Profile For Garrick M.

Thanks everyone, input here is really enlightening. I've been a "Swifter" for a month on my own now, wow have I made alot of mistakes(all minor so far, knock on wood!!) Really learning the meaning of on your own, I even enjoy it when someone on the cb makes fun of me as a rookie, at least someone acknowledges I exist! Got myself a decent phone finally, now what are the best apps for directions, etc, that I can use to make my life a little less complicated? There's so much to learn, but so much to see, too, I'm looking forward to it, taking it one day at a time.Errol V, really enjoy your experiences, keep on writing! And thanks especially to Brett for giving us such an invaluable site, don't know if I could have made it this far without it. Here's hoping Spring is coming!

Hi guys, can anyone tell me if it's ok to take your tractor to drive a reasonable distance to a store and buy food,drinks, etc? I'm talking about when you're out of hours and sitting at a terminal or truck stop waiting for your hours to reset. My wife said she read in someone's blog they do this, but I didn't think it was allowed. I eat fast food and the truck stop ready made sandwiches mostly, she wants me to buy food bulk and make/reheat it for myself to save $$, and have a more balanced diet. We're really at odds over this, so any and all comments would be appreciated, thanks!

Glad you got clarification on the pay scale.

Thank you for update on contacting DM. I'm learning fast that when I'm an empty truck enroute to pick up a load, or sitting, waiting for one, I can be rerouted to pretty much anywhere. I was cancelled in IL, sent to Syracuse, NY. Had to stop a few hours due to the weather, load was going to Alexandria,LA. Sitting in NY waiting for load, cancelled, picking up an empty trailer, then to pick up load close by in NY(not given name yet.) Then I'm headed for Maine. Really jinxed myself mentioning the east coast, didn't I? I do try to communicate exclusively w/ Qualcomm when I can, know they're busy w/ numerous drivers. Have to be routed home sometime in the next three weeks, temp. license expires then. Home terminal did contact me and tell me I can go back out on West coast after that, or take a dedicated midwest route, though I won't know the specifics til then. Any advice from any of you what would be best for experience/money? Heading out now, thanks all, Brett your blogs have been a lifesaver. Be safe.

I'm right on with all the other replies, I'll be 61 this year, and just started rookie solo driving couple months ago. I've always done physical work, outdoors alot, except for a little high BP I'm in good shape. Three much younger guys in my class didn't make it through the physical tests due to being so out of shape. Just wish there were an easy way to stop smoking! Been hooked since I was in the Air Force at 17. But if you feel you're up to it, go for it! Good luck,let us know what happens!

Hey, thanks for the quick reply re;pay scale, I did look it up and you are correct. Any swift drivers out there w/new hire, dispatch experience that could give me some advice/insight? My load was finally accepted yesterday after a 9 hour delay, still sitting in truck stop just down the road from that drop waiting for another load. Dispatch hasn't answered any of my calls since drop yesterday, never been left hanging this long. Least the weather isn't horrible here! Was nice working out on the west coast for training and first couple weeks. Haven't been to east coast yet, hoping that doesn't happen for awhile, though I hauled show horses all over the U.S. for quite a few years w/@ dually and 6 horse so not really worried about that aspect. Thanks for all the input and adventures to read!

Hi! Sorry so long, just no time! I drive for Swift, Dry van, had an awesome dispatcher, kept me busy with some good runs, though the .24-.25@ mi. is hard to swallow, I know it'll increase over time. New problem though. Got a new dispatcher last Tues., one I was working with had family emergency, went on leave. First, I switched from Utah cdl to WI, my home state, faxed copy of temp. license, as all hard copies are mailed out now. Noone let me know they couldn't read the fax, so I was suddenly on safety hold for license, took him 24 hrs. to look into this, give me a different fax#, etc. Since then he has given me short runs with way too much down time in between. I let it go as a newbie, but he has changed my load in mid trip 3x's in 48 hrs. Then I called and told him I would be out of hours after next drop. Instead of giving the ok to go to Swift terminal in Gary,IN after dropE$(could've made it with an hr. to spare.) he sent me to truck stop to fuel, then told me I had to take down time there. Could've made it to terminal w/o truck stop side trip! So I've spent entire weekend in Gary. Left last night to pick up load in OH, 1a.m. rescheduled to SW IL, to a pick up I would be late for even if I drove 80m.p.h. entire way. I told him this and he told me they'd be fine with me arriving late. Well, I'm here, and they aren't fine with it. Is it a huge nono to contact HR dept. and request a different dispatcher? Also, I'm still using a "loaner" rig, supposed to go to home terminal to get assigned truck, sign paperwork to be a Swift employee, that's been going on 3+ weeks, can't really get an answer as to whether I'm technically hired right now. Last 2 weeks I've made less than half what I made as a student driver paid hourly. Don't mean to be so negative, I knew this would be no picnic, but just getting overwhelmed. Someone able to please give me some advice?? Thanks guys, really appreciate it!

Wondering if it's feasible to purchase a plug in coffee pot & cooler for my truck? Anyone know if there's general policies for running these w/ an inverter? Or Swift policies as that's my employer for at least the year it takes to pay back school! Sorry Brett didn't see the bio page, I'll get it done when I have a minute. Thanks for all the help and advice on your site, been a lifesaver already! Garrick M.

Hey Daniel B, still@ Central, now Swift? Let us know if you have time, and if you like it better, or worse. I just started my solo journey w/ swift. Thanks man, good luck wherever you are! G. Lemberger

Hi all, no time to start this my first 240 hrs, too busy learning, trying to fit sleeping and eating around that. John is an awesome trainer, very good at communicating and just letting you make your own mistakes w/o freaking him out. He is an O/O so has his dedicated route, which was good, in that it made things not quite as hairy, but bad in that we basically ran Utah to Nevada and back, one side trip to California. We're both from WI, so we had alot in common. I felt confident to run solo when he dropped me off at Salt Lake City, though I did spend a day cooling my heels while my truck was brought up to specs. Picked up a load here in Utah headed for El Paso,TX. Still don't really understand the sliding pay scale, does the rate go down as you drive more miles, such as when your load destination is 350+ miles is it .25@mile the whole load, or slides down as you pile on the miles? Well, break is over, thanks for letting me share, I'll try and keep up.