Another "Off to Swift I go" thread

Hi folks
I start in Lathrop Ca on Monday with a three days testing then out with a mentor for 6 weeks. I wonder what it's going to be like with a mentor? I've been driving for 21 years. This is going to be interesting.

 

Hope you don't snore like I do... I spent 6 weeks sleeping up right.

 

Good Luck !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hmmmm.....Costco loads are considered Heavy Haul Division - interesting. I guess I'm used to the term heavy haul describing oversized/overdimensional loads (heavy equipment, cranes).

Good luck to him - this was one of the first - positive, believable, Swift training stories I've read on this forum.

 

Heavy Haul with Swift would be more accurately described as OVERWEIGHT LOADS. Swift HH is anything over 80k net. We run 4 axle trucks, 13spd with 3 or 4 axle trailers. We run up to 105,500, which is max for WA, OR and I believe ID. Costco likes heavy crap, so typical loads are 45-62k in the box (45k felt like I was empty). Even the reefers are loaded up to 50 k in the box. Backhauls are Coke, Paper rolls, etc. The funny load (backhaul) was 7,000 of styrofoam in a 4 axle trailer. I never came out of 13th gear.....

Oops. I used WE alot. It should be they. Now I drive GI trucks.

 

well I've been with my mentor for three weeks and I,m having a blast! We have been all over the united states. I can't wait to get my own rig. we are having our home time now three days then off to work we go for three more weeks! then a truck for me! WOO HOO! So far we did a or 34 hour reset De Mons Iwoa. My only gripe is listing to the truck motors run twenty four hours a day at the truck stops my only escape was to get out of the truck and take a walk. good thing about the walk is I found a great resturant next to the truck stop! But overall I'm having a blast. Swift rocks so far! now my mentors son is driving for swift and he is having a ruff time at it. he refuses loads all the time so home time is not so well planned. So what i've learned is take all loads and you will get home. or if your at a swift terminal without a load ask if you can help out and make some local deliveries to help the dispatch out and you'll get a load out of there asap. have fun everyone . cheers Al

 

hi cookie278 i here ya. we get a shower every 3 to 4 days and try to eat out once a day eather lunch or dinner. I had an opportunity to do lawndry on the second week out on my 34 hour reset in des mons iwoa. Our truck is like a shower room in hi school. I try to spray febreeze every day to cut the oder of stinkey socks, yuck! I buy lots of fruits and healthy snacks and try not to eat garbage # the truck stops! I don"t want to get FAT like all the truckers I see! I brought lots of clothes because I knew there was going to out for weeks # a time. My recruiter told me two bring a few dats of clothes, BS! I can,t wait to get my own truck so I can set it up the way I want, keep it clean and cook my own food. I plan to bring a small bbq, one burner stove,12V refrigerator,GPS,XM radio, laptop computer,12V hot water maker. We had a lot lizard come up to the truck in Kansas and we sent her away. what an adventure! I'v done costco loads, booze, Huge paper rolls, Wall Mart,beer bottles twice I'v driven over the rockies three times it three days. utah twice in two days. I've driven to texas,Iwoa,kansas,minnesota,washington,colorado,california,nevada,new mexico,oregon,arizona. We had huge thunder storms in Kansas! Three days # home then back on the road. Let me tell ya. I've been a stay # home dad, homemaker and home school teacher for 14 years, so being away from home is a real strange feeling and a huge change. but I look forward to beeing my own driver and making my own rules like taking a shower every day and cooking my own food. three weeks to go ! cheers.

 

One perfect lesson learned. There is no reason to refuse any load. I never refused a load no matter how short the distance. The dispatchers want to see who will run what. If you show the initiative to run whatever, they'll run you. Every day at my home terminal, I see drivers complaining about no money on their checks. Then I see them at the dispatch window asking about a load and hear them, quite often, refuse saying that they won't go there or it's too short. $100 is better than nothing.