Swift Sucks

Didn't know we had a truck financing advisor on this site, almost like Merrill Lynch. LOL

 

apparently not

 

I worked for a Swift O/O for 4 yrs and saw all the bad at Swift! I was somewhat shielded by my DM and being an O/O, but saw all the crap that the co. drivers had to put up with. They push their drivers around, treat them as dumb, and manhandle them to get what they want! Since it is a school co. they have plenty of newbie CDL's to abuse and grind thru. My biggest problem with them is that they destroy the attitudes of new drivers, and many get out of the trucking industry---80%?? Too bad 'we' cant boycott them and let them demise----feel sorry for their drivers tho.
Best I can tell you, is get trained, get some experience (some co.s only require 4-6 mos. min with clean record), and use them to 'springboard' to a better co./job. Your time there will make you appreciate any other good trucking co.!!

 

Well apparently so since your original post was neither deleted or edited. Mack was simply giving his OPINION on your statements. Which by the way I thought was very distasteful on your part. The number of posts has no bearing on the quality of advise or the knowledge level a person has. A person can have 2,000 posts and say nothing beneficial or interesting.

 

I think he was subtly stating the other fellow is a bit of a know it all. And what's this stuff about an unbiased opinion? What planet are you from? Unbiased opinion! Boy I've heard it all!

 

Points well made. I value Mack's (and your) opinions and apologize if mine were "distasteful" to you or him (which they obviously were.) Bad Weggie!!!Bad!!!

Anyway, one of my goals is to get to 2000 posts, and hope that one of them is "beneficial or interesting." What do you think are my chances?

 

I take this to be the gospel truth!
We have a terminal in Gary and I have seen multiple cars do this. Our first day of orientation, our trainers warned us about this, and I have had it happen to me several times already (the car darting out that is).
If you really didn't get the training you needed, I can see where this might surprise you. Trainers should be just that.....trainers.
They should teach you to expect stupid stuff like this as well as a ton of other crap you can expect to see outside of trucking school. Unfortunately, many don't and things like this happen.

 

Get a look at your DAC. And be sure to dispute the claim.

Keep a copy of the Police report....include the report numbers with your report (DAC)

You'll need to look at smaller outfits for awhile. You can find a job. Keep looking if this is what you truly want to do. Stay away from the big "nationally" recognized carriers for awhile.

 

Just for future trainee's that may read this. Trainee's report to a department called Driver Services. If you ever have a problem with your mentor, go to your driver services and request a new mentor asap, and state why. Do not change because he/she makes you back up, tells you what to do, etc.. that is their job. If they are not telling you these things, report it asap, mentors are evaluated on this information, along with things like amount of trainee's that have accidents once solo.

One accident will generally not get you terminated unless you rolled over, or pulled a uturn on the interstate, or had a major rear end. The type of accident like those are the big no no's that can earn termination, usually within 7 days. Safety often recommends termination after 3rd accident within a year, and sometimes after 2 if they are close together. That would be for preventable accidents of course. Other factors play a role also, like log violations, citations, road reports that can lead to termination quicker.

I gaurantee 1 preventable/non preventable accident did not lead to his termination, this not the full story here. (A police report does not dictate if its preventable or non, its the ATA rules that does). How many log violations did you have, what other accidents did you have. Remember an accident is anything that causes damages, it doesnt have to be vehicle related. Topping a trailer, backing over your neighbors lawn, backing into a pallet of your customers product etc.. Not knowing what else is on your record, I can guess the following just looking at this one accident you have talked about. It was probably determined to be preventable, and that would be on your dac. Now a company looking at you has to ask themselves what the likelyhood of another accident will be with you. Accidents cost money, busting a trailer door on your trailer may not seem like a big deal, but it costs money you don't pay, and yes another company will really look at that also. You will find another job, maybe not with a small carrier since most of their insurance companies require so much experience first, but you will.

Wes