Dreamed Of Trucking For Years

Topic 33406 | Page 1

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Justin C.'s Comment
member avatar

Hi all!

My name is Justin. Im 32, have been a mechanic for awhile and have always been daydreaming about driving for a living. I wanted to do trucking straight out of highschool but felt pressure to go to a college. I didn't do so well there. I found a trade I enjoyed enough to call it a career. I couldn't daydream anymore. I applied to start driving for swift on their west coast dry van fleet. Im well aware of swifts reputation but I feel like they're a great way to get my foot in the door and they do seem to have the most opportunities. Now, I've done some reading, but most of what I've read about the company seem to be from several years ago. I'm wondering if anyone knows if things are better at swift. Also I'm curious aren't there some new laws that might have helped increase pay? One more thing, anyone who has driven for swift. If you're told you get to go home for a 34 hour reset every week, how does that work for you?

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read, I look forward to reading your thoughts!

Dry Van:

A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.

EPU:

Electric Auxiliary Power Units

Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices

Pelican's Comment
member avatar

Swift has over 20,000 trucks.

It's not that swift is less safe or whatever it's just that they're EVERYWHERE.

A company with 20,000 drivers is gonna have more incidents than one with a few hundred lol.

I'm not a swift driver or anything but I think their reputation is unfair.

One of the mods here spent years and years at swift. He can answer all that. Best of luck.

EPU:

Electric Auxiliary Power Units

Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices

BK's Comment
member avatar

Justin, Swift is the butt of many jokes, but you would be fine starting out with them. In fact, having a job offer is a big thing right now, so you might be well advised to go with Swift if it’s a sure thing.

Any company is going to be what you make it. If you expect any company to be an Adult Daycare operation, you won’t last long anywhere. Companies value drivers who are safe, reliable, punctual, conscientious and honest. It would be rare for an established company to mistreat such a driver.

Hometime commitments can be difficult for companies to plan for, given the unpredictable nature of long distance travel. Just try to be as flexible as possible and give the company some slack.

Deleted Account's Comment
member avatar

If Swift is willing to hire you I'd jump at the opportunity although it never hurts to apply everywhere and consider the pro/con of all offers. They didn't get big by being a terrible trucking company. If they were in fact as unsafe as most people seem to think they'd have been shut down by the FMCSA long ago. For every disgruntled driver there's likely a long line of them that are very satisfied.

Being at Swift has its benefits. Swift has many more options to find what you enjoy. There's a ton of dedicated options out there that they have. DC to store delivery, hauling cars or flatbed though both of these are rare and I believe primarily down in the south. Also depending on where you live they may offer home daily jobs, home weekends, or your standard Over The Road.

As far as how being home for your 34 works. Depending on where you live in proximity to the terminal they may have you (or you choose to) park at the terminal. Otherwise they would find a load delivering/picking up in the general area and have you take the truck home. Many drivers utilize truck stops nearby to leave the truck while they go home. When the time comes others may be able to better guide you on ideas where to leave the truck.

Terminal:

A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.

Over The Road:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

CSA:

Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)

The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle

FMCSA:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.

What Does The FMCSA Do?

  • Commercial Drivers' Licenses
  • Data and Analysis
  • Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
  • Research and Technology
  • Safety Assistance
  • Support and Information Sharing

Fm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

Justin C.'s Comment
member avatar

I forgot to mention, I got my CDL class A license at the company I work for as a mechanic. Unfortunately I have hardly any over the road experience. Luckily that doesn't seem to be an issue for swift.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Over The Road:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Justin C.'s Comment
member avatar

If Swift is willing to hire you I'd jump at the opportunity although it never hurts to apply everywhere and consider the pro/con of all offers. They didn't get big by being a terrible trucking company. If they were in fact as unsafe as most people seem to think they'd have been shut down by the FMCSA long ago. For every disgruntled driver there's likely a long line of them that are very satisfied.

Being at Swift has its benefits. Swift has many more options to find what you enjoy. There's a ton of dedicated options out there that they have. DC to store delivery, hauling cars or flatbed though both of these are rare and I believe primarily down in the south. Also depending on where you live they may offer home daily jobs, home weekends, or your standard Over The Road.

As far as how being home for your 34 works. Depending on where you live in proximity to the terminal they may have you (or you choose to) park at the terminal. Otherwise they would find a load delivering/picking up in the general area and have you take the truck home. Many drivers utilize truck stops nearby to leave the truck while they go home. When the time comes others may be able to better guide you on ideas where to leave the truck.

Thank you for the encouraging words. Swift also has nice new trucks with many new features. I'm eager to learn more. I was told for my 34 I could be home every weekend for that. Seems like it's not a terrible thing!

Terminal:

A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.

Over The Road:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

CSA:

Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)

The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle

FMCSA:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.

What Does The FMCSA Do?

  • Commercial Drivers' Licenses
  • Data and Analysis
  • Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
  • Research and Technology
  • Safety Assistance
  • Support and Information Sharing

Fm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

Justin C.'s Comment
member avatar

Justin, Swift is the butt of many jokes, but you would be fine starting out with them. In fact, having a job offer is a big thing right now, so you might be well advised to go with Swift if it’s a sure thing.

Any company is going to be what you make it. If you expect any company to be an Adult Daycare operation, you won’t last long anywhere. Companies value drivers who are safe, reliable, punctual, conscientious and honest. It would be rare for an established company to mistreat such a driver.

Hometime commitments can be difficult for companies to plan for, given the unpredictable nature of long distance travel. Just try to be as flexible as possible and give the company some slack.

Thank you for the encouraging words!

Justin C.'s Comment
member avatar

Swift has over 20,000 trucks.

It's not that swift is less safe or whatever it's just that they're EVERYWHERE.

A company with 20,000 drivers is gonna have more incidents than one with a few hundred lol.

I'm not a swift driver or anything but I think their reputation is unfair.

One of the mods here spent years and years at swift. He can answer all that. Best of luck.

That is a great point! Didn't they just get even bigger recently as well?

EPU:

Electric Auxiliary Power Units

Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices

PackRat's Comment
member avatar

What's on the other end of "being home each week for your 34"....Were you offered a special, dedicated account?

Justin C.'s Comment
member avatar

What's on the other end of "being home each week for your 34"....Were you offered a special, dedicated account?

I have family here in Oregon and my fiancee. We have no children and most likely won't have any. I wasn't offered a specific dedicated account but a freight lane that would take me to Northern California, through OR, WA, ID, NV, and maybe UT. I'm told I'll be started at 43 CPM and able to hit about 3000/week. They also talked of bonuses for safe driving, showing up on time, and conserving fuel.

CPM:

Cents Per Mile

Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

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