Swift Drivers if you do not work for Swift do not respond

Hey otter, I agree with you on this, I love this forum. I think Mike was referring more to the people that post on several different forums with the same stories each time, the people that sit at truck stops all day and complain about miles, and the people that have worked for 2 or 3 different starter companies in their first year expecting different results when it's them that need to change. I don't know anything, I'm not a trucker yet and I have to take my lumps, but I realize that and I'm expecting it. I am grateful for the helpful people on here that can help us newbs from making some of the mistakes they have but I prefer to come here for advice and laughs not a complain session. It's depressing and I like to keep negativity away. Thanks again otter, I appreciate the insight.

 

I told all of my students at some point in their "training period".....it usually came up when another truck with company advertising on the trailer doors passed us.....they would ask why Swift was only paying 21-25 cpm, why stay with Swift when they could go with (as example,) Crete and get 40 cpm?

You need to do some personal analysis....do you want to have plenty of time at the truck stops BS'ing or do you want to drive? If you look at the miles stats of these "higher pay" companies...yet they only require 6-8 months of experience....generally the "higher cpm" company will only average 2300-2500 miles per week, Swift on the other hand will average 2800-3100.....personally, I preferred to be driving, not sitting and spending money at the truck stops waiting for the next load.

Swift has a big volume of freight and the need to keep trucks moving....even when the freight is slow...Swift will "cycle the trucks"....move hundreds of trucks empty 400-500 miles.....this keeps the driver a bit more at ease knowing they aren't sitting somewhere days on end feeling they have been forgotten.

I have (during the past couple winters especially) seen better than 20 Knight and May trucks (each company with 20) parked at the Pilot in Tumwater, WA.....for 5 or more days.....(I ran a load up and back and back up to Tacoma for example).....Swift will keep the fleet at least moving. A new driver needs to know what he/she wants to be doing, and drive for the company that meets his/her needs.

 

Walmart? $$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'll second THAT! The academy instructor were all first rate!

 

Who else would Swift drivers work for?

 

Only you would spot that one LNF! Only you!!!

 

There are benefits to being the big dog in the yard.

 

It seems like an effective way to deal with one of their problems. According to Kris, their recruiter in Columbus, Ohio, Swift's biggest problem is communication with their drivers is not as good as they would like it to be. With 16,000+ drivers and the DM's having 60+ drivers at a time, they can "lose" you pretty easily, especially if you are OTR and on a 3-day leg to somewhere, unless and until you become a "known" commodity to yours.

 

You never know who's reading, do you...