One question I forgot to ask
 

As stated on one of my other posts, I am going to go on a cross country Motorcycle trip.

My question is, after I do my 12 months, how do you think Swift would react to my request for a 1 month leave of absence with no pay, with my intention of going back to them after my trip was over?

I don't think it would be wise for me to ask them at orientation as they may wonder why I am thinking of taking time off before I even get started. I've been planning on doing this for a while, and my OTR experience is sort of a "Safe and dry" run for me.

So you think you will stay with swift after your 12 months?......seeing that most leave after that time for better opportunities you could quit swift and tell the new company you will be ready in a month :D
Now of course if you are happy and stay, i suspect that they wouldn't like you needing that much time off.....but who knows what swift thinks :lol:

I would tell them DON"T PAY ME, it's an UNPAID leave of absence. Think that would make a difference?

i can't assume what there leave of absence policy is, you should speak with swift about that, you may have to come up with some b/s reason and not cause you want time off for a 2 wheeler trip across america

Well, as you said, I can always look for another trucking company to work for if they don't like it. Give them a BS reason other than the truth? Nah, what for? I don't need to work (for them at least) that bad.

I have worked for 3 different companies. 2 otr and 1 local. None of them ever had a problem with me taking extended time off. You will have to give your truck up though they don't like to let them sit. So if your in a real nice truck by the time you want to take your trip they expect to lose it and possibly end up in a million mile wonder.

Like others said: You may not even BE with Swift a year from now, so why are you worried about it? Trucking is a very FLUID lifestyle. But, you should NEVER have a problem getting another job if you need it.

That said, I don't think they will object. But... you probably WILL lose your assigned truck, and MAY have to take an older one when you come back. Is it worth it? Probably so.

I wouldn't mention a word about it until the time comes. By then YOU will know what to expect, and more so than any of US!

One good thing to remember when getting into trucking is that.... they don't OWN you! YOU have the skill that THEY need. Be your OWN Man/Woman!

Worse case scenario.....they dont let you, you quit....and then a month later they are begging you to come back. The only thing wrong with that situation is you would lose your vacation time.

Ok here is what you do.....drive for a year, take your week vacation...."accidently" dont come back from your vacation for another 3 weeks. And then let them hire you back. Should work...lol

LISTEN to this guy! He is a recruiter, I think. He KNOWS how these companies treat / hire / pay their drivers. His advice about TAKING your vacation week, with pay, or at least staying for one year to EARN that week's PAY before 'deciding' to make a strategic life enhancement move, is brilliant... and would earn MANY of us an extra $500 - 900!

Besides.... if we ALL would give our first FULL year to whatever fate we 'chose' out of school, the turnover rate would become more reasonable, MANY drivers would settle their issues without UNsettling their lives so often, and the companies would be able to "ease up" a little and PLAN on a certain level of "driver resources."

AND..... If we ALL earned a week's vacation this year.... and agreed to ALL take the SAME week.... well... there's your "trucker strike!" Shut the economy down for one week.... write our own ticket after THAT!

Yeah... I know! Sooner see PIGS fly!! :lol:

I just told him that because I wasnt sure how Swift works leave time. I do know with the driver shortage, getting rehired by most companies is pretty easy if you leave. I have many many drivers Ive hired more than one time for various reasons. Honestly i was just sort of playing with the guy. Kind of an inside recruiter joke....meaning if he leaves and comes back, recruiters get paid twice....lol
Not that what i said wouldnt work....it probably would. But quiting like that does have some risk....He could make his fleet manager angry and end up with something bad on his DAC, Dont know if what i have heard is true, but some of the drivers I have talked to have said Swift is bad about putting things on DAC. I think he should ask for leave first and then look at other options.