Deciding Between Roehl And Swift Flatbed

Okay, Guys (and Ladies), I have whittled my choices for CDL schools to Roehl and Swift. I live in Wooster, OH (NE Ohio). This is what I have been told by other drivers and recruiters:

Roehl: Supposed to have a very good CDL program lasting 4 weeks and out with mentor for 20 days. 20 days doesn't seem long enough for mentoring a stark rookie! Mostly Great Lakes regional and East of I-35 OTR is supposed to be 11-12 days out with 2-3 home Better chances of hometime due to Better flatbed routing in NE Ohio. In fact, I see Roehl flatbed's on I-76 or I-71 near Seville, OH and Lodi, OH fairly often. I don't remember seeing any SWIFT flatbeds where I live. By the way, why are some Roehl trucks red and others gray/silver? Like the idea of getting paid during training, even if their tuition is $5000+ if you leave earlier than the committed 120,000 miles.

Cons: Driver facing cameras and audio recording in the trucks. Their pay plan/"points" system is confusing, at least to this newbie. Their safe driving policies seem very strict. Assigned routing with little options for the driver to follow own route.

SWIFT: CDL training is only 3 weeks, but you are with a trainer for 200-300 miles drive time (5 weeks or so according to the recruiter). Tuition etc. costs about $4900 with 3900 able to be paid off if the driver remains with SWIFT for 2 years. Flatbed routes mostly East of I-35 and in a triangle route line area. (Houston, TX, Gary, IN and Greer, SC). More terminals than Roehl overall and more out West. Pay system seems easier to follow than Roehls.

Cons: Living in NE Ohio, where Flatbed isn't prevalent, I would probably have to run some Dry Van to get closer to Wooster, OH for hometime. I am not yet sure about driver facing cameras, and having to follow assigned routes as with Roehl. If there are some flatbed drivers for either company, maybe you can provide your opinions and "facts" about Roehl and Swift, especially pertaining to their flatbed divisions.

Oh, and as a last minute throw in, I don't hear much about Werner's flatbed division and how it pertains to Ohio residents and freight/hometime, but if anyone does flatbed for them, feel free to comment also

Glenn

I believe both companies have driver facing cameras but I think Swift was doing away with theirs. Hopefully Errol, GTown or some other swifties can chime in.

Honestly you would do well with either company. I'm not sure Roehl drivers take their trucks home so you might want to double check that before you decide.

They both have excellent schools and company training programs. They both have excellent, well maintained equipment.

Driver facing cameras are a real sticking point for some. Me personally, it wouldn't bother me. When your on your 10 hour break, simply close your curtains. My thoughts.. it's their truck and they have a right to know that you are operating it safely.

(Thank you for the introduction, Susan.)

Remember one thing, Glenn: Training is "but a moment" in your life and career. Don't make a career choice on such a rather minor thing. Any company, even private schools, have designed their training to get the needed truck knowledge into your head in a short time. The official standard is 160 hours classroom & driving time to get the CDL , After that is the OTR bit. Both your time quotes (Roehl 4 weeks and Swift 200 hours, not miles) are about the same. And that also is the designed training time. Believe me, no company wants untrained people out on the road with their equipment and their freight.

As for Swift's tuition deal, it goes like this: you finance $3900 with Swift. Your contracted drive time is the next 13 months. During this time, payments are deducted, but Swift also pays you in a way that after you have paid off the loan you are actually out-of-pocket $1090. The two years part is Swift continues paying you for another year, and by then you have a free school!

As for flatbed, I am based at the Memphis, TN, Swift terminal , and I see few flatbeds here. But I think Swift flatbedding is more concentrated at other terminals.

Oops! Of course, 200 hours. "Miles" was a typo. Thanks Errol for the info.

(Thank you for the introduction, Susan.)

Remember one thing, Glenn: Training is "but a moment" in your life and career. Don't make a career choice on such a rather minor thing. Any company, even private schools, have designed their training to get the needed truck knowledge into your head in a short time. The official standard is 160 hours classroom & driving time to get the CDL , After that is the OTR bit. Both your time quotes (Roehl 4 weeks and Swift 200 hours, not miles) are about the same. And that also is the designed training time. Believe me, no company wants untrained people out on the road with their equipment and their freight.

As for Swift's tuition deal, it goes like this: you finance $3900 with Swift. Your contracted drive time is the next 13 months. During this time, payments are deducted, but Swift also pays you in a way that after you have paid off the loan you are actually out-of-pocket $1090. The two years part is Swift continues paying you for another year, and by then you have a free school!

As for flatbed, I am based at the Memphis, TN, Swift terminal , and I see few flatbeds here. But I think Swift flatbedding is more concentrated at other terminals.

Susan: I can understand the safety issue. I just wonder when I am in the truck, not driving and someone watching me go about doing my daily personal things.

I believe both companies have driver facing cameras but I think Swift was doing away with theirs. Hopefully Errol, GTown or some other swifties can chime in.

Honestly you would do well with either company. I'm not sure Roehl drivers take their trucks home so you might want to double check that before you decide.

They both have excellent schools and company training programs. They both have excellent, well maintained equipment.

Driver facing cameras are a real sticking point for some. Me personally, it wouldn't bother me. When your on your 10 hour break, simply close your curtains. My thoughts.. it's their truck and they have a right to know that you are operating it safely.

Welcome Glenn.

The camera is designed to only upload when triggered by a critical event while you are driving. The intent of this device is NOT to watch you while you sleep or change, etc. It's not uploading images to management in real time. This device can potentially clear you of any wrong doing in an accident or other critical event. Do your job correctly/safely and you'll never know it's there.

That said; Swift has disabled the driver facing aspect of the cameras. Road facing is still active and will upload content capturing 20 seconds before and 20 seconds after any critical event. Like Susan, I have no issue with the camera including the in-cab function. When the in-cab was active, many of the drivers domiciled at my terminal placed a piece of black electrical tape over the cab facing lens when parked. There is also a set of curtains that can be drawn covering the perimeter area of the windows and windshield, thus covering the entire camera.

No need to wonder...focus on what really matters; safe and efficient operation.

I believe Swifts Flatbed terminals include Gary, IN, Greer, SC and Houston, TX.

As for flatbed, I am based at the Memphis, TN, Swift terminal , and I see few flatbeds here. But I think Swift flatbedding is more concentrated at other terminals.

I meant to respond to a quote, not post as a separate response.

I believe Swifts Flatbed terminals include Gary, IN, Greer, SC and Houston, TX.

As for flatbed, I am based at the Memphis, TN, Swift terminal , and I see few flatbeds here. But I think Swift flatbedding is more concentrated at other terminals.

I believe Swifts Flatbed terminals include Gary, IN, Greer, SC and Houston, TX.

As for flatbed, I am based at the Memphis, TN, Swift terminal , and I see few flatbeds here. But I think Swift flatbedding is more concentrated at other terminals.

Glenn there is a Swiftie named Chris. He recently moved into the flatbed division...

He typically checks-in a couple times per month, I expect if you bump this once or twice, he'll reply with input.

Good morning Glenn and thanks for that plug G-town.

I am OTR in the Swift flatbed division and I love it. I made the switch from dry van about a month ago. We do run all 48 states, but if you're based on the Easy coast you largely run "the triangle". The triangle is actually Laredo TX, Greer SC, and Gary, In. Those are the loosely defined points of the triangle. Those 3 terminals, as well as Phoenix AZ are the flatbed terminals. As long as you live in the hiring area, your "home terminal" doesn't mean jack. I live in Alabama, but I'm based out of the Gary, In terminal.

I can say that we certainly do haul freight from your area. Just last week I picked up a coil in Valley City Ohio, just southwest of Cleveland, and took it to Laredo. I travel through southwest Ohio pretty much every week.

I'll give you a basic breakdown of the triangle.

1) Steel coils from the Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky area that go to Mexico. You drop these at the Laredo terminal.

2) Steel frame rails that come out of Mexico. You pick these up at the Laredo terminal , and they go to Gaffney South Carolina. You will either drop them at the freightliner plant, or you will drop them at the Greer terminal.

3) Freightliner Chassis. You pick them up at Gaffney South Carolina, and they go somewhere in that Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky area, with a few exceptions. When these go to northern Indiana, I always run I-75 up through Cincinnati and Dayton, and then turn west a little north of Dayton.

4) Right back to steel coils that go back to Laredo.

Now, the triangle is not the only freight you'll ever haul. I've hauled fertilizer, roofing shingles, and coils that go to other places. They also have freight that goes into Canada, but if course you can only run those loads if you're authorized to cross the border.

Also, the driver facing camera has been deactivated across the board. Each truck I've been I'm has had a piece of black tape across the driver facing side, which I just leave on since it's not hurting anything. I completely understand being uncomfortable with the driver facing cam, based on things that I've experienced personally, but that's a separate topic. Bottom line is Swift doesn't use the driver facing portion of the camera anymore.

If you have any other questions I'm happy to answer them to the best of my knowledge. Good luck!