Werner Vs. Swift

Any thoughts on choosing between Swift and Werner? Assuming for the moment that I want to pull dry van to start out, it looks like a choice between these two companies.

Honestly, I think Swift would be the better choice. Werner has been on a bit of a slide in the last couple years and I think you'll get better miles and cpm with Swift.

Honestly, I think Werner would be the better choice. Swift has been on a bit of a slide in the last couple years and I think you'll get better miles and cpm with Werner.

Okay, I switched up Robert's word's just to make a point.

Tom, you've posed a question that you really can't expect us to be able to answer. Robert provided no verifiable facts or evidence to back up his claim. I could have said the very opposite, and I did, but what does that benefit you in the end? You still have two peoples opinions that are totally opposite of each other. You still know nothing!

This is a good example of why we try to use facts in here. Facts are hard things to ignore. You see I may be of the opinion that Swift has been on a bit of a slide in the last couple of years, and Robert obviously feels that Werner has been on a bit of a slide in the last couple of years, yet neither one of us offered a clue as to what the heck that comment means! It is all hearsay, and therefore not the kind of stuff that will help you.

Here's some things that I know.

- Swift is a big company with a lot of different opportunities for a driver to choose from.

- Werner is a big company with a lot of different opportunities for a driver to choose from.

- Both of them will hire inexperienced drivers and train them well enough to turn them loose in their own solo truck.

- We've had a lot of drivers in this forum who got their start with Swift - it is a good place to get started.

- We've got our very well known member, Guyjax in here who is a team driver for Werner - he and his brother made over sixty grand each last year.

Tom, the truth is that both places are trucking companies, they make money by moving freight. They need drivers who know how to "get er done." If you can be the kind of driver who proves to them that you have got what it takes to make a go of it out there on the road, then to be very honest with you, either one of them would be a fine choice. They are both well run and well managed companies with a long list of million milers who are still running hard with them. Do they both have a bunch of slanderous tales told about them on the internet? Yes, they do, but I'm gonna tell you a dirty little secret, and it is the truth as it happened to me. I started my career at Western Express as a flat-bed driver. I challenge you to find anything even close to a complimentary review of those poor guys on the internet. I was with them for sixteen months and would still be there today had I not had a really nice offer come to me from Knight Transportation. I learned this valuable lesson while at Western Express - every trucking company out there has it's detractors. They also have their core group of drivers - these are the folks who are getting it done day or night, sunshine or rain, ice or snow. I quickly got myself established with them as a guy who took care of business, and I was treated like a king from that day forward. It is a universal truth in this industry - your success at this is completely in your control - this whole business is a performance driven process - the movers and shakers are at the top of the food chain.

When you see all these disparaging remarks about trucking companies on the internet, you can mark my word that the person making the comments couldn't fill the shoes of anything close to a successful truck driver. Those folks who are constantly bashing these companies will continue to do so because they have never realized why they are having such a hard time realizing any success at this. If you can focus on your performance and not the company's you will be light years ahead of 98% of the rookies entering this field, and you will be able to succeed at a place like Western Express, where they are constantly accused of being nothing short of evil slimy *******s. Don't let yourself get distracted by all the trash talk - just get out there and show whomever you go to work for that you have got what it takes and they will keep you moving.

Hey Old School, My purpose of posing the question was to see if there are any final facts and thoughts I needed to consider in making a wise decision. As Brett encouraged me to do when I got serious about my job search, I have tried to reach out for any wisdom available here before making a decision completely on my own. Thankfully, I have received excellent advice including at a few responses from you along the way (this one included). Brett didn't want to see me go off and make a half-****ed decision, report it here to everyone, and only then find out true facts that could have helped me come to a better decision. For the record, I never go to other sites and read the negative and I don't think I've paid attention to any that might make it through here.

As you may have noticed, this particular thread was assuming I was wanting to pull dry van. That was simply to keep the water clear and to focus on my final two companies in that category alone. There is no sense in asking about specific jobs that are in totally different categories since the only determination there would be what do I ultimately want to do...no comparisons needed there. Although I was serious about Swift and Werner, ultimately I have chosen neither of them.

My final decision has come down to wanting to start out pulling tankers. Therefore, I am going with Schneider! I am very happy with this decision and hope to report the same over the next few weeks, months, and even years. I believe I would be happy in any of the categories as they all appeal to me in one way or another (even reefer). However, I would probably have some regrets if I never, at the very least, gave tankers a try. During this whole process which really started a few months ago for me, no matter where I let my mind wander, I have always come back to wanting to pull tankers. Several drivers that I've spoken with have praised Schneider's training program. I trust them to teach me what I need to know to be safe and successful and I know I'll work hard to prove myself to them.

I thank everyone here for helping me up to this point and suspect I will continue leaning on you guys some going forward. Sometimes we get the strength we need to make it through the rough times by knowing others have gone through the same stuff and have come out the other end of it still standing tall. I hope I can help others as I've been helped here.

That sounds really good Tom!

I've heard some high praise for Schneider's program. they are a good solid company, and their tanker division pays really well.

Best of luck to ya! Keep us in the loop, we love hearing all you guy's and gal's success stories!

I drove swift for 5 days and quit. They have extremely strict policies on company drivers, you can't have a damn thing in your truck unless you're owner op. They also treated me terribly when I went to the PA terminal. I hated it.

I chose Werner, and have been with them for 8 months now. They do have multiple opportunities. I started on a walmart dedicated, hated it and switched to a 3M dedicated that I really enjoy.

Wal-Mart was a multi stop store delivery with a multi zone reefer. 10° below, 32° & 35°, having to shift pallets in and out of the trailer. It paid .32 cpm , plus $15 per stop not counting your 1st or last store, and you had to get the delivery done by a certain time.

3M is a drop and hook , 24/7 with no appointment, 95% of the time. It is 100% no touch freight, but 1 in 10 loads may be a live load. It pays .35 cpm

As of July 1st, 6 months into the year, I have grossed $24,729 for the year, and have taken 2 weeks off You can be home every weekend, or stay out and run. I would average 2400 miles per week if I went home weekends, if I stay out for 2 weeks, I average 3400, my best week was 3800 paid miles.

All mega carriers have dedicated, regional , 48 states, etc. Which ever you choose, you will be the one that makes your employment good or bad. The companies will give you the tools, what you do with them will be in your hands

I chose Werner, and have been with them for 8 months now. They do have multiple opportunities. I started on a walmart dedicated, hated it and switched to a 3M dedicated that I really enjoy.

Wal-Mart was a multi stop store delivery with a multi zone reefer. 10° below, 32° & 35°, having to shift pallets in and out of the trailer. It paid .32 cpm , plus $15 per stop not counting your 1st or last store, and you had to get the delivery done by a certain time.

3M is a drop and hook , 24/7 with no appointment, 95% of the time. It is 100% no touch freight, but 1 in 10 loads may be a live load. It pays .35 cpm

As of July 1st, 6 months into the year, I have grossed $24,729 for the year, and have taken 2 weeks off You can be home every weekend, or stay out and run. I would average 2400 miles per week if I went home weekends, if I stay out for 2 weeks, I average 3400, my best week was 3800 paid miles.

All mega carriers have dedicated, regional , 48 states, etc. Which ever you choose, you will be the one that makes your employment good or bad. The companies will give you the tools, what you do with them will be in your hands

Brian, Thanks. It sounds like you have found a good place in Werner. It goes to show all of us that one particular situation may not suit us very well but that shouldn't be a reflection on the whole company; just that particular account for that particular person. I'm glad the 3M account is working out well for you.

Brian said,

Wal-Mart was a multi stop store delivery with a multi zone reefer. 10° below, 32° & 35°, having to shift pallets in and out of the trailer. It paid .32 cpm , plus $15 per stop not counting your 1st or last store, and you had to get the delivery done by a certain time.

Errol worked this account for a week and a half (temp assignment) and says:

Wal-Mart was a multi stop store delivery with a multi zone reefer. 10° below, 32° & 35°, I never touched a pallet. The loads were made to minimize the in-and-out movement and the store staff did all this. The delivery was a priority so I never had to wait for another truck being first. It paid .38 cpm , plus $15 per stop not counting your last store (3 deliveries meant 2x$15 for extra stops), and you had to get the delivery done by a certain time, which was pretty generous and never a problem for me.

I took these numbers from my check stubs. My point here is as Old School said, you won't get the same info from different people.

Exactly right, you'll get different info, depending on how long ago Errol was on the account....I was on it in January 2015, and .32cpm and $25.00 per stop is actually what I was paid because I was on a temporary basis, but once on the account the per stop pay adjusted to $15.00

No matter, like all things it has changed, Werner lost the account I was on out of Tomah Wisconsin to Marten.........