Good Things About Swift??

Can't agree with you more, I did the exact same thing week before last, Swift was the only company that was open door and was able talk to anyone I wished, looked around and people where generally nice. Even was able to speak to different recruiters while there, Driver leaders and staff. The other companies did everything they could to keep me from speaking to anyone but the assigned recruiter or even visit the property to check things out. I could only drive by and look from the road. Was told at my top choice even after I had received the offer of employment that I could not visit the terminal because "nobody was there" and "all the students and trainers where out on the road training". I drove up to that terminal anyway, guess what? There where people everywhere. Office workers, staff, trainers, students, etc. This to me represents the personality of the company. On each end of the spectrum. Ive now chose Swift to start my career with. Personable company, higher starting pay, newer equipment, etc.

Just a side note, when I asked that top choice ( highly regarded as a good flatbed starter company on here) about the equipment, the recruiter responded with a comment that basically the equipment is not for the driver, it's the company's, so don't worry about it.

 

Yep. I made my decision to go with Swift two and a half years ago based on that visit, in spite of all the negative comments I'd read on this forum. I place a lot of weight on personal interaction, so I picked four companies with terminals close by and went to visit them. These were companies that are often recommended on this forum for new or reentry drivers. Boy what a shocker that was. A couple of the companies gave me the impression I'd just done something evil and wrong by showing up for a visit.

"Who let you get in here!!!???" <--- actual quote

After those visits the choice was easy. The other shocker was discovering how many drivers I met at Swift terminals that had been with the company for a decade or more.

I got back into trucking with a goal: get two years experience and then get with a flat bed company paying high enough revenue to the truck to be a successful O/O. Swift got me that two years experience and it was a good ride. No complaints here.

 

Thanks for the insight Lepton1, our experiences on this subject seem nearly identical, so that definitely speaks volumes to me. I start on Tuesday and am looking forward to it and comfortable with my choice more than ever. And confirmed I'm coded for flatbed

 

I appreciate those that do not take my comments about a company personally. Just cause a person does or did work for a company does not mean that company should reflect upon them.

Despite the poor formatting in the prior post, like I said if you are not getting increased inspections at Swift due to their intervention status, consider it is a company of 20k+ drivers. It is going to take some time to hit the drivers. Swift knows this and their solution is the driver camera, which no rational person should like or put up with.

I am also not down on anybody's experience. People can differ in the experience they had at the same company. However, the 100% turnover at Swift speaks volumes.

That said, at Swift, each of its terminals is treated like it's own fiefdom. The rules and access to personal are governed by the terminal manager. Some terminals are locked door and long waiting line to access anything need to do the job. If the red carpet was rolled out you might consider how many drivers fled that terminal for that to happen.

If another company does not have drivers around to converse with you can assume that is a good thing because they are working. I would never hang around in a drivers lounge if I was not waiting for work.

IF office staff is to busy to talk, that may be a indication of a good thing; the staff might be working. More than once at Swift, corporate has come down on office staff for too many personal calls, web browsing, movie watching, and sex in truck sleepers.

 

Well put, Toomanybikes.

Regarding drivers at terminals, that is generally one of two things. Either they are waiting for a dispatch or they have the truck in the shop.

You are correct that each terminal is run differently. Some terminals are great, others not so much. I was by and large pleased with professionalism at the Jurupa Valley terminal. Other terminals I avoided whenever possible.

 

Not sure if it makes any difference but my experiences where in Phoenix, two of the companies I speak of have their corporate/home terminals in phx, and the other company (my first choice) was one of only two western terminals, all others are Midwest/East Coast. Now just to clarify the red carpet was not rolled out at Swift but when comparing to the others, it was night and day. It wasn't all rosey as I heard a few guys grumbling about this and that and even a DM in a fight with a driver on the phone. There where areas I could not go, due to liability/insurance, but was easy to walk around anonymously without an escort and speak to the staff. Again it was just night and day difference. Surprisingly the complaints I heard where not a surprise or something I didn't already have info on.

Funny thing is, I was told by more than one person at Swift that they almost never have anyone ask as many or the scope of questions I asked, and they almost never have someone show up to check them out or speak to staff. Some made comments that if more people did that then there may be more satisfied employees and less turn over. And if you think about it, that makes sense. If you know what you're getting into, there is less that is unexpected and less stress. Now thats not to say that all OTR companies don't need to be open and give prospective employees all the information to make informed decisions, because they do. They force you to seek the info you need. And that would solve a lot of problems right up front for the noob and the company.

 

Swift brings a sense of humor to the trucking industry.

 

I'm a newb and thought about Swift myself. I don't care about the videos and pictures of Swift drivers doing stupid things with their trucks because that's them not me. I have a regular drivers license to drive my personal vehicle and i see idiots all over the road that drive cars...again that's them not me. I've been driving for roughly 22 years now and i never got a speeding ticket and no accidents. When i look at a company i care about what the COMPANY offers not what the other drivers are doing.

 

Tell us again how long you been a driver ...

 

I would be happy when YOu send a link where You got these datas.

Thank You

M.