SWIFT, CRST, SUPER SERVICE, JB HUNT.. my experience with

I do have complaints about these companies but I'd also like to be a little different and do the pro's and con's on each, so if anyone was to decide to try one of these companies, you at least know what to expect. But, these are from my experience with. You may have worse or better experiences with them. Ok, here we go...

SWIFT: Pro's: A good start up company to work for and a good quick way to get a CDL class A. Also does coast to coast freight and even as a newby you will get around and see the country, many companies save these loads for drivers they're buddies with and send you to NY and NJ each week. Con's: You will be treated like a number. Their shops and technicians suck, they fired 95% of the experienced one's and now hire no experienced out of training schools = truck prob's stay prob's. Slow trucks 64mph average, but mostly nice looking. Opti-idle installed and sucks.

CRST Premeire INDI (solo): Pro's: Not a highly rated company by drivers, like swift, but very small. 150 drivers a year ago, so easier to get to know the people and if you work hard and ontime they will give you a new truck before long. Cons: Mostly broker loads because they don't share the same customers as their mother co CRST Expedited (teams). You will deal with their dispatcher AND the broker agent most loads. Home time was bad and maybe related to trouble with lack of customers base. 65mph trucks.

SUPER SERVICE (aka Gainey): Pro's: Nice trucks and I do like red. They go fast, 68-72mph depending on your idle percentage. I think that's it. Con's: The worst dispatchers I've ever dealt with. Rude and straight up irritating. All loads are JIT's and they often send you to pickup already late but expect you to make the original JIT appointment or it's your fault. They are also a huge pain in the butt to join, verifying 10 years history and actually check all of it. You'd assume because they are so great. Not the case at all. Most loads are max weight or over weight. They will send you to NJ and northeast alot. Ther pay is the lowest. I think worst company of the list. They also treated me badly when I hurt my calf and I wasn't even filing worker's comp and only missed 12 days work. My last check they held for a few missing logs and didn't even bother to tell me. I had to hound them.

J.B.Hunt: On this one I'm still new to the company, so for all fairness I'm not going to make any judgement against or in their defense except what I have dealt with so far. For starters, they pay higher than most companies. Alot more than many. I've gone straight into a dedicated position (i recommend), that in my opinion is the best possible move. It's the Home Depot account. Mon-Fri, off entire weekend, paid over $.40/mile and $4 every 15 minutes at each HD location. Day cab and go home daily. Paid $160 for the 6 major holidays.

Last note: One repeated thing I read on this site is only the bad. There also good things. And just because you ONLY hear bad about any specific company means very little when you consider that most coming here are only here to ##### and complain. I was motivated to write this mainly because, for one.. many are one sided on here, and two.. if I continued listening to the "whiner and complainer drivers", I wouldn't have the good job I now have and happy with!

Good luck new drivers with your search for a company you are happy with. Don't take everyone's complaining as fact, it's only their opinon and experiences. Many drivers leave out the fact that they cause alot of their own problems with negative attitudes and laziness. But I do second the fact that there are many problems with many companies, but each do have different pro's and con's that suit different people better than others. Drive on!

 

I didn't say "most" drivers are lazy. Just as you quoted me, I said "many". I do know from experience that companies will lead drivers to be negative, but, some people are negative by nature. It wouldn't matter how well they were treated, they'd still find something to complain about. When I talk to other drivers at truck stops, it's at least 75% complaining or at least jokingly complaining about their company or companies in general. I would like to stress that many are not cut out for the life on the road in the 1st place and those that are, know, intellectually honestly, that it's a tough demanding job. Also keep in mind that most, if not all OTR drivers are making alot more money than the dispatchers they deal with and expect so much from. My main point is there's the driver's side of the story, as well as the company's and the real story. I know doing a good job and being ontime I'm treated alot better than the driver that shows up late and then comes here to complain about left sitting waiting on a load.

 

I just started this thread and now reading the responses to what I had to say. Well, so far, I've been taken out of context and now what sounds like a possible accusation of being an alias for someone named Craig. Not for sure if that's the case. You are from Arkansas (HQ of JB) and speak of openings in a context as if you work for JB. So, overall that last message is trully confusing.

I'm not here to tell everyone to go work for JB Hunt. Only want to stress the fact that I'm happy with my decision to work for JB with the position I've gone after. Considering long and hard because all of the negative information I read on this site downing JB. Everyone should be weary of most companies, if not all, but to take everyone's opinion (mostly negative regardless of the company) with a grain of salt. Obviously larger companies are going to get more flack than smaller ones by the amount of drivers they deal with. All I know is I'm happy with them so far and others may not be happy under the same circumstances.

Keep in mind you won't find many drivers praising a company under the heading "report a bad trucking company here" under the title "good and bad trucking companies" where there isn't a string for "report a good trucking company here". Just want newer drivers to know that any company they hear nonstop negativity about, have happy drivers also. I notice most anti JB Hunt posts I've read are people who haven't even worked for the company, but condemn.

Not only did I postpone my move, but almost didn't do so at all, because of the negative remarks I read on sites such as this. Good luck people!