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
⌃

Company closed its doors

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by RAGE 18, Sep 17, 2011.

Page 1 of 5
  1. Sep 17, 2011 #1
    RAGE 18

    RAGE 18 Road Train Member

    1,529
    941
    Jan 31, 2011
    GOLD£N☆STAT£
    0
    Sward trucking was one of the best small carriers I'v worked for ever the family oriented family owned operation has come to an end today 9/17/11 and it was a sad day indeed. As they handed out the final paychecks I couldn't help the tears and I wasn't the only one. The owners are great people with a great heart and held on as long as they could. I felt appreciated and gladly worked any run I was assigned. There is few small carriers left alive, fallen victims of megacarriers that drive down the price of loads just to get the loads. There was drivers that had been there since 1980 the company itself was founded in 1966 by Vic Sward and it was the hardest thing to do for him to let his drivers go. It was a sad day indeed now Im back to the unemployment line but Im already looking for a job but I know I will never find another family like SWARD TRUCKING.
     
    RAGE 18, Sep 17, 2011
    RAGE 18, Sep 17, 2011
    #1
    Panhandle flash, Bosco Warden, The Challenger and 14 others Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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

  3. Sep 17, 2011 #2
    maxwelltie

    maxwelltie Medium Load Member

    416
    339
    Mar 13, 2010
    Brookings, OR
    0
    no. mega carriers don't 'drive down the price' of loads.
    It's called competition.
    If I have 1000 trucks buying an average of 100 gallons of fuel per day (100,000 gal) and you have 50 trucks buying the same 100 gallons (5,000 gal), should you pay the same price for fuel as I do? Don't you think the truck stops will want my business more than yours? And as a result, give me a couple pennies discount?
    And how about tires? Repairs? If I'm buying 300 trucks per year, don't you think KW, Pete or whomever will sell me those trucks a lot cheaper than your 15 per year?
    All this adds up.
    That two cents per gallon, extrapolated over one year comes to a savings of more than $73,000!
    Look at all the other areas I can save.
    It's a sad fact of life that this is the way business works.
    How many people buy from Safeway? Years ago, it was individual mom and pop stores. Now Safeway owns much of the market and is fighting Walmart.
    And so it goes.
    Sorry for the loss of your job and the company folding. I know all too well how that story goes.
    But it's not 'mega carriers driving down the cost of freight'. It's competition making use of volume discounts to lessen operational costs and passing that along.
     
    maxwelltie, Sep 17, 2011
    maxwelltie, Sep 17, 2011
    #2
    DenaliDad, JohnBoy, greaterbaatezu and 3 others Thank this.
  4. Sep 17, 2011 #3
    Ron M

    Ron M Light Load Member

    62
    21
    Jan 2, 2009
    Central Oregon
    0
    Sad news, I've seen their trucks around at the same places I load, always seemed like a great company, hope you find another job soon.
     
    Ron M, Sep 17, 2011
    Ron M, Sep 17, 2011
    #3
    RAGE 18 Thanks this.
  5. Sep 17, 2011 #4
    RAGE 18

    RAGE 18 Road Train Member

    1,529
    941
    Jan 31, 2011
    GOLD£N☆STAT£
    0
    Maxwelltie your comments make sense but ask yourself how a company thats been around 45 years and has 80 trucks looses steam and has to close. The loads are cheap now a days I didnt make that up and overhead expenses just keep going up and taxes and regulations hamper the small companies to make money. Look a mega carrier would love to take over many small companies but the truth is that it is a monopoly what chance do we have?
     
    RAGE 18, Sep 17, 2011
    RAGE 18, Sep 17, 2011
    #4
  7. Sep 17, 2011 #5
    RAGE 18

    RAGE 18 Road Train Member

    1,529
    941
    Jan 31, 2011
    GOLD£N☆STAT£
    0
    Update--I'v been called to a meeting on tuesday I was informed we have an investor and another trucking company willing to invest and keep the doors open I do not know how things are re-arrangeing and dont know if all the drivers were called back but I got called so hopefully things will work out for the best wish us luck....
     
    RAGE 18, Sep 17, 2011
    RAGE 18, Sep 17, 2011
    #5
    Bosco Warden, 25(2)+2, Jarhed1964 and 12 others Thank this.
  8. Sep 17, 2011 #6
    aggie1978

    aggie1978 Light Load Member

    165
    85
    Mar 16, 2008
    Jackson, MI
    0
    sorry to hear about the company. Hope everything works out for you. Please keep is updated
     
    aggie1978, Sep 17, 2011
    aggie1978, Sep 17, 2011
    #6
    RAGE 18 and The Challenger Thank this.
  9. Sep 18, 2011 #7
    ThePaleRider

    ThePaleRider Bobtail Member

    31
    25
    Sep 18, 2011
    gj colorado
    0
    you just pointed out how the people with big bucks weed out the lil guy.im guessing you love it?what you don't point out tho is once those big boys take over,then they can then dictate everything.even your paycheck.when b4 employment was open to many companies and kept wages stable.now they know all workers are coming to them and will end up having to take cut wages because they know it's either that or no job.

    this has expanded to outsourcing through nafta. and people wonder why america is falling.
     
    ThePaleRider, Sep 18, 2011
    ThePaleRider, Sep 18, 2011
    #7
    trucker43, roaddawg92, Big Don and 3 others Thank this.
  10. Sep 18, 2011 #8
    bulletproof77

    bulletproof77 Medium Load Member

    557
    541
    Oct 2, 2009
    Victorville, CA
    0
    That really sucks...I've seen Sward running up and down I-5/99 for all the time I've been trucking. Never had a problem with them, all their employee's seemed pretty happy with them. Hope your "investor" isn't just another "Swift"...I wish you the best. I liked running with you guys up 99 when I was with UPS.
     
    bulletproof77, Sep 18, 2011
    bulletproof77, Sep 18, 2011
    #8
    RAGE 18 Thanks this.
  11. Sep 18, 2011 #9
    bulletproof77

    bulletproof77 Medium Load Member

    557
    541
    Oct 2, 2009
    Victorville, CA
    0
    Yep, just keep shopping at WalMart and we'll watch more decent business's disappear....(Don't take this personal-just an opinion on how great "competition is")...Sometimes people need to stop and ask themselves if that 5 cents off that box of cereal is worth putting the little guy under..Deregulation was that "miracle cure" everyone wanted...SAVE money, make things more efficient, MORE jobs...and it has not proven to be true at all..And yes, I realize that this isn't about the "WalMarts" of the world...But if we keep at it, where will YOUR kids work ??
     
    bulletproof77, Sep 18, 2011
    bulletproof77, Sep 18, 2011
    #9
    RAGE 18, Diesel Dave, RizenPhoenix and 2 others Thank this.
  12. Sep 18, 2011 #10
    shriner75

    shriner75 Heavy Load Member

    849
    575
    Dec 7, 2008
    Minnesota, dontcha know...
    0
    Hope you get good news out of this meeting. Keep us posted.
     
    shriner75, Sep 18, 2011
    shriner75, Sep 18, 2011
    #10
    RAGE 18 Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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

    • Page 1 of 5