Hello all, I've read that there's a select few people that have been wondering about me.
Some of you know that I went to drive for Swift after Hurricane Katrina stole my Biloxi and New Orleans tour bus work - before that I dabbled in expediting and talking and non-talking freight.
Well, I'm not with Swift anymore. I handed them the keys and they didn't even say have a good day - really Really made me feel like just another number, as if I didn't feel like one already.
Swift was good driving experience, not much more than that.
I learned that a big company like Swift really does not care.
While I could have changed terminals, or driver managers...
Here's the way I see it: if a company valued me as a driver, if they wanted to impress me, and keep me - then, New guy or not, they would have shown me the miles and more respect.
Now, before you start thinkin' it was my fault and that I did something wrong, well - I guess I did, like when the truck AC broke down and I sat for 17 hours, then waited another 22 hours for a load.
On average I'd wait for 8 to 12 hours for my next load.
I never wrecked the truck, I never delivered late, I took care of the customer and the equipment.
I bumped into my old boss from the tour bus co. I ran for while I was at the SC terminal. He's let go of 2 busses, so he's down to 3 busses. He's runnin' a diesel shop outa the bus garage that's really starting to thrive - it was just gettin' started in Oct. when I left him. He's got some private coach work he does for another bus co., and said he'd love to have me back. When I informed him I didn't have a place to stay and he didn't have benefits, he said he's workin' on benefits 'cause he's got 2 girls workin' in the office now and he's got 2 FT guys in the bus garage now.
He also told me he'd help me find a place to stay.
Now, I'm one to look at the big picture of things...
Swift is 300 and 400 miling me to death, making me wait for ever to get a load, with Swift I'd have to search for an MT (Empty) trlr all over town sometimes - before I could go to the shipper.
Swift is payin' the same rate for all miles .26 cpm.
Yes, if I stuck it out another 2 months, I'd be gettin' .32 cpm.
and at one year, I'd be gettin' .34 cpm.
Bus Company was/is givin' me 2,000+ miles a week,
at .32 cpm to start. I don't sleep in a 72" box with a TV that gets 3 stations, maybe 4 stations if I have the aluminum foil just right.
I have private coach work available to me atleast once or twice a month that pays $185 a day to me - and on average it's 3 to 5 days or more. Either way, I sleep in a hotel room that I never have to pay for -which means no waiting for showers, no more drying off after showers with a bleached shop rag for a towel.
.26 cpm with no promise of miles, getting bounced all over and waiting long periods of time between loads- you think that's gonna change once they give me a raise?
OR...
.32 loaded miles, .15 empty/deadhead, paid hotels, paid meals?
plus there's the occasional $185 a day gig I got -
figure 3 to 4 days sets me right for a week or two at that rate.
Even on a slow week, I'd clear 500.
Lesson learned:
Sometimes grass isn't always greener on the other side.
I'm goin' back to busses. For now.
Boss man in SC has been talkin' about gettin' a rig, but he's still not sure - no matter to me, so long as he's got the bus work... and he does.
Plan B in case that falls thru...
Well, there's 3 other bus co.'s in upstate SC that'll take me.
Swift is a good co. to get your start with a Class A.
However, there's one thing I've learned over time workin' for big co.'s - your just a number - easily replaced.
I had a nice truck, it had AC problems twice, but other than that - all was fine with the truck.
I did my job as was asked, I went above and beyond the call of duty, and I still got the shaft.
Once again, the non-talkin' freight biz has let me down.
I'll get back into it someday,
going O/O in 2007 is not out of the question for me.
40,000 miles after goin' solo in an 18 wheeler,
I'm back to tour bus work.
Watch out Washington DC and New York City... Big Bus Bob is back!
Some of you know that I went to drive for Swift after Hurricane Katrina stole my Biloxi and New Orleans tour bus work - before that I dabbled in expediting and talking and non-talking freight.
Well, I'm not with Swift anymore. I handed them the keys and they didn't even say have a good day - really Really made me feel like just another number, as if I didn't feel like one already.
Swift was good driving experience, not much more than that.
I learned that a big company like Swift really does not care.
While I could have changed terminals, or driver managers...
Here's the way I see it: if a company valued me as a driver, if they wanted to impress me, and keep me - then, New guy or not, they would have shown me the miles and more respect.
Now, before you start thinkin' it was my fault and that I did something wrong, well - I guess I did, like when the truck AC broke down and I sat for 17 hours, then waited another 22 hours for a load.
On average I'd wait for 8 to 12 hours for my next load.
I never wrecked the truck, I never delivered late, I took care of the customer and the equipment.
I bumped into my old boss from the tour bus co. I ran for while I was at the SC terminal. He's let go of 2 busses, so he's down to 3 busses. He's runnin' a diesel shop outa the bus garage that's really starting to thrive - it was just gettin' started in Oct. when I left him. He's got some private coach work he does for another bus co., and said he'd love to have me back. When I informed him I didn't have a place to stay and he didn't have benefits, he said he's workin' on benefits 'cause he's got 2 girls workin' in the office now and he's got 2 FT guys in the bus garage now.
He also told me he'd help me find a place to stay.
Now, I'm one to look at the big picture of things...
Swift is 300 and 400 miling me to death, making me wait for ever to get a load, with Swift I'd have to search for an MT (Empty) trlr all over town sometimes - before I could go to the shipper.
Swift is payin' the same rate for all miles .26 cpm.
Yes, if I stuck it out another 2 months, I'd be gettin' .32 cpm.
and at one year, I'd be gettin' .34 cpm.
Bus Company was/is givin' me 2,000+ miles a week,
at .32 cpm to start. I don't sleep in a 72" box with a TV that gets 3 stations, maybe 4 stations if I have the aluminum foil just right.
I have private coach work available to me atleast once or twice a month that pays $185 a day to me - and on average it's 3 to 5 days or more. Either way, I sleep in a hotel room that I never have to pay for -which means no waiting for showers, no more drying off after showers with a bleached shop rag for a towel.
.26 cpm with no promise of miles, getting bounced all over and waiting long periods of time between loads- you think that's gonna change once they give me a raise?
OR...
.32 loaded miles, .15 empty/deadhead, paid hotels, paid meals?
plus there's the occasional $185 a day gig I got -
figure 3 to 4 days sets me right for a week or two at that rate.
Even on a slow week, I'd clear 500.
Lesson learned:
Sometimes grass isn't always greener on the other side.
I'm goin' back to busses. For now.
Boss man in SC has been talkin' about gettin' a rig, but he's still not sure - no matter to me, so long as he's got the bus work... and he does.
Plan B in case that falls thru...
Well, there's 3 other bus co.'s in upstate SC that'll take me.
Swift is a good co. to get your start with a Class A.
However, there's one thing I've learned over time workin' for big co.'s - your just a number - easily replaced.
I had a nice truck, it had AC problems twice, but other than that - all was fine with the truck.
I did my job as was asked, I went above and beyond the call of duty, and I still got the shaft.
Once again, the non-talkin' freight biz has let me down.
I'll get back into it someday,
going O/O in 2007 is not out of the question for me.
40,000 miles after goin' solo in an 18 wheeler,
I'm back to tour bus work.
Watch out Washington DC and New York City... Big Bus Bob is back!
