Comments By Sheffield Mick

Hi guys, I'm still reading the forum but don't think I have the most interesting stories to tell. I do like to give my updates from time to time and if anybody has any feed back, good or bad, please feel free to let me know.

I will be at Swift Transportation a year in March which will mean I can look to move on as per the advice given from Brett. I might have cheated a little on that last bit.......let me explain. My over the road adventures have been some what restricted to the eastern region of America. In training I did do all the 48 states which was awesome. If you have read my past posts you will know that I've certainly had my run ins with my DM (driver manager) and always ask for advice from this site....if I'm not sure where I stand. Now for my moving on role.....still within Swift, which keeps with what trucking truth ask you to do......but with a different role. As of Monday I will be running Canada only. Home every weekend and most days if you so wish. I know only what I've been told by a couple of the Canadian Swift drivers so I can't confirm or deny anything else about it. Can anybody on this site let me know any further information on running Canada?

No problems in getting my fourth day off.....as the rule book says.....you go out for four weeks you are allowed four days off. The weather here in Michigan might just keep me off a few more days. I will be changing my dispatch as well when I get back that way I can keep with Swift for the regulation one year. I don't think it will be long before I'm looking else where though. Drive safe out there in this weather guys..

Thanks again guys.....I knew it. I'm annoyed at having my last two home times cut short by this rule that clearly was not correct. I will have to talk to our terminal manager about this.

My DM does try to play at being boss and yes she is new to this role. Before being DM she worked at the drivers reception window at Swift......I would imagine that this new role is a big step up for her.

Like you say Brett, I need to keep all of this on a professional level and just talk...believe me I have had to bite my tongue a few times. It will get resolved I have no doubt. Thank you all again, I really do appreciate the feed back guys.

Hi Guys, still reading and very much enjoying the posts on here. I have now been with Swift Transport nearly ten months......I remember the one year rule for keeping with the same company before you decide to move on. I've been ok with Swift and I'm now getting plenty of miles with over 3,000 miles last week. I know this is the slow season and that could change.

I always come back to the forum with a question and this is no different. My DM and I are not seeing eye to eye. I've been out for four weeks, working Christmas and New Year, I should be entitled to four days off as it says in the rule book. But if you have down time where by I ran out of my 70 hours drive time......a reset.....this she thinks is part of my off days. Which would only allow me three days. My argument is that I would prefer to have all my days off at home. If I get caught out as I do because I run my driving hours up to the max then where ever I end up is not my choice. I don't class 34 hours in a truck stop a day off.....or a terminal. Any ideas on where I stand on this?

Please let me know either way.....I can take it.....even if I'm wrong ;-)

Excellent Daniel, thanks for your advice....Sorry to read about your own DM my friend. Have you moved over to Prime yet?

Hi Guys, I haven't written anything on here for a while now. I'm still out there running the miles......but still consider myself very much the rookie. Love reading all the posts and soaking up all the information I need to hear.

I now have a question......I'm looking at a plug in cooler/fridge for my truck that will sit next to me. The only problem I have been told is that if you keep it plugged in for more than four hours while the truck is not running it will kill the battery. Is this true and how do you guys keep your food fresh? My wife is cooking all sorts of good food but I want to be out for four to six weeks at a time. Thanks in advance guys ;-)

Still enjoying my time at Swift, getting the miles and although my DM does get on my nerves at times (just a little bit of a drama queen :-) I like her.

The bottom line is that when you get a load and the appointment time is at 8am and you are running late and they have to reschedule to 1pm that means you are late. Even if you make it to the rescheduled time. What they see if did you get it there when the customer originally wanted it there. Most places charge a fee to reschedule appointments so they have to pay a fee because you're late, spend time to get the load reschedule, and they might suffer a service failure because they couldn't get it there when the customer wanted it to be there. I don't work for Swift but I work for Central - we are sister companies so I'm almost certain that this goes for you too.

And your trainer never being late is complete bs. Sure, he may be a great driver but that doesn't make him immune to breakdowns or extended delays or road closures. Everyone has been late, I think he's just too proud or too much of an elitist to admit it.

As always guys, excellent and very informative reply's. I actually thought I seen you this morning Daniel. At the same customers yard. Obviously it wasn't......young guy and talked allot of sense about trucking in general. I'm always eager to learn my new trade and talk to drivers when and where I can

Just a quick question for you guys. When ever there is a problem and you are running late. We have to send in a Macro 22 on the Qualcomm. Does this new adjusted time, if its met, mean that as a company driver your marked down as not being late?

I ask as when I was with my trainer he said to another company guy that he had never been late this year......I being has trainee knew that we had put in a Macro 22 that day......(we had met the new deadline). I've been good at meeting my own times, but have also had to put in the dreaded 22 as I had to yesterday when my truck decided to throw up some read warning lights to stop the engine. I suppose I'm just trying to establish what boundaries I'm working with.

I'm still liking it at Swift and beginning to settle in with just a few nervous moments that I can do without....but then that's trucking. I have training tomorrow on a SIM to learn how to drive in winter weather. You have to give Swift credit, they do like to go into detail in training their people.

I'm also thinking of changing to the Canada run in spring of next year.....it would mean I'm home every weekend. Any thoughts from anybody on this one would be much appreciated....good or bad.

Just as a foot note....I love reading this forum and get to learn so much from it. Thanks guys.

I will tell of my own experience Todd......as I had two trainers. And I couldn't be out here now on my own without each one of them. I learned so much and yes I tried to be as respectful as I could....even though the first guy I thought was very controlling and used to enjoy lecturing me in the art of professional truck driving. I can laugh about all that now but at the time it was very annoying. We did have our fall outs and I have to admit I wanted to leave half way through. Thankfully he talked me around to staying....and I'm so glad he did. The second guy was easier going, but very low on any kind of conversation.....if it wasn't to do with trucking. More relaxed but strange with long drawn out silences that I did get used too. He did teach me how to back a truck though....invaluable now that I'm on my own.

In spite of it all I'm still here and I wouldn't have swopped either trainer. As it is I still hear what they have to say in my head when I find myself in sticky situation. And just as a throw away line the first guy now wants to employee me privately as he is an owner operator. No I'm not going to work for him....I'm not that crazy.

Believe me I had the same reservations as you....I'm 56 and don't do well sharing a hotel room with another person let alone a box. My last suggestion would be to just roll with the punches and keep telling yourself its only six weeks. Mine was six weeks and then a further two weeks. I am so glad I stuck at it......its not easy, but it can be done.

Mick

Thanks guys for filling in the gaps.....I'm sure she said she has fifteen drivers....perhaps she is just learning the robes. I also don't turn down work just because I think the miles are low, I will take them if I have the hours left. When I'm not sure I will turn the job down (don't want to run out of hours which has happened)......But the same job comes back to me when I have the hours available.....which leads me to believe that nobody else wants to take it. Would I be right in thinking this?