Last December my fiance desided to become a O/T/R truck driver. After looking around for what he hoped would be the best school, he settled on CR England. We struggled to pay the bills, while he went to school to better our future. Not long after getting out of school, he recieved a call from SWIFT, promising to give more miles and better pay. He jumped on board, and had no idea what we were about to get our selves in to. After excepting a job with SWIFT, I decided I would venture out in to the world of trucking with him.
After the first week, things started to go down hill. His first week out as a new driver he was sent to New York. He handled him self like a pro, but we were told that was not the norm for new drivers. His second week with spift he was assigned to a K-Mart load, which any SWIFT driver knows is a driver unload. After 3 hrs.in 95 degree tempt. He was promised $80.00 that would show up on the following pay day.
Yeah right! The same trip he was promised lay over pay for sitting a full 24 hrs. NOT! Then the missing logs started. My fiance's DM at the time, promised weekly to fix the problems. After 3 weeks of srewed up pay, because of what they then clamed was a result of missing trips.
I began to get really pissed. My fiance on the other hand kept making excuses for SWIFTS screw ups. Every week promises of his earned pay being fixed and sorted out were made. This never happend. After bugging the crap out of his DM he was instructed to fax copies of his trips and send in a reciept for the cost of each fax. We did every thing we were asked to do, to recieve what he busted his a@ to earn.
It never happend. Then in a round about way, with out actualy saying it, he was asked to run illegal miles, with the promise of longer trips and bigger pay. If you refused your next load may only deliver around the block, or the next state over. Our first week out we had truck problems.
These SWIFT trucks are supposed to be well taken care of and maintaned on a regular basis. The first day on the truck, the window broke on the driver side, the door on the driver side wouldn't open, and the only way to get out the passenger side was to hold the lock down and push. SWIFT drivers are taught to always roll down your window, when backing in to a dock or parking spot. This made his first 2 weeks hell. It took over 2 weeks of bugging SWIFT before they got us routed in to a terminal to fix the problem.
A week later the alternater went up, another lay over with promised pay we did not recieve. From the start we had a problem with the trucks AC. Every chance we got we tried to get it fixed. Every terminal shop claimed to fix the problem, but didn't. At one point they said they didn't have time to fix it, and told us some thing we could try.
To my knowledge my fiance was a truck driver, not a mechanic. We tried to fix the problem our selves but it was only a temp. Fix. We also ran in to a problem with tires. We had three blow outs while he was employed with SWIFT. If possible we were routed to the nearest terminal.in any case, we were told if a truck was too old and nearing it's trade in time, we could only get used, some times low tread tires.
Because of the lack of concern in fixing the AC it resulted in me passing out from heat exhaustion, and an ambulance bill. Which the company promised to pay, since every rider has insurance in case of any such emergencys. Now they refuse to pay the bill. If you didn't play by SWIFT rules you were punished with safety holds, for missing logs etc. Etc.
After 4 1/2 months of screwed up pay, broken promises and 2 DM's he decided to leave the company. Reciepts for toll cost, fax's etc. Were never paid. Empty miles, not paid. Lay over time, not paid. Trips SWIFT some how lost, not paid. All in all we ended up finding our selves still in debt. SWIFT is nothing more than a pimp in my eyes. You bust your a@ for a buck and they manage to take it from you. They refuse to pay my fiance his last pay check, saying he doesn't have one. How the hell is that possible?
I kept track of every trip, state and miles. If he doesn't get his rightful pay, the craps gonna hit the fan. After all there is nothing like the raft of a woman scorn.
Angel
Albemarle, North Carolina
U.S.A.
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