Hello Swifties! I am almost 1 yr.and have had my share of problems partly due to inexperience and complacency.I have had 2 service failures and 2 minor trl backing accidents(dented door,broken hinges) also just got level 2 inspection had oos for a chafed hose(which I replaced immediately,and had dot officer sign of within an hour)and an overweight ticket(in a hurry and adjusted the trl the wrong way).I know,I know! I should have rescaled.I have learned not to hurry and rush things(swift is not impressed with that sort of thing)I like this job.Also on the flip side I am no problem for my dm,I am always pleasant with shippers,recievers and other swift personell,take responsibility for my actions and have been averaging 2200-2300 miles.So was this just a rough first year or am I on the edge.Oh,also other than log violations I have not been counseled for anything,and did their retraining for the accidents.I don't hear anything from my dm (good or bad,except sf and accidents) any input would be helpful.Thanks guys and gals!
wow man..where I work you would been sent packing...Everyone makes mistakes but now there's 500 people standing behind you to take you're job if you mess up.Good luck out there...
I just went through orientation with Swift so the only information I can offer is what we were told there. From what you said it sound like you are on the edge. We were told that three accidents is the breaking point, so one more and you are probably done. I know that they don't look too kindly on service failures either so I am sure that doesn't help. I hope you have learned from theses incidents. As I am sure you are aware, complacency and being in a hurry can get people killed in this industry. I don't mean to beat you up over it but I will not sugar coat it either. Like I said, I am fresh out of orientation with no on the road experience, however I think you need to be a bit more careful and pay closer attention to what you are doing. Straighten up and you may be OK. Just be safe out there. Yonder
Hello to all that read this. I'm 25 going to be starting the Swift driving academy in Memphis in mid March. I am new to the trucking business. I have heard good things and bad things about Swift. I was just looking to clarify somethings....Would be great if someone could shoot me a message....I will be going back to the Ocala terminal after Memphis.... Was wondering how they are with getting you back home for your time off the road... How they were with paying you for miles and just some things a new driver should know.... How's training, what supplies will I need to purchase when I am given a truck... What kind of trucks do the new hires get. and anything else that I need to know good or bad haha before I arrive in Memphis...
If I were you, Id find another driving job with another company and restart your preventable accident clock. One more preventable with Swift no matter how minor will prematurely end your driving career. I know that I have seen that happen countless times. Nevertheless, at least you didnt lose your job within the first 3 to 6 months like the vast overwhelming number of drivers and get stuck at the same time with the bill for your training even without a driving career. In any event, now that you have a year under your belt, it shouldnt be too hard to find another job.
For the original poster, hate to tell you this but CSA2010 is not going to be good for you, from what I've heard from my safety dept. CSA will take your record 3 years back when they fire up later this year, so in my opinion I wouldn't take the "little" things as lightly as you are, I don't want to sound like a jerk here, and believe me we all make mistakes as miniscule as yours, but this CSA is going to hurt a lot of people, especially people like you with all those minor mistakes, but all those mistakes will hit you hard when this gets going in a few months.
From my short stint with Swift I can answer a couple of your questions.As for getting you home that will be up to your DM,and they just take their good old time about getiing you home.I had no problems with pay.As for a truck you will be assigned whatever is sitting in the yard,coukld be a newer one orv an old piece of crap.As for pay per mile when I was there they were still paying on the old Household Movers Guide,which they probably still do.They have two pay areas,one is east of the Missippi,the other is west of the river.The west pay scale is lower than the east pay scale.If you are an eastern driver and pick up a load going across the Mississippi They pay you the western rate for the entire trip,which sucks.I stuck with them for four months then told them what they could do with my truck.Never looked back.In my estimation Swift is bottom of the barrel.
Dance with the one what brung ya.....at least for now! My understanding of CSA 2010 leads me to believe that you'll play hell getting on with any other carrier. If Swift will keep you, stay put if you want to continue driving. PSP will be the new "make or break" for carriers as they look at new hires. No company out there that does any kind of screening will be likely to take you on. Let your record "self-heal" over the next 3 years.
I think we all make mistakes at first. I have trouble believing anyone who claims to have made it through their first year with no goof-ups at all. You have made more mistakes than most, though. Just learn from them. You are still employed by Swift, which means they see potential for you to be better. The next year is your chance to prove it. I made my fair share of booboos, too, but they stuck with me and I made it through 2009 completely clean. No accidents, no service failures, no calling onroad for a tow truck. I was (am) quite proud, even though it seems like a small accomplishment compared to a driver with a million miles or more accident free. Mistakes are fine, as long as you don't make the same mistake again and again.
