Idling hate mail from the top??

Oh god yes I don't go to Texas. I can appreciate how disgusting it is for your company to be calling you telling you such nonsense I'm just throwing out there that it never hurts to try an idle less if you can I see lots of drivers who idle for no apparent reason.

 

“Articulate ignorance?”

Mystic?

You're absolutely correct.

According to Safestat, Swift owns 25,685 power units. And Swift has 22,346 drivers to run them.

This means that, at minimum, 3,339 power units are sitting empty.

Let that number sink in for a moment. And then, take a guess at how many of those drivers are teams.

More than Western Express (2,570), and Falcon's (632 trucks), entire fleets combined. Sitting. Earning zero.

2 companies that, if you were to ask, 9 out of 10 drivers would say you'd be better off driving a honey wagon than working for them. Yet their trucks are rolling.

Enough trucks to make at least 2 whole companies, and Swift can't get (or keep) drivers for them?

Factor in the teams, and you could fit a whole third fleet in there.

How many millions of dollars is Swift leaving on the table, by letting those trucks sit?

Wait. You guys are saying 16 to 17,000 trucks are rolling, given the teams.

Would that mean that 9,000 power units are sitting idle? What about the costs of under utilization of your equipment?

So, that would mean a fleet roughly the size of Werner's is sitting there rusting, in terminals across the land?

On the plus side, this means everyone in the industry will be getting another pay raise next year. When Swift's stock holders notice this. And freak out. And the stock loses 25% if its value in a day. And millions in wealth evaporate into thin air. And Swift is forced to raise their pay another 35%. Again.

And the industry is forced to follow the, um, leader.

I can comment on Swift's idiocy. I can also be grateful for it. Thank you, Swift, for somehow becoming the engine of growth in pay raises for the entire industry.

And thank all you guys for all your hard work, and sweating it out. Now, could you do that some more? I'd like to buy a pool next year.

Does that adequately articulate the ignorance of Swift's policies?

No? Let me try again.

 

“Yes, it was.”

Moosetech, what? You, too? Both of you boys gonna' whoop up on me?

Alright. Let's do this.

Also according to Safestat, Swift reported 2044 crashes in the last two years. Which, I'll be fair, and admit that's actually a pretty good score.

Much better than they had last time I checked.

1400 of those required a tow. How much does it cost to tow a truck anway? If the bill is $200, like a car, then Swift paid $280,000 in wrecker fees.

Yeah, right, we know they didn't get off that cheap.

589 crashes resulted in injuries. Hospital bills. Worker's comp. Unemployment. Lawsuits. How much does all that cost?

How many could have been prevented if Swift had just paid the $14 and let their drivers sleep comfortably?

55 of the crashes resulted in deaths.

Do I need to repeat that?

All those wives sitting at home, who got “the call.” All those daughters, who have to be strong, because they're going to be growing up now, without dad. All those grieving families.

If even one of those deaths could have been prevented, it would have been worth the $14.

I don't see how anyone can argue against that point.

Less than the cost of dinner for 2 at Mickey-D's.

Yet Swift corporate doesn't see it that way.

Now that's true ignorance.

 

Also, Moosetech, no, I wasn't forgetting the costs. I said generating wealth. I was talking gross revenue. You're talking profit.

Truck payment? You could buy a Volvo for $150,000. Pay cash for it. Keep it 24 months. Sell it for $120,000. A depreciation of $30,000, or $15,000 per year.

You could also claim the depreciation on your taxes. If you were in the 30% tax bracket, that's $5,000 per.

Of course, a good accountant could simply hide your money in the Cayman's and you'd have no taxes to worry about.

And maintainence? How much does it save to have a new truck, under warranty?

Sell it while the warranty is still good, for $120,000, include the depreciation, and your brand new truck has cost you around $10,000 per year.

But who does that, right?

Uh, Knight, actually. According to the all knowing internet, they pay cash for their trucks, and replace them every 18 months. At one time, they were a debt free company.

Or you could buy a used $60,000 Shaker, finance it for 3 years, and the interest would be what, $9,000? (I'm not going to try to figure it out, it would depend too much on your credit rating).

Put how much,
$15,000 to $17,000 into it per year in repairs? You tell me, how much?

Yes, Swift is in it to make money. So is Stevens. They put APU's on all their trucks, to make sure their driver's get proper rest. Those, i've been told, cost $20k.

Celadon is also in it to make money. They put EPU's on all trucks.

Huh. Are those free? Does Peterbilt give you a free Climacab with every purchase?

Falcon is also in it to make money. They have neither APU or EPU, but will let you idle.

Not because they're nice people.

Because it's more profitable. For them.

While we're factoring in costs, what does it cost to recruit a driver from a school?

How much do you pay a recruiter, $500 a head.

What does turnover cost a company?

How much more money could Swift bring in, if they improved their reputation and could get better customers? Customers who paid higher rates?

How much wealth vanished into thin air last year, when Swift's stock crashed by 25% in a day?

Insurance? How much could be saved by improving Safestat and CSA scores?

Don't be talking down to me like I'm a greenhorn.

Just because I am.

It's still rude.

Oh, and you forgot to mention the costs for oil changes, PM's, wear and tear on the vehicle, and money lost during home time.

If I was an owner op, of course, I wouldn't idle if I didn't need to. But if it was cold, I would turn my heat on. If it's hot, I'm running my a/c.

If nothing else, because I will be more productive well rested and bushy tailed. And safer.

And because my life is worth it.

Sorry other people don't see it that way, but mine is worth more than $14.

 

MM3? What? The OP is jumping me too?

Everybody piled on?

Oh, baby! It's a party! It's my birthday! It's my birthday!

Ok. Deep breath. I can do this.

Rambo sweat band on.

Terminator jacket on.

Wait. Am I allowed to talk back to the OP in his own thread?

“The cost of operating 70 terminals.”

Um, according to this forum, all Swift terminals are franchise operations. I've read complaints from many drivers.

McDonald's is a good example. McDonald's (corprate), doesn't own the restaurant. They own the land, and lease it and the rights to the franchisee. This allows corporate to shift most of the costs and decisions onto the individual restaurant owner.

When corporate tells you to spend $100,000 remodling your store, you spend $100,000 on your store. Your money. Not corporate's money.

Otherwise they take their sign and beef patties away, and you start selling pulled pork sandwiches.

Corporate can also get your store to compete with the store in the next town, forcing both restaurant owners to up their game, with no cost and no down side to corporate.

Is this not how Swift's terminals operate?

Kind of the same way Knight's terminals work? You, the individual owner, provide the building, the staff, the repair bays, and corporate provides the trucks, the drivers and the customers?

Or am I completely wrong in this?

My understanding of how the trucking world works just shifted to one side.

"I don't see how the company is profitable?"

You don't?

Let me pick my jaw up off the floor.

One of the biggest, most powerful, most successful companies in the nation and you don't --

What?

According to Market Realist, Swift is one of the top trucking companies in the United States. This sounds to me like most successful.

Which I think means most profitable.

Um, how did they buy 25,000 trucks at an average cost of $150,000 each, if the company wasn't profitable?

How could you get that big? What bank would fund you if you were just scraping by?

Oh. I'm sorry. You've been driving along thinking you were making sacrifices to keep the company afloat?

Yeah, uh, the Koolaid in the company terminals, you might want to avoid that.

Market Realist says Swift's operating costs for 4th quarter 2014 were $585 million. Swift's gross revenue was around $603 million for the period.

Huh. Uh, that sounds like a profit of $18 million. That's about $6 million per month. Somewhere around $200,000 per day.

That impresses the heck outa me.

Using Safestat's numbers, 22,000 drivers. So each driver generated $9,090 in profit for the company, per day.

But they also generated $67,000 per day in wealth (gross revenue) for the company.

Sorry. My bad. You guys are right. I was wrong. I was way off on my original numbers.

You can't blame me. Swifties are much more productive and valuable than anybody thought.

Who knew?

More quotes from Market Realist:

“Swift Transportation’s (SWFT) Truckload segment saw a healthy growth in revenues during the fourth quarter--”

“The segment’s operating ratio improved by 380 basis points to 85.8%, and its adjusted operating ratio improved by 410 basis points to 82.9%. “

Um. That is over my head and I don't know what that means.

“This was primarily driven by the increases in pricing and utilization, as well as reduced fuel expenses due to declining diesel prices, better fuel efficiency, and reduced engine idle time.”

(That definitely means that drivers shivering in the cold has improved Swift's bottom line.)

“Swift’s efforts to improve driver retention and recruiting, such as improved safety training and pay increases, also facilitated this growth.”

So, in other words, having drivers walk out the door costs them money. Lots of it. Millions.

Oh. All of that. The report was talking about Swift's otr segment.

So, how did Dedicated do?

4th quarter 2014 they broke even. Roughly 240 million in revenues, 240 million in costs. But--

“Swift Transportation’s Dedicated segment saw robust growth during 4Q14. The segment’s revenues grew by 28.8% year-over-year, driven by the addition of multiple new customer contracts over the past year.”

“However, the increase in driver wages, insurance, and claims expense suppressed the operating ratios for the company. “

So if they let their drivers sleep, and cut down on the number of accidents, claims, and lawsuits against them--

Nah. It'd be too easy to go there.

Then, there's the Central Ref segment. You know, the company Swift bought to canabalize it for it's parts?

Operating costs were 90 million. Hah! Gross revenues were –-

Oh.

Oh. That's not good.

You don't want to know.

Ok. I'll rub salt in the bruises. (smilies won't work for me for some reason. so, just JK.)

Gross revenues were 84 million.

So, Swift took the once mighty Central Refrigerated Services, and turned it completely around.

And ran it completely into the ground.

Now they're posting a multi million dollar loss.

Um, is this where I grab my pom poms and cheer?

So, now that Swift is running that bad boy, Central is losing $67,000 per day.

Yes. Your'e all absolutely right.

Swift's ignorance in their policies is an absolute joy to behold.

Any more company cheer leaders? I've only got 3 people attacking me from 3 sides. I can handle more.

Come on. It'd be fun.

Now, the most important question--

Why is the smilie that moons people not working?

Did I break it by talking too much?

 

And, Luse? I see you over there.

Ok, 4 on 1, let's go, I've got more in me.

Ranting? Ranting! Me ranting?

Wait.

Harleys?

Cruising in the mountains?

Retirement?

Well, forget Swift. Tell us what that's like.

And, more importantly, how you got there.

Let's talk secrets to success --

And cruising!

 

It's a blessing to be able to idle. Some places put a damper on and the engine cuts out in 5 minutes. That's going to really help you get the ice off your truck after a winter storm. If you don't want drivers idling, put APUs on the trucks. Don't want to do that? Let me invite you to take a nap in my sleeper when it's 98F outside with 85% humidity. Let's see how long you last without A/C.

No wonder drivers quit. BTW - Yes, I do agree that no one needs to idle when the weather is pleasant.

 

Yeah she's a tough old life the trucker driver has that's for sure they say each year idling trucks to run air-conditioning and heating burns around a billion gallons of diesel however what choice does the poor driver have unless the company install an auxiliary engine.

 

Can I have the drugs you on....plz share what the hell does this have to do with swift getting kick backs from feds, and quarterly and annual reports?

Ok how did. I get here to be able to cruise it's simply really I get a retirement from the millitry. And saved a lot of monies when I did security work with Triple Canopy and Blackwater Doing securty. Before I worked for swift. Now puff puff pass plz.