Considering A New Career!

I assume he saw SWIFT in my original post and is referring to that.

As I've been reading more and more on what to expect, it seems that this particular company has very mixed reviews. I've read success stories, and I've also read what a hassle it is to work for them.

BTW...like your U/N...I'm a big Serenity/Firefly fan..

As I've been reading more and more on what to expect, it seems that this particular company has very mixed reviews. I've read success stories, and I've also read what a hassle it is to work for them.

You just described every company in the nation.

Listen, every company in America can be a great place to work if they offer what you're looking for and you prove yourself to be a safe, hard working, reliable professional driver who can get the job done day in and day out. Trucking companies rely on their best drivers to handle the bulk of the workload, especially their most important customers and their most difficult schedules. The drivers who are lazy, unreliable, or unprofessional get whatever scraps are left over. Sometimes there's plenty, sometimes there isn't.

On top of that, every dispatcher at the major companies has anywhere between 25-100 drivers they handle. The best drivers get the best treatment. Not only do they get better loads, but they might get better equipment, an extra day off at home sometimes, and a million other perks that come your way when you have a solid relationship with a good dispatcher. The "bottom of the barrel" drivers once again get very little in the way of favors or good freight.

Don't worry about what some anonymous knuckleheads at TheTruckersReport say about working somewhere. Find a company that has the pay, benefits, type of freight, home time, and equipment you're looking for and go prove what an awesome driver you are. Develop a solid relationship with your dispatcher. Trust me, if you can do that you'll be happy at almost any company in the nation.

These crybabies that go around slamming companies are nothing but screw-ups looking for someone to blame for their own inadequacies.

Yes, I've been spending some time on other sites in my information gathering. Yes, I've been around the internet since before it was the internet and realize how these things work. I only ever half believe something I've read, and usually put very little stock in anonymous forum rants.

There's one particular thread there from a new Swift driver, who started working for them in January right out of school. He kept it updated all this time and detailed his successes, and mostly failures while working for them. It was an excellent read.

I realize that I'm going to have to pay my dues like anything else in life. There are some great local companies that have INCREDIBLE pay and benefits, but they won't even look at me until I have a year under my belt. My family and I are prepared to make the OTR sacrifice in order to have a better financial future down the road. I've worked @ lousy places before, and I know what it's like to be under the thumb of bad management.

Regardless of where I end up my first year out, I know that's where I'll need to be. After a year, so much more opportunity opens up, and I'll go from there.

Browncoat, I want you to really try and get a fresh mind set going on. You say you know what it's like to be under the thumb of bad management, but you don't realize how different it is working in this industry. I work really hard and I like to think that I work a lot smarter than my fellow workers. I make good money and love my job. But, you know what, I know absolutely one other person that works here, and that's my D.M. I don't even have a clue about who my boss is. As far as I'm concerned I'm my own boss, because ultimately I'm the one that determines how much I make and how successful I am. I call my own shots and manage my own time so that it's productively spent whenever possible.

I've run into a lot of drivers who ask me what I think of my company, and I tell them how good it's going for me. They usually respond with something about how they used to work there but couldn't take all the B.S. anymore, so they moved on. Then when I press them I find out they've moved on to several different companies and they are still thinking about moving on again. Some people are just not cut out to manage themselves productively, and they expect "the company" to be making everything come out just right for them, while handing them gobs of money every Friday whether they proved themselves or not.

Truck Driving attracts a lot of unique individuals, and sometimes that really works against some of them without them even realizing it. Percentage wise, truck driving claims the biggest bunch of whining moaners and groaners I've ever encountered. It's demanding work with long hours and ridiculous dead lines some times. You've got to be able to enjoy a good challenge every day and you've got to be able to bounce back quickly when things don't go as planned. I'm talking about almost everyday I'm having to adjust my plans and goals for the day because there are always unexpected variables thrown at you every day. From traffic, break downs, road construction, bad weather, people acting the fool on the highway, to a myriad of other distractions and interruptions this business can be very frustrating to a person who isn't able to "roll with the punches". I think that's why we see so many complainers - they just don't have the personality or the character to make this job work out for them.

So, in short what I'm trying to get across is: don't let yourself get so carried away with trying to find out all you can about company X Y or Z. Look to yourself and see if you've got what it takes to make a great driver, because if you do you're gonna love this career and do really well at it. I don't think it's going to make a whole lot of difference where you work. I don't think Guyjax will mind me telling you that he worked for years at a company that gets nothing but terrible reviews all over the place, yet he worked hard and smart enough to make enough money to pay cash for his home and some cars (I think I've got my facts right on this).

Everybody seems to want these local jobs, but most don't consider how those jobs work. They get paid by the hour for a reason, that reason is that it is a very physically demanding job. Most people don't hold up well for a lot of years of that kind of work. I had a young strong nephew that did that type of driving job for a while, but eventually he just couldn't keep it up - he was tired of his back hurting him all the time.

When you are considering a company like Swift or any of these larger trucking companies, you've got to realize these guys have been doing this for a lot of years and they know what they are doing - you may not always understand the logic or reasoning behind what they do, but they've got a reason they do things the way they do and it gets the results they want or they will change it until it does.

Best of luck to you, and don't even think that I'm being critical, I just want you to do your best to look at it from a different angle. Most of the time all that research one does on the internet is really useless when it comes to this industry. All it does is get you to thinking just like the people that you've been reading, and if they were successful at this they sure wouldn't be wasting all their time and yours by posting all their rants and complaints online.

I wish you every success as a new driver.

Amen to that! Well said Old School!

Most of the time all that research one does on the internet is really useless when it comes to this industry. All it does is get you to thinking just like the people that you've been reading, and if they were successful at this they sure wouldn't be wasting all their time and yours by posting all their rants and complaints online.

That's the #1 most difficult point to try and help people understand. You can read advice from others about their experiences and perceptions of different companies til you're blue in the face and all you're doing is wasting your time. Take some time to compare the quantifiable factors - pay, benefits, home time, equipment, types of freight, available opportunities (local, regional , dedicated, etc) and go with the one you feel suits you well.

At that point it's pretty much up to you and your dispatcher. If you prove yourself to be an awesome driver and you have a good relationship with a solid dispatcher then life will be good - it really doesn't matter what company you're with. If you're a lousy driver or you're stuck with a lousy dispatcher, you're going to be miserable no matter where you're at. That's how it works in this industry. Nobody believes it until they get about 6 months experience and then they come back here and say "Yeah, TruckingTruth was right. It's not the company that matters, it's you as a driver and your dispatcher." Happens all the time.

I think I'm going into this with a different mindset than most people.

My grandfather (God rest his soul) was the smartest man I knew. Growing up, he was just a fun old guy to be around. The kind of guy who would flirt with waitresses and had a story for every single situation that came up, and I do mean EVERY situation. He had been there and done that. He was also full of great life lessons, that even though I was too young to appreciate at the time, would help shape me into the person I am today.

He taught me about carrying boot money. Some of you will know what that is. He also told me one thing I'll never forget: you never make any money working for someone else. Grandpa owned his own construction business. It was just him, a backhoe, a dumptruck, a bulldozer, and a lot of hard work. I've been to college and done the 9 to 5, working for The Man. Sitting in a cubicle crunching numbers all day made me question my will to live. I started my own photography business 3 years ago, turning my hobby into something I get paid to do. I love it, but it's just not putting me where I want to be financially.

My trucking school recruiter says everything on my app looks good. I'm waiting to hear back about my pre-hires and am slated to start school on 7/1.

So are you getting into trucking to make better money to help support your photography business?

So are you getting into trucking to make better money to help support your photography business?

No. I'm giving up the photography business so that I can better support my family. I'm 38, married, with 4 kids. They are 14, 12, 12, and 18 months.

I think I'm going into this with a different mindset than most people.

My grandfather (God rest his soul) was the smartest man I knew. Growing up, he was just a fun old guy to be around. The kind of guy who would flirt with waitresses and had a story for every single situation that came up, and I do mean EVERY situation. He had been there and done that. He was also full of great life lessons, that even though I was too young to appreciate at the time, would help shape me into the person I am today.

He taught me about carrying boot money. Some of you will know what that is. He also told me one thing I'll never forget: you never make any money working for someone else. Grandpa owned his own construction business. It was just him, a backhoe, a dumptruck, a bulldozer, and a lot of hard work. I've been to college and done the 9 to 5, working for The Man. Sitting in a cubicle crunching numbers all day made me question my will to live. I started my own photography business 3 years ago, turning my hobby into something I get paid to do. I love it, but it's just not putting me where I want to be financially.

My trucking school recruiter says everything on my app looks good. I'm waiting to hear back about my pre-hires and am slated to start school on 7/1.

Browncoat, we share some things in common such as working in a previous job that drove us mad, and working as a photographer. I too love photography, and tried to make a go of free-lance portrait and glamour photography back in the 80's, but man that is a tough way to make any money. One thing that I mentioned in another thread is my love of landscape photography, and few jobs would be better than trucking for catching some great photographs as you roll around the country.

I truly believe that this lifestyle will suit my personality probably as well as the folks that are most content doing the job. I wonder about the people that complain on the Truckers Report forum that they work 80 or 100 hours per week but only get paid 30K - 70K per year. I don't look at the job that way. I look at the job as a lifestyle that allows me to do what I enjoy, and that is being on the open road frequently. Sure, you have to be alert and safety conscious at all times when driving, but to me, driving on the highway seeing the country is just not work. Sure, the deadlines, surly shippers and receivers, a bad relationship with a dispatcher , driving in heavy traffic and bad weather, breakdowns, etc. are stressful, but common sense tells me that they are only so if you let them get to you. Every driver goes through it. I will be ultimately responsible for what I make of it, and I believe in myself.

I think the worst thing about being a OTR driver is having a family and being away from home for so long, and also worrying about making ends meet financially. That would have to drive many drivers crazy. That in turn would often have to lead to much more difficulty handling the other issues drivers face. Fortunately, I don't have any of those worries. My only real concerns will be maintaining my health, being safe, and putting food in my belly, and satisfying the people who pay me. One other main concern I will look for in a company is their policy on driver comfort when in hot weather. I just cannot sleep well if at all in a pool of sweat, so I want to work for a company that has APU's , or a lenient policy on idling in hot weather.

Shipper:

The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Dispatcher:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.

Pre-hire:

What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?

Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.

We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.

A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment

The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.

During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.

Pre-hires:

What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?

Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.

We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.

A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment

The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.

During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

APU's:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

OK...I didn't think I would EVER have to add anything to my list of Don'ts for rookie truck drivers. But, life has proved me wrong once again...so here goes...

To The Photographers who become truck drivers.....YOU CANNOT, I REPEAT,CANNOT...MAKE THAT LITTLE SQUARE WITH YOUR HANDS TO FRAME A POSSIBLE PICTURE...WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING 80K OF TRUCK AND TRAILER DOWN THE ROAD.....

ok...I hope thats the last thing I have to add to that list.......