I drove for them a few years back and I am going back to them I have orientation on the 18th. They didnt do me wrong. I enjoyed driving for them they kept me busy. Like every company you have to filter the fluff. Its rough in the begining but with time and patience it get way better. I am going to ask about out of pocet expenses while on the road(tolls, scales, stuff like that).
Swift reimburses all of that. If you have, which I am pretty sure that you will have, the EZ Pass and I pass in your truck, that covers many of the toll roads. If you run lots of KS and OK, you will have the pike pass in your truck.
Greg- ask him if you can be his guest at a terminal so that you can talk to drivers one-on-one. Don't rely on scuttlebutt you are going to hear by hanging around a truckstop. (Especially if you live anywhere near West Memphis. The only good thing to ever come out of that poophole is Interstate 40).
Good luck, Greg. Listen to the guys that post on this thread, they have always given solid feedback and good advice.
PikePass does not work in KS. And company drivers usually only have EZPass. Swift does reimburse for all tolls and scales, but try to keep enough cash with you for those. If you get a company advance to cover them you will incur the cost of ATM fees to get the cash out. If you pay for them up front and submit the receipts with your load, you will be reimbursed at no expense to yourself.
If you can get platinum ranking get it! Personnally that was my fav thing about working there for the short time I was there, speifically the load selection mac u get w/ platinum
Here's another thought regarding recruiters- ask him if he was a driver. If he tells you yes, then ask him who he drove for. Find out why he's not driving anymore. Also, ask him how long as he been with the company he's trying to sell you on. Don't be shy about interviewing HIM (or her if the case may be). Point being is a good salesman knows his product because he lives it and breathes it. Find out what HE says about the company and not what the company is telling him to say about it. It gets old hearing stories about student drivers complaining about being sold a bill of goods. It burns people out in this business way to early. Just remember this- there is a reason why trucking companies are paying people to go out and try to convince you to work for them. There are a lot more empty trucks than there are enough people willing to drive them. Be in the know before you waste yours and everyone else's time when you get burned out after 3 months. Ive said this before on other posts- driving trucks is like being in prison without the well structured days. That recruiter is like the straw-boss for the warden.
There is a special KS and OK pike pass. Usually only issued depending on the termninal that you are out of and if you will be doing lots of KS and OK toll roads.
I think everyone will know if they want to do it after going out with a trainer. The trainer I had has been training for a long long time and he told me some guys don't make it through training, a good bunch don't come back after they finish training and get home time. Others leave after 3 months or 6 whether they quit trucking or hop around a bit??
