Hey, guys. Just wanted to know a few things about Swift..

You will learn the hours of service in school. Once you start your elogs, you have 14 hours to drive 11 hrs. You have to take a 30 minute break before the 8th your each day. Then you have 70 hours In 8 days. That's a combo of on duty not driving and driving
Since you are new i won't go in more detail.
The amount of time it takes to get a load depends onwhat's available in the area you are in. Hopefully you will have a preplan b4 you deliver the load you are on. Then you could wait a day. Just part of trucking. Swift is a huge company and has a huge customer base to choose from. .37 .cpm to start? I started at .19 cpm in '96 with swift lol

 

1. You will
2. Why does it matter?
3. Good for a beginner but it doesn't matter if you make $1 per mile if you aren't getting miles.
4. No, you have to hang a hammock under your trailer or carry a cot and sleep next to the truck.
5. Your every move. Even when you're in the shower.

 

Many of the people answering you in this thread are trolls. They do not work for Swift.

And yes, you may have to wait a day for a new load. It all depends on the available loads in your area.
You will find that true no matter where you go, so get used to it.

But, it does not happen all that often at Swift. Like someone said, there is a huge customer base.
And Swift does not want the truck to sit idle for a day or two. I have often been repositioned 400-600 miles just to get me to a better area. That means bringing your empty trailer to a different location, and as a company driver you get paid the same if you are loaded or not.

It is not 70 hours in 7 days, but 8, because that is how the rules are written. Period.
There is a lot concerning hours of service rules that you will be taught in school, so don't get too ahead of yourself asking redundant questions.

The 30 minute break before 8 hours of on duty/driving time is meant to ensure you - the driver - can get a meal during your drive time. Perhaps too many companies were pushing the schedules way too hard on the drivers.
But for whatever reason, it is in place as a benefit to you. Although, it does get in the way sometimes.

 

Getting the most miles is good, but not if it is at the expense of safety.
If you push yourself too hard you will get burned out, and be tired all the time. That makes for a very dangerous driver.

With the hours of service rules currently in place you can run 8.75 hours per day of combined on duty and drive time (average time per day), and never have to sit for a day and a half to do a 34 hour reset.
That does not mean that you start your clock at 0600 and shut down at 1445, because you have some off duty time during the day - like when loading or unloading, taking breaks etc.

But if you burn through your 70 hour clock you will be forced to take a 34 hour reset. Sitting for at least 34 hours to get that clock reset.
Some people prefer to do it that way. They run very hard for 6 days then take the 34 to get the full 70 back.

I prefer to use recap hours and keep running everyday, whenever possible.
Recap hours are the hours that roll in every day from 8 days ago.
The 70 hours in 8 days is a running/rolling total of all hours worked in the past 8 days. Once you have reached the 8th day, the hours from the day 8 days earlier are added in to what you have available the next day.

It may sound a bit confusing now, but once you get into it, it is pretty simple.

 

You're welcome.

You can do well at Swift, once you learn how things operate here.
And if you don't let them push you around in the wrong ways.

I have been here nearly 7 years.
My mentor when I started had 6 years in, and he is still here. Many drivers stick around, and some come back after leaving, because the grass isn't always greener elsewhere.