Swift In Cab Camera

I applaud everyone that quit swift over the front facing dashcams. It's nice to see some people with integrity and a backbone around.

Thank you for that. We're all well aware of how you feel at this point and we're cool with that.

I already shared this story, and some unscrupulous moderator seems to have deleted it for some unknown, but probably petty, reason so I’ll share it again.

When I was given a tour of Swift, we walked past a woman watching a dashcam. I stopped to see exactly what she was watching, and was in disbelief. She was watching a truck driver that was stopped, with his lights off, and clearly on his down time at a truck stop. That’s crossing a line.

I for one know that being watched is distracting, and will lower my performance, but I can at least understand it when I’m driving, if that’s what I’m being paid to do. However, it’s completely wrong to do it on the driver’s free time.

Brett, Your last podcast was about how truckers should have good hygiene to have more respect. Another part of having respect is not allowing yourself to be walked on, and standing up for something when it’s wrong. You are a leader in this industry… maybe not a large one, maybe insignificant, but a leader none the less. Are you going to stand for the rights of truck drivers to be treated like human beings instead of criminals, or are you just a sellout leading your lambs to slaughter? Truck drivers are already much safer, better drivers, on average. They do not deserve to be treated like criminals everyday of their life.

I applaud everyone that quit swift over the front facing dashcams. It's nice to see some people with integrity and a backbone around.

Swift eliminated the REAR facing cams. Forward cams look out, not in.

Are you going to stand for the rights of truck drivers to be treated like human beings instead of criminals, or are you just a sellout leading your lambs to slaughter? Truck drivers are already much safer, better drivers, on average. They do not deserve to be treated like criminals everyday of their life.

Thanks again for that Ryan. I do have to ask, though. You do realize I was a truck driver for 15 years, right? And that I've never worked in the offices of any trucking company, not even for one day, right?

Why are you talking to me as if I'm some sort of suit and tie pulling strings? I'm a former truck driver with a website answering questions for other people who would like to become truck drivers. That's it. People ask for my advice and I give it. I have no authority in this industry. I have no connections. I do not have the ears of decision makers. I'm a dude living way up on a hill, way out in the country, raising chickens and growing a garden and playing with my dog. That's it. I appreciate you think I'm even a tiny, insignificant leader in this industry but I assure you I am not.

You're much more the leader type than I am and you seem to have the energy for it and you seem to know exactly what needs to be done. Why don't you lead the way?

I honestly believe it took me an hour, at least, to read through all of this. Whew, with that said. I apologize that I'm a year late into this conversation, but it is an important one.

I was going to rattle on, but I think I'll cut it short.

I was talking with a Walmart driver I met at jury duty recently, and he told me that Walmart is going to start putting cameras in their trucks. I found it interesting that I bumped into him, because I just recently started reconsidering driving over the road again. I once did, long, long ago, when the dinosaurs use to roam. ha ha No, really, about the same time as Brett. I've been driving for a living for around 23 years.

And quite honestly, if you don't understand the whole deal with cameras facing the driver, then you are either new, or you're being stubborn about it.

Ok, I think enough said. :)

Don't get me wrong though, I enjoyed the whole conversation, and I'm glad it's here. I have to admit, the whole camera deal did intimidate me at first, but you really just have to understand where the whole camera deal came from. If you drive in your own little bubble (and I hope you safe bubbling), then you probably don't get it. If you have loads of experience, I would hope that you at least get the ' why ' aspect of it.

I have been working for Swift Transportation for about a year and a half and have been happy.

There are write-ups of drivers not using seat belts in terminals. If you touch your phone, you will be written up and need to come into the office to speak with a safety coordinator. If you are eating a sandwich while driving, grounds for dismissal.

Have you considered staying with the company and simply driving the truck safely and responsibly? Just a thought.

I agree with the original poster that it's a little overboard if a company wants to write someone up for eating a sandwich and driving. With the route I run, there is no time to stop and eat so I must eat while driving if I want to be on time. I also agree with him on the invasion of privacy topic despite having read opposing view points.

This is a great country. You are free to leave at anytime and go work somewhere else if you don't like what your employer is doing. Likewise, your employer is free to get rid of you if they don't like something you are doing. Complaining about things doesn't help though.

This is a great country. You are free to leave at anytime and go work somewhere else if you don't like what your employer is doing.

Of course. Nobody is arguing that.

Complaining about things doesn't help though.

Since when is having a difference of opinion complaining? And history has shown that protesting actually makes a difference at times so to say "doesn't help" is just your opinion entirely as well. You'd be on the sideline while people try to make a difference which there is nothing wrong at all about that either.

I used to work for SWIFT until they installed those inward facing cameras. I simply could not handle it, being watched all they time. The whole reason to drive a truck was to get away from being watched so much and not have a camera watching me all the time. When they did decide to install that damn thing, I told them where they could shove that thing, and it wasn't anywhere the sun would shine. I am happier now, being an owner op and not having to deal with that nonsense. An outward camera makes sense because of all the things that happen, but an inward... well they know where they can put it.

Glenn needs to keep up...

I used to work for SWIFT until they installed those inward facing cameras. I simply could not handle it, being watched all they time. The whole reason to drive a truck was to get away from being watched so much and not have a camera watching me all the time. When they did decide to install that damn thing, I told them where they could shove that thing, and it wasn't anywhere the sun would shine. I am happier now, being an owner op and not having to deal with that nonsense. An outward camera makes sense because of all the things that happen, but an inward... well they know where they can put it.

I’m very impressed, I’ll bet Swift management was quaking in their shoes after you shot your mouth off.

Newsflash there Glenn I still drive for Swift... they abandoned the in-cab facing cameras almost two years ago now. Where yah been?

Great timing on your first post, tremendous value t******* your chest on how you told Swift where to put the cameras...especially since they changed their policy.

What else yah got?

So Glenn...another newsflash for you to chew on, we don’t badmouth trucking companies in this forum. Chances are Swift schooled you, trained you, helped you get your CDL , and put you in your first truck. If you can’t say something positive or constructive for the good of this forum, please keep it to yourself.