Swift at it again

I am a trainer with transportation. TO all of you super truckers--we have approximately 18000 trucks on the road. If you company has 1000 trucks, it is natural that we would have 18 times more accidents. Swift's dot number is 54283. Pull the actual percentage of accidents and compare their numbers to any other mega or any other company for that matter. Keep in mind that Swift is one of the few companies that still has training schools for new drivers. Most companies wait until after students have 3 to 6 months experience before they will hire you. Common sense will tell you that most accidents happen within the first few months. I can agree that my company rushes our training somewhat as we are only allowed 200 hours to train a new student. This could be raised to 300 hours because it is hard to teach everything to a student in 4 weeks. What I don't understand about all you super truckers is you have forgotten what it was like to start as a new driver. I am willing to put my driving record against any of yours and I went to a Swift school.

 

How long have you been there ?

 

6 years; I started with Swift; I also know the numbers as I have friends at Landstar, Schneider, and a lot of other companies. I have seen their numbers. I just pulled my friends numbers at Landstar for 2016 and he grossed 198,000 pulling flatbed so I dont need advice on what my company pays. If you want to help new drivers who are trying to understand the industry, post your numbers or give them good advice on how to make the industry work for them or what companies to go to match your numbers. Blowing your own horn does not help anyone as everyone has to start somewhere. I grossed 182,000 and ran more miles but I will make it work until I can do better; this is not a competition so keep the negative comments to yourself and try to help new drivers who are trying to learn this industry and take care of their families. I just left the truck stop last night listening to a guy who had 20 years trucking. HE made 43 cents per mile and his wife rode with him. Imagine that: 20 years and zero accidents or tickets and struggling to make $1200 per week. This is one of the horror stories that this industry has created. So when you comment to blow your own horn, how about posting something that can help our drivers new or experienced learn and at the same time take care of their families.

 

Directed to whom?

 

Message was directed at no one in particular but at any experienced driver who forgot where they started at. The problem is most experienced drivers have forgotten what it was like when they first went solo. To cat spd, I am not taking up for Swift, but if you want to compare companies, go to the fmsca and compare similar type companies that employ 21,000 drivers and trains newbies.

 

I was also a trainer at Swift. I agree the training standards need to improve. My average trainee got in my truck with a grand total of 10 hours behind the wheel. I think the OOIDA request to increase BTW time in CDL school is spot on.

I also think that training companies like Swift should be required to TRAIN their trainers HOW to train. To become a trainer is a two day orientation with very little work on HOW TO TEACH.

That said, I am currently an owner/operator running to the oil patch. Rolling average for 12 months is in the neighborhood of 100K miles (including an average of 28% deadhead) and averaging $238K to the truck. So while I feel good in comparison to how other O/O's are doing, I think that I can improve.

I do credit my two years at Swift with giving me the opportunity to be where I am today.

 

I agree. Many of the so called trainers that I have met when working for various trucking companies were not actual trainers. Only one that I had that was worth his salt was at Central Maine Transport. The others were to toss you the keys and lets go turn miles. Or "here, I will do the written test for you so you can pass". Many improprieties, many things that should have been done and were ignored.

So I am not surprised by what is seen on these videos.

 

Thank u Lepton1. Most of the drivers on here have come thru Swift or other megas but all of a sudden pretend they were born behind the wheel. I met two drivers yesterday in New Mexico. One had twenty years experience and a perfect record and was making 43 cents while being 1099 ed. An Oakley driver suggested that he come to Oakley where he could make 65 cents for regular tanker loads and 75 cents for hazmat. The other driver had his own truck and trailer and was pulling a load from New jersey to the southwest for about 1.10 per mile. I asked him if he had sirius radio and suggested he listen to Kevin Rutherford to learn more about the industry. Both of these drivers were hard working men trying to take care of their families. They only were suffering from a lack of knowledge of the industry. It is hard to see. Maybe Uber and the new program which Kevin Rutherford is starting will help the industry. For those who criticize the megas, how many of you have been in a truck stop beating your chest bragging instead of passing on this web site to new drivers or passing on Kevin Rutherford's show. Both are best kept secrets that new drivers have to stumble upon. I train all of my students to set up their DBA and open a business checking account to prepare for buying a truck. I also have them listen to KR and have not had one yet who was not impressed with his knowledge. What is the use of having the knowledge and not passing it on. That is the problem with this industry--those who make it to the top take the ladder up with them and make newbies learn the hard way.

 

@easy roller, I can understand your frustration. It's hard to work for an outfit, particularly if you are enjoying what you are doing and making money, that everybody seems to "pick" on.
But Swift is such an easy target. Just like several other megas. I'm guessing you guys catch more crap, just because there are more of you. I am certainly not above taking a "cheap shot," when it is presented.
Hope you don't take all this personally. I sort of think from reading your posts, that you are actually trying to make a difference and bring new people up to a professional level. Unfortunately you are fighting an up hill battle. I can't help but believe that the "powers that be," could actually do something about their driver turnover, driver training, trainer training, and overall professionalism. If they wanted to. But it seems as if they are making enough money that they really don't give a crap.
It seems that this is the way of almost any big company, in any field today. Sad.