Looks Like Swift is Here to Play Yet Another Day

[dobry4u]

Swift Comes Off Credi****ch | Journal of Commerce (http://www.joc.com/node/414147)

[bentstrider]

This supposed to be a bad thing?

[Kranky]

Swift Comes Off Credi****ch | Journal of Commerce (http://www.joc.com/node/414147)

The word censor took out t w a t from "credit w a tch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that's funny right there!!!!!!:smokin:

:lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2:

[VPIDarkAngel]

The word censor took out t w a t from "credit w a tch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that's funny right there!!!!!!:smokin:

:lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2:

Crap, you beat me to it... Either way, I'm glad to see that Swift is takin' a turn in the right direction, even though they're direct competition to us in the mega-carrier market.

[geeshock]

<quote>Swift is the parent of Swift Transportation, the second-largest privately owned U.S. truckload carrier</quote>

I remember them being the largest, who passed them up? us xpress?

[Justruckin]

I guess all of that cheap freight finally caught up with them, those .50 back hauls can really put a hurting on an outfit. And it probably doesn't help the fact that they must spend a ton of money on driver recruiting and training, what is their turnover rate, 134%?

[Kevin0915]

I guess all of that cheap freight finally caught up with them, those .50 back hauls can really put a hurting on an outfit. And it probably doesn't help the fact that they must spend a ton of money on driver recruiting and training, what is their turnover rate, 134%?

who cares what the turnover rate is, when there are drivers who actually care to be professional, drive safe and have a personal interest in not half-azzing a job. Besides, as a driver, i dont care about the schneider, US Express or independant drivers since they are the ones who aren't bankrolling my paycheck. As long as i get the miles, and my paychecks dont bounce, i dont care about anything else.

"But you could make 50% more working somewhere else for the same amount of work..."- blah blah blah. Yeah...probably true...but that time will come. My first benchmark is 13 months, after that, who knows what i'll do. But why would i want to jump ship, to work for an outfit where i COULD make .50-60 cpm, but have 2-3x more worry if that company will even be around in a month or two?

staying with a company with a solid economic outlook when compared to Jim Palmers, or OnLine or other no-name companies...makes good sense to me.

[mike3fan]

staying with a company with a solid economic outlook when compared to Jim Palmers, or OnLine or other no-name companies...makes good sense to me.

Swift has a solid economic outlook?

[dobry4u]

who cares what the turnover rate is...

actually Jerry did/does. He likes having to pay less cpm to the newbie drivers who also have to pay for their CDL training. Good $$ practice, IF, your insurance and lawsuits don't eat up the $$ benefits.

[geeshock]

thats the key isn't it. Of course if you had over 6mos exp they started pushing driver training on you. I never went for it for one simple reason, they said it was training but ran you like a team. I could never abide that part, not to mention 6 mos. I was still green myself.

[Kranky]

thats the key isn't it. Of course if you had over 6mos exp they started pushing driver training on you. I never went for it for one simple reason, they said it was training but ran you like a team. I could never abide that part, not to mention 6 mos. I was still green myself.

Over the years I've taught a few people to drive truck, but always from the passenger seat.

No way in hell I'd be able to sleep while a greenhorn is pushing 80k down the road with me in the sleeper.

.

[bentstrider]

who cares what the turnover rate is, when there are drivers who actually care to be professional, drive safe and have a personal interest in not half-azzing a job.

staying with a company with a solid economic outlook when compared to Jim Palmers, or OnLine or other no-name companies...makes good sense to me.

Couldn't agree with you more right there.

[Kevin0915]

actually Jerry did/does. He likes having to pay less cpm to the newbie drivers who also have to pay for their CDL training. Good $$ practice, IF, your insurance and lawsuits don't eat up the $$ benefits.


its rather stupid idea actually, when its clear that newbie drivers have more accidents (minor and major) than drivers who have been on the road for 5+ years and/or those drivers make good safe choices, its rather a dumb idea. The dollar amount for a million million dollar lawsuit would wash away the "savings" from paying a driver .25cpm or .35cpm

it will only take 1 or 2 huge crashes a year that would make national news to totally wipe out the company.

[Kevin0915]

thats the key isn't it. Of course if you had over 6mos exp they started pushing driver training on you. I never went for it for one simple reason, they said it was training but ran you like a team. I could never abide that part, not to mention 6 mos. I was still green myself.

they've never pushed training on me....never even mentioned it. even though my record is one of the best on my DMs board, heck...even in the terminal.

[geeshock]

I'm suprised they haven't. Of course I left swift in may of 07 and things have changed a bit since then

[cdswans]

actually Jerry did/does. He likes having to pay less cpm to the newbie drivers who also have to pay for their CDL training. Good $$ practice, IF, your insurance and lawsuits don't eat up the $$ benefits.

I have a slightly different take on this: I don't believe that Swift routinely brooms experienced drivers. A lot of the greener-pasture-departures, upon finding the grass isn't so green, make their way back. Swift routinely takes them back and pays them according to their experience and not at the new hire rate.

Swift has a mill machine that isn't cheap to turn on or off. The need for new drivers never goes away so it makes sense to leave the machine on. Unfortunately, the presence of the mill diminishes the incentive to retain drivers at any level. If you haven't been kicked out and decide to leave but plan to continue driving, there is nothing a manager can do, short of a few kind words, to retain you . . the machine is running and your replacement is almost done.

As to your original post, well . . it is good news . . in a backhanded kind of way. "We appreciate your payments and we're slightly less inclined to break your legs, for now."

[Orangetxguy]

I have a slightly different take on this: I don't believe that Swift routinely brooms experienced drivers. A lot of the greener-pasture-departures, upon finding the grass isn't so green, make their way back. Swift routinely takes them back and pays them according to their experience and not at the new hire rate.

Swift has a mill machine that isn't cheap to turn on or off. The need for new drivers never goes away so it makes sense to leave the machine on. Unfortunately, the presence of the mill diminishes the incentive to retain drivers at any level. If you haven't been kicked out and decide to leave but plan to continue driving, there is nothing a manager can do, short of a few kind words, to retain you . . the machine is running and your replacement is almost done.

As to your original post, well . . it is good news . . in a backhanded kind of way. "We appreciate your payments and we're slightly less inclined to break your legs, for now."


That's it right there! The bankers took Jerry off credit watch, because he bowed to their demands, nothing less.

[dobry4u]

I have a slightly different take on this: I don't believe that Swift routinely brooms experienced drivers. A lot of the greener-pasture-departures, upon finding the grass isn't so green, make their way back. Swift routinely takes them back and pays them according to their experience and not at the new hire rate.

Not so much lately. Not taking experienced drivers (rehire-able ) is the current verbiage.

[Hawkjr]

i seen a couple of swifty female team drivers at the pilot in NC i wouldn't mind putting on watch!!! :lol: :lol:

[Rev.Vassago]

its rather stupid idea actually, when its clear that newbie drivers have more accidents (minor and major) than drivers who have been on the road for 5+ years and/or those drivers make good safe choices, its rather a dumb idea. The dollar amount for a million million dollar lawsuit would wash away the "savings" from paying a driver .25cpm or .35cpm

it will only take 1 or 2 huge crashes a year that would make national news to totally wipe out the company.

According to SAFESTAT, Swift currently has 18,677 power units. At $0.10 per mile, that is $1867.70 for every mile their trucks travel that they are saving by paying a newbie less than an experienced driver (by your numbers).

If their trucks average 80,000 miles per year (I'm using a lower figure to compensate for units that are empty for part of the year, for local trucks, and for drivers who get paid more than the bare minimum because they choose to stick with Swift), that is a savings of $149,416,000 per year.

I think they can afford some "million million dollar" lawsuits under their current plan. Better stick to driving, and leave the business part to others who understand it better.:thumbsup:



Rev; goes back into the abyss

[Mackman]

staying with a company with a solid economic outlook when compared to Jim Palmers, or OnLine or other no-name companies...makes good sense to me.


I know of a couple smaller outfits (less then 75 trucks) that has been around before swift and i bet they will be around after swift. Not all of the smaller companys go under. Just sayin.:thumbsup:

[bentstrider]

I know of a couple smaller outfits (less then 75 trucks) that has been around before swift and i bet they will be around after swift. Not all of the smaller companys go under. Just sayin.:thumbsup:

I'm sure there are good, smaller companies that exist out there.

I've just had the bad luck or running with two of them that cared about the safety/well-being less than Swift did when I was with them.

[geeshock]

You'll run into some of those with both big and small companies. I think the reason the small ones push a little harder is less coverage. If you run out of time with swift, there is usualy someone close by. With the smaller companies, you run out of time, there is no one near by to cover your butt.

[bentstrider]

You'll run into some of those with both big and small companies. I think the reason the small ones push a little harder is less coverage. If you run out of time with swift, there is usualy someone close by. With the smaller companies, you run out of time, there is no one near by to cover your butt.

I was with them for 13 months before my downward started, so I should know.
If it wasn't for the excellent experience I had with them while I was there, I would probably be beefing with them as much as others here do.

Anywho, after 10 months of slow-going since my lay-off from the container outfit, I'm stoking the coals once again.

[geeshock]

good luck with that, thinks are takeing off slowly but surely here to. Like you I have no beef with swift. I was with them from mar 2006 till the end of may 2007 and other than my first DM all was good, 3k+ miles, 1k plus on my paycheck, i'd say 99% legal even. My second DM knew how to get it done. If it weren't for that accedent I keep refering to on the boards, I'd probably still be with them.

[bentstrider]

good luck with that, thinks are takeing off slowly but surely here to. Like you I have no beef with swift. I was with them from mar 2006 till the end of may 2007 and other than my first DM all was good, 3k+ miles, 1k plus on my paycheck, i'd say 99% legal even. My second DM knew how to get it done. If it weren't for that accedent I keep refering to on the boards, I'd probably still be with them.

Well, like some of the more positive posters here said, only a matter of time.
I'll keep picking around until I eventually get on with a company at the same level as Swift.
But as far as small operators go, do your homework very carefully with them.

After Swift, I got back into a cushy security position I had previously, only to jump ship to a reefer company in Van Nuys, CA that I regret just as much.
I guess next time I attempt that and I'm concurrently employed in something else, I'll remember to take a few days off to test their waters before kicking the concurrent position to the curb.