Best Swift Terminal-Worst Swift Terminal

Over where???

 

Finding parking in Sumner, WA is fairly easy... But can be tight if you show up too late in the afternoon. Also, follow your GPS/ call
for
directions. The last road you turn on has a sign that says no trucks, but you go there anyhow... Just don't go acrossed any bridges... That terminal is acrossed the street from the city lot. Also don't miss your turn, it will be a PITA to find your way back.

 

Yea, crazy signs....
'NO TRUCKS'
'WEIGHT LIMIT 10,000 LBS'
And it looks like a little neighborhood road.
But.....
Ignore it all and TURN there 'cause that's where the terminal is
with hundreds of big trucks everyday.
(They are for a bridge down past the terminal)
Me, I OBEY signs like that, or else big trouble could be ahead.
In this case, IGNORE them or it's trouble ahead.
Yeesh!
They should but a Swift sign there...

 

First time I Tried to get there, I did t turn that road.... Such a pain. Putting a sign up would be too easy.

 

Denver is my home terminal and if I have a mechanical problem I try and avoid it, always had a good job done mechanic wise in Utah, I now have the convenience of never hitting a terminal for long if I don't need to,as running teams with the wife, in saying that I really like the Memphis terminal, but that's mostly because of the people, I love going in and chatting to Anthony in the swift store, he is a good guy, and I got to chat to Kim from the swift university video thingy their, must remember to give her crap next time in their about how her hair looks dopey in that vid

 

I have to say lathrop gets my vote. I like them the most. Worst um a lot of them lol. If there are a lot of drivers in the driver lounge thats a bad sign to me.

 

I'm still partial to Phoenix(and yes I know it is a pain in the rear to go there,lol) it just feels like home to me....but Fontana is growing on me alot...getting to know the staff...in particular the night staff there...very helpful guy there at 0300....knows where all the trls are....or will bobtail u to your load...A+ in my book....

Been to salt lake alot recently....lowest fuel price for a big part of june and july...only office person to ask for my license and med card...u here that? 1 year they been saying that...and 1 time i been asked to show it...in Salt Lake...

Sparks is always nice and helpful....

Was just in New Boston...and their pita trl inspection to canada...but mechanic told me to pull it in and drop in the shop..so that was cool...office staff very nice and helpful...dropped and pu there...

Gary..haha its Gary...what can u say...yard guy is cool...he knows how messed up that yard is...low fuel prices there usually too...

Denver just there too...ehhhh...not much to say about it...its there and parking sucks in denver...so i appreciate that it is there.....yard looks like crap....but it was sunday night....

Richmond is ok...nice big yard...casual place...shop does ok work...tells u straight up....what they can and cant do

Lathrop...only been there a few times...i like it...a little tight tho...scottied has nice things to say about it so i trust....

Ahhhh columbus...HAHA rumor central?....crusty old woman works the window...seems to soften up when u ask about freight and she says yeah we got freight if you dont have restrictions on where u willing to go....yes ma'am....no restrictions ma'am....lol....got a nice one out of there to....

El Paso is el paso....go there pretty often....like it, its pretty casual...night people are pretty good....parking used to be awful there but they changed it around...and seems better now...at least can park there...

Mira Loma? wow i HAVE to park there on hometime because my car is ther....wow! terribly restrictive service there....dont even bother....office staff would appreciate u not bothering them too....dont even ask for a trip sheet...serious...its that bad....have a question? go to fontana...least they act like they care....lol...haha

Tucson...awwww..its a cute little terminal...aren't you? yes tucson....you a good little terminal...yes you are!...lol

Lancaster...ummm wow! bad attitude seems to run thru that place....drivers lounge alway,always full! office staff...i'd rather poke myself in the eye then to deal with that staff! seriously....been ignored for 20 min standing at the window...and dont dare open it to propmt some kind of action! been yelled at there,denied out of the gate because new girl there said i had to talk to the terminal manager(she had the wrong truck num!) Im like WTF? told the terminal manager...and he was like WTF? lol....got out right away after that...wow...but i will park there coz well dallas iis just real bad place usually...and fuel there too...

laredo...its ok...would rather park at the terminal..then any where else...staff can be alittle tense at times...but all those drivers sitting for days...haha they dont know what your gonna say so i think they are ready for you to complain....they got that Look in there eye....

OMG! Decatur...aww poor little decatur got all that room....its ok...but if one place can be hot or cold as far as attitude..it is Decatur....great barbq guy it really is good...shop wow...bad attitude unless thats changed...ahole actually mocked me to my face there once....one of the mechanics....ahole...usually drivers are cool there and staff..is ok....but sometimes i just feel a bad vibe....like its a rumor machine too....but really would rather stay there than any other place near Atlanta

Sumner....ehhhh...dont like so much....nothing specific....

Troutdale...they cool there but as been said that yard is messed up! do they not have a yard person? do they need another one? good lord...what a cluster....


Lewiston is cool if in that area i will go back there...i know i wont get hassled,bothered....talked down too...they cool..haha just have to wait sometimes...ok?


i know i am missing some but that should entertain/fill u in on most of them....good night swiftys....

 

Lewiston, the most
only been a few times, but only a hand full of people hangin in the drivers lounge, which is usually a good sign.

 

Fr8monkey gave a good review, so here's my short list

First the Good:

Phoenix is my home terminal, so I'm partial to it also. Sometimes a pain in the neck, long wait for inspections, long walks to get around, but it's home

I have to say Fontana is my second fav also. Small lot but nice and laid back terminal. Take my classes there when I can. The guy who does the log classes etc., is a good teacher. They have spotless restrooms and showers. Always good people around to talk to. Had some good times there this year. Watched one of the best NFL playoff games I've ever seen there, 49ers-Saints, and then watched the Super Bowl there also. They have decent food trucks and a bbq truck that come on a regular schedule. There is also a Subway a block away.

Laredo is not bad. The truckstops in Laredo are zoos, so I'd rather stay at the terminal. They have bunk rooms, so you can sleep in a regular bed if you're held over there. They have made a change there , as the bathrooms and showers have been very clean last few times there, and the showers are full bathrooms.

I like Sparks also. Friendly people in the office. Quiet lot, always room, and the Petro is right next door. Casino and a restaurant with good food.

Willows - I like it. Pretty much used as a drop lot, but they have an office and a shop. Terminal is NOT 24 hr though. I think hours are 7am-5pm. Get there overnight and you'll be hanging out in the truck. I have to say I like the shop. Had 2 services done there and some repairs also. I'm company, and the mechanic came and talked to me before working on it, and then came back and found me to tell me what he had done. Good luck getting service like that at the other terminals

Lancaster, I'll mention, just because they have good BBQ food in the drivers lounge.

Albuquerque - Friendly people in the office. Good size lot.

Salt Lake - Nice scenery coming in from either direction. Lot is sometimes full, not a bad place to do a 10 though.


Now on to my only real Bad terminal: HOUSTON

If you were in Russia, the equivalent would be being sent to Siberia. The terminal is shared with several other companies. It seems Swift got the short straw, as our drivers have to park in back corner, which feels like 1/2 mile away from the building. The lot is like the surface of the moon. I got sent there for an empty one time. When I get there, they say they dont give out empties there. Sat there for 10 hours parked among about 70 empties. More empties coming in about 5 an hour. After 10 hours, get sent 45 mins away to pick one up, and no empties there. So get sent where to pick one up?? You guessed it, right back to the Houston terminal and then get told, "Oh, just go pick one out." Really??
Sat in what they call the drivers lounge, listening to a guy from another company, sitting at the window, slamming swift drivers the whole time. Ordered food, but they dont let the deliveries in the gate. Had to go out to get the food at the gate and got stalked by 2 stray pitbulls trying to nip at my ankles, lol. There is a Loves and a Pilot less than a mile from the terminal, but they are small and always full. They are also pretty dirty. I just park at Walmarts when I'm there now.

Be Safe

P.S. - I got asked for my CDL and Med Card at Lancaster window a while back. Phoenix fuel island checked it once, and same day, I was cleaning my windows in the front row in the bobtail parking, and one of the safety guys walked up with his clipboard and asked for it again.

 

What about going thru the Residential area in Martinsburg before they redid the road.