I have been a driver since 1992. I hate to see these crummy companies screw the newbies so bad I posted this advice. I have haz-mat with TWIC and Canadian qualified and a very good record with about 2 million miles. Ask SWIFT recruiters what their driver turnover rate is and the will not tell you its 300 to 500 %. They treat the newbies VERY VERY BAD !!! P.S. they PAY the driving schools to recruit the newbies that dont know any better. Stay AWAY...................
Even with hauling the U.S. Mail in a seasonal position (last trucking job in Dec 2004) it didn't gain me any positions with OTR companies 4 yrs later. I took the time to develop my skills in other parts of the workforce because local trucking/OTR wasn't doing it for me. Seems to me trucking companies don't have a use for multi-talented individuals with expanded job skills. Factors inside and outside of the companies has really caused an unfairness to drivers and it may or may not get better.
Most general freight companies lost their professionalism a long time ago and the industry is not based on accumulated experience/merit/integrity when it comes to gaps in trucking work history. Sounds like the industry likes to enslave drivers and drivers are not allowed to venture off into other parts of the workforce. I've applied with company after company since 2007 only to be turned away because of insufficient work history. I still have my CDL but looks as if the money is not there.
Jimmy, it sounds like you have never worked for Swift. You almost have to go through process to see for yourself. I wouldn't rely on what your brother said. The final proof I had was when working their Volvo drive away division. Missing major expenses on every other trip is messed up. Not being paid a flat deadhead amout on return trips from Canada was not good either as it was a 24-48 hr turn around for my nxt load. I'll apply my CDL 2 local work where I can be home every night.
Nowadays I really disagree with companies which cheat you out of miles and govern trucks as it does reduce your take home pay. Above all I liked it when you could possibly make more running 10 drive hours with 8 off. With Swift you are just a number and nothing more. In the trucking industry if you leave for awhile, one finds it difficult to get back in if their is a lapse your trucking work history. I'm not a slave to these companies and never will be.
Jimmy, the time I drove for Swift was back in 2002-2004. For most of that time I was governed at 60 mph and on top of that Swift did not pay the exact miles I drove. Do the math on that one if you will. Also take into account I did drive their Volvo drive away division in 2004 and you tell me how normal it is for a company to miss major expenses on every other trip. They lost a lot of experienced drivers on that projects.
what's even more scary is trying to back up off a major street and people just don't yield because they are too distracted or in a hurry. i just don't think drivers pay that much attention anymore.
don't forget to tell them you will never clear enough miles with any of those companies to make a decent living. general freight is BS and there should be many more options to use a CDL. and tell me about a company that won't overlook your expenses. I had to backtrack three months and claim expenses missed on every other trip I was sent out on. and I'm talking hotel expenses associated with Volvo drive away work. it is just not worth the life sacrifice in general freight if just being used
problem with general freight companies is that as long as your truck is governed (practically everywhere now) you are never going to maximize your pay in that industry. then another problem with trucking, companies do tend to turn you away if you decide to work in other industries. it is a very unforgiving industry and you are expected to be committed for life. should never be like that.
I stopped driving in December, 2004 thinking I left my xp on a good note hauling the U.S. Mail as a seasonal position. General freight companies could care less about how clean your background is of how clean your MVR is. Now it is too a point where an inconsistent work history bars you from those companies. And I'm tired of going back on apps for 10 years and wasting my time. probably why there are so many bad drivers in the industry when you keep the clean people out.
In general, the genaral frieght companies in my view are slave labor. You are just a number. I don't work for any of those companies any more and just do temp office work in Reno where I'm home every night making anywhere from $10-$14/hr. Sure you can make more at .30+ cpm, but when you are waiting for freight or sitting due to lack thereof, you are not making much in the end. It is an adventure though if you don't have a family to support and keep your expenses low. don't waste your life.
How much is Swift ripping off new trainees at their driving academies. And you have to pay that money back and don't get nearly enough miles. Whatever you do, never finance your tuition as you'd expect to make a lot of money starting out and you won't. Swift will also miss expenses so make sure all tolls are reimbursed. Swift is only a training company. In my xp, they just over hire to cover their loads. They could care less about the miles you get per month or how much you get paid.
this is becoming an on going question. Im about to graduate my CDL training and am nervous about what carrier to get into, ive heard alot of horror stories mostly about money issues. Any advice? Do you know of any carriers that actually stick to there word and treat you right straight out of school?
you have to start somewhere. my advice is get your six months in with a general freight company and keep jumping to better companies if you want to get anywhere. I'd personally stay away from Swift and if you do decide to work for them, just stay regional. OTR 48 states is not worth it. General freight companies that operate like Swift could really care less how many miles you get and sometimes you can find yourself sitting which is the norm. Granted you get to see more of the U.S.
Keep your options open with your CDL. Get your apps out to state positions (road work for example). Take your CDL down a permanent career path with a steady paycheck and benefits. Get paid by the hour instead of the mile. And if you give a major company a try, police your expenses as payroll can easily overlook tolls and such. Really it is more than a driver should have to deal with and the system should be better.
I have been a driver since 1992. I hate to see these crummy companies screw the newbies so bad I posted this advice. I have haz-mat with TWIC and Canadian qualified and a very good record with about 2 million miles. Ask SWIFT recruiters what their driver turnover rate is and the will not tell you its 300 to 500 %. They treat the newbies VERY VERY BAD !!! P.S. they PAY the driving schools to recruit the newbies that dont know any better. Stay AWAY...................
meadowlarkable 1 year ago
All I have to say is this, Swift sucks! Schneider and J.B. Hunt all the way!!!!
marine882 1 year ago
Im surprised there is people speaking english, I thought swift refused to hire drivers who speak english
MIKEL0352 3 years ago
Even with hauling the U.S. Mail in a seasonal position (last trucking job in Dec 2004) it didn't gain me any positions with OTR companies 4 yrs later. I took the time to develop my skills in other parts of the workforce because local trucking/OTR wasn't doing it for me. Seems to me trucking companies don't have a use for multi-talented individuals with expanded job skills. Factors inside and outside of the companies has really caused an unfairness to drivers and it may or may not get better.
X23109 3 years ago
Most general freight companies lost their professionalism a long time ago and the industry is not based on accumulated experience/merit/integrity when it comes to gaps in trucking work history. Sounds like the industry likes to enslave drivers and drivers are not allowed to venture off into other parts of the workforce. I've applied with company after company since 2007 only to be turned away because of insufficient work history. I still have my CDL but looks as if the money is not there.
X23109 3 years ago
Jimmy, it sounds like you have never worked for Swift. You almost have to go through process to see for yourself. I wouldn't rely on what your brother said. The final proof I had was when working their Volvo drive away division. Missing major expenses on every other trip is messed up. Not being paid a flat deadhead amout on return trips from Canada was not good either as it was a 24-48 hr turn around for my nxt load. I'll apply my CDL 2 local work where I can be home every night.
X23109 3 years ago
Nowadays I really disagree with companies which cheat you out of miles and govern trucks as it does reduce your take home pay. Above all I liked it when you could possibly make more running 10 drive hours with 8 off. With Swift you are just a number and nothing more. In the trucking industry if you leave for awhile, one finds it difficult to get back in if their is a lapse your trucking work history. I'm not a slave to these companies and never will be.
X23109 3 years ago
Jimmy, the time I drove for Swift was back in 2002-2004. For most of that time I was governed at 60 mph and on top of that Swift did not pay the exact miles I drove. Do the math on that one if you will. Also take into account I did drive their Volvo drive away division in 2004 and you tell me how normal it is for a company to miss major expenses on every other trip. They lost a lot of experienced drivers on that projects.
X23109 3 years ago
if you honk everytime you back up or pull foward people are going to think yoour an idiot
fireflanery815 3 years ago
what's even more scary is trying to back up off a major street and people just don't yield because they are too distracted or in a hurry. i just don't think drivers pay that much attention anymore.
X23109 3 years ago
.26cpm lol
dumbbox360 3 years ago
Well you gotta start with this companies first if u wanna get to the .45-.50 a mile as a company truck driver pal
hijodepuuu 3 years ago
don't forget to tell them you will never clear enough miles with any of those companies to make a decent living. general freight is BS and there should be many more options to use a CDL. and tell me about a company that won't overlook your expenses. I had to backtrack three months and claim expenses missed on every other trip I was sent out on. and I'm talking hotel expenses associated with Volvo drive away work. it is just not worth the life sacrifice in general freight if just being used
X23109 3 years ago
problem with general freight companies is that as long as your truck is governed (practically everywhere now) you are never going to maximize your pay in that industry. then another problem with trucking, companies do tend to turn you away if you decide to work in other industries. it is a very unforgiving industry and you are expected to be committed for life. should never be like that.
X23109 3 years ago
I stopped driving in December, 2004 thinking I left my xp on a good note hauling the U.S. Mail as a seasonal position. General freight companies could care less about how clean your background is of how clean your MVR is. Now it is too a point where an inconsistent work history bars you from those companies. And I'm tired of going back on apps for 10 years and wasting my time. probably why there are so many bad drivers in the industry when you keep the clean people out.
X23109 3 years ago
In general, the genaral frieght companies in my view are slave labor. You are just a number. I don't work for any of those companies any more and just do temp office work in Reno where I'm home every night making anywhere from $10-$14/hr. Sure you can make more at .30+ cpm, but when you are waiting for freight or sitting due to lack thereof, you are not making much in the end. It is an adventure though if you don't have a family to support and keep your expenses low. don't waste your life.
X23109 4 years ago 2
How much is Swift ripping off new trainees at their driving academies. And you have to pay that money back and don't get nearly enough miles. Whatever you do, never finance your tuition as you'd expect to make a lot of money starting out and you won't. Swift will also miss expenses so make sure all tolls are reimbursed. Swift is only a training company. In my xp, they just over hire to cover their loads. They could care less about the miles you get per month or how much you get paid.
X23109 4 years ago
this is becoming an on going question. Im about to graduate my CDL training and am nervous about what carrier to get into, ive heard alot of horror stories mostly about money issues. Any advice? Do you know of any carriers that actually stick to there word and treat you right straight out of school?
m1sterh0tsauc3 4 years ago
you have to start somewhere. my advice is get your six months in with a general freight company and keep jumping to better companies if you want to get anywhere. I'd personally stay away from Swift and if you do decide to work for them, just stay regional. OTR 48 states is not worth it. General freight companies that operate like Swift could really care less how many miles you get and sometimes you can find yourself sitting which is the norm. Granted you get to see more of the U.S.
X23109 4 years ago
Keep your options open with your CDL. Get your apps out to state positions (road work for example). Take your CDL down a permanent career path with a steady paycheck and benefits. Get paid by the hour instead of the mile. And if you give a major company a try, police your expenses as payroll can easily overlook tolls and such. Really it is more than a driver should have to deal with and the system should be better.
X23109 4 years ago
I start school at swift in 2 weeks can't wait.
stallingdajuan 4 years ago
apperantly some of their drivers have not finished training
colpetzer135 4 years ago
Sure Wished I Finished Training!
nplmpartsdriver 4 years ago