Diary of a current Swift flatbed driver

Schmud, thanks for the thread. I have some questions for any of you Swifties, especially you Schmud, if you have the time.

1) You touched on driving a van briefly but it sounded like it was not your choice. Is there a reason a driver could not bounce back and forth between the divisions? You know, flatbed for a while then van if you want and so forth, just to keep things changing? If not, why not?

I was thinking, "ah OK, if they have no flatbed loads at the moment, why not grab a van load?"

2) I read about Flatbed orientation vs. Van Orientation. Am I understanding this correctly, that if you go to van orientation and want to do flatbed, then you must go to flatbed orientation, also? Is the reverse true or if you go to flatbed orientation does that qualify for van orientation, too? If so, it seems going to flatbed orientation makes more sense as it gives a driver more opportunities, yes?

3) Based on what you Swift drivers know, assuming you have any choice in the matter, which current model Swift truck would you choose and why? Schmud, I hear you saying you like your more than your original Volvo and so on. So Swifties, which truck and why?

4) Is there a difference in trucks in van division or flatbed? In other words, does having a certain truck more or less mean you can only run one division. Seems like you said something about a cut down sleeper for certain flatbed trucks, Schmud.

Thanks for the great thread and the replies I hope to get! hint hint

 

Man I am able to put 48600 on my trailer then I am grossing out. Thats with TMC petes though which is a much heavier truck then a freightliner.

It would be nice to have that long wheel base for the longer loads like you said, no permits needed in your case where as with mine I can get about 1 foot of front hang over and thats it.

 

You're needed where you're needed. If a flatbed dispatcher needs you next week, and you're out pulling a van, well, that's kinda pointless, is it not? Not to mention constantly having to switch out trucks - you need the headache racks on the trucks in order to be able to pull the flatbed trailers.

That happened with me a couple times. I had to take a load of... I can't remember what it was, from a T-called trailer in Gary, IN to a receiver in Spartanburg, SC. From there, I was sent to the Greer terminal to get back on a proper flatbed (well, it was actually a stepdeck) trailer, and go pick up a chassis load.
Another time, I'd delivered a flatbed load to Laredo terminal for Trans-Mex to take across the border. I ended up having to take a JIT load to Atlanta... furniture, I think it was. I think I went from there with a van load going to Chrysler in Detroit. From there, I picked up a stepdeck which had been T-called in New Boston with bus chassis for Blue Bird in Brantford, Ontario.

I can't comment on this, as far as how it goes currently. I went to Swift orientation in Memphis, TN. From there, I had to go to the now defunct Shoals, IN terminal to take the flatbed course. Don't know how they do it now. When I went to the Memphis orientation, at the end of it, they simply told anyone going to flatbed division to stand up and go into another room.. that was pretty much the moment I decided to be a flatbed driver. Don't ask why, because I don't know, but I don't regret it.

When I worked for them, they had the Freightliner FLD, the Freightliner Columbia, the Freightliner Classic XL (most of these on flatbed division were lease-purchase trucks), and they had one particular type of FLD which had a long wheelbase and short sleeper, probably for hauling long lengths of rebar. My first truck was an old Merit International 9200 with 51 inch sleeper. Decent enough truck. I then got a Freightliner Columbia, which is definitely what you'd want as an east coast flatbedder, since you were required to keep 20 chains and binders on your trucks, on top of all the other stuff, and you had an insufficient headache rack to accompany them. The Columbia had a 239 inch wheelbase, and there was space for a toolbox on the passenger side between the fuel tank and the tandems (door slammers kept tire chains here).
After I got back from Iraq, I talked with some Swift flatbedders who'd gotten Volvos, and I'm driving a Volvo for the guy I'm working for now. They are... less than ideal... for flatbedders.

Yes. If it doesn't have a headache rack, you can't pull flatbeds. Their numbering system also has some determination of where that truck goes.. let someone currently working for them explain this better.. been a long time since I drove for them, and I've forgotten a lot.

 

I never got a PM from you, so I'll post this. Swift hired me after I was medically retired from the Army. I retired from the Army in 2008 from complications from a operation I had in June 2008. This was to repair for the 3rd time a wound I got on 10NOV04. I was XO of 2nd Bn/2nd SFG in Fallujah leading 36th Bn Iraqi Army, we completed the Diversion attack on the West of the city and had taken the hospital and Bridges, cutting off escape from the city on the 8th. on the 10th a company from 1/3 Marines had gotten stuck in a compound just to our East. Their forward CP basically evolved into a casulty collection point with over 40 wounded Marines. The compound they were in was my ODA's CP for 5 months back in 2003. They had gotten cut off and surrounded, since we knew the compound inside and out, I brought a 18 man team over to assault in and effect the Medevac. Our 1st attempt at 2145 we were pushed back by insurgents and I was shot on the right leg and hip, we assaulted again at 2345 with the help from 2 1st Cav Bradleys and got thru. Both BFVs were messed up by RPGs and 12.7 fire so their team leader pulled them back, there was a 60meter open court yard we had to bring the wounded Marines across. I made 7 trips across with wounded Marines and on the 2nd trip in I got shot in the Rightside. The bullet hit the right edge of my body armor and split in two. It shredded my instestines, gall bladder, apendix, lung and right cap of my liver. I thought I was pretty much toast so I just decided to keep pulling out Marines and carried/dragged them out to the Cav medics. On the final evac a Marine 240 gunner got hit in the neck, so forgetting all sense I went to him and started CPR, I got hit in the shoulder when I was over him so I started dragging him out at a low crawl, while trying to keep pressure on his neck, a Marine ran out and started dragging me. Then these five hajis start running at us aks blazing, I shot two and the Marine, Cpl Mike Jenkins of Mobile,AL, got the other three with my pistol. They had shot me in the left buttocks. So I was retired after they removed the lower lobe of my right lung. The 3rd Marine CO awarded Cpl Jenkins the Silver Star, when they did the investgation for his Silver Star, they found out the Army had reccomended me for a cup of coffee and some Motrin. So HQ USMC put me in for a Navy Cross. That got my CO and the whole SF command in a stink, so I got a DSC instead. Still would have been cool to be a Army guy with a Navy Cross. I'm now a soldier that is a lifetime member of the 3rd Marine Association and the Marine Corps League(paid for by the Cmdt USMC). Could be 100%, But took a regular retiement, Major over 28yrs(10enlisted, 10 WO, 8 officer) and 80%. 100% would keep me from working, Will take 100% when I'm done working. SSgt Jenkins was killed in action on 7 December 2010 in Herat, Afghanistan, RIP brother.

 

When were you told this, and by whom? Just last week, I was assured by Swift staff who are responsible for setting up orientation here in Columbus and in Millington, TN that new drivers can go directly to flatbed. I guarantee that if they say "oops, sorry, you have to drive dry van for 6 months first" my reply will be "oops, thank you for the training and here is my tuition payment." Then I shall go elsewhere.

 

They will give you van loads if there is nothing else in the area, you need to remember to ask to get back on the flatbed side or you will keep getting van loads or until someone notices. I don't mind them for a change of pace but after the second or third 150 mile run I had to change back.

Also, to the guy above you don't switch trucks to take van loads unless you were going to switch permanently of course.

 

Of course I kept the same truck. It was the same situation you described - a couple van loads for lack of flatbed freight. I was responding to the question about whether you could swap back and forth between van and flatbed division. As for me, it's something of a non-issue now. I left Swift in '03 when I was called up from the Guard.

 

Any flatbedding out of Florida?