Truckers Report Jobs

Find Trucking Jobs

Company Driver Company Driver Dry Van Dry Van Flatbed Flatbed Refrigerated Refrigerated Specialized Specialized Owner Operator Owner Operator
More Trucking Job Searches ⌄ Fewer Trucking Job Searches
⌃

Junkero's Swift Adventure

Discussion in 'Swift' started by junkero, May 27, 2011.

Page 1 of 5
  1. May 27, 2011 #1
    junkero

    junkero Bobtail Member

    36
    15
    May 27, 2011
    Hesperia Ca.
    0
    Swift Flatbeds. I'm in. I'll be heading out to Phoenix on June 5th and launching from there into a truck with a trainer. This Forum has been very informative in which company I should or shouldn't get involved with. Sifting through all the whiny posts on this and other trucking forums has made the task hard but Swift may work for me. From what I have read here I understand that this industry is not all about touring the USA and seeing the sights while dragging a trailer full of stuff behind you. I'm ready for some hard work. I love to drive. 15 years ago I had a rather nice job driving a bobtail flatbed around Colorado. Carried some very heavy stuff for that size truck over some of the highest passes in the country. Saw some very scary conditions in that time too. Heavy snow, Tornadoes, Rain so heavy you can't see. It was a blast. I chose the flatbed work because is looks like I have a few more options at that end. This has started me looking at how things are secured to flatbed trucks as I pass them on the highway. For the most part most drivers have things looking safe but others...Holy Mackerel. I will post as I go and take pictures and post if I can. I'm very excited about the future here.
    Junkero
     
    junkero, May 27, 2011
    junkero, May 27, 2011
    #1
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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

  3. May 27, 2011 #2
    RockyWI

    RockyWI Medium Load Member

    441
    231
    Aug 10, 2009
    Wisconsin gal
    0
    Good luck and welcome aboard! Looking forward to reading your posts. :biggrin_255:
     
    RockyWI, May 27, 2011
    RockyWI, May 27, 2011
    #2
  4. May 27, 2011 #3
    AZS

    AZS Honk if anything falls off

    2,912
    1,303
    Sep 30, 2010
    PHX, AZ
    0
    Welcome, not many of us on this msg board but I certainly can't say you made a bad choice.
    Flatbed is awesome, pretty tight bunch. An example being I just ate dinner with two other flatbedders and we all just met each other today, we all helped each other load at the customer and thats kind of how it just works sometimes.
     
    AZS, May 27, 2011
    AZS, May 27, 2011
    #3
    BigShrek72 Thanks this.
  5. May 28, 2011 #4
    bluebonn

    bluebonn Road Train Member

    1,026
    723
    Aug 21, 2010
    Texas
    0
    Good luck keep updating....
     
    bluebonn, May 28, 2011
    bluebonn, May 28, 2011
    #4
  7. May 28, 2011 #5
    BigShrek72

    BigShrek72 Light Load Member

    253
    243
    Jun 4, 2010
    0
    I always said if I go back to driving I am doing flatbed, this is just one reason. It was like this when I ran flatbed for JB Hunt and another company.
     
    BigShrek72, May 28, 2011
    BigShrek72, May 28, 2011
    #5
    AZS Thanks this.
  8. Jun 3, 2011 #6
    junkero

    junkero Bobtail Member

    36
    15
    May 27, 2011
    Hesperia Ca.
    0
    Man O man. The dilemma, I had my recruiter send me a list of things I might need while out on the road. I've seen how much room, or rather their lack of, is in the sleeper of these trucks and I'm not sure how I'm gona make it happen. A weeks worth of cloths trying to take into account all possible weather conditions. Gear for sleeping. Gear for working. Looking at the pile of stuff I have on the couch I can tell I'm going to be cuddling with a lot of my stuff in my bunk.:biggrin_25525:
    Carrying all this stuff with me on a bus to get to Phoenix will be fun.
    Very excited about this new adventure.
    Junkero
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2011
    junkero, Jun 3, 2011
    junkero, Jun 3, 2011
    #6
  9. Jun 3, 2011 #7
    AZS

    AZS Honk if anything falls off

    2,912
    1,303
    Sep 30, 2010
    PHX, AZ
    0
    Dress for heat and bring some long sleeves for the shippers that require that. Bring two weeks worth of clothes, if you're doing flatbed those clothes won't make it long when you're sweating. Pillow and blanket. A hat for hathead when you need to talk to customers first thing in the am. Sunglasses. Cell phone and charger. The rest is common sense, towels, soap, shower shoes, etc.
     
    AZS, Jun 3, 2011
    AZS, Jun 3, 2011
    #7
  10. Jun 3, 2011 #8
    bluebonn

    bluebonn Road Train Member

    1,026
    723
    Aug 21, 2010
    Texas
    0
    Make sure you only bring what you need. I picked a student up in Phoenix and he had four large bags and his own cooler as well. Way too much stuff..
     
    bluebonn, Jun 3, 2011
    bluebonn, Jun 3, 2011
    #8
    RockyWI Thanks this.
  11. Jun 4, 2011 #9
    junkero

    junkero Bobtail Member

    36
    15
    May 27, 2011
    Hesperia Ca.
    0
    With, bedroll, clothing, and gear I have one back pack, one medium cloths bag and a hanging clothes bag, and just had to stuff in one long sleeve shirt, per AZS...:biggrin_2559:
    Bus Adventure tomorrow..!
    Phoenix here I come.
     
    junkero, Jun 4, 2011
    junkero, Jun 4, 2011
    #9
  12. Jun 4, 2011 #10
    AZS

    AZS Honk if anything falls off

    2,912
    1,303
    Sep 30, 2010
    PHX, AZ
    0
    You'll be glad you took that shirt! Good luck dude.
     
    AZS, Jun 4, 2011
    AZS, Jun 4, 2011
    #10
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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

    • Page 1 of 5