Swifts breakdown pay is a joke.

All I am saying is that you are overreacting a bit. Your FM probabally has over 100 other drivers on their board. They also have no clue whatsoever to what specific condition any peticular truck is in. The fact of the matter is that you work at Swift. get some experiece in and go somewhere else. Hell, you might get some experience and start to get treaded better there. I don't know. As for me, I got my year in with werner when I first started and I didn't enjoy driving crap either. But I was patient with my FM and when I had recurring problems with my truck, he put me in a newer one. I was also patient and polite to the mechanics. They have a rough job. If I asked politely ifthey could lock up when they are done they always did. I would also tell them I did such and such inside the truck and if there was anything else I could do to make their job easier. That's all in the past now anyways because I got some experience and got an hourly paid local job pretty much right when I got my year in. In trucking the old saying holds very true. You catch alot more flies with honey. If you are respectful and understanding with your FM, they are usualy respectful and understanding back. Try and thank them once in a while when you are getting good miles. They often go unthanked and they do work very hard. If your FM is rude no matter what, try getting a new one.

As I said, just try and be understanding. At werner, when I called my FM, he knew me by first name and had my truck number memorized and usually didn't have to ask for it.

Good luck, and things to get better with time if you allow them to.

 

Oooooo-kay. Here's what I see. "Another driver said..." and none of us has ever met a truck driver who is FOS and only saying something to get someone else all worked into a lather.

Stay away from the b****/lie/gossip tables.

 

I never have any issues with my DM and yes she knew exactly what shape the truck was in and it would have had to go into the shop anyway. But for me refusing to take a broken down truck I lost my breakdown pay.

This was the only truck available so it makes no sense to jerk $150 from me. I always treat the mechanics great well except for the moron in Houston.

So everything you are saying I already do just don't like the fact that to me it seemed like an easy way for them getting out of paying me what everyone else gets. I have four friends who work for Swift and they always seem to get there breakdown pay.One just got offered another truck and he turned it down but he still got his breakdown pay.

So now I know I will not get breakdown pay probably ever so I avoid the terminals and hope if my truck breaks down it is out on the road. I'm starting to learn to just stay away unless I absolutely have to go to one. Gonna miss Lancaster the food and company is great!!

 

What seems strange here is that it is the DM that is responsible for releasing breakdown pay, hotel reimbursement, lumper pay, etc. So if you are not getting your breakdown pay it is because of her. If the other truck was a piece and you wanted to turn it down, you could have done an extensive pre trip. If it was in terrible shape, I am sure you could be able to find a red tag problem or two - which appeared to be the case with the person that did take it. If the DM found out that the truck she wanted to put you in is now red tagged too, and behind in line of your original truck, chances are that you wouldn't loose breakdown pay.

Something seems very fishy here, and is not adding up. I think the best you could do right now is have a discussion with your DM and see about getting breakdown pay because the other truck was down too.

What truck got fixed first just out of curiosity? If yours was done first, all the more reason you should be paid breakdown pay.

 

Mine was done right after the mention of putting me into that dead truck. She told me that since the terminal manager overheard her offering me another truck that my breakdown pay is now gone since I turned it down.

This was around 5PM and she was on her way out the door and said we will talk about it tomorrow. My truck was ready by then. I just gave up on getting it as it has done no good trying to explain to these people.

I won't let myself get screwed again. Next time I'm out the door. The truck was ready and I already got a pre-plan out of there. I only called when I noticed my breakdown pay was not on my check. I'm not going to push the issue any longer just make it back some other way...

 

i here ya my truck breaks down at least once a week and there have been a few times that its left me sitting at the shop for a whole week. right now it goes thru a gallon of coolant every twelve hours. Just hoping it makes it to phoenix so i can get my cascadia