Good Companies that run solo right after training

I have to concur with Moosetek13 regarding Swift. I went to the Swift Academy in Phoenix in August of 2019, got my CDL on September 13th and went solo November 1, 2019. Still with Swift and no legitimate complaints. I drive reefer since going solo and have been treated well. I think their reputation is worse than deserved.

 

@Six9GS
Approximately how many miles a week do you average?

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

The absolute sheer driving force of our national economy - without truck drivers, our entire national economy would come to an absolute standstill - if not outright be dead.

Over the mountains, through the woods, into the valleys, coast to coast, from sea to shining sea - truck drivers can and do go anywhere and everywhere, every day, every night, all year round.

 

My milage isn't really a good comparison to usual milage a driver might expect at Swift. I am not aggressive at all about getting miles and my DL and terminal folks know that. So, unsure if I get as many miles as drivers who want to run as much as they can. I offer them flexibility at helping tie up loose ends on loads that don't necessarily have lots of miles. That said, my milage can vary considerably week to week. Some weeks, I may only get 500 miles, other weeks 2400. It often gets mixed up, which is actually how I like it. I guess my closest thing to average miles for me would be between 1800 and 2100.
2 reasons for that. 1. Being semi-retired I have another source of income so my income needs are not as critical as those with only driving income. 2. I had an extremely routine job, where I worked Monday thru Friday, 8 hours a day (only had a day shift) for 23 years. One of the pros, for me, of being OTR is the lack of routine and the somewhat spontaneous nature of my schedule.

 

You sound like how I like to run, in many ways.

It isn't always about the miles, but the working conditions and how satisfied one is with the job.

 

The 'adventure' part of being OTR is a big component for me. Many drivers would get upset and frustrated at things I embrace. Unexpected OSD, a flat tire, etc. I'm like oh cool another adventure! As long as I, as a driver, do what I reasonably can and should do, everything that falls outside my control seldom bothers me negatively and usually I think it fun to deal with. Weird I know. But, after 23 years of routine, unexpected is welcome!

 

Good attitude, although I don't like the unexpected.
It's nice you can have fun with it.

 

My understanding about swift is that they used to be pretty horrible but started paying better wages and got better drivers.
I have also heard this about prime.
No idea of any of that is true of course

 

I've only been with Swift around a year and a half, so I can't speak to how they were before that. But, since I've been with them I have no reasonable complaints. They continually stress safety. They have always given me the authority to make what I thought was the safe choice without anything but acceptance and appreciation for trying to be safe. Also, I make over 50 cpm, so the wages seem fine to me (I do get more for running reefer and being a Vet, so unsure what other non-reefer, non-Vet drivers are making cpm with similar driving experience). Also, they commonly throw in 'planner special' bonuses of anywhere from $25 to $150 for short runs or other deeds to show their appreciation. In example, I ended up with an overweight ticket one time that cost me $150. My fault, never tried to excuse my way out of any responsibility, but the situation had several messed up circumstances involved. On my next load, they threw in a $150 planners special. The load was a normal load with nothing special to it. Also, due to weather issues a load that would normally have taken me 3 days to do, took 11. I didn't get a service fail and ended up with several days of layover pay while waiting for runnable weather. I could give lots of these examples about being treated well and being given unreproached authority to shut down when I deemed it appropriate. I can't stress enough how much that alone means to me. As one who tends toward being a people pleaser, I know I am subject to being unduly influenced and coerced into running when I should probably shut down instead. The fact they have never attempted such and have done nothing but given me the unreproached authority to make those decisions regardless of impact upon a load is probably the single greatest reason I have no desire to drive elsewhere. It isn't the only reason, but is the most important to me.

They have also done, in my opinion a wonderful job of tailoring my experiences to my priorities. I'm far from a 'normal' driver, if such things exist. Among the numerous things important to me is the ability to stay in the same truck. They have definitely worked with me toward that end and I have been in the same truck for about 15 months now and hopefully will stay in her until Swift takes her out of their inventory. There are other things specific to my desires that they pay attention to and try to work with me. I, in turn, do my best to do what they need and want me to do.

 

Once you are in a truck it is hard to get out of it until it is retired.
Even a problem truck.

I had a ProStar for 6 months. In that time it was in the shop a total of 1 month, on and off again and again.
That is a lot of shop time with a lemon truck, and they would not let me out of it.
Not until another truck backed into it and caved in the left side of the sleeper - with me sleeping in it.

Other than that, I could not agree with you more.