What about Swift?

[lovestogiggle (deleted)]

I am moving to San Antonio in the spring to attend the Swift driving school there....The company is no longer hiring out of FL, which is where I live now. I have heard that Swift had a very bad rep years ago and that now it is a very good company and very large with lots of growth potential. But even now when I talk to folks, they say to stay far away from Swift? So any perspective on the company by those who work for the company or have in the past, would be greatly apprciated! Oh and my plan, after the training period is that I would like to team up with an owner/operator, but would also consider a company driver.

[hwyangel]

`Hey girly, I am in the trucking business, my sugestion would be, go take the test in TEXAS, the written, they give you how ever long you need and you can get a temp license untill you are ready to pass your driving test. Then call duran... the will TEACH YOU HOW TO DRIVE AND WORK WITH YOU UNTILL YOU CAN PASS THE driving TEST. COST ABOUT 300.00. THEN GO TO ONE OF THE COMPANIES THEY WILL RETRAIN YOU, BUT YOU WILL ALREADY BE CDL QUALIFIED AND YOU WILL START MAKING MONEY, OR YOU CAN TEAM WITH SOME OF THESE GUYS ON HERE, AND START MAKING MONEY RIGHT AWAY. I HAVE KNOWN A FEW THAT HAS WENT TO DRIVING SCHOOL, AND YOU PAY THEM BACK FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS, MAKING NOTHING..MAYBE A HUNDRED A WEEK.. IF YOU QUITE THEY CAN PUT IT ON YOUR DAC, YOUR DAC IS YOUR LIVILY HOOD IN TRUCKING. BAD DAC, NO COMPANY WILL HIRE YOU.. NOW ITS THE CSA 2010 WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.. SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. ALOT OF THEESE GUYS WILL WORK WITH YOU IF THAT IS WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO, JUST BE CAREFULL WHO YOU CHOOSE. duran's number is 817-992-5504....My best wishes to you.

[lovestogiggle (deleted)]

`This is good information....Thank you Hwy Angel! ; )

[hwyangel]

`Let me know how it works out for ya.. I know a few decent drivers that would probably take you on and train you with . If that is something you would be instrested in.

[darktanyan]

`just stay away from werner yes they have a decent training program but when it comes to listening to driver concerns there crap

[mystrapsnchains (deleted)]

`I drive flatbed for Swift...worked on an off for them for the past six years this being my first time on the flatbed side of the company. Absolutely love it. Making good money, they get me home on time, and I'm not a number to the crew I work with. It's a bit different on the van side...you're more of a number and just one more driver in the system. But, overall there are worse places to work (I've worked for some of them!) so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Swift. I started out of the now infamous Millington, TN school when I first started driving. San Antonio's is MUCH better - you're actually tested by real DOT officers.

[knightkosd]

`From what I understand their van division has a TERRIBLE safety record. I saw a SWIFT two nights ago take off a guys hood and SWIFT was making a LEFT turn at the time! But everyone has to start somewhere, so good luck to you...I'm a 13 year driver.

[malakon]

`what ever you do stay away from swift i went to their san antonio school it was a ok for the basics but there trainers after school either want to start you out like a vet trucker with 10 years experience or just want to use you as another log book so they can drive longer after you get done with that they start you out with crap for pay but you will get 2500 - 3000 miles a week for the first three months after that first pay raise though your miles drop to around 1500- 2000 a week and at the six month raise your lucky if you get 1000 miles a week. so in short you make no money

[chub4chub (deleted)]

FIGURING OUT WHO TO DRIVE FOR, IN ONE EASY LESSON:

Visit a truck stop and pick up a copy of each Truck Driver employment guide that you can find- especially the glossy "Reader's Digest" sized ones. Now thumb through your collection of guides, taking note of the companies that have full page ads or even multi-page ads in nearly every publication. (Swift would be one of them.) Next, turn on your Sirius/XM Radio and take note of the companies that spend big bucks to advertise on the satellite channels.

OK, got all that done ? Now, here's the important part: NEVER CONSIDER DRIVING FOR ANY ANY OF THOSE TRUCKING COMPANIES !

Why? Because those companies have massive driver turn over, due to treating their drivers like crap. They are NOT driver oriented companies (no matter what they claim) and the suits who run them have forgotten that although the truck is a machine, THE DRIVER IS NOT.

Companies worth driving for don't spend a fortune on advertising, and they often have a waiting list of applicants ready to drive for them. How do you identify the "good" companies ? Talk to Truckers who run for small to medium sized companies that rarely advertise. They'll let you know what the deal is where they work (unless they don't want the secret to get out).

Just because a trucking outfit is small doesn't mean it's good, but I do believe the best companies tend to be the smaller ones. Just because a trucking outfit is big doesn't mean it's undesirable. (How many of you would jump at the chance to drive for WalMart ?)

The trucking companies that spend a fortune on advertising, hold new driver orientation classes every week (in multiple locations) and still can't keep drivers in their trucks are a blight on the face of Trucking. Unfortunately, as a newbie, you may have to sign on with one of these "freight whores" just to get some experience and pay your dues before the good companies will be interested in you.

[cuzzinit]

Everyone has got to start somewhere, and you can do worse. i started there, hated it but went on the better jobs. Came back after 5 years to train and met veteran drivers that loved it........ i never could figure that out, but to each his own. When you go to a company wheel holder school they want you to stay. As a former trainer for swift i would recommend that you go through an independent school such as a community college. But if you are like most new drivers, you have to do something quickly. i also recommend looking at Stevens as well. Not any better but it's reefer and i have found that to be better.... for me










darktanyan wrote: `just stay away from werner yes they have a decent training program but when it comes to listening to driver concerns there crap

[truckerdude]

`I am not a driver but I been looking into swift and I am looking into doing Flatbed Dedicated, intermodel and container. I was more leaning to dedicated because I like wal mart and I heard that wal mart is swifts biggest customer and I just want to know how that division is and wondering if they do a lot of bobtailing and just want to know if that division is worth it and I am looking to be a owner operator down the line do I have to pick one of there trucks or could I get my own. when your a company driver do you get to pick what pick the kind of truck you drive for them or would they assign it to you.