Going with Swift....Good or Bad opinions please

darkknight5179 · Mar 29, 2012

Moosetek13 said: ↑

Good luck Darkknight.

I've been with Swift for a bit more than a year.
So far, so good.

I do sit, sometimes for days, without a load.
I have had some lemon trucks, my current being the worst.
I don't always get paid for scale tickets and other things. (Never scan scale tickets at terminals, by the way. They always come out black, and you won't get paid for them.)

A further bit of advice, and one that may not be explained to you during orientation or training.

Plus-1.
It is the new system designed to get you 'one more load each week'.

I was recently in Laredo, TX.
I was waiting to have new drive tires installed when I met another driver also in for repairs.

He was, frankly, glad to be in the shop.
He had been solo for 2 weeks, and he was being run ragged.
His last load, he said, didn't even give him time for a pee break without being late.

Comes in... Plus-1.

The Plus-1 system doesn't show you the customer's time windows on a load.
It sends you the times of pick-up and delivery the computer thinks you can manage. But it does not allow for things like scaling a load, pee or meal breaks, slow downs for construction or rush hours, or enough sleep time.

As such, if you accept most pre-plans without first calculating your actual needs, you will always be late.

During training you should learn how to plan your loads.
'Should', being the operative word. Some trainers are not so good, so be on your toes and observant with how much time it takes to get from point A to point B.

When you go solo, never take a pre-plan that you think is too tight on time.
You have the option to turn it down, while giving a new pick-up/delivery time that you can actually do (safely).
Use that option.

If your times are within the customers window it will be kicked right back to you with those times, asking that you commit to the load.
If they are not the load will be taken off you, and you will get a different load assignment sent to you shortly.

The thing is - never feel pressured to take loads that you don't think you can deliver safely in the times given in the pre-plan.
You are in control, and you should always remember that.
And, it is your own butt on the line - not the planner's, or the DM's, or the computer's.

If something, anything, should go wrong in the on-time delivery of any load - know this...

The answer on their end will always be -

"Then, why did you accept the load in the first place?"
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Thanx for the advice and words of support. I know I will do well, I just have to keep a positive attitude and stay in my happy place lol. Nothing in life worth having is easy...I will admit the closer I get to my start date the butterflies kick up I've driven trucks before so thats not the problem I think its the pressure of being away from home and living with a stranger for 6 weeks in a truck.

Moosetek13 · Mar 29, 2012

I didn't look forward to sharing a truck with a trainer either.
But, we got along great and it wasn't so bad.
I even got to go home with him and meet his wife and mom.

And, actually, some things worth having are easy.

Trucking, at least OTR, is not that hard - in most respects.
And in most respects it is really enjoyable.

Being away from home.
I guess that's usually the hardest part.

For me, it's not being able to cook a good meal each night.
Not getting a shower each morning is high on the list, as well. (I guess I could, if I really felt compelled. But in this life it is not really that practical.)

I guess, in the end, our own priorities are what makes or breaks the 'easy' list.
With a truckers life comes different priorities, and how you deal with those priorities will make it either easy or difficult.

darkknight5179 · Mar 29, 2012

Moosetek13 said: ↑

I didn't look forward to sharing a truck with a trainer either.
But, we got along great and it wasn't so bad.
I even got to go home with him and meet his wife and mom.

And, actually, some things worth having are easy.

Trucking, at least OTR, is not that hard - in most respects.
And in most respects it is really enjoyable.

Being away from home.
I guess that's usually the hardest part.

For me, it's not being able to cook a good meal each night.
Not getting a shower each morning is high on the list, as well. (I guess I could, if I really felt compelled. But in this life it is not really that practical.)

I guess, in the end, our own priorities are what makes or breaks the 'easy' list.
With a truckers life comes different priorities, and how you deal with those priorities will make it either easy or difficult.
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Ill be ok its the good meals, shower everyday and my kids is the hardest part everything I think I can handle. You make it sound a little bit better and every little bit helps hopefully we will run into each other on the road

blsqueak · Mar 29, 2012

It is what you make it. If you have the right attitidue and can accept most of the downs with the ups, then everything will be mostly good. After a little while, you will learn how to budget your time and what you can handle. For me, 2800/wk, and I am a L/O. This is just fine with me, and it is not a hard week, with plenty of time to screw around. There are weeks that I will bust that 2800, but my DM knows, I am a happy camper with 2800/wk, and he likes happy campers.

darkknight5179 · Mar 30, 2012

Im just hoping I get a good trainer...The way my luck goes I wont that is my biggest concern Ive heard about the good and Ive heard about the bad and definitely dont want to deal with a bad trainer. I had good teachers in school, and a great trainer to teach me how to drive in the real world so I'm hoping my luck holds up in that department

Moosetek13 · Mar 30, 2012

darkknight5179 said: ↑

Im just hoping I get a good trainer...The way my luck goes I wont that is my biggest concern Ive heard about the good and Ive heard about the bad and definitely dont want to deal with a bad trainer. I had good teachers in school, and a great trainer to teach me how to drive in the real world so I'm hoping my luck holds up in that department
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See if Kevin Prough is available. He was my mentor.
Actually, Kevin is his middle name. I think Steve is his first.

He is good in most areas, but can get left and right mixed up - from time to time. Something to remember when he is directing your backing.

He's a good guy.
A bit brusk sometimes, but always fair and willing to listen and reason.

RebelChick · Mar 30, 2012

I have the same concerns as darkknight. I'm scheduled for orientation in Richmond on 4/9. I have requested a n/s female mentor. Anyone know who might fit that bill and be available? I've been the bad trainer route with another company and know I won't have to put up with that again, but.....it does make you think twice before making the leap. And the being away from home. No little ones, just haven't been far from home for a long time.

darkknight5179 · Mar 30, 2012

Thank you all for the mentor recommedations I have a list now so I'm sure they will be looking at me strange like where did you get all these names from. But Im just doing my homework

bigjoel · Mar 30, 2012

36 years of hell said: ↑

well i fell sorry for all you young guys trying to be a trucker, I have been trucking over 36 years your lucky you got technology because when i started we drove ###### cab overs had to lay down just to change your clothes, You got air ride we had spring ride you got the hell beat out of you so quit whining about your company a driver will go thru 20 jobs in 2 years, The big companies no one stays with any off them swift, jb hunt, Werner,Schneider, there all the same treat drivers like crap your just a phone number to them,m You need to go to the mom and pop companies, I own 2 kenworths w-900l show trucks, Hell my insurance company wont put a driver on less than 12 years experience good luck
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These "back in my day" posts are so lame.

I started out in raggity old COE's too.

Yeah the technology is better today, but the industry as a whole is worse.

The pay is 20 years behind the times.

darkknight5179 · Mar 30, 2012

bigjoel said: ↑

These "back in my day" posts are so lame.

I started out in raggity old COE's too.

Yeah the technology is better today, but the industry as a whole is worse.

The pay is 20 years behind the times.
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I think they pay is a little behind the times but what do I know because Im a rookie and I know these jobs will never be outsourced so I'm thankful but especially with Swift honestly I feel like Im being raped as far as the cpm is concerned but I will trade it off for the experience so I can go make the correct amount somewhere else.

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