Profile For Jaybird

I’m sorry for the misinformation. I have always assumed the term “Starter Company” as referring to any of the companies with any kind of company provided training. I’ve also lumped in the companies that I guess now that I think on it more, company sponsored training, which is different I think?

Errol is correct. No company wants to hire, train and provide resources, only for the driver to not remain with said company in the future.

I’ll offer a short piece of advice. Many better responders here than myself. I will say that I know, that no company is a bad company. Well lemme rephrase, no starter company is a bad company. All companies have flaws, but this industry and your success, is 100 percent entirely on you and your ability to humble yourself, show your respect for the equipment, environmental factors and your ability to take initiative in some odd situations. You control the entire outcome of your career. You have to recognize that it’s going to be a long, icy covered on ramp until you hit the highway that is your career. Not days, not weeks, but months and into the first several years before you start to gain real traction onto financial success. The first year and maybe 2, are low income, high stress, navigation and learning curves that will make you question life decisions.

That being said, use the resources available to you on this website. Use a starter company that trains you, and stay with that starter company as often times the grass is not always greener on the other side in the first few years. Learn the industry, learn the fundamentals and gain some comfort with the stresses of the lifestyle that is trucking, and see out the contract. I started and stayed with Swift for over 2 years. I can’t say anything negative with my experience with them, and I would most likely be with them still if it wasn’t for the wishes of my wife and kid being home more, but I found something that satisfies myself and my family needs. Kearsey is a Prime legend here, couple other Prime drivers that may also chime. Another more knowledgeable than I am with experience from Knight for many years, and Western Express is another. They’ll be along.

Hello! I have knowledge with Swift, I no longer drive for them as of October but I did 2 years on dedicated that had me in Seattle weekly, so I’m very familiar with the structure of the Costco dedicated that’s based in Sumner. You may or may not be trained in Lewiston it will depend on Swift, but regardless of where you train you will have opportunities open to you after the upgrade. You don’t have to be based where you live, if it’s preferred then you can ask and will be based out of Sumner, as well as dedicated Costco and there are several other accounts based in Nor Cal that still have the options or you being home weekly or Bi weekly. Costco is a home weekly. Many options, and Swift from all that I know in that area would be a great option.

I lost a window in my personal car, passenger side window. I was driving by a park, as soon as it happened I stopped, I did block a lane and stopped where I shouldn’t have, and scouted around looking at my surroundings. I then made my determination on what I thought it might have been, and put my phone on record, video and sound and had it sticking out of my shirt pocket recording, got the huge iPhone that pokes halfway out. I walked up and flagged a guy down mowing the lawn and made it look casual and asked him if he hit a rock. Played it off like “wow man I heard that rock did you see it go flying?”… he responded with yes, omg it was nuts, that thing flew! And then I told him, yes it my window and shattered it. He denied ever hitting a rock from that point on. I called police, filed a report, allowed him to deny it, then pulled out the recording after all the reports and statements were done. Got a new window!

And obviously I need to do better on quoting.

but 4h or 6h off duty in the middle off the day, non-consecutive with 8h in the sleeper after you finish your day - does not.

Imma go on a limb and say the non consecutive you mention is the problem, meaning you tripped the log somewhere shy of 2 hours consecutive multiple times?… either way it’s hard to decipher exactly what you mean still.

I drive for Swift, going on 2 years. I am confident in being able to say that while you must go through Swifts academy, you do not actually retest for the CDL if you already have it. So while you will spend 3 weeks doing things on the training pad, what is it that you’re losing? You’ll end up with a Mentor, that will most likely be around a month, if not less. So not even 2 months and you’re on your own. I do know of other training schools that will take longer than that, and most likely either way you’ll have to be with a trainer for a small period of time anyways.

Now, I do know that living in the Seattle area, there are several dedicated accounts Swift runs, that will pay you somewhat decent money after you learn how to be efficient and manage your time correctly. I will say I ran a dedicated account based out of California, mostly Lathrop area, that would allow you to still have hometime almost on a weekly basis with the deliveries done in Auburn and Sumner. And you’re still running and touching all west coast states. I am aware of an account running for Costco out of Sumner, that will have you home weekly, if not every other night depending on reload times as all pull out of Sumner as well. Food for thought. And I’m comfortable in saying, I grossed over 1800 on the account I ran.

And my last pointer I can give. I’m at my 2 years with Swift in 1 more month. I have no problems paying my mortgage, wife’s car payment and all bills for us and our Son. I’m happy with Swift, we live comfortably on 1 income and I have no plans on being anywhere else and I drive brand new equipment. So why is a contract an issue when ultimately wherever you end up, most major carriers that will take you, will (I assume) roughly pay you close to the same when you hit the point that you know how to be Safe, efficient, and reliable with a great attitude no matter how crappy the day may have been. It will take time for you to learn what needs to be done to make money, and that again will be regardless of whatever company you start with.

Ok, thanks everyone for the input. It’s so stupid on my end I always assumed it was safe to just continue proceeding when nobody was in front of me. It’s been nearly 2 years of me doing that, occasionally I would stop and wait for the truck in front of me but usually I was slow enough that the scale was completely clear by the time I hit the line. I don’t know why I overlooked it.

So, I’m curious. All of you know the “STOP, Proceed when scale is clear” signs when entering the Port of Entry I’m assuming? The Stop sign is clear, the white sign under it reads proceed when clear.

Now, my question, when 4 or 8 or 15 trucks are in line, all rolling between 3-5 mph as we all approach the scale waiting our turn, how many of you actually come to a complete stop, and wait until the trailer in front of you clears the scale? Are you ever far enough back rolling at 3 or 4 mph and just continue to roll and the trailer in front clears and you just roll at 3mph and then roll over the scale?

I was unaware, some don’t even have the stop signs, a Port in Washington stopped like 5 of us and pulled us inside the office because we all rolled through the stop sign. Informed that the stop sign is to be treated as such. No tickets or citations given out, I admit I’ve questioned it, especially in Neveda and it’s always the one Northbound 15 just south of Vegas that has the Stop Sign but also signs saying don’t stop unless directed. I’ve come to a complete stop at that stop sign and I’ve seen other trucks just roll through it at 5mph. I now will always just stop before crossing a port scale. Input?

The few carriers you’re interested in? I see you mentioned talking with Prime, why not Swift? Myself (still employed with Swift) and a couple others here started with Swift. I myself am doing very well with Swift, which is why I’m still employed with them. As well as Swift offers some of the best opportunities for new drivers in the So Cal area. Many dedicated accounts that offer home daily, intermodal runs home daily, great regional dedicated on the west coast that being in Los Angeles you could go home for a night here and there due to being in LA for a delivery and/or pickup and that’s going home without a hometime request.

You also have regular regional and OTR opportunities as well. They train you, with a training location right in Lathrop.

So I’m curious, why is Swift not on the radar?