Is swift a good company?

For Newbies only.. I hear their pay sucks and they do not push you over 2400 miles a week. Also, your trainer will have maybe 6 month driving experience. Can you learn from a rookie? Good luck.

 

This isn't 100% true. My trainer had been driving for years and taught many rookies. The pay will vary depending on many variables: location, driver motivation, availability of freight and etc. I started when the economy tanked back in 2008-09. It took 3/4 of year before I saw more than 2000 miles a week steadily. My perseverance paid off when I was transferred to the shuttle service running out from Kingman, KS. From that point forward, I saw about 2700 miles weekly and home every night with 2 day weekends.

The experience will be on an individual basis. No 2 drivers will experience the same out-come, no matter what carrier they are working for. Although Swift may not have the best pay scale out there, they are not the worst to drive for. Keeping an open line of communication with your DM will earn more stars than anything as will being on-time 100% of the time.

To John310, maybe you should get your facts straight before making a fool of yourself for the whole Internet to see.

 

people automatically assume the worst because of the name swift yet there are some decent swift drivers and long term ones, a few idiots yes but most companies have their idiots....

my trainer has been driving for 8 yrs before training me and he was training for about 6 of that, you also cannot become a trainer at only 6 months...

 

I averaged just shy of 2500 miles per week for my first 6 months, but that was during peak season.

 

otr my weeks varied, right now being dedicated I get an average of 2600 even as it has slowed down a lot but the pay is much higher, I do know there are a lot of drivers that are fighting for loads but its just that time of the year.

 

2500, 2600, 2700 miles a week? If the company cared about you as a driver and not a number, you would be getting more miles, better pay and an owner who really cared about your career as a driver instead of how much money he is making off of newbie drivers.

I have also seen a lot of Swift drivers who cannot even back a truck up, let alone doing it properly. And I have tried to teach a few some pointers when backing.

I feel sorry for most of them because of the lack of knowledge that is given to them before they are "cut loose". That is either the trainers fault or the companies fault, with the ultimate blame being put on the company for failure to properly supervise the trainers.

 

Golly John, sounds great. By the way, what's your definition of adequate mileage per week for a driver, and how is that achieved in a 62 mph truck?

 

A few things about a 62 mph truck. 1) does it have the regen system on it? An exhaust filter? Then according to my friend (who happens to be a supervisor for Navistar engine R&D) the truck should be travelling at a minimum of 63 to 64 mph. Best fuel mileage is at 70 to 72 miph.

Can you get more miles out of a 62 mph truck? Definitely!! You can realistically get 2800 to 3200 miles a week. I drive a 75 mph truck (but do not speed for obvious reasons) and get 3100 to 3500 miles a week, at 51.5 cents per mile. Will I ever leave this company? If I find something better but that has not happened for 8 years now. There are 11 drivers in this company.

 

So you are a recruiter. What company?

 

The only Swift drivers I see who can't back up are students out with their mentors.

The typical "bad backers" I see usually drive for small companies.