You get whatever your terminal has available. When I started with the Eden flatbed board, the only trucks they had to offer were an FLD which reeked of piss, and an International 9200 with a 58" midroof sleeper (I think it was originally a Merit truck). I took the International. Yeah, it was a little cramped, but it had the most important aspect of any truck on the road - roadworthiness. I made the same pay in that truck as I would if I'd gotten a brand new Columbia. It's natural to want a nicer truck, but don't get hung up on it. I can remember people I knew in Swift who'd go drive for owner/ops or lease ops. They'd give up their company benefits, and they didn't gain any pay by doing it - their only incentive was that they could drive 5 MPH faster in a (usually) blue truck which had a CD player. And they'd get a Columbia instead of an FLD (not really a selling point, IMO). If you get a truck which runs and does what you need it to do, that's the important thing, right there.
Look for one that's greasy side down. Seriously, the Volvo's are nice but electronic heavy so more (electronic) breakdowns. I like the Freightliners. Not as nice inside or as nice a ride, but mine kept on rollin'!
If they have one that's pushing 600k, take it. I've only been in this truck a few months and I got the call this week. My next load's headed down to North Carolina, then I'm going to the Greer terminal for a new truck.
I got issued an 09 freightliner Colombia. 360k miles and it cant pull 30,000 pounds up a grade over 25mph.
Thanks to all for the helpful information. How does Swift maintain their fleets? I'm guessing (the logical thought would be...) that the company fleets are maintained fairly well in order to keep the bottom line ($) stable and rising.
I hear mixed answers on that. When I was Company, I didn't have a lot of trouble getting work done. I'm hearing different stories from other people's experiences.
A lot of it depends on the terminal you're at, too. When I ran out of Eden, we had good mechanics there. I never had a problem getting work done there. But, that experience wasn't usually shared by drivers running out of other terminals.
And it makes a difference if the mechs know you at that terminal. They have a tendancy to take better care of "their" drivers better than a visitor. Just human nature.
