My Swiftie Life...

I didn't know that. I believe you. I would have done exactly the same thing. I hope this isn't something that happens a lot with them but I have no choice and need to start working so Swift it is.

Best of luck Kry0n for the future. Keep us updated.

 

I believe you too. However I do not believe you filled out your DVIR every day documenting the problem. That is one of the best ways to get things fixed because of the new rule that equipment with no defects, no records must be kept by the carrier. If the DVIR lists defects, the carrier must maintain those records for x amount of time. They don't want to do that, plus if the truck is in a major crash with 3 months worth of defect listed DVIR and the carrier refused to remedy it, the carrier would be bigtime liable.

 

Kryon, just want to say I believe you too, and I'm sorry you had to go thru that. This certainly isn't typical for Swift, especially concerning such a huge safety issue. My only guess is that they obviously misjudged the situation. My own experience with the Swift shops has been less than satisfactory as well, but at least I haven't had to deal with a serious safety issue like you had. And I've also had a good fleet manager and terminal manager that took care of me as well. It's sad to say that not all the terminals look out for there drivers.

So now you are moving on, and with your experiences that is certainly understandable. I'm not here to try to talk you out of that, nor is anyone else. I would point out that Scottied has offered some very excellent advice that I would think would do you very good to follow at any company you go to. Remember. You are the one driving that truck and its your life and cdl on the line. If they won't fix a problem, make them understand how serious the issue is. I heard of one driver who couldn't get his truck fixed so when he pulled into a weigh station he stopped and asked for an inspection. After the truck got put out of service, the company fixed it then. That might be a little extreme, but the point is to go up the chain of command. If the shop won't fix it and management won't back you up, go to corporate. Just don't take no for an answer.

Good luck to you where ever you go. Just because you don't drive for Swift anymore doesn't mean you can't come back here to seek advice. One thing I've seen on this board is that most of the drivers are always willing to help.

 

Sorry to hear Kryon, it sounds like you where doing good with Swift, they should have fixed it long before it came to this. It was definitely a huge safety issue. Wish you the best, but hey you don't need to leave this thread. Hell, its your thread in the first place!

 

I'm surprised they didn't take care of you. Anytime hubby mentioned a problem with his truck his dm always got him into a shop. All he had to say was, i don't feel safe driving it.

 

Um, I'm sorry but it may be for some, however I'm going back to Swift to be a L/O Mentor and not because I can't manage money. They asked me before when I first started in 2014 the first time but I did not have but three months working for a local company so I did not do it then. I disagree that all L/O Mentor because they mismanage money because I have $1200 to go for my place to be paid off and my electric bill in a 3/2 home this summer has been average $130 a month and my water is $60 ( Oh I paid $6,700 +ttl for a 2006 Chevrolet Suburban June 2015 and have two other cars paid for) and I coupon which I have enough laundry soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, dish detergent, paper towels, bath tissue and oral care to last a year at the price an average person pays for a months worth. I'm not trying to be rude just letting you know not all are that way.

 

Correct.

If you have a safety issue you may need to force the issue with the DVIR.
Once that is filled out with the issue they HAVE to correct it.

I have never had to go to that. If t is big problem I call on road and let them take care of it.
Or I head to a terminal if it is on my route and I can get there safely.
If it is small I will wait until I go in for other service.

But I have never had a problem with Swift shops. If I tell them of a problem, they fix it.
I've heard the horror stories, but in nearly 6 years I've never experienced it.

 

Moose, you know as well as I do that when pressed for more info, those drivers' stories almost always turn inot one of two things.

1.) Driver did not escalate the problem past "well, the shop told me..." or "my DM said"

2.) Driver did not follow ANY channels to get the problem resolved, swift put him in a hotEl and he's still in the terminal #####ing.

Now, there are a few exceptions with some of the smaller terminal shops, it's one of the main reasons I went L/O. I like to know how my truck is being taken care of, and I don't like asking permission to have proper maintenance done to the truck. But even as company I rarely had a problem I couldn't get solved if I shook the chain of command hard enough.

 

Maybe it is certain DM's or something, but when I have a problem I simply bring it in to the shop and tell what is wrong. They fix it.

If I am not near a shop I will call on road about it and they will direct me to a shop.

I might be asked to get it to the nearest terminal, but if I say it is not safe to drive they always back down.
Always.

Magic words... Not Safe

And in all this time I have never had to resort to telling them to put the message on the QC, it has always been over the phone.
I've never even put anything on the DVIR, for that matter.
If I say it won't be safe to drive the truck that far, they get me to a shop - even if it means a tow.


It really amazes me how different my experience with Swift is compared to some other people.

 

The closest I've come to a "horror story" was threatening to take a dispute of a SF all the way to corporate, then hand corporate my keys if I could not get any satisfaction there after I explained in a professional manner why I felt that way.

CSR threatened me with a SF for a load that was an weekend after hours pickup in MI. Ford parts load. Paperwork wasn't where the load origin instructions said it would be. 3 loads in the box, none matched my BOL# or my destination.

I called ECT, explained the problem, asked them to Contact the CSR on the load to get it resolved as I had a problem I couldn't fix at my level.

A planner from New Boston called me, asked me what was going on, I told him everything, he says "well, we're gonna have to take that load off you". I say ok.
I go park down the street, about 2000 feet away at a truck stop. Now mind you I was there early by at least an hour and half, they had plenty of time to solve the problem as I had already sent my Mac 1 and could have grabbed the load 6 hours late and still got it to final on time, (team truck).

I sit all night, lose revenue on that load/night. Have to take whatever BS Load New Boston has on sunday, deliver it monday about 9am (strict appt.) And wake up to a CSR om a headhunt saying I'm going to recieve a service failure.

Ha. No.

There is to this day no SF on me. I pride myself in have a 100% on time record. My bread and butter is saving loads, JIT loads and loads with special instructions. (HV, time sensitive, etc.) I've never missed one, which is what I told the CSR.

The point is, I've found that you have to know the rules/policy and stand your ground. If you don't you're gonna have a bad time. This goes for the shops and DMs and everything in between.