Is swift a good company?

One of my friends who is a Walmart driver used to drive for M.S. Carriers before and shortly after Swift bought them out. He didn't stay with Swift because he didn't like the way they were managed. He went and started working for Walmart ever since he left Swift.

 

I've been on the TJ Maxx dedicated for almost two weeks now and just checked out how much I made for my first full check under this new regime. Take home will be a tad over $700, which sets a record for me (I started solo at the end of last June). As long as this is steady it is certainly a welcome step up in income, but I know the check after this next check will be light because we got "out of sync" on our last run and had to run non-TJX this week, then getting back on schedule this coming Monday. Taking this weekend off to have the hours for a coast to coast run and back starting Monday. I noticed that my $/mile was now a split of $0.33, which is an increase from the $0.30 I was at with solo.

I guess the moral of this story (and Wolfy's) is that you don't have to have a lengthy tenure at Swift to start getting opportunities with increased pay. You need to prove you know how to deliver on time, have a good track record, and start asking your DM for dedicated options.

 

I thought you would make a little more than that teaming for a dedicated, maybe the coming weeks will be much better for you.

and yep proving on time is important, I heard the dedicated fleets usually take that part of your score seriously. I am 100% on time for my history with the company.

 

If you all think dedicated accts are nice, you should seek out a term. which has shuttle runs. All you do is get a truck and trailer from point A and drive to point B, swap rigs and drive back to point A. I did this for about year from Kingman, KS to Dalhart, TX. Initially, I was filling in for an injured driver and was receiving 0.42 per mile ($1143 gross),which later dropped to 0.32 ($864 gross) once I knew I was on permanently. At a steady 2700 miles per week, home every night, and worked 6 on and 2 off, I made some #### good money. Too bad my health took a dive; otherwise, I'd still be doing it.

 

I could go home almost every night if I wanted to, I live 50 miles from the dc and everything is round trip, I stay out 1-2 nights a week away from the dc, i usually only drive home for my 2 days off though to save on gas since I have a sleeper. In march I plan to move closer to the dc then I might go home every night.

 

I could be home every week with this gig, but for the new 34 hour reset rules. My teammate has been on the account about 3 years, and up until last July he was home every week. But the the new rules kicked in and he gets home about once a month. Resets have to now be managed en route on the homebound. We are at a disadvantage because we are both company drivers. O/O's have entered the account and they are able to run deadhead from Las Vegas or Phoenix back to Mira Loma to position themselves for Monday or Tuesday loads going back to the East Coast, we have to wait for dispatches and if freight isn't there then we get stuck missing the TJX load and then need to run whatever they can give us to catch the next TJX opportunity. Right now we are stuck taking a weekend off, waiting for a Monday run.

It does seem that running team at this time of year, whether we are on dedicated or not, will be beneficial to get loads that will keep us running. At this time last year I was teaming with my O/O brother at a smaller company, and we were running when solo drivers were waiting for loads.

 

Looking to start with Swift out in the Sumner terminal. I'm a serious newbie to all that is trucking so I'm hoping for a good experience. Not really interested in long haul. Im really would like a dedicated route within 500 miles of home. Not sure this is doable with no experience. Wish me luck!!!!

 

I'm out of sumner, heavy haul will get you home often but its not making me money. I thing the dedcated accounts you want out of there are jcpenny out of sumner, walmart in grandview, or target in albany.

 

Keep in mind that it is highly unlikely you will be anything but OTR to start. You will need to go through 4-6 weeks of training OTR, then get assigned a truck and drive OTR. After a few months you will be assigned to a permanent driver manager, then you can start pushing for a local dedicated gig. They don't give those local dedicated to any new driver, you have to earn your chops and show you know how to deliver on time. The customers are often picky about who is allowed to service their account. Good luck with you, stay at or close to 100% on time and start pushing for the local gig you want.

 

yeah it took me like 8 months to get a dedicated, the only dedicated I have seen easy for anyone to get are the dollar accounts since nobody wants to do them with all the hard work. Also some dedicated gigs people stick with it for the long run, most of the drivers on the Target fleet im on have been here 5+ years, think 4 of them almost 10.