Swift Beats Greatwide for the Walmart account

We have a new yard jockey at this DC. He waits until the last possible minute to pull trailers, despite that the trailers are loaded, sealed and ready three hours before. It's putting pressure on the stores and that pressure is reflecting on the treatment I receive from the stores.

 

I think he works at every dc now.. Trailers were out of the door when they were called out until about a year ago.. Now it is whenever he fills like getting around to it. That is the other thing that I was told happened in Florida a guy from a Swift target account came over on the start up and pulled a trailer out of the door with forklift and driver still in it.. As you know being on a wal mart account yourself this really makes wal mart mad.

 

We are not allowed to touch a trailer until it is pulled from the door by the yard jockey. Our issue has just started in the past week. I'm hoping it's just that the regular guy is on vacation.

It sounds to me like we need to bring some drivers in from other Walmart DCs who know how it's supposed to work until things smooth out. Obviously, relying on "surge" drivers and temps isn't working on the driver end of things. I don't particularly care for Florida either, but I would be willing to go down temporarily until more drivers are up to speed on procedure. Might make that suggestion from your end, World.

 

One of the yard drivers at a DC west of Houston had an attitude problem as well. I am 59 years old and have experienced a lot of things in my time, but I have never ever been spoken to the way that "gentleman" spoke to me, and I was doing as instructed by the lady at the receiving desk, waiting out of the way until the trailer was pulled out. While he was trying to rip me a new one, 2 other outside drivers were pulling their trailers out from the door. I don't think he works there anymore, last two times I have delivered there the apologies were still coming my way.

 

Geez, it sure does sound like a mess down there. I have been filling here in Moberly for one week now, and I have to say, as far as the loads, every day my load has been ready at least 3 hours early and pulled from the door, and I am on my way. Dispatch and planners, great, they are both ex swift drivers for many years, and worked the wal-mart accounts. the only problems that I have heard, and they are from the stores, and that is bringing in drivers that have no reefer exp what so ever, including not even knowing how to lift the bulkheads. Now that is Swift's fault. As of tomorrow, they are going to start to train drivers, quick crash course, like also about pulling the ##### tickets off the boxes. Boy, I hate that. After my trip, I have been asked to come back and run out of here. We even have one driver from the FL area, and after home time, comes right back up here to run, and one from PHX. I have been told that I will be staying at 2700/wk and avg about 18 stores per week. I can handle that. They tend to keep us O/O helping out on the long runs, 400-500 per day.

 

Is it true that swift has gotten the Walmart contract from greatwide at the opelika,al distribution

 

I am 99% sure they did.

 

We picked up Brundidge in Alabama, along with three in Florida. I have not heard any mention of Opelika. I don't think it was part of the bid.

 

I have heard rumors that they do have opelika but I also have heard some saying that swift isn't gonna get opelika,al nor the shelbyville,tn terminal

 

I am sure nearly everyone will agree with me when I say preventable mistakes will happen. I am making the reference to the forlift in the trailer incident at the Walmart DC. Someone correct me, but dont all Walmart DC's have lights (green and red) indicating when it is safe to pull away?? If so, that incident should not have happened.

I'd like to know how many GW drivers came on board and how many Swift has had to bring in.

KH