Comments By Gladhand

My biggest pet peeve is when drivers rush someone backing. It wastes more time to hit somebody and waste time with claims. Let this be a lesson.

It will be on your dac but it won't "end" your career. I'm a genius and have 5 preventables ... Very disappointed to say that.

Keep your nose clean, I didn't and got rejected by several companies because of it. Thankfully swift was lenient and I have learned. Always take your time. Always think ahead. Part of being a truck driver is guessing what a person might do.

There is a reason why they call them preventables. Be safe and drive your truck. Don't let someone else influence you. That other drivers attitude is dangerous. It will eventually lead to something serious.

I was "homeless" for the first 2 years of my career. Was able to put away a good chunk of change. Now I am working on the logistics of getting rid of my apartment and car, to be homeless living in the truck again. Such a better way for me to live at the moment.

That's the great thing about Swift, is there are more opportunities than you can shake your finger at. My wife and I enjoyed doing OTR reefer for Prime when we were there. Things happened, and we ended up here at Swift. Our original plan was to go back to OTR reefer, then we got offered a position doing dedicated dry van across country. I have been following this thread for the reason that I'm interested in seeing real life numbers on OTR as opposed to what the terminal leader and recruiters have said.

You can definitely get great miles in dry van too. It's a matter of efficiency and your driver leader. This new driver leader I have out of Rochelle is good. He calls me daily and gives me attaboys for doing my job right haha. I don't need them, but they definitely are appreciated. My Walmart dedicated experience has given me a lot of great skills. Went to a Lowe's yesterday that had a tough dock like one of the neighborhood markets I used to go to. So I knew how to approach it. I did those 5 stops no problem, so I am definitely grateful for the grocery experience.

Gladhand one thing I really admire about you is how you're willing to do different things to find what fits you best. Instead of being unhappy you're switching divisions within the company to get different experiences. You're one of the many drivers I enjoy reading posts from.

Thanks Rob. Life is too short to do stuff you don't like. Needed the experiences of being home more and barely having a 34 a week to change my point of view.

Looking to break my apartment lease and go back to living in the truck. With Swift's new creature comforts, the truck is a lot more comfortable than it used to be. Even though it was comfortable then too haha.

Please make a new thread to ask all those questions Jim. I made this thread to just give my experiences with Reefer at swift.

I really like Kwik Stop/ Kwik Star. They got good prices and sell a lot of grocery items. I don't like loves and pilots that are small. Easy way to get your hood ripped off.

Good job, but watch those Lowe’s for appointment times. I’ve been to about 50 different ones, and there were three that would absolutely not take you early. I was the only truck at one for three hours one time, and three empty dock spaces the whole time. That store manager had no give in his mentality at all. The only good thing was I got to go dumpster diving while I waited and scored a brand-spanking-new Werner 12’ fiberglass ladder they had thrown out. Nice! Looks good strapped to the back of my sleeper, too.

It was that way when I did dry van, but plants are a different deal. Went to the first place to see if they would take me early and they didn't even ask for an appt they just told me to back in. I didn't complain haha.

It's the luck of the draw with early delivery too. Worst thing is they will say no.

I got those 5 stops taken care of a "day" early. Was told I had appointments and decided to go to deliver anyways. According to Lowe's they almost always take plants even without an appt. Either way by finishing the load early I will finish the pay period with 3043 miles.

This also lead to me getting another load picking up in Logan, UT and going down to Houston, TX, total of 1,542 miles. The final does not look fun at all but I'll worry about it when I get there.

Just got off the account. Pay is good for the most part, you will have bad weeks here and there, but overall it's good. I averaged 1200 gross while doing it.

How are you liking the International so far? Mine had a creaking noise that my wife described as "driving an Igloo cooler" when going down the road. I was told that it was the sound of the rubber hood latches, but I didn't keep it long enough to find out for sure.

I really like it. Heard a lot of bad things and so far I can't say anything being it's still new and no problems have arrived.

How's the OTR reefer life treating you Gladhand? Hope all is well so far. I'd like to know what kind of solo miles you are doing there as OTR.

Good so far. Compared to dry van I am pre-planned before I finished each of the few loads I have done. Also my dm checks in with me weekly and I like that reefer has a main set of planners so it is easier to "prove" one's self. It is also helpful that I have a more proactive dm now.

Can't say too much yet being I am still getting back in the otr groove, but here is the miles I have seen so far.

Load #1. Local load, Phoenix to Phoenix. Load #2 Phoenix, AZ to Denver, CO 852. Load #3 Greeley, Co to San Jose, CA 1288. Load #4 Watsonville, CA to (load has 5 stops) Riverdale, UT being the last stop. 894.