Question:
I'm looking for drivers who work for, or have worked for Swift to let me know about the company.
Any and all info will be appreciated.

Answer:
Please use the Search Feature located on each page. Just type in SWIFT. There are many many posts on that company here. Enough reading to keep you busy for days........maybe weeks.
BTW, I've never worked for them.
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"I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane!" (from Waylon Jennings)
"The feel of the wheel delivers me, from a life where I don't wanna be." (from Joe Stampley)

Answer:
(5 pgs)Past Posts about Swift(click here)

Answer:
Thanks for your replies! I do appreciate them. I did a search and spent about 3 hours going through the different threads. I was curious if anyone knew about their equipment? I know the trucks are slow, but are they junk, or do they take care of their stuff?
Be safe everyone!
Thanks again

Answer:
When I first started there in 1999 pretty much all of the equipment looked decent, was well maintained, and so forth. None of the company trucks were more than 3 to 4 years old depending on the milage of the unit.
Lately though from what I have been hearing Swift is keeping trucks a lot longer, and the trucks they aqquire when they buy out a company they are also keeping, even if they are small, lack power, and are in fairly rough condition.
Only two things I know of are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and I am not real sure about the universe.
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The truck they gave me is a piece of crap. In 2 weeks I will be saying goodbye the the truck and SWIFT. YYYYYeeeeeeaaaaaaa! btw, I think it was a MS carriers truck. The MS trailers are for the most part total junk.
franki

Answer:
Well I actually spoke face to face with a recruiter this afternoon here at the local Holiday Inn. Lets just say I'm glad I was wearing my boots....LOL. After we spoke and he gave me the usual on how Swift is the best and blah blah...he pulled me aside and said."you know I know of young guys just like yourself who are making over 80 grand in 3 years time." I was muttering bulls*%t under my breathe...LOL Then he asked me if I would have any trouble unloading a truck. I told him no I wouldn't, then asked him if they had alot of freight which required "driver unload" and I never really got a straight answer from him.Anyway he mentioned the company was purchasing Volvo tractors, but he mentioned they had purchased 150 of them....I thought I read they only were buying 50 of them? Well what do I know. Not actually alot about trucking, but I'm sure try to learn before I dive in.
be safe everyone

Answer:
There first order is for 400 of the new Volvo's. The only reason Swift should be considered is if you had very few to no other options. With that said there are several companies out there worse then Swift to work for.

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A friend of mine went the Swift route. Serious lack of training (3 weeks), only 1 1/2 wks on the road with a trainer, then 48 states on his own. Got laid over lots of places (no pay when he was not rolling). Top that off with the ridiculous low pay, and he starved out. Had to pay off his training bill and left company.
Have heard that Swift is trying to get some sort of govt assistance with driver training. The figures I have heard on how many drivers they need annually exceed the number of trucks they own. This means there is an enormous turn-over.

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I`m driving for Swift right now. The equiptment is pretty well maintained, and fairly new, but they are letting the trucks get more miles on them now befor trading them in. I got 3200 miles two weeks ago, and just got 2700 last week. I do have trouble getting home, and was out 5 weeks this last time. The pay is lousy,,I was fortunate that I had a good trainer, but the second half of thier training(called 4x4, for 4 weeks with a trainer, and 4 weeks with another student)was hell and I almost quit.If fact I almost killed the guy i was with, cause I was sure he was going to kill me.I`ve been solo for 5 weeks now, and the job is getting better.I`ve been getting good runs latley. Still there is the usual sh*t that you have with most companys, wrong paychecks that take too long getting straightened out, short runs, fingerprinting of loads, a$$hole dispatchers etc.I haven`t had but one fingerprinting load since I started, and it wasn`t bad, made $60 in 2 hours.All in all, my experience isn`t as bad as I expected, and for me it has been a learning experience. I would say the the best thing about driving a big truck, is driving a big truck. All the rest of the stuff,ie. shippers with attitudes, dispatchers with attitudes, 4wheelers with attitudes, bad instructions,4 am deliveries,truck stop food,Billy Big Riggers with thier bad a44 CB`s, comes with any trucking company. Swift is what ya make of them, and in time I`ll move on, but right now I`m getting the experience in a 62 mph truck. I don`t love Swift, but I don`t hate them yet either...
fishman

Answer:
Hi Mrmajestic. Just thought I would jump in and tell you that recruiter was'nt BSing you. Maybe stretching thr truth a little. Im a trainer at Swift, I just turned 33 and bringing home 1000 a week . And I dont even run that hard. I could make alot more but I try to get home every 2-3 weeks.
I started with swift after 10 months quit went over to USless Xpress for 2 months, then back to swift to be a trainer. All I can say is DAM how its payed off. Now when I drive Im not thinking about being home. Im thinking about how I'm gonna spend my cash.
Anyways just a little food for thought

Answer:
Originally posted by nofxn40s:
Hi Mrmajestic. Just thought I would jump in and tell you that recruiter was'nt BSing you. Maybe stretching thr truth a little. Im a trainer at Swift, I just turned 33 and bringing home 1000 a week . And I dont even run that hard. I could make alot more but I try to get home every 2-3 weeks.
I started with swift after 10 months quit went over to USless Xpress for 2 months, then back to swift to be a trainer. All I can say is DAM how its payed off. Now when I drive Im not thinking about being home. Im thinking about how I'm gonna spend my cash.
Anyways just a little food for thought
But this is one of my problems with Swift. Too many newbies teaching newbies. At a year I had things pretty well figured out, for me, but definately not well enough to be teaching anyone.
Only two things I know of are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and I am not real sure about the universe.
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Out of curiousity how do you manage to bring home $1000 a week w/1 yr experience otr at Swift. I understand you are a trainer, but do ya'll actually make that much money on the average? They have nurses, lawyers, and teachers with advanced degrees not making that much money. I'm in the Army(E-5) making little over $1000 bi-weekly and consider that comfortable income, but will never average that much money while in uniform.
IMO to make that much money one must be driving beyond their hours of service.

Answer:
Originally posted by nofxn40s:
Im a trainer at Swift, I just turned 33 and bringing home 1000 a week . And I dont even run that hard. I could make alot more but I try to get home every 2-3 weeks.
I started with swift after 10 months quit went over to USless Xpress for 2 months, then back to swift to be a trainer. All I can say is DAM how its payed off. Now when I drive Im not thinking about being home. Im thinking about how I'm gonna spend my cash.
Anyways just a little food for thought
Of course he didn't tell you how he gets paid!
As a trainer for Swift, he also gets paid for all the miles the Trainee drives! Swift pays the trainee a paltry $50 a day.
I also have a problem with rookies training rookies! You don't have the experience or the training to be a trainer! To be a trainer, a driver should have a minimum of 5 years experience, with no accidents or tickets!
*******************************
"I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane!" (from Waylon Jennings)
"The feel of the wheel delivers me, from a life where I don't wanna be." (from Joe Stampley)

Answer:
Hoss & UTURN well said. As us oldies know the money goes quick out on the road. A trainer makes some extra $ as everyone knows. But, I personally would never want to go thru that aggrevation to make the extra $. I guess it does look good on a resume though.
My 2cents: To make that $1000wk work better for you. Get and use the experience to find a nice local job. I know, everyone will say "but they only pay $8-$12hr where I am at".
One must look past the obvious. How about Petroleum Hauler? aka, Tanker Man.
I have been thru several different facets of the Trucking biz. Until I found hauling petroluem products around, I never got over that $1000wk goal.
I mean, by being local and home every night with 2days off. My expenses dropped like a "Lot Lizard falling off my running boards":0. So, now that $1000+ a week is alot much more sweeter.
Sorry guys, I got of the original topic, just follwing up a little.
RookieTrucker