Is swift a good company?

I'm still trying to figure out if a Swift driver is refusing a lot of loads, so they have enough time to safely get the load to it destination, and they're not hitting the 75% target, will it take away from their quarterly bonus? I want to know this because I can already see this Plus-1 as something that would slowly eat away at my patience. Like if it wants me to rush to each pick up & delivery, but I refuse a lot in order to go at my own safe unrushed pace, and that's gonna cost me part (or all) of my bonus in order to drive that way, then eventually that may start to piss me off.

 

No, your load acceptance percentage will not directly affect your quarterly bonus. In general, the higher your load acceptance is, the more miles you will run, and the higher your bonus will be. However, I have seen platinum drivers with a much lower load acceptance percentage, and they were able to maintain their platinum ranking. My advice(which I followed while I was driving OTR) is to accept loads that you can safely and legally pick up and deliver on time. If you have any doubts, you should decline the load. Once you have some more miles behind you, it gets a lot easier to figure out which loads you should accept, and which ones you should not accept.

 

Don't let Plus 1, from what you read on these boards, be part of your decision. Plus 1 will only inconvenience you if you consider yourself a sunshine driver.

The issue with Plus 1 isn't the lack of time to get the load there, you can, easily. The issue is the restrictions Plus 1 puts on you when you beat it and if you are so inclined you will. It's that you can't get another load until Plus 1 says you can, not when you're ready for load.

 

PLUS-1 is certainly about the lack of time to get the load there on-time.
My last load, and the one before that, proves that.

My last load I had a certain delivery time with the pplan.
That was shortened by Plus-1 to nearly 3 hours earlier when I got the actual load assignment.
When I plugged the address into my GPS when I left the shipper, my delivery time was an hour later than the Plus-1 time - not including meal and piss breaks, and a strict 10 hour break with no time to pre-trip.

Plus-1 is flawed in so many ways.
It assumes that you can drive at a certain speed, even through small towns and construction zones.
It assumes that you never need to stop for supplies or need more time for a shower, laundry, a decent meal...
It assumes that you are running full speed ahead, no matter what, and will be ready for the next load before you can finish the last one.

Plus-1 only gives 30 minutes for a drop and hook, when often it takes at least an hour.
And what about trip planning? Does it expect us to simply drop the load and head out, without first taking the time to check the maps and get directions?

No, Plus-1 times are not realistic - in so many ways.

 

This whole Plus-1 thing sounds sort of similar to how Schneider was. When we'd get out next Pre-Assignment (or pplan i guess) it would have random computer generated estimates about what time our ETA was and our NAT (Next Available Time), but we weren't expected to ever take that seriously. It was routine to enter in our own ETA and change our NAT. And usually the next assignment would show the time that our load had to be delivered at, or by. So we'd trip plan, then pretty much make our own schedule, unless it was an appt. Then you had to be more diligent, but appts. were almost always realistic. If it was cutting it really close, I'd call my DM and say "Hey this is not gonna be safe to rush this fast, and it leaves no time for any delays, or rest breaks." My DM was always understanding and on my side, so this wasn't a bad problem, just wastes time to have to call in and all that. Anyway maybe Plus-1 is different, because we never had any kind of target percentage on those pre-programmed times, they were never to be taken seriously. We'd look at them, then do our own trip plan, on our own terms (most of the time) and then enter our own ETA and NAT.


*Edit* ^ Sorry. I just read this to myself, and I did not explain that very well. Probably could've described it better, I've probably confused you now..

 

Whenever +1 assigns a load that is NOT the agreed time I immediately send a freeform message to my DM noting that the time is not agreed. After that I've never done a Mac22. The +1 is simply a "push" to motivate you to go faster, ie. "Gee, you could really deliver the load this fast".

As noted above the +1 and indeed many of the times are computer generated and have no bearing in the world of reality. That's why whenever I get a load offer I'll call my DM to ask what the shipping windows really are, and he'll be up front. Often there's a 05:00 deadline noted, but the actual window extends all day until midnight.

Rule of thumb, talk to your DM and ask about the shipping windows. It can make a difference how you plan your run. For example, the load offer may say deliver by 21:00, but that would mean arriving for delivery with almost no hours left on your clock... a panic situation. The actual window may extend through the next morning, then you can get close, take a 10, then deliver with a fresh clock and be ready for another shipment.

I haven't let +1 push me around, I just work with the DM to find out about the reality. I've used "fudge factor" many a time when I was a shipper, so it's not an unusual concept.

When I say I don't let it push me around, I mean that I work my butt off to make the best delivery time possible within safety and getting plenty of rest. I'm averaging about 2500 miles per week, with my best week a tad over 3000. Shortfall weeks were the result of a bevy of short hauls.

 

but with the shorthauls you can still make up the difference in losing miles

I dont let it dictate completely either, if there is no room for slack I wont take it, sometimes I will call before ever even putting my own time in

 

I'm in the middle of a long haul right now, actually the longest I've received since going solo, about 1900 miles from Woodland, CA to Illinois. When I received the load offer it had a pick up appointment, but was undetermined regarding the delivery. I accepted, then when I put in my loaded call it gave an automated response that I needed to file a Mac 22 for being late.... huh?

I called the weekend DM team and they said I should drive 1900 miles in 3 days... which isn't happening. It's a computer generated scenario, so the routine was I should do a Mac 22 to give my ETA so the computer system could create a message that the CSR (customer service rep) could address with the customer. Today I received a QC message giving me a generous delivery window that I can make easily. Meanwhile I won't be resting on my laurels, rather I'll deliver asap so that I'll have maximum time left after delivery to pick up another load.

By the way, I was headed eastbound at daybreak on I-80 going over Elk Mountain in Wyoming. It got a tad slippery going up that hill, but keeping a nice slow and steady pace it was fine.... everyone stay safe out there. Remember, "Mac-22 is your friend", if you can't keep a delivery schedule due to conditions then send that Mac-22 and send it as early as possible. That way CSR can keep the customer advised and planners can update your PTA to start planning your next load (and it seems I have another load offer before I make my current delivery almost half the time now).

 

yeah keep safe out there when its slippery!

I have not had a long load in awhile, longest load since solo was 1400 miles, a couple months ago they sent me a 1900 but then removed it before I could do anything. I was going to decline it anyway since I was supposed to be getting home in 4 days and was in oregon at the time.

 

Ive been running a loop....york pa to orlando fla back ro georgia then to Laredo back to york...love those vans in Laredo there bringing up from mexico..nice and light.lol