Swift Sucks

Swift most certainly does pay detention pay, I just received 3 hrs of detention pay 2 weeks ago, for having to sit 5 hrs in Va on a live unload , the first 2 hrs dont count the last 3 did, and like the previous poster stated, the Q Comm has to be updated correctly to get it taken care of, so your misinformation makes no sense,..they do pay detention pay.

 

Like I said, I've worked with Swift for a year and I constantly say good things about the company on these boards. However, I have never gotten a single dollar of detention pay and there is one particular planner I work with that constantly tries to get drivers to run illegal.

 

You are right. A lot of US drivers ARE just nothing but a NUMBER to office personnel within SWIFT. However, you also have to realize that one of the major reason's why we are just a number is because there is a percentage of office personnel who just show up to sit behind a desk and make their hourly wage. They could care less if one of us is involved in an accident or if we even make a penny. Now, on the other hand there are a lot who DO care. Take for example, my Driver Manager. This person is so awesome that even with freight being as soft as it is right now, he still does what he can to ensure that I am making decent mileage. The easiest way to look at this is to take the time to understand that there are even a few bad apples mixed in with all the good. I hope I made sense. I know, VICKW can probably add to this being he works at the Houston Terminal.

 

Look, if this is really taking place and they are telling you over the telephone, you need to hang up on them or politely let them know you have to go and send an OPEN message over QComm stating why you can't run. I had to do that back in November. A dispatcher out of SLC wanted me to still deliver a load to TRACY, CA on time. He told me over the phone, go ahead, you'll make it. I informed him that I had another incoming phone call and sent an open message, followed by a MACRO 22 and guess what? Nope, they didn't tell me to run illegal over the QComm, because everything is documented and SWIFT has no access to the information stored by the system which prevents them from changing what you or they say. They did, however, RE-Power the load I was on. Just start sending messages over QComm, it protects you in the long run. Just my opinion.

 

I agree, there are many fine, dedicated Driver Managers and other support people at Swift. Just like drivers, office support staff has their good and bad share of folks. I tip my hat to my driver manager Mike Smith in Greer SC. He is easy to get along with and listens to my point of view on issues and then explains how it applies to the situation. He is very informed on policies and takes time to make sure I understand how things work so I get the pay I need or the service I need. Its a two way street, the driver has to do his part to make things work. I do see where it is easy to be a number at Swift, but I make sure I stand out by doing above what is expected, that way it makes it easy for me to stand out.

 

I agree, 100%. My mentor explained to me how things would work and I knew what to expect. I, however, didn't think office personnel, i.e. dispatchers and some night managers, could be so rude and not care about whether or not you make money. I told the dispatchers in Laredo straight up that if I were the owner of Swift, I would have fired them on the spot for the way the treated me and another gentleman that was there before me. They looked as if they didn't care. Again, it sure is nice to have an understanding DM.

 

Cool beans, just now seeing your posts> It is kindah good for someone like me who is hopefully about to attend the swift school to see someone like you try and clear up alot of the horror. Even though no company is perfect, I have read some things that make swift sound like the great beast...LOL

Anyway, I submitted my resume to the recruiter in el paso this past monday and was told i would get word this past thursday and when friday rolled around and I had not heard anything, I decided to called my recruiter who told me that he would call me this coming monday for sure because he had not got the reports back yet. Then If things go well I begin training in san antonio, where I currently live so that is convenient.

Anyway, was wondering if my recruiter is doing all the background checking and work history and all that now then why is some people complaining that when they go to orientation that they are turned away because their background did not check out or have poor work history?

This confuses me as to why I am told that my information is being verified waiting almost a week. Is it really being checked and if not, what is really going on?

 

Don't go to Swift. There are many other better companies to go to. We were with US Xpress and now Schneider. Schneider is much more professional than US XPress. We are going on our own within the month. My brother wanted to drive truck to accomodate a carreer move he's making and he had told me stories that I am having a hard time believing about Swift. They put the trainees with O/O to run double logs. They don't teach the students they just use them. How can you get a logbook violation when you are learnig from a trainer? What is your trainer teaching you? They run these O/O in the ground. The money must be good for them because I would never associate myself with a company like them. One morning one of their recuters calls me at 7:00 am., asks to speak to me, I say this is her and he proceeds to tell me, "this ain't no girl, this is some guy" he refused to identify himself, asks me if I know my brother, duh, of course I know my brother. Then after a few more words he hangs up on me. So now my brother is in TX, off the second truck in a week and I'm listed as an emergengy contact and I get a call like that. If you are thinking about Swift think again.

 

Get copy copy of the accident report then get a copy of your DAC report and take it into legal action and sue the p**s out of them. They can't throw that out and hold it againest you.

 

I agree 100%, there are always bad apples. Management works on weeding them out and setting the example. My favorite DM's are the one's that care so much they log on from home now and then at night, or on the weekend to see how their drivers are doing. If you have a bad dm, contact your FM or TM. Remember your DM is essentially the boss you answer to, so don't tell your FM or TM that he/she is unfair because you got in trouble for taking to much home time, taking 34 hr restarts when you dont need them, etc... that is just part of the job expectations. I personally want to hear when a DM doesnt respond to your needs, doesnt explain why something is: No plans, payroll question, etc.., asks you to do something illegal, doesnt treat you as the person you are. I started a fun project, recently, all my DM and FM that were not previous drivers, have to go on the road for a week with a driver from their fleet. I think its an eye opener for them.

Wes