Is Swift REALLY THAT bad?

[AlexJ81]

For someone that only wants to get a year experience...is Swift as horrible as people say?

[YoungZ.W.]

Depends on you and how much you are willing to take. I had a friend go with them after graduation and he started out his training very happy. Now he has been solo for 2 weeks, is stuck in North Carolina, hasn't been paid for 2 weeks, and Swift lost the reciept he gave them for $230 to pay for a lumper. He is heading back here to Ohio as we speak and his droping his truck off at the terminal. :evil:

[ajritter04]

I started with Swift about this time last year, though I am no longer with them at this point. I can, however, relay my story of working with Swift on two different fleets.

My training / solo stint wasn't too bad or too long.

From orientation to leaving, I was employed with Swift for approximately 3 months. My trainer was one of those who slept in the back from about the second day on, used me as a 2nd logbook, and didn't do much (if any) actual "training".

I don't mind learning stuff on my own, but if I have a question or a problem, the trainer should at least be willing to help me out with those rather than just sitting there with his thumb up his ass.

He had a bad habit of taking JIT (Just In Time) loads that had insanely short windows. We did one from Green Valley, AZ to Toledo, OH that had a time frame of around 28 hours from pickup appt. to delivery appt. It was a live load but a drop & hook at delivery.

We also spent a lot of time sitting in Rio Rico, AZ waiting on loads from TransMex, which is a Mexican company that I assumed was some sort of sister company to Swift.

I was only supposed to be out 3 weeks, then a few days off, then 3 more weeks out. Swift screwed that one up. I asked for a different trainer since this one was more interested in the money and second logbook than teaching me anything...no dice.

One good thing...my pay was always right.

When I went solo, I did OK...even though Swift has a terminal in Albuquerque, I never got home when I needed to. After a and a half on my own, I figured that OTR wasn't for me.

Worked for Pepsi for 8 months then hurt my back and started looking for regional / local jobs that weren't as physically demanding.

Swift runs a dedicated account for Wal-Mart out of the Wally World DC about 20 miles south of Albuquerque.
This one was fun...I was being paid .26cpm even though 3 separate people told me that account pays .32cpm. Then, I was being short-changed on miles driven vs. miles paid by about 20%...only got my extra stop pay about half the time, and was driving a 1998 International mid-roof with almost 750k miles on it.

Said "to hell with it" and left Swift...again.

I'm looking for another driving job, but it's not going to be with any mega-carrier like Swift, and one of the first questions I always ask is "Do you go out of state?"

[shyykatt]

grrr....as hubby is finding out, they were good to start with, but its time to move-on; he's past his 2 year mark, they cant seem to give him decent loads or help him when he needs it (especially when broken-down);Never gets home when he wants and he stays out for a month or more @ a time; pay checks...dont even get me started on that one.......like I said, they are good to start with, but probably not the best one to spend your lifes' career with.

[Karnajj]

When I was with them they ran your ass off if you were at the low end of the pay scale. As your pay went up your miles went down. The other thing I didn't like was that they started harassing you to become a trainer after your second year.

[DD60]

When I was with them they ran your ass off if you were at the low end of the pay scale. As your pay went up your miles went down. The other thing I didn't like was that they started harassing you to become a trainer after your second year.

I thought it was after six months.

[motman68]

i've been with swift for just about 8 months now i was fortunate enough to go from my mentors truck straight into the northeast regional starting at .36 a mile now i run on the target dedicated .the thing that kills me is the piece of crap truck i have.i left swift for 3 weeks and they used my truck as a loaner and the dumbass left the keys in the truck and broke the little window in the door after being back for almost a month i still cant get them to fix it.i'm waiting to get my 1 year then i'm out of there going to get a home every night job.My truck is a 2004 freightliner columbia with 510,000 on it.If they give me a volvo i just might stick it out a little longer .I gross between $950-$1000 a week running to Long island and conneticuit and massachusetts

[syl77dar]

gl

[Karnajj]

When I was with them they ran your ass off if you were at the low end of the pay scale. As your pay went up your miles went down. The other thing I didn't like was that they started harassing you to become a trainer after your second year.

I thought it was after six months.

They'd start asking you after six months but after two years and you still weren't a trainer they pretty much let you know they didn't need you anymore. My trainer, who had been with the company 8 years, decided he didn't want to train anymore and let the company know of his decision. Immediately his miles dropped to nearly nothing and he started to get gigged on his logbook for things they never gigged him on before. After two months of that crap he told them he would train again and everything went back to normal. Real lowlife outfit if you ask me.

[Hiway61]

For someone that only wants to get a year experience...is Swift as horrible as people say?

You have to remember who Swift is in bed with; WalMart.
With you sign up with Wal-Mart, your company is not your own.
Wally's will send their "experts" in and get the owner to hammer down his largest single (variable) expense... and pass the money on to them.
And the only expense that is 'variable' is personnel.
The electric company will tell you to take a hike if you want to negotiate rates, and the Arabs will laugh their fanny off should you want a break on fuel.
So who does that leave?
The poor suckers who drive for them... yup, truck driver pay is about the only thing they can screw with to keep Wally World happy.
By way of illustration, a friend of mine brokers food handling machinery. He prefers used equipment as the profits are huge compared to new. So much that he can carry the paper and make even more dough (ya, bad joke I know)
But when he hears that a customer is going to be dealing with WalMart, he pushes the new stuff so he can factor out the invoice before the bank gets wind that Wally World is in the picture.

Unless you're Colgate-Palmolive, or similar size, the business world will consider you in death spiral if you are starting to deal with Wally World.

So what does this have to do with Swift?
Just remember who is hammering in their ear to beat down their employees.

[Orange Andy]

Sounds logical.

[Karnajj]

For someone that only wants to get a year experience...is Swift as horrible as people say?

You have to remember who Swift is in bed with; WalMart.
With you sign up with Wal-Mart, your company is not your own.
Wally's will send their "experts" in and get the owner to hammer down his largest single (variable) expense... and pass the money on to them.
And the only expense that is 'variable' is personnel.
The electric company will tell you to take a hike if you want to negotiate rates, and the Arabs will laugh their fanny off should you want a break on fuel.
So who does that leave?
The poor suckers who drive for them... yup, truck driver pay is about the only thing they can screw with to keep Wally World happy.
By way of illustration, a friend of mine brokers food handling machinery. He prefers used equipment as the profits are huge compared to new. So much that he can carry the paper and make even more dough (ya, bad joke I know)
But when he hears that a customer is going to be dealing with WalMart, he pushes the new stuff so he can factor out the invoice before the bank gets wind that Wally World is in the picture.

Unless you're Colgate-Palmolive, or similar size, the business world will consider you in death spiral if you are starting to deal with Wally World.

So what does this have to do with Swift?
Just remember who is hammering in their ear to beat down their employees.

References please? And you know this how? Most every dry van and reefer company out there has major dealings with Walmart including my company, Crete. Yet we are the highest paying major carrier out there.
Personally I don't feel very beaten down.

[carlos64030]

I personally don't think that SWIFT is that bad. I've been driving solo for them for about 4 months now. My mentor sucked, but I didn't let him get in my way.

I drive a new 2007 Volvo VN 670, I'm home every other weekend, I get decent miles, I've been runnng mostly on the east coast even though I've covered just about all 48 states with the exception of Maine, South and North Dakota, and Minnesota.

Right now I'm in Louisville, KY just chillin'. Later on this afternoon I'll be picking up a load from here and taking it to Aurora, CO.... that's a good 1,100 mile run. Most of my runs average between 500 - 700 miles per trip.

I'm never in a rush and I'm never hassled or forced to get anything done. BTW.... I've never had a late delivery either.

I have friends all over the states, so whenever I'm in someone's neck of the woods, I'll call 'em and we'll go hang out for a while.

I have fun while I'm out on the road. I go to aquariums, museums, horseback riding, canoing, movie theaters, etc.....

I honestly believe the job is what you make it.

[AlexJ81]

Thanks for the feedback guys/gals.....carlos64030 might i have your email address? since you've just recently finished with a mentor...I have some questions I'd like to talk to you about.

thanks again everyone

[carlos64030]

Thanks for the feedback guys/gals.....carlos64030 might i have your email address? since you've just recently finished with a mentor...I have some questions I'd like to talk to you about.

thanks again everyone

carlos64030@sprintpcs.com

[LennyD]

Swift really is "that bad".

I've been with them just over a year, and I'll be leaving within a week or 2 once I decide who I want to work for next.

The "training" is a joke.

About 1/2 of their trailers are junk.

Most DM's are scumbags, and could give a chit about any of their drivers.
(and why should they, most don't last more than a few months).

If you aren't on a dedicated account, you will never get ran by home under a load.

There is alot of unpaid work associated with the trucking industry. Working for a company as poorly organized as Swift will get you a lot of time "on the clock" for nothing.

Most days are good days... but they don't make up for the bad ones that come up way too often.

I'm convinced that there are only 3 types of people who work for Swift.

1. The willfully ignorant (including myself) who just hop into the game without doing any research.

2. Dullards who do some research, and somehow still decide that there aren't at least 10 better options who will hire almost anyone.

3. Billy Bob company man... the middle-aged morons who proudly wear Swift hats, t-shirts etc... completely oblivious to any other company for whatever reason, or, a driving record so bad they can't get hired anywhere else.

[Hiway61]

",

References please? And you know this how? Most every dry van and reefer company out there has major dealings with Walmart including my company, Crete. Yet we are the highest paying major carrier out there.
Personally I don't feel very beaten down."


How do I know that?
Remember the big press releases when Swift was selected?
Look at the number of SWIFT (See What I Flattened Today - is the best LOL) pulling Wally's trailers?
And Ya, I've slide tandems, popped doors dropped and unhooked at DC's too. And called the boss for money to pay lumpers.

and in noway am I'm saying SWIFT (Sure Wished I'd Finished Training - comes in at No. 2) was worthwhile or a bed of roses before getting in with Wally's.
My food broker buddy probably knows the ins and out of nearly every food sales organization in the world. He gives Wally's compliments for knowing their suppliers business too. He predicts the moment Wally's even thinks SWIFT (See What I'll Flatten Tomorrow) is making a dime off Wally, all of a sudden there will be numerous claims for "Carrier damages".
We'll see :wink:
_________________
Crete. Yet we are the highest paying major carrier out there.
Personally I don't feel very beaten down.
_________________

I'm convinced that there are only 3 types of people who work for Swift.

1. The willfully ignorant (including myself) who just hop into the game without doing any research.

2. Dullards who do some research, and somehow still decide that there aren't at least 10 better options who will hire almost anyone.

3. Billy Bob company man... the middle-aged morons who proudly wear Swift hats, t-shirts etc... completely oblivious to any other company for whatever reason, or, a driving record so bad they can't get hired anywhere else.

True...so very very true. You could replace the name "Swift" with just about any other big McMega coolie carrier and you'd come out right on the money. Well said, driver. :wink:

[rcpilot]

Hijack on

SWIFT (See What I Flattened Today - is the best LOL) pulling Wally's trailers?

SWIFT (Sure Wished I'd Finished Training - comes in at No. 2)

SWIFT (See What I'll Flatten Tomorrow)

After a Swift driver ran his trailer (straight in pull, not backing :shock: ) across my truck nose this year while I was parked in a marked parking space...I heard this one -

SWIFT (See What I F'd up Today) MY personal favorite

Hijack Off

[boneebone]

Swift really is "that bad".

I've been with them just over a year, and I'll be leaving within a week or 2 once I decide who I want to work for next.

The "training" is a joke.

About 1/2 of their trailers are junk.

Most DM's are scumbags, and could give a chit about any of their drivers.
(and why should they, most don't last more than a few months).

If you aren't on a dedicated account, you will never get ran by home under a load.

There is alot of unpaid work associated with the trucking industry. Working for a company as poorly organized as Swift will get you a lot of time "on the clock" for nothing.

Most days are good days... but they don't make up for the bad ones that come up way too often.

I'm convinced that there are only 3 types of people who work for Swift.

1. The willfully ignorant (including myself) who just hop into the game without doing any research.

2. Dullards who do some research, and somehow still decide that there aren't at least 10 better options who will hire almost anyone.

3. Billy Bob company man... the middle-aged morons who proudly wear Swift hats, t-shirts etc... completely oblivious to any other company for whatever reason, or, a driving record so bad they can't get hired anywhere else.

If you are so bitter with them it is good that you are quitting because no company needs a driver with a bad attitude or for that matter a person with a bad attitude driving a truck.

Swift or any company for that matter does not hire just anyone with a bad driving record, so get your facts straight.

Every company has its good and bad, maybe some drivers are the bad and others are the good.

If a driver is unhappy, you are free to go elsewhere, no one is holding a gun to your head, holding you hostage. Move on than.

If 1/2 the trailers are junk it is because 1/2 the drivers don't care about the trailers they are hooked up to and pull it with missing, non op lights, tandems off tracking, doors screwed up, etc. etc. and never report it when they are in a terminal or tell anyone it needs to be fixed. Don't blame the company for defective equipment, if the company doesn't know it's bad how can you expect it to be fixed?

Add another type of driver to the list,
1. One that doesn't give a chit, so why should anyone give a chit about you? You only get as much as you give in this world. If you give chit out, that is exactly what you are going to get back, chit.

2. A O/OP, (not lease purchase) with Swift for five years who doesn't own or buy any company logo shirts, hats, etc. and gets the job done, 100% on-time deliveries, has no tickets, nor preventable or unpreventable accidents and gets the job done with out bitchin about it. I don't care what company name is plastered on the side of the trailer because they suit my needs. If it ever gets to the point where I am unhappy with them, then I'll move on and I'll chalk it up to experience, but so far it hasn't been the case.

I had the same DM for over a year, and the one before that would still be my DM except she relocated to a different state, but was my DM for three years.

So basically in the world of trucking you have your Professional CDL (Crybaby Driver Loser) holders who bitch and moan on the CB, truckstops and terminals how unhappy they are and this and that and how their GF or wife ran away with Sancho, but still stay with the same company because it's the companies fault I'm here BS. Wah, Wah, Wah,

Simply said, If you are unhappy in whatever you do or wherever you're at, either lose the attitude or leave.