Southern Dad Joins The Fray

Excellent question for me to ask. I'm adding it to my list.

That's about normal for hometime: one day off for each week out.

I'd be asking if it is actually 48 hours, two days, or a 34 hour reset at home? All three are different.

PackRat had a point:

I'd be asking if it is actually 48 hours, two days, or a 34 hour reset at home? All three are different.

First assume the time off is "two days" unless it is. 34 hours (one day plus 10 hours) is a standard break in your Hours Of Service - a legal term.

I drove a regional area for Swift. This did include real weekends off. In my case, I often finished my week's work & was home sometime Friday afternoon (a few times I got home Thursday!). But Monday morning I needed to be on the road by 4am to make my schedule. Still, a whole weekend.

Keep in mind there's no "Five o'clock somewhere" in trucking. No whistle is going to blow and you pull over for the night. To finish out this concept, though the trucking industry is 24/7, you will get your off time while you're on the road.

So clarify that "two days".

The question that I had asked the recruiter was how home time worked, that was when he said that I accumulate 1 day every 6 for home time that is usually taken as 2 days at home after 12 days on the road. Because of the comments here, I will ask him to explain it further to make sure that he means two real days at home not just 34 hours.

One of the best things about interaction on this forum and reading old (some very old) threads is that I learn questions that I need to ask.

PackRat had a point:

I'd be asking if it is actually 48 hours, two days, or a 34 hour reset at home? All three are different.

First assume the time off is "two days" unless it is. 34 hours (one day plus 10 hours) is a standard break in your Hours Of Service - a legal term.

I drove a regional area for Swift. This did include real weekends off. In my case, I often finished my week's work & was home sometime Friday afternoon (a few times I got home Thursday!). But Monday morning I needed to be on the road by 4am to make my schedule. Still, a whole weekend.

Keep in mind there's no "Five o'clock somewhere" in trucking. No whistle is going to blow and you pull over for the night. To finish out this concept, though the trucking industry is 24/7, you will get your off time while you're on the road.

So clarify that "two days".

You may want to see Questions for recruiters as well

Since applying on this site, yesterday, my phone has been ringing. I took the questions to ask recruiters information, then looked up the answers on the web. I used that to confirm with the recruiter. I’m at Concentra to get a DOT physical, as I type this. It’s looking like a two hour wait. Of the companies expressing and interest, two really interest me. Those are TMC and Swift. Two opposite ends of the spectrum, for sure. My highest priority is home time. Money is about third on the list.

I know there are drivers here from both companies. I’ve read the threads here, especially the diaries. Word of mouth is the best reference. This is moving faster than I intended. I’ll be taking the CDL A Permit as soon as I have this card.

I drove only for Swift. What I'm about to say will truly work for nearly every other big trucking company.

Swift is quick to pay you, and covers any authorized road expenses. Their equipment is no more than 4 years old and getting things fixed is never a problem. They are on top of safety issues. The most important thing is your relationship with your Driver Manager (DM). You two are a team and your team will make money (miles) if you work together.

You might find lots of people are down on Swift. Well that goes for most large companies as well, only Swift if one of the largest,. If you run the numbers, there's are numerically more Swift drivers out there. And since they train their own new drivers, Swift becomes the butt of newbie jokes. Never mind this, Swift is a good company to dive for.

SD did you read Solo's TMC diary? He is the most recent I recall doing a diary of TMC about 8 months ago. In his diary he states that he will make 90k his rookie year. Please do not get fixated on that number as he's paid a percentage of the load and freight rates were very high. Now that rates have tanked pay will not be anywhere near that, atleast the first year. It is still an excellent way to get an idea of how schooling and training would be if you went that route.

My father-in-law, a lifelong trucker often jokes about Swift but he's quick to acknowledge that they are the biggest and it's really just a small percentage of the drivers that draw that attention. He did say there were worse places that I could go. The Swift recruiter is telling me that I live in the right area for several dedicated accounts. Obviously, it's a vague not-quite-promise.

I appreciate the insight about Driver Manager (DM). Swift brings a lot to the table. On a completely outside note, my wife is also a teacher but at the elementary school grades. I do not know how you all do it.

I drove only for Swift. What I'm about to say will truly work for nearly every other big trucking company.

Swift is quick to pay you, and covers any authorized road expenses. Their equipment is no more than 4 years old and getting things fixed is never a problem. They are on top of safety issues. The most important thing is your relationship with your Driver Manager (DM). You two are a team and your team will make money (miles) if you work together.

You might find lots of people are down on Swift. Well that goes for most large companies as well, only Swift if one of the largest,. If you run the numbers, there's are numerically more Swift drivers out there. And since they train their own new drivers, Swift becomes the butt of newbie jokes. Never mind this, Swift is a good company to dive for.

I did. I read every page of that thread. That thread may serve as a model for mine, when I go to CDL school. If I decide to go with them, and they decide to go with me, I would also opt for the percentage. At present that is 26% for newbies. There is also a point system that can really bump up the pay.

I'm not going into this for the money. Money is nice but there are other higher priorities on my list, home time being one that TMC seems to do well in.

SD did you read Solo's TMC diary? He is the most recent I recall doing a diary of TMC about 8 months ago. In his diary he states that he will make 90k his rookie year. Please do not get fixated on that number as he's paid a percentage of the load and freight rates were very high. Now that rates have tanked pay will not be anywhere near that, atleast the first year. It is still an excellent way to get an idea of how schooling and training would be if you went that route.

I recommend staying with cents per mile pay because it stays constant.

Percentage pay is based on rates. currently on a downward trend, like 20% lower now than they were a year ago.

Everyone bashes Swift because they're the largest truckload carrier out here. More trucks equals more chances for bad things to happen.