Comments By Larry B.

Congratulations Steve. Looks like you're doing great. I too am a police officer. I have 3.5 years to go before I can retire and pursue my truck driving plan. I can't hardly wait. I've been burned out with this job for awhile now (been doing it for 25 years). Caught the trucking bug about 8 years ago. I'm beginning to feel like I'm getting close now. Who knows maybe by the time I retire you might have a whole fleet and I can drive for you👮🏻

It looks to me like Swift will not be out anything if you move on so if you have that gut feeling then you should do what YOU think is right. Don't be pressured by anyone to continue on with them. They are not out anything.

Nobody is saying Swift will be out anything. He signed a contract and he intends to pay them the tuition he'll owe. So Swift will get their money. In fact, it's probably better for Swift that he pays the cash and moves on because that way they got their money back risk-free. They didn't even have to put a rookie in a truck and keep their fingers crossed.

We're not telling him to stick with Swift for the good of the company. We're saying he'll be in a safer place as a rookie driver because Swift has already invested the time and money into him. As long as he stays and shows promise that he'll turn out to be a safe, productive, driver then Swift will stand by him. They'll allow him to make some mistakes and learn his trade so they can recoup their investment in him.

But if he moves on to another company, they have no vested interest in him. If he gets in a little fender bender 3 or 4 weeks after he gets started with them they'll likely let him go. Then what? Who is going to want someone who left one company immediately and then got fired from the next immediately after that? A rookie is a high risk proposition to begin with. A rookie who has proven he's willing to jump ship at the drop of a hat and has already gotten in a wreck and been fired? Who is gonna take that level of proven risk?

That's our position on it. He's free to leave Swift and we're behind him no matter what he does. But it's our job to let him know what type of risk he's taking by jumping ship. It's a matter of short term gains versus long term gains. Personally I've always focused on doing what makes sense for me 3-5 years from now. I'm not interested in taking big risks on little short term gains. Especially right out of the gate with a brand new career. I'm gonna take the safest, surest path for a while until I build a foundation under me. Then I'll shoot for the most money I can make.

Ok that makes some since. Maybe if you would have worded like that the first time it would have come across better. Seemed like you were kinda attacking him and talking down to him a little in your first response.

I see where your coming from better now, thanks.

So with that reasoning though, you seem to be saying that paying for a private school yourself is a bad idea because as an "free agent" you won't have a safety net if you have an accident. I thought most agreed its better to put yourself through school and then hire on with a company with no contract at all.

Just don't hit anything Tazzy and you will be good to go😉

Tazzy,

thanks for the insight on the C1 training. The way I read your first post you basically went through the C1 three week training offered by Swift. The contract said if you continue with Swift they will deduct the cost of the school out of your pay over a period of time and eventually will even pay you back for the training if you stay with them?

Now that you went through the training you have a little bit better idea about this company called Swift and you have a bad taste in your mouth about them and wish to move on to another company.

They didn't pay you while you were going through training.

Sounds like it is just like you described. A loan which you are going to pay back.

It looks to me like Swift will not be out anything if you move on so if you have that gut feeling then you should do what YOU think is right. Don't be pressured by anyone to continue on with them. They are not out anything. And if the contract did not specifically say that you had to drive for them for a period of time, then if I was you I would pay for the school, say thank you, and move right on down the road.

You sound like a good guy and I wish you luck on whatever you decide.

For what it's worth, I started with Prime last fall as a flatbedder at age 52. Their regular lumber tarps are heavy enough that I struggled to get them up onto the headache rack, so I invested in lightweight lumber tarps that I can sling up there like I'm 25 again. I had gotten pretty far out of shape working an office job for 10 years, so the first couple of months were tough sometimes, but 10 months in I don't notice the physical part of the job. So, in a word, no, you're not too old.

I know this is an older thread but I was re visiting it and had a question. When you said you invested in lightweight tarps, did you have to buy them yourself and if so how much do they cost? Thanks

All drivers at Prime (company and lease) have to buy the securement equipment.

Ernie

Ok wow. That's probably a pretty good chunk of change. Of course you would then keep it if you change companies?

For what it's worth, I started with Prime last fall as a flatbedder at age 52. Their regular lumber tarps are heavy enough that I struggled to get them up onto the headache rack, so I invested in lightweight lumber tarps that I can sling up there like I'm 25 again. I had gotten pretty far out of shape working an office job for 10 years, so the first couple of months were tough sometimes, but 10 months in I don't notice the physical part of the job. So, in a word, no, you're not too old.

I know this is an older thread but I was re visiting it and had a question. When you said you invested in lightweight tarps, did you have to buy them yourself and if so how much do they cost? Thanks

I passed with 14 pts off out of one hundred. 0 pts on backing, parallel parking in reverse. Now lets go to work!!

Good job! What company are you going with?

I will be retiring from the U.S. Air Force in May after 21 years of service. I have always wanted to get into trucking and after the military chapter closes, that dream will come true. During my tenure in the service, I have deployed 9 times, been in 26 countries, had 11 assignments all over the world. Any tips for my transition? Any advice on what best way to get my next career started? I currently live in central NC but will be moving back to east TN within the next 2 years.

Check out a guy on youtube named Dale Clay. He retired from Air Force also and is driving for Maverick Transportation. He has videotaped his journey with maverick from day one of orientation till now.

Thanks for keeping the journal... I will be following

Do you know if McElroy hires from central Missouri?

For what it's worth, I started with Prime last fall as a flatbedder at age 52. Their regular lumber tarps are heavy enough that I struggled to get them up onto the headache rack, so I invested in lightweight lumber tarps that I can sling up there like I'm 25 again. I had gotten pretty far out of shape working an office job for 10 years, so the first couple of months were tough sometimes, but 10 months in I don't notice the physical part of the job. So, in a word, no, you're not too old.

Thanks, that's encouraging. I'm real close to Prime terminal as well. Do they pay % of load also or just cents per mile?