Considering Switching To Dry Van

Ok I'll start by taking to my DM and see who she directs me to.

By the way, I tried reading a book before bed like you suggested--I finished it in just a few days and STILL couldn't get to sleep. I must be reading the wrong books

If you need a book that'll put you to sleep, check out bretts just kidding. His Book made me want to pursue those occupation even more, and couldn't put it down.

If you some experience (over 6 months) you do have options.

There are a number of companies that will hire guys with limited experience. Some also might be better suited for the way you want to run as well.

If you are even open to new companies look around and see what's out there.

If you some experience (over 6 months) you do have options.

There are a number of companies that will hire guys with limited experience. Some also might be better suited for the way you want to run as well.

If you are even open to new companies look around and see what's out there.

Thanks Eckoh. Won't be looking around til I hit the 13 month mark at least, though. Might be able to make more money but it doesn't do me much good if I'm handed a $3000 bill from Swift. Plus I don't have a very pristine driving record. I'm not sure if the places id like to go would hire me.

Eckoh once again encourages a rookie to look towards greener pastures:

If you some experience (over 6 months) you do have options.

There are a number of companies that will hire guys with limited experience. Some also might be better suited for the way you want to run as well.

If you are even open to new companies look around and see what's out there.

Eckoh,... at least you're consistent.

I don't agree with you...every time a rookie driver is faced with adversity and challenges, does not warrant moving on. It doesn't seem like Paul has an issue with Swift, so why encourage him to leave? He wasn't asking for advice on changing companies.

Try to stay with your initial employer for at least one year. Care not if it's Swift, Prime, Schneider, Roehl...give it a chance to work...a chance to actually make good money with a so-called "starter company".

Paul, I've reached the point in both my career and my age that sometimes I have to remember/ recall stuff so I can tell stories.

I did spend a week and a half at what I thought was the cushiest assignment in Swift trucking: frozen/ dairy/ deli delivery from a Walmart DC.

This is a daily delivery from the DC to 2 or 3 stores. I stayed the DC, Swift ran the shop, there was a Swift office with showers and a small kitchen that only dispatched these reefer loads. Right next door to a Walmart Sunday, too!

Every day around 1pm you get your 2 stop trip and trailer assignment. Hook up to the trailer, take off, get back before your 11 hours of driving is up. Decent miles, plus stop pay.

This WMDC in Moberly, MO, covered WMs from St Louis to central Missouri and southern Iowa.

I know it's not the only one like this, but the schedule is as regular as sunrise.

Eckoh once again encourages a rookie to look towards greener pastures:

If you some experience (over 6 months) you do have options.

There are a number of companies that will hire guys with limited experience. Some also might be better suited for the way you want to run as well.

If you are even open to new companies look around and see what's out there.

Eckoh,... at least you're consistent.

I don't agree with you...every time a rookie driver is faced with adversity and challenges, does not warrant moving on. It doesn't seem like Paul has an issue with Swift, so why encourage him to leave? He wasn't asking for advice on changing companies.

Try to stay with your initial employer for at least one year. Care not if it's Swift, Prime, Schneider, Roehl...give it a chance to work...a chance to actually make good money with a so-called "starter company".

Sometimes staying with a company where a person is not happy will make them quit all together. I did not stay at Swift a full yeah and i am FAR better off for it. One thing i do sorta knock on this site for is they call it trucking truth but only want the truth if it is happy and cheerful.

Not every company is for everyone there is a VERY good reason swift has the reputation it has in the industry and it has earned it. It is a good company to start with but in the long run you will make far less money and enjoy less "perks" of trucking by staying with a company like Swift.

I did not tell anyone to switch, i'm just letting people there are options and the stay 1 year regardless how much you dislike who you work for is not the best thing. Not every company is a good fit, for some its night and day switching companies. sometimes the grass is more the greener.

One thing i do sorta knock on this site for is they call it trucking truth but only want the truth if it is happy and cheerful.

Ok pal then you have the floor. You think you know so much - go ahead and lay out the plan for rookie drivers. Here ya go:

My name is Brett and I'm brand new to trucking. In fact I have no idea how many wheels are on an 18 wheeler. But what I do know is that trucking is very dangerous and I'm smart enough to know I want the safest, surest route to help me establish a great foundation to my career. What do you suggest?

Oh, and one other thing. I keep hearing about "bad companies" but because I'm so new to the industry I don't know how to identify one myself. Should I just avoid Swift altogether? Are they a bad company? How can I identify a bad company?

And please understand that you can't be vague. You can't say things like "Not every company is a good fit" or "for some its night and day switching companies" because I need to know the specifics. I need to know exactly which companies are bad companies. I need to know exactly how to identify when it's time to move on. I need highly specific information that I can use to chart the course of my career so I can establish a fantastic foundation and do it safely because I have a wife and little children at home that are counting on a solid paycheck and my safe return.

One thing i do sorta knock on this site for is they call it trucking truth but only want the truth if it is happy and cheerful.

Ok pal then you have the floor. You think you know so much - go ahead and lay out the plan for rookie drivers. Here ya go:

My name is Brett and I'm brand new to trucking. In fact I have no idea how many wheels are on an 18 wheeler. But what I do know is that trucking is very dangerous and I'm smart enough to know I want the safest, surest route to help me establish a great foundation to my career. What do you advise?

you missed my point, you only want the positive truth. I completely agree with you wanting the truth but when people have first hand knowledge of the very harsh downsides to any company you try to discount it as a rarity.

There are always 2 sides to each coin and various sides to every story however companies get known for things they do not just things of rumor. For instance saying Swift has more accidents then any other company is true but in reality its because they have far more trucks then anyone else and their percentage is actually very low in MAJOR accidents not so much in the minor ones. Swift also current has one of the highest turnovers in all of the trucking industry which is very high compared to most other fields of work. Swift at last report was still over 100% annual turnover, which means they are doing something to make drivers not stay. Now a high turnover in trucking is not abnormal, however when a company like ATS has under 50% or Walmart that has under 20% turnover you have to wonder why people do not say at swift but they do stay elsewhere.

Many times when someone comes on here with a rant the post is deleted or burried as many times its something recently ticked off and venting, however it can show downsides of a company that can often go beyond the "thats tucking" excuse, for example what Chickie went though at Trans Am part of that is bad luck part of that could be miscommunication and some can be a company not doing everything (not saying that is the case but saying its possible)

There are a number of Swift drivers on the forum and more then likely even more former Swift drivers, some are happy some wanted to make more money then possible at Swift. For example myself, i worked for Swift for 9 months, in those 9 months i drove 126,000 miles (according to SWIFT) in that time i made $44,000. I now work for Crete Carrier in 11 months i have driven only 95,000 miles due mostly to a string of truck issues. That being said i have made $45,000. So while driving 30,000 less miles i have still made more money here. Also according to Swifts last pay plan structure you would have to work for swift for 12 years to make what i make now and i came here with 9 months experience.

There are better options then sitting in a job you hate. Getting 1 year at your first company is a great thing and will help you though out your time as a driver, however wanting someone to stay in a job they hate for a number then better options are out there for them also has the ability to turn them off to trucking. We have all see the guys at truck stops that simply hate their job but don't want to try another company for any number of reasons, and you know as angry as they are in the truck stop that transfers to the road and makes them dangerous. One thing i think we can all agree in is people need to be safe when driving and i bet you see far more happy drivers being safe then angry ones being safe.

So no i will not play Willy Wonka and sugar coat everything and tell people ever company is a great place to work because it simply is not true. Everyone has different experiences at different companies and i'm sure that we can all tell horror stories of what we have herd about companies, but to discount firsthand knowledge because it doesn't paint every company in a shining light does a disservice to people starting in the industry. People need to find out what works for them in a multitude of aspects not just her the upsides without the downsides.

I know a number of guys happy as can be to be working for Swift, i also know my trainer left Swift at the same time i did for much the same reason money. I cannot blame a guy for leaving a company he had been with for 7 years when he finds out a guy he trains now makes more then he does doing the EXACT same job without training new drivers.

Like I said staying for a year at your first job is a good thing and something everyone should try to do, but not at the expense of your sanity, or bills, or your safety whatever the case may be. This is a job with enough dangers already you don't need to add to them by not being happy, i'm not saying leave the first time you are ****ed off but at the same time never stop looking at what options are out there. Most people will not start at the company they stay at for the bulk of their life as a trucker, so if you are truly not happy do not force yourself to stay somewhere for some milestone that many companies will not care about long term.