My journy with swift trans.

I started my career with swift back on april 1 2011, And it has been really nice here to be honest and here is my story.

I was Wrongfully terminated from my previous trucking company due to another driver wanting to have a relationship with me and when i said no things got ugly there.
After this happened i packed my bags and moved from ohio down to Flordia to work for swift and be close to my family, Even tho i had 2 months of OTR experiance at this time i was requierd to go back thorugh training with SWIFT which i reluctantly agreed to. i met my new trainer 3 days after finishing orintation and we just hit things off he taught me so many things i did not know about trucking it is not even funny. Luckly both me and him got along really well even tho i was a thorn in his side at times haha!

As training drew closer i realized tho that i was not much for OTR driving and i wanted to be home more if not alot so i talked to my trainer about it and he got me hooked up with a dedicated dollar tree out of Olive Branch MS which got me home atleast once a day wether monring or Day and weekends off. This was a dream come true for a wet behind the ears driver like i was. Of corse it wasent easy to do the job as it was a driver unload and the stores are VERY VERY VERYYYYYY tight to get into and around and 90% of them do not have docks. i did this from June of 2011 to jan of 2012 at which point even tho i was happy with the job i was very tierd of being in the back of trailers working super hard in extreme heat of New orleans or the extreme cold of missouri in the winter and i needed something else.

Luckly i still remeber my orginal training cord. back in Ocala FL and shot her a message seeing if there were any opertunitys in flordia going on. She got back to me a few hours later they had Wal-Mart Accounts down here and were looking for drivers so later that day i got ahold of a DC looking for drivers in Southern flordia, i asked if they were hiring drivers they said yes how soon can you get here! i said 2 weeks and a week and a half later i was here in Flordia i have now been running this account for a year and a half. I even became a mentor for a short period of time and man do they put up with alot from students and dispatch to get things done, word of advice be nice to your trainer if they are nice to you they are there to help you learn and be safe. but since ive been on this account i have been getting home every day with 2 days off a week with no intentions of leaving or quiting and possibly i may be becoming a driver leader soon heres hopping lol!

As for my thoughts on swift, They really are a good company if you know where to look and what to do. things not to do at this company to be honest and fair
1. The miles are payed based on zipcode to zipcode this is how it is done Honestly dont like it there is not much you can do but leave so i try not to think about it or do loads in my favor mainly heading south insted of north since the DC i work out of is at the very southern edge of the zip code for the area.
2. Dont complain to your driver manager about really dumb things like guys ive been at this shipper for 30 mins and they are not loading me. Remeber as a truck driver you are your own boss handle your issues with the people causing them polity and with respect.
3. Stick with it ask questions and get to know people it will help you to go far i have been with this company for only 2 years now and im looking at .38cpm and a day job because i never complained about what i did.
4. this is a biggy ALAWYS be on time if you can not make it there at the del time DO NOT ACCEPT THE LOAD 100% on time drivers are the people they look to for loads not someone who takes 2 days to go 500 miles
5. Never say no to a load that you can resonably do, I know this contradicts what i said in the last rule but seriously if you pick up Tommarow monring and your only going 450 miles with a delivery the next morning around noon you can do this load.

Since i have been with swift i have been a goto person and it has served me very well and can do the same for you!

Alexia

 

If anyone has any questions at all ask them here i will check back to reply to them with a honest answer based on my experience at this company. but before anyone asks no i did not go through the swift academy i went through third party

 

Danieall, I would suggest you take everything your going to need for the road with you atleast a weeks worth of clothing is a good idea and a sleeping bag/pillow.
Make sure to bring atleast 1-2 pairs of warmer clothing because you do not know if you are going to be with a OTR mentor or a Dedicated mentor who only runs in the south. As far are Orintation goes i would make sure to become friends with the student coordinator because when you are done they can really help guide you to the people to talk to for dedicated.

Same goes with your trainer if possible grit your teeth and bare it unless it is to much to deal with some people just can never get along do not be afraid to ask for a new mentor. but if you can get a god mentor they are also really good for getting dedicated runs if thats what you want if you do well just make sure to do every thing they tell you to do as long as it is safe, if they tell you to stop you stop as soon as it is safe to do so.

One last big thing do NOT let your mentor just use you as a check make sure you ask anything you may have a question about so you can be safe when you go solo! and above all just have fun!

Alexia