Follow me with Swift...

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by Love2shift, Apr 24, 2011.

  1. DenaliDad

    DenaliDad Retired Wheel Dog

    It will make a huge difference if you lie or don't tell any potential employer about them. All you can do is be completely honest and lay your future in their hands.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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

  3. Love2shift

    Love2shift Light Load Member

    79
    47
    Mar 17, 2011
    Victorville, California
    0
    Hey i don't know if I still have followers, however I just reached six month with Swift. Wow I can't believe I actually hung in there for half a year now... Things have been see saw dealing with this company, and I am ready to take my exp somewhere beside here. Looking at Werner, I hear it wont really be no different of a change. Only reason I'm thinking of the move is because Swift has some crappy equipment and I'm fed up with breaking down once a month being stuck in a slezzy room. My girl friend is interested in becoming one of us so that we can make more $$$ as a team. Werner says that I can mentor her when she finish class. Which would be better then her making someone $$$. I'm posting this for any advise. Would you advise me to stay with Swift and let her go thru their academy? Or, go with the werner gig....
     
  4. DenaliDad

    DenaliDad Retired Wheel Dog

    I'm not a Swiftie and I'm sure you will hear from them, but it your g/f is interested in driving, why not stay where you are, gain some seniority, and work as a team with Swift? Switch to another company before 12 months and you lose the seniority and might even find the same conditions you are trying to leave. Remember, your Swift recruiter probably told you some things before you started ...
     
    onemoremile Thanks this.
  5. inkeper

    inkeper Road Train Member

    1,440
    1,059
    Jan 30, 2011
    Texas
    0
    If you have a clean record with Swift you can be her mentor there. Check with your DM and see if you qualify. They will let you do a one time mentor-ship in some cases. Of course you have to be sure the relationship can handle you being her teacher.
     
  6. Love2shift

    Love2shift Light Load Member

    79
    47
    Mar 17, 2011
    Victorville, California
    0
    Yeah I was thinking the same thing as far as the relationship I gained so far with my current company instead of gaining rapport with another. However, my record with Mr. SWIFT is clean so il ask my DM about that.

    I have six months, I know another six and I can really see more opening doors. But I will like to see who accepts my exp and pays good, miles good, and maybe a regional run?
     
  7. tiz&taz

    tiz&taz Bobtail Member

    2
    0
    Oct 27, 2011
    eagle, id
    0
    My wife and I just finished school last week and leave for JBS next week. We've been reading this form for about 4 months and found it very informative. Texas-Nana I think are team drivers for Swift, you might check with them and see how they like it.
     
  8. Rattlebunny

    Rattlebunny Medium Load Member

    438
    291
    Oct 20, 2009
    Elkton, VA
    0
    I wouldn't look to the other side of the fence until you had a year or two under your belt. A lot of companies give newbie drivers the crap equipment because they're sort of unofficially expected to bend a fender or two. Give it some more time, check out the mentor program at Swift and see if you can get the same deal.

    I know from experience that companies aren't just looking for ability and want-to, they're also looking for a track record that shows you're not going to jump ship every six months or so.

    Just sayin'.:biggrin_25525:
     
    Love2shift and inkeper Thank this.
  9. Love2shift

    Love2shift Light Load Member

    79
    47
    Mar 17, 2011
    Victorville, California
    0
    This surely is a helpful site. You guys make alot of sense that I didn't give thought to. Swift gives mee good home time, and ok miles. So I'll stick it out for another six, being that I have all endorsements I'm sure a year or two under my belt will open many doors.

    This is going to be my first winter driving, nerves but ready for thee experience.
     
    inkeper Thanks this.
  10. originalroaddog

    originalroaddog Bobtail Member

    4
    3
    Nov 6, 2011
    Lake Tahoe, NV
    0

    Thank you for a very interesting thread. Your story made me join this forum and I think i can give you some good advice after doing this for 31 years.

    Stay with Swift for at least 18 months or 2 years or even more if you can. Employers look hard at longevity. Also your starting pay will be higher with a new co.

    If you want to stay an OTR driver , speak to as many drivers of OTHER companies as possible. Many drivers like to hang with drivers with their own co and then never learn about better companies.

    This forum is great for wannabes. If I was new , I'd spend a month reading these threads before even calling on companies.

    After a couple years start looking for local work. If your record is clean you should be able to find a good local job.

    I worked OTR ( 11 western and some cross country ) for 14 years and got a little tired of it.

    Last 18 years have been working local. ( still 460 miles day ) . But being paid by hour and home every night.

    last year grossed 93k. plus 18 k in bennies.

    this year I am on schedule to do 100-105 k gross and 20-22k in benefits.

    I'm a company driver and haved loved my career for the most part. A lot of success in this business is having a good attitude ( which you do ) and having a good partner. ( wife , girlfriend , husband , etc.)

    I have a great wife ( 27years ) 6 children and 10 grandchildren. Truckin has been a good life but I have earned every penny and can hold my head high.

    Good luck to you and keep on truckin.
     
    jxu417 and inkeper Thank this.
  11. duston

    duston Bobtail Member

    36
    9
    Apr 30, 2011
    Dallas,TX
    0
    I've been here at swift for almost the same amount of time. I came here to get my wife trained. I have going on 9 years worth of experience in trucking.

    They lied to me about sending her to school I had to pay out of pocket to send her.Hopefully they can do better out of your state. They act like they can get her in anytime until the time is now, then there is a 6 month wait to get her into class.

    Swift is a training company only. They will pay you 16cpm once you are team. I was making 33cpm because of my experience and had to lower my pay to go team here.

    Swift will mentor you up in a heartbeat, thats how they make money here.Im sure there are several dedicated pro swift guys that love it here that will disagree with that.

    I went to werner first to go through there mentor program and they were so horrible I actually quit before they gave me a truck. The Dallas terminal wanted me to run shag runs to pick up new Peterbuilts from the factory for $50 a day and had no idea when I would get a truck. There are litterally hundreds of trucks at the Lancaster/Dallas terminalSo if you like abuse, go work for werner. They also have idle restrictors on there trucks and use the oldest qualcom known to man.


    My advise stay with swift get your girlfriend trained, then go to usxpress they will hire her once she has completed mentor training.

    Ill be at usxpress by thanksgiving. Im giving swift 3 extra weeks just to make sure it makes it in the system that my wife is a qualified driver.You know how they are.

    Good luck to you and if the teaming thing doesn't work out for you Ive made way more money in my carrier as a truck driver, driving for local temp companies(ex. Pro Drivers) than I ever have driving otr.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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