Swift Transportation- for new drivers, and veterans too

If you are interested in trucking and trying to decide which company to go with, i can give you an honest evaluation of Swift:

-my experience is limited to the DFW area of TX
-I have been with Swift for over 13 years, 11 years as a trainer

If you're reading this, then you're a person that wants to do your research and not quickly go by what you hear from the big guy sitting outside with a negative attitude.
You will hear bad things about Swift and some of that is deserved. It used to be a horrible company where you power through your first year and get the hell out. I understand.

However, within the last seven years or so, the company has really turned around. Word of mouth hasn't really caught up to that and a lot of negative things you hear about the company is urban legend at this point and an easy rumor and reputation to spread around.


DFW. If you live in that area, than you're in luck. Swift has many dedicated accounts that can offer the best in trucking. Home time and $$

Wal-Mart in Cleburne
Target in Denton
Dollar Tree just north of the border in Marrietta,OK
JCP, Sears, Lowes, Hobby Lobby, Home Depot and many more in DFW

You will read about former drivers having pay issues, mileage issues, etc. The info that I can give you is completely based on my own experience, nothing else.
My first year with Swift in 2004, I did not make much money. Swift was not refunding my tolls, lumper expenses, etc. When I contacted payroll 8 months later, I found out why: I wasn't following procedure.
The payroll agent asked me simply, "did you read the payroll page in your driver manual?"
Nope. I went off what my trainer showed me and didn't check my pay stubs until now.
"Ok, well the procedure is short and simple. Just read that one page."

This is the point where most drivers will say, "Screw Swift, they stole my money, etc." or...I can be man enough to say, "True, I should have read that page."
Most people that come to truck driving are easily frustrated, want to stick up their middle finger, and move on.

From that point on, I followed procedure, monitored my pay, and it was pretty spot on. Keep in mind that most trucking companies route from the center zip code of cities to determine your miles. Swift does that too. Sometimes it's in your favor, sometimes it's not. Also, routing is determined by the shortest distance between these two zip codes. So...you will drive an average of 5%-10% more miles than you get paid for. Welcome to trucking- nature of the business.
There are some companies that pay 'practical miles' which actually compensate you for this. Just keep in mind that it all averages out. They may pay less or have less insurance...whatever.

Do not go owner-op. Do not get sucked in. If a big company has put money into a campaign pushing something like this, it's probably in their interest, not yours.
You will give up your insurance and bonuses...
Omg, the quarterly bonuses are awesome!
You will start at bronze and quickly move up to platinum. It goes by your safety and on time delivery. Pretty easy.

My upgraded students that are solo average $800+
My upgraded students that are mentor average $1800+

And that's every three months!!!!
I really look forward to my quarterly bonus, wow!

Go to the Swift academy in Corsicana. They do a dang good job there. The students that I get from there are very well-trained. It's not fancy...but no trucking school is. They will train you well there. Yah, you sign a 1 year contract but if you're in DFW, you will want to stay.

If you live in DFW, get with a mentor on a dedicated account. Push for it. The training won't be as easy as OTR but you will proving yourself from the first day forward and will have a good chance of landing a dedicated account immediately when you upgrade.

 

Yea, I agree. Urban legends can haunt a company.

 

How's that estimated $400 million payout for all the years of under paying drivers working for Jerry? And it wasn't insider trading or something, it was insider trading, and he bought his way out of that, and should have done jail time.
The bible says a slave cannot be greater than his master, so I am glad the leader of your firm is a criminal, and perhaps that is what many of the veteran drivers aspire to be as well.

 

Well at least he's not running for president......

 

13 years with Swift..... Like a dog content in chasing its tail Round And Round !

 

With 4.2 BILLION in net revenue last year, that 400 million was the cost of doing business...

 

So did you ever get your money back or you were just out of luck?
Zip code to zip code is a ripoff . You say sometimes it works for you and sometimes against. I think it's been proven it almost always works out for the company, and seldom for the driver.

 

Thanks. Quite interesting. Swift is one of the companies I'm considering. At the moment, even though they've offered to pay tuition for me, I intend to pay my own freight to have a bit more freedom. I experienced 'training contracts' as a pilot and didn't like the feeling.

What's your opinion of that idea?