I was just kind of worried about the kid. His last post sounded like he really wanted off the road, and I was hoping the best for him.

OTR at Christmas time with twin boys at home, and a young wife can be very tough. Hope he is doing ok.

I know a 63 yr. old man in Texas who has been with Swift 12 years and does just fine. Driving a van and averaging 43 cpm and 2400 mi. wk.. He told me once he had gotten sick and took a week off, and Swift came by the house, and took his 190k mile Volvo and left him a 870k miler. But once he got back out, they switched him back within 2 weeks. :roll:

 

870K? Swift doesn't have any Volvos old enough to reach 870k miles.

 

I think that was the real problem it was a Freightshaker, not Volvo :lol:

 

Hey an update from me, I have been solo 3 weeks, only had my truck (A 2004 Freightliner) for about a week and a half tho. This truck doesn't look too good, very beat up, has a few issues, has 1.2 mil miles, BUT it does run good. First week didn't get many miles as they where keeping me near home for christmas, but the first load after christmas home time, 1200 miles (NJ to Kansas City, MO). You can get more details from my blog, the link is posted a few posts before this one.

Southernpride, I am going to PM you.

Everyone else, if you see my truck (Swift truck 95287) in a truck stop, at a terminal, shipper, whereever, come say hello

 

Hello Boys.... I'm BACK!

My last post was way back in November, but i'm back with a catch up post. I finished out my 7 weeks with my mentor (just the way it worked out due to freight and hours) and got off his truck on 12/6. I tested out and finally went home for 5 days of R&R ! WOW you never reealize how much you appreciate things untill you go without them for a while. QI know it sounds cliche, but i finally understand. I'm actually glad now that i went that long without getting home and was able to stick it out, because i know if i can do 7 weeks, i can do 2-3. I was home (taking care of the honey do list) for 5 days and then went back to the terminal to get my truck. I did have to wait for a day, but I got lucky. People were being sent all over the country with other driver to get trucks, when a guy drove in and quit, i got his truck. 05 Volvo, 470k. OK shape, a few things need work, but it drives ok, and the air, heat and headlights work. Do i was off! My first day REALLLLLLLY pissed me off. I spent 5 hours running around looking for an MT that was less than 5 yrs old, duraplate no patches no nails..blah blah blah... Picky shippers! I ended up having to decline my first load cause not enought time. But then i got an empty and got a load. Greenwood SC to Rochester NY. 8000lbs, This was in the middle of that snow strom too. I had ample time to get there, and took it easy. I got to NY with just enough time to take about 11hrs b4 i had to deliver. Then i had to back to a dock door .... this was interetsing. I know i'm new and still learning, but my fiorst back on my own was blind side, at 5am, in a 89ft long parking lot (yes i measured!), AND it was snowing and there was ICE everywhere. 30minutes later i managed to inch it in there. YEAH!

Since then i've been running pretty hard. not taking anymore than "10 hours" down time and bugging my DM for loads. The longest i've had to wait was in NJ i hav to wait 19hrs in Newark.... but i know it happens.

1st wk solo: 2480 miles
2nd wk: 1587 (2 days off for xmass, 1 day shop)
3rd wk: 2699

As you can see i cant complain about miles right now. I've also been pd every receipt i've turned in for reimb. My bonus was pd SUPER fast.

Here's my gripes, My DM is non-responsive. I send msgs and nothing back till i call him. I know he is busy but..... Terminal showers are DISGUSTING!!!! Thank god for TA.

My fuel routes are intelligant, and my even i have not been asked to take a load impossible to del. on time.

I did have an issue on one load where i got caught up in 3 wrecks.... YES 3! it cost me a total of 4 hrs, and i still managed to get to my consignee w/ 3 minutes to spare. ( WHEW!) I guess experience will te\ach me to find ways around the traffic, but i'm still scared to take my truck off the interstates and big hwys. for fear of overpasses and such. I guess i'll get over that. I'll admit I avoided truck stops like the plague my first week, due to not feeling comfortable backing around those pretty long petes.... which is when i realized that my mentor as great as he was, and has become a good resource and freind, taught me the basics. I wish i had done truck stop parking at night, learning how to save hours...
( i ran out in 6 days my first week) managed to get a 34hr.

I eventually made myself go do it and just take my time no matter how many people i pissed off, and then i realized as long as u turn the CB off, you can do it fine. Which brings me to.... JESUS people, leave swift drivers alone, we're trying to learn, you had to start somewhere too. Witgh that said, i wanted to knock one swift driver out, he thought he knew everything after being on the road for 2 months, and was telling me to use jake brake when icey. I've been taught not too, unless i've got dry conditions it's off.

Problems i've had w/ my truclk, and why its in the shop as we s[eak:

--Opti idle quit working last night
--Fuel transfer issues (which caused me to have to be towed on my 2nd - trip, oh i also got a story about that trip....)
--Diff. lock wont engage
--8th gear is wont engage when mt or bob tailing. (wierd huh?)

My second trip: WOW Welcome to life on the road! Picked up in canandigua NY, well i drove past the shipper, and had to drive 18 miles down this tiny road b4 i found a place to turn around, a large intersection. (keep in mind still snowing HARD) well i didnt see the snow covered no uturn sign, but the DOT officer behind me did. I got a FULL inspection and he checked my logs for all of december (16 days worth).... all i got was a uturn ticket and a lecture. Later that night, due to fuel only coming out of one tank, ran out of fuel on the exit ramp and blocked 4 lanes of traffice for about an hour. the cops loved it. Me not so much.... but swift got a tow truck out there quick, i still felt like an idiot though. I've had to seal and unseal the over flow valves to controll the fuel flow. but this morining i ended up with a puddle of diesel under my truck.... thats the end of that.

OK thats all for now. I Hope everyone had a GREAT xmass and happy new year to all. I hope it's a prosporus one. I will continue to update this as i can, now that things are setteling down a bit. Please post this as a link to all the drivers asking about Swift. I hope it helps.

My wife actually reads the posts as does my mother, father and sister. to answer a prior question. ( Hey Guys! I'll be home soon !) My boys turn a year old next week. So thaat will be really cool.

 

Glad to hear from you, Southern Pride! Im happy for you that things are working out. I may end up in a swift truck myself (supposed to start school next week).

 

southernpride
man glad to hear again from you. I have been reading you posts from the beginning.

I am glad things are working for you. I am like you in the respect that nothing is given, you have to work and earn it all. I am a family man also, I have 4 kids total (2 full time) but If you can make the road work for you I know it can be done.

I have read alot of posts on this forum and for all those bashing Swift I find good comments too, as well as nearly all the other carriers. I think all carriers can be terrible or great, its all in the road you take.

You did a good thing staying away for that long gap back in training. from my military time I know it makes you cherish the time you have when you get it. I would seldom be home and sometimes way out of communication. My first 3 years with recon I was home for 9 months total. as I look back on it it was a blast when I was out there and plus I saw the world....
I think you will look back at these early years as a rookie driver and laugh when you are 5...10..15 years into it.

Keep the road posts coming. I really enjoy reading your info.

Good luck

 

Way to go man! Keep on truckin!

 

Ooo-Rah recon!

 

Recon - Thanks for reading and for the vote of confidence.

To Recon, Coach and all who serve or have served. THANK YOU! I know it sounds wierd, but being away for a few weeks from family has given me a new appreciation for those who served and have to be away from family for a year or more at a time. Not only that but you guys go out and put your life on the line so that my wife and i can raise our children in a better world.

Didnt mean to get all sappy, just wanted to say:

THANK YOU to all the men and woman in uniform! (past and present)