Comments By Drew D.

Don't listen to idiots like that knuckle dragging inbred moron that runs the YouTube channel "Bonehead Truckers" and somehow galvanized like minded idiots to stick cameras in people's faces at truck stops that really does more harm than good. Swift is just another OTR company like any other. I can't say if they are any better or worse than what I experienced, but like others have said, they are one of the biggest if not THE biggest carrier in the country. And with that comes more opportunity for incidents to occur. I am alittle sour on the 34 hour reset at home thing personally. I just left a company that has it's main terminal 4 hours from my house. They assured me that I would be able to park the truck near my home for resets and home time only to slowly walk it back to the point where it was "whenever we get a load out there" or "only if it's a day or two otherwise the truck must come back" which was not what we agreed upon. So whatever carrier you interview with, make sure you ask very specific questions and hold their feet to the fire if they try to honey**** you into signing only to fail on the follow through once the honeymoon phase is over. I would say the biggest piece of personal advice I can offer is make sure the terminal is a reasonable driving distance from your house. DO NOT let them talk you into taking the truck home several hours away from the terminal. You will only get home if there just happens to be a load near your house and even then, I've seen load planner and DMs do really shady stuff just to save a buck on fuel.

Beer, wine, kegs and such. I wish I had a cigar distribution gig. I would get all kinds of deals.

So, Drew, now you’re the beer AND cigar guy? Lol

No, I am not typically the disgruntled type. I worked 11 years at one job and 6 at another, and frankly, I wouldn't have left there had I not relocated and needed a job change.

I may have soured on the longhaul side of the industry. I did not find OTR to be a particularly difficult job in and of itself. I found all the surrounding circumstances to be quite irritating which eventually lead to me being apathetic about it. I constantly felt as though I was chasing a dragon for a paycheck. Both companies [mid sized carriers] were extremely dishonest about circumstances surrounding my employment. I won't get into specifics, but it was enough for me to reconsider. Found a great company working local beverage and having a great time. The elbow grease is definitely in abundance, but I am in need of getting back into shape anyway. I enjoy being the "beer guy" and getting paid hourly for my work regardless of whatever issues may arise that are out of my control. Plus with the overtime, it adds up to be significantly more than I ever made OTR with two set days off and home every night to my family. So yeah, for me personally, that was the way to go. But I also have 11 years of merchandising experience in big box so its cool that all of my skill sets are being utilized in unison.

Again, my two cents and I guess the point I was trying to make for the OP was try local and see what you get. They don't use that ridiculous HireRite crap that more or less hamstrings drivers for 7 years over the smallest of mistakes.

I know people on here will likely label me a heretic, but I wouldn't change a thing about what I do now.

That's an odd statement Drew. I've been involved here for more years than most and I can't recall us ever labeling someone a heretic.

I did my year of OTR and I won't be going back for a myriad of reasons. Not the least of which is the hook, line, and sinker approach these companies employ when they roll out the red carpet for you. Things like "we treat our drivers like family" and "generous home time" oh and "resets at home" with "detention pay" that ends up being after 4 hours. Sound familiar?

Honestly, none of that sounds familiar to me.Your comments seem to be carrying a bit of an edge to them. Have you soured on the industry? One year hardly allows you to master this challenging career.

I think it's great you're happy with your new gig, but based on your past year's experience, you will probably find reason to feel disgruntled again. I hope I'm wrong. I hope you'll prove me wrong.

If you aren't afraid of alittle elbow grease, try looking at local companies as many don't bother with DAC. If your MVR is clean, you will likely find something. I had two very minor incidents in trucking that went on my DAC report despite the company telling me they wouldn't be added due to the minor nature and the zero dollar cost. When I quit said company, they sandbagged me on the report. Mind you, when I worked for AAA, I reported every single little thing. Even near misses because I believe integrity is important. That said, the trucking industry discourages honesty due to the predatory nature of these reports. Even my old trainer warned me not to say anything about minor stuff unless it was "undeniable" which I should have listened, but I digress...

In my personal opinion [mind you, everyone is different] local is the way to go anyway. I did my year of OTR and I won't be going back for a myriad of reasons. Not the least of which is the hook, line, and sinker approach these companies employ when they roll out the red carpet for you. Things like "we treat our drivers like family" and "generous home time" oh and "resets at home" with "detention pay" that ends up being after 4 hours. Sound familiar? I just find the industry as a whole to be a huge scam setup to screw the driver. I make more money now than I ever did OTR through overtime and I feel infinitely healthier. OTR was a cool experience in and of itself, but the jig is up and im glad that I get home every night. Really stop to consider it. I know people on here will likely label me a heretic, but I wouldn't change a thing about what I do now.

Thats fair

I cannot stress enough how minor both of these issues were. That said, I get that they are, infact, issues and regardless of what my now former company said, they are listed on my report and I just have to own it and navigate around it. Hopefully, this new company keeps me good for awhile. They are considered OTR but mostly western regional lanes which gets me home more.

It could be be considered "Don't Hire" at some companies; others not a deal breaker. All you can do is explain what happened. Rolling over, crashes with injuries, bridge strikes, reckless driving, violations of safety policies would be viewed as worse than a trailer scrape or bumping into a power pole at an intersection. Hiring practices are getting tighter with companies being more selective.

It definitely feels retaliatory but I'm not going to be a conspiracy theorist about it. It is what it is. How bad are two minor dings on that record? It goes without saying that I will try to avoid more, but is this something that is going to cripple me? Do companies use discretion when looking at these? Or is it "a blemish is a blemish" ordeal?

Just trying to assess the damage to my career at this point.

I'll be brief,

I had two minor screwups over the last 13 months.

First was parking near trees during training at a shopping mall during my first month. A low hanging branch rubbed the top of the trailer but did very minimal damage. I was driving so obviously I accepted responsibility even though my gut told me otherwise on that spot. Lesson learned.

Second was at a tight facility in Taber, AB Canada at a Lamb Weston. Ridiculously tight spots but I digress. Tried to get a good angle on a back and had to reset multiple times to give myself enough nose room. Long story short, I lost sight of my bulkhead for just long enough to rub a trailer reflector on a cattleguard. Again, my fault as, despite my best efforts, failed to maintain awareness on that point. No damage to cattleguard and adjacent driver agreed to handshake it. But having integrity, I still reported to safety and took pictures.

Was told both times neither of these incidents would appear on my DAC report due to their minor nature. I never even lost my safety penny.

Now fast forwarding a bit, I am currently hired with a new company getting ready to start in two days. Did all my background work, clean MVR, PSP, and drug. However I received a prompt about those two incidents on my DAC report that, supposedly, were not being reported. I talked to my recruiter and she laughed it off and claimed companies abuse that report all the time. So, yeah, that is nice for now. But I want to eventually settle into a local job a couple years down the line. How screwed am I from these hiccups? What can I do to help scoop some of the crap out of my reputation? I'm obviously not going to dispute them as they are my fault. That said, 7 years is a long time to live with that kind of stain. Do I have any recourse to make myself more attractive to potential future employers?

Anyhow, I'm grateful that this new gig is being super cool and understanding.

As always, brutal honest opinions and expert wisdom is appreciated.

Thanks!

Thanks! Any recommendations on a decent wifi printer?

Crowsnest didn't seem that bad the last few times. I found driving up here significantly easier than running the length of I-80 in Wyoming. Just my experience with it anyway.

Crowsnest can be a challenge for even experienced winter drivers. It shouldn't be too bad for what's left of this winter but next winter may give you a few reasons to drive with your brown pants on. Check the weather before each trip and consider the US route (I-90 to I-15) - it's less than an hour more and the freeways are usually less of a winter wonderland.

You've got options for places to stop and fuel, but they're all Petro:

Petro 8317 20th Avenue Coleman, AB (24 hours)

Petro 8317 20th Avenue Sparwood, BC (24 hours)

Petro 1093 Main St Pincher Creek, AB (Only open 8-5)

Get a wi-fi printer.

More money, more home time.

My company put me on a dedicated load going from Richland, WA to Taber, AB Canada.

Couple questions for the seasoned elite.

Best way to streamline the PARS / PAPS or manifesto print out? My DM is currently faxing them to truck stops and it sucks. It takes forever and a horrific time sink. Customs on both sides don't like using your phone QR for those documents. They like a printed copy. Thinking about buying a wifi printer for the truck. Thoughts?

Also, best places to fuel or shower from Taber all the way west down through Kingsgate?

3 mile truck stop in Bonner's Ferry is decent but I spend alot of nights in Canada.

Any other general advice you can offer about trucking in Canada besides the obvious "mind your Ps and Qs" would be appreciated.

Also, this is all super exciting. Its been great driving the 3 through the mountains of B.C into Alberta.

Cheers all.