Swift...

Cake and rainbows. The truth is your going to work hard for nothing. Your training pay is by the hour once you get on the road with your mentor for your 240 hours. 200 to 300 a week if your lucky. The training was actually good and enjoyed it. The cost of the cdl and hotel were not worth it.
Once your out on the road you are going to learn a lot of truths. Pay being the biggest and trying to get payed what you are owed. You will be fighting for every dime. Remember where ever you are you are a number and also remember to cover your own ### out here. Go to any truck stop and ask how long they have been with swift. 9out 10 will be less than a year. That simple fact alone should speak volumes. Best of luck and do yourself a favor and ask around at a truck stop. You might be surprised what you hear. Don't take my word for it or this board go find out for yourself.

 

Well one: I work hard for a living I am proud of. I make pretty good money on a weekly basis. Nothing special, I just get up and do what I'm supposed to do.

Two: with the new pay scale unless someone is being taken advantage of 200-300 is not what the student should be making a week. Now if the person is lazy, don't want to drive, etc then maybe that amount. But if a person drives as much as he/she can a day; stays on duty when doing things pertaining to the job they can make more. 3900 for school; after 1 year you've paid that back, 2 years you are paid weekly what was taken out that first year so school is free. I don't see colleges doing that for college graduates. (note: watch how you drive; protect your license, GOAL when backing, always make sure, take your time, never rush, always trip plan and give yourself extra time to get the load there)

Three: I have never had to fight for pay. I don't know where you pulled that from all due respect. I get paid what I'm due every week. Make sure when you are at a shipper or receiver you are on duty not driving. That is company policy, and that also opens the door for your detention pay. You need to reply to those messages if you are detained.

Do what you are supposed to do the first time around, don't cut corners, they usually come back to hurt you down the road, be safe and good luck!

 

I've only been home twice since I started in August and both times I've taken my truck home with a load once, and I bob tailed the other time( I was to pick up an empty trailer the night before but for some reason the trailer was surrounded by wet grass, mud and pot holes at this shipper and I didn't want to risk it getting stuck since it was around midnight, so I explained the situation and bob tailed to a store and the next day drove home to a local Walmart and parked there for the few days I was home.) make sure you don't stay out more than 2 days, it affects your pay by losing a day or two.

Slipseating is when you take a longer than usual hometime and leave the truck at the terminal and have to give it up. I haven't heard of anyone doing that at swift so I can't truly answer this. Also it's like a 50 mile radius if memory serves me correctly.

 

at fontana terminal.. rule is if over 50 mile have to take truck to terminal. bronze drivers lose truck if taking more than a 34(though i been home once for 3 day and was able to keep my truck). if taking off more than 3 days off, you lose the truck. thats fontana terminal policy. other terminals have differant rule from what i read. i been with swift since december and had no issues with pay. do what you're suppose to do and do it safely and on time and you shouldn't have any problems.

 

also on pay... have to average you pay.some weeks are low and some are high. most get discourage when they see that low one week pay.