SWIFT

You hear a lot tell you how crappy Swift is. They can be but they can also be good. My experience, as well as thousand's of other drivers' experience was good. If they are the only choice in your area that will take you at this point, give them a chance. Certainly, if you have other options you would want to research to see who will give you the best for YOUR needs. Understand that there are many here who just want to rag on Swift with no experience at that company. Go talk to drivers at a local truck stop. You will find it hard to get them on the CB as most don't have it on anymore because they are tired of the crap people give them. Even if they are a safe, courteous driver just because they drive for Swift they are treated rudely.

 

I am all for giving someone or any company a chance, but when you have sooooo many people saying so many bad things about a company well you have to believe there is something wrong there. And there ar very few swift drivers I have ever talked to that were planning on sticking around. They are a training company and like ALL training companies they are more concerned with the drivers they get on monday morning than they are with the drivers they already have. Been that way for a long time, you could call it an "industry standard" and that's a shame.

 

moonshadow!

Hello, fellow Coloradan!

I have no personal direct experience with Swift, and I take what I hear with a grain of salt. Keep in mind that they have 21,000 drivers - among that many, a LOT are going to complain. A LOT are going to feel screwed. And a LOT are going to be happy.

That being said, I'm told they have one of, if not THE, highest turnover rate in the industry among companies with more than 1000 drivers. That says something.

I had a houseguest work for them - she was so unhappy that as soon as she finished her contract (they put her though CDL school), she left the industry. Not just the company, the industry. She liked driving, but the B.S. was enough to make her quit it all.

Now she's selling beads or crystals or some such silliness in the mountains west of Denver.

I agree with Brickman. I just got my CDL - and before I ever went to school, I spent 2 months researching carriers. I wanted a regional, or semi-regional company with a good rep. Good Pay. willing to hire a newbie. etc. It boiled down to Watkins & Shephard. I was all set to go to orientation, but events here at home conspired to screw that up royally. Maybe in a year.

Another option might be Schneider - they're hiring here in Denver at the moment.

Oh, what I said about Swift also applies to Werner. I've been to their terminal out on I-76. Driver's lounge has seating for about 10, there were 25 drivers standing around. Worse, they were all watching a soap opera.

 

If your going to Watkins Shepard for school and they finance it you will need a credit rating of 6.80 or above. Spoke with them a few weeks ago.

 

Shadow, you were actually giving me crap about my heads up on Swift just a week or two ago, and here you are asking about them? Based on your posts, I thought you already knew about the guys at SwiftQuit.

They do seem to be getting their turnover under control, however. Slowly but surely.

 

Been with Swift 4 years, make decent money (could do better I don't always run hard). Only had issues with pay once I forgot to send all the paperwork. I used to be a "mentor" had 1 1/2 yrs experience when I became a mentor. Some mentors have as little as 6 months. I run out of Fontana never had issues with home time, got home on time. Did not do their school. Equipment far though will have issues finding MT trailers at time. As for miles I do 2500 to 3000 per week.

 

I loved driving to Fontana every week and getting to see my favorite guard at Conway's Yard. I went to Fontana nine weeks in a row getting there at about 1 AM Saturday morning and then one time a few weeks later I got off at the Jurupa Exit in daylight and I saw that great big hill ahead of me that I guess is a landfill. That was pretty funny to me that I never knew it was there. Oh for the good ole days.

BRI