Prime example of why Swift Drivers have the reputation they do!

Hey JohnnyNC, here is a rundown of my experience with Swift. I got my CDL after 911 and the econonmy was in the tank. I thought it would be fun as I have been biker since I could hold up that mini bike I had as a kid. Didn't take long to figure out that the "brotherhood or comradrie" I found in the biker world doesn't and probably never will exist in the trucker world. It is cut-throat and for the most part pretty sleazy. The driver who said get used to it is correct. I did my time at Swift which was about 2.5 years. I can't say anything bad about Swift...BUT...I attribute that to having a very good DM who had been with the company for many years and a really cool terminal manager. I also kept a positive attitude, took the crappy loads nobody else would take, which always led to great loads. The other thing I learned was to keep my radio OFF and not listen to all the BS. XM was my best friend. Then came the Ipod. I made pretty good money and yes, I became a "mentor/trainer" primarily because of the money. I don't think I would have done it had I not felt I could at the very least help a noob understand some essentials. I was amazed at how many guys had no idea of what the numbering schemes, shapes and colors of signs meant. I pissed off more than a few students with questions like what did that last sign say or what was the last mile marker or making them perform backing exercises in the yard. I hope that in some way, it helped some of those guys at least be aware and think in a pro-active manner. I left Swift and went to work for a smaller company who didn't use QC and my truck was not governed. The differences were great. I got my load info over the phone, checked in once a day and was home every weekend I wanted to be there. For me, not being micro-managed via a QC was the biggest relief. I worked for that company a couple of years, then got out of the biz because it just wasn't fun anymore. Found that having a truck that hauled ### didn't really change much at all. Truth is I usually ended up seeing a lot of the same trucks I passed at the end of the day.
So now the "chosen one" is in office, the economy stinks and I am going back on the road. Which company am I going back to? Swift. I will be going back to the terminal where I was before because I have good friends there and know they will make life as good as it can possibly be under the circumstances. I am glad I didn't burn that bridge and will have a job so I can hold on to my scoot and other toys that I enjoy.
I look at my experience with Swift like I do my military service. I could come up with a list of crap I hated, but when I sit around and talk to other truckers when I am on a road trip to a rally and pull over to take a break, I laugh about all the funny things or good people I met while trucking. I guess it's just an attitude. So I will do my time, pay my bills then go back into the IT field when the economy turns around. I wish you the best and don't let anybody jerk your chain and get you upset. Stress and fatigue are usually contributing factors in those rollovers.

 

Thanks for the POSITIVE view. I have found it very interesting to read all of the disgruntled employees. The way I see it, there are always that "hand full of people" that can't be pleased, don't tell the whole truth or just simply got fired. So, with that being said, it's refreshing to read a POSITIVE OUTLOOK for every 30 NEGATIVE POSTS.

 

Hay don't worry be happy and don't let other change your mind I'm on my six weeks of training and its great been allover the place and learn a lot about trucking I even been to IA 80 truckstop thats that big truck stop in Iowa pretty cool place.

 

agree 100% ragtop had to start out there 6 years ago cause tickets before i decided to pull my head out. anyway drove for them for 5 months its all i could take the trainer was a complete idiot. i grew up on farm so i could allready drive just not on record. the trainer i had couldnt back up for crap and would do the same arrogant crap that you witnessed. then they stuck with a trainee that couldnt drive for crap so they basicly train there drivers to be an idiot its unfreakin believable

 

Originally Posted by jbennett74857
Thanks for the POSITIVE view. I have found it very interesting to read all of the disgruntled employees. The way I see it, there are always that "hand full of people" that can't be pleased, don't tell the whole truth or just simply got fired. So, with that being said, it's refreshing to read a POSITIVE OUTLOOK for every 30 NEGATIVE POSTS.

Hand full of people.....

 

Please tell me about Swift from your point of view.
Thanks!

 

like any job you have to make your own opinion, me i think swift is a great company to get started with, you will not make alot starting out but that is any job, swift offers the best options from my research for people wanting to get in this field, they are very strict about safety and procedure, if you hit somthing backing or a fixed object, your done, to many road reports of unsafe driving, your done, which is crap because all these guys that bash swift call in on the road hotline just for giggles but what they dont relize is it is costing people jobs, but anyway swift is a good company to to go to, more oppurtunity for newb's.

 

The quota has slipped to 30/1 negative to positive? WE HAVE WORK TO DO PEOPLE. Don't let her fade away......................

 

I don't know why you say that and people like you are the ones that give a company a bad rap. Come back when you get your own opinion about a company. It don't look like you have any time with any company. I'm with Swift and they have been good to me.

 

is that a swift driver in the runaway truck ramp down wolf creek pass? nope, it's an o/o peterbuilt driver!

at that time, i was the swifty going down that grade. at the time, there were patches of ice down it. in my opinion, vale pass has nothing on wolf creek pass.