Another time I was about 35 miles away from family after picking up a load and drove the wrong way out of route that far to visit with them for a bit then continued on my merry way to deliver, again never heard a word about it.

Just finished a load the Swift route said was 809 miles (we know that's really like 850 lol) but I went my GPS route which was 823 miles and 100% freeways rather than those little squiggly red lines Swift wants me to take lol. So I expect I saved MPG's and time on that one. Plus I completely bypassed New Jersey lol.

Trying to think of a 'sounding off' comment or question to keep with the original theme here...
Well good job Lathrop, brand new black faux leather deep recliners in the TV room, racks of pastries, sweets, chips and other snacks lining the walls and Big Brother cameras hanging from the ceiling with signs all over saying "You Are On Camera".

There's a big grassy area right outside the driver's lounge that would be perfect for an olympic sized swimming pool and perhaps a hottub lol.

 

Was in Lathrop the other day. Did not notice the cameras but did see all the vending machines and grassy area.

The one issue I am having is still with picking up empty trailers and them being extremely dirty. These are picked up at the terminals. I was talking to a driver that has worked for Swift for over 15 years and he was telling me that they use to actually pay drivers for sweeping out trailers.

he said they did away with it because drivers where saying they swept a trailer out when they actually did not so I can completely understand why they did away with it.

Now I am not asking for money to do it but there should be a macro we can use to report a trailer that was left dirty from the previous driver. It's bad when out of four trailers I have to sweep out three of them.

These drivers should be held responsible for this because I do not always have the time to clean up someones mess. The last trailer took me forever to clean and I filled up two huge trash bags with junk.

Why should I have to do this when I leave all empties clean and ready for the next driver?

 

Lancaster shop is pathetic, drivers ahead of me have been here 10 days currently for even piddly repairs. Something needs to be done about this location, unacceptable service worst in class!

 

As a soon to be L/O, I have a bad habit when it comes to OOR miles, like if heading west out of MN or OKC. I have a bad habit of heading south and either picking up I-40 around Tuccumcari or I-10 down in New Mexico. Yes, it is some OOR, but in the winter, have found that have saved some greif, plus some wear and tear on the truck and fuel savings.

 

Git one then...solve everything!!!!

 

What'd ya tell him/her?