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

Like the original poster said, there are pros and cons to every company. The bigger the company the more you feel like 'just a number'. This really suprise you?? I am headed to Swift on August 13th. I am going because I need/want the training, but dont have the $4,000 - $5,000 just laying around to put myself thru a course at a community college. Once in a while, you get a truck that brakes down all the time. So you sit, till it gets fixed. If it runs, so what, as long as it is SAFE, run it, and earn a paycheck. If you feel it is NOT safe, park it. Would you rather not earn any money, or push your vehicle to the point of breaking, going 65 on the interstate, losing control and killing someone, maybe even yourself. If you do make it out of the wreck, you will be faced with paying A TON of money back to the families of the people you killed. All because you were worried your truck wouldn't get fixed.

Sometimes you must do what you dont want to do.

 

As someone who is going to Truck Driving Institute in 2 weeks, I thank you for sharing your Pro's and Con's about the companies you have been with. Your right. All i do here are bad things about many companies and not much of the good stuff about them. Every job is going to have its ups and downs and this makes my mind a little more comforted about trucking.

I had a bad taste in my mouth for months about getting into this line of work. I do love to drive and have wanted to drive a Big Rig for quite a few years but have been afraid to take what seems to be a very risky chance. I know there are people out there who have gotten screwed because most big companies no matter what business they are in are only worried about how much the guys at the top bring home everymonth.

So from someone who is starting thier trucking career pretty soon.

Thanks for the info. and this has given me an idea to post a thread asking people to list their pros and cons about their companies.

 

There, fixed it for ya. No, i'm not a grammar teacher, but i did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. LOL

But seriously, I am making sure i dont burn any bridges when I tell work "oh, i am going to truck driving school", cause if I find I can't cut it, I want to have a job ready for me when I return. Sucks too, because I like working the fuel desk at the truck stop for truckers. Kinda cool seeing the "behind the scenes" for truckers at truck stops.

Though I am headed to a "mill", I will do my best to learn the 'behind the scenes' there too. Like one poster said (in this thread or another) it might make you look like more than just a number if you really show interest in the different jobs the DM, TM and FM does to get your butt miles and a good paycheck. To assume you know what they are doing thousands of miles away (maybe), is just asking to get the short end of the mileage stick.

 

Ok this guy has been with 4 companies in 2 years. ok anyway.
Rebuttal on Swift. Argue with firing 95% of experienced drivers as I know there are plenty that have been her over 5 and some over 10. Most the 95% probably quit and I won't argue with those numbers, as I do not know for sure. Heck I have told them to fire me sometimes when I get mad and they don't. lol. Mostly happy with the company though, but the bad days you have with any carrier you have to just work through. If you have more bad days than good then of course leave.

 

....................I worked for them. If you'd like a full explanation - I'll be HAPPY to give it to you, and it isn't a pile of cow dung that is fumigating and putting off foul odors, either, my story, as well as probably THOUSANDS of others - is real.

 

2 JB HUNT facts I have heard.
1. While delivering a load a guy told me he was in Michigan 4 days small miles, and he was an over the road driver.
2. A guy with 18 years no accidents was fired when he had 1 minor accident after 18 years.
Most drivers over the years from JB Hunt that I have talked to have not averaged over 2500 miles a week.

 

Please give your whole story

 

Hey Snowman,
I'm heading to the PHX mill on the 13th.....

 

I'll be in Lewiston the exact same time. What will suck is the TWO DAYS it will take BY BUS to get to Idaho. Will be cool, cause that will be the farthest west i'd have been. I've been to Phoneix countless times, and glad i am in idaho. Heat there can be pretty bad. Though much more tolerable being in phoenix and 100 then Houston, TX being 100.

I've got my note pads, pens, maglite, rain poncho, work gloves...um....oh a pocket notebook incase i see or hear something on the range worth taking a note.

 

i agree with u on these companies, i had bad experinces with super service myself' however i did run toyota dedicated with super and really enjoyed it. but i just wanted to tell u not all drivers r lazy when they complain especially with heartland express. i never gotten home like they promised and was constantly given excuses why they couldnt get me home. i sign on as a regional driver and they were always keeping me out like a system driver and running me like a system. yet they paid me regional pay and cheated me out of $14,000. i complained about the home time once, thats when they started getting me home every weekend, but after 2 months they started back keeping me out like a system again. i did a excellent job for them all loads were delivered ontime and i couldnt be no more nicer to the customers but they still treated me like crap. i never complained about anything other than the hometime. if u r considering heartland, dont unless u want to be cheated and lied to