Random LTL Rants (all are welcomed)

Dispatcher....

Just smart enough to ruin your day and just dumb enough to think they improved it.

 

It’s owned by a little company called Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings. Swift has been working to build out a nationwide LTL company, and from an outsider point of view, it seems to be working.

I have a friend who left FxF around the same time I did, who ended up at Midwest Motor Express (part of the AAA Cooper network). He likes it a lot more than FedEx, says he doesn’t feel like he’s under a microscope as much. Which is notable because I’m pretty sure they have driver facing cameras.

His main complaint is the condition of the equipment, particularly the AAA Cooper pups and dollys. MME as a standalone company used to run long vans only (or rocky sets where allowed), and they were much better maintained. I would expect that to be something that will be addressed with new equipment purchases, since Swift has been committed to throwing money around to build out their vision.

 

When I run extra on the weekends I ask dispatch what's available and then choose what I want to do. If I'm running on my day off it's going to be a direction and miles I want to do.

 

And they actually follow through with what they offered??

One of the last weekend runs I did for FxF they called and offered me a few choices, I picked one that was 90 miles away and a double turn pulling triples. Not a lot of miles but big money in drop/hook pay for triples. I showed up and grabbed my paperwork to see it was actually just two rail vans going down and bobtailing back…lost out on nearly $200 in drop and hook pay that I was expecting for the day.

 

They should all be under AAA Cooper policies and naming now. Not sure about tractors but I can tell you Swift is buying a ton of Trailers the past 2 years for the LTL side from Great Dane so trying to improve in that area. They are one merger away from being a nationwide network