Swift ordered to pay owner-operator $2.6 million after trailer squashed his foot

Actually we do get paid to bring trailers to shop. Or at least I do. But if I didn't get paid, I understand your point.

 

nameless one can you tell us how you get paid? is it a per incident pay? or do you get paid milage for bringing it in from, say, a shipper/receiver if its unsafe? From my 1.5 yr with swift we were not paid for anything for bringing in a trailer. Thanks!

 

I think what happens is driver pull the handle out and force a big bend in it to hold it out while they slide the tandems because they don't know or maybe left their vice grips on the last trailer they dropped.

Newer trailers are equpped with air release tandem slides, just pull a little button out and the air retracts the pins. Push in your red trailer brakes and they pins push back out automatically.

 

If you have any repairs done on their trailer they reimburse (I think) 18.00 an hour. All I do do is message my DM with the time spent. For example, blown tire get paid hourly while waiting for on road. Now it may be wiser to take to a shop rather than wait, but Swift will reimburse for time.

Also if repair for trailer lights or anything like that, go to a TA in route, call onroad for repairs, then message DM for trailer repair pay.

Been here six years and never once have they not paid for my time to get their trailer fix.

FYI. If your on your restart and something isn't right on trailer and your at a TA, call onroad, get it fixed and get paid for it. Free money!

 

Nameless...are you Company or O/O??

 

L/O. Do company drivers not get reimbursed?

 

I'm a Company Beech and I have never been paid or reimbursed for time etc for those activities...and believe me, I've asked!!

Straight mileage, just like a trip. When you throw in the "wild card" HHG zip scam they use to screw you it gets worse.

For instance, in Houston for locations inside the 610 Loop there are only a couple zip codes but the area they cover is HUGE.

I've been at the terminal and told to get my empty at the Home Depot DC on the west side of the city. It's about 27 miles one way plus the time bogged down in traffic. Because Swift hides behind HHG they only consider it ONE mile. So they only pay me 41 cents to do it.

I got to the point where I've flat refused to go there for a trailer a few times. I'm tired of working and driving for free.

Plus I've never been paid while waiting on OnRoad or getting trailers fixed and whatnot. Company drivers are just cheap free labor to be abused as they see fit in those circumstances. My truck was broke down in Lincoln NE for five hours last week. Wasn't paid for the miles to the dealer or the downtime that killed my 14 that day.

 

HousTank, I hear you. Swift has loopholes and loopholes for those loopholes to get paid. Maybe it is just the DM like blsquek said. Who knows?

 

The closest they ever offered for paying me to take their flat tire trailer into the terminal as it was less than 50 miles out, was 10 miles paid for the trouble even though it was like 44 miles one way.

I even did a drop load hook empty and park at the nearby truck stop and they blew up my qualcomm to bring the trailer down to the terminal for some other driver-- yea right. I should have replied back- $100 bucks and you got a deal.