In January, the week of the 21st, I went to SWIFT orientation, with the assumpyion that I would be getting a truck on the 23rd. Not true. I went thru the Work Well program, the drug screen and later that day I did a road test. The road trainer gave me his load to deliver at a Target store. He told me what exit and left the rest for me to do. I delivered the load and was given the first seat driver for my road test.
The second day which was Wednesday the 23rd, the whole class watched films, and at end of day was told we had to go home. Plus they neglected to tell me about fuel expenses to and from W.V. To Columbus, Ohio. They also said if I didn't hear from them by Friday around 1pm to call and see about driver ID number.
I called the recruiting department at Columbus, Ohio on Friday and they had gotten my social security number punched into the computer wrong, so I had to wait until the next week.
On Tuesday the following week, they called and said I was a first seat driver, I would get a new Volvo, and top pay, but neglected to tell me the pay. I had to call Tim Bowman the Fleet manager the rest of the week for truck availibility and that was every day.By Friday Mr. Bowman said enjoy my weekend and call back on Monday.
I called back on Monday and got the after hours message. On Tuesday the 5th of February, I called, left a message, and by 9:30 Mr. Bowman calls me back and asks me how long it will take me to get to Columbus, I said 4hrs. He said ok, and for me to get there, they had a truck there and ready for me to take and get on the payroll.
When I got there the truck had just arrived and wasn't ready, which in turn I asked what was going on. They replied the truck had just arrived and they needed to clean it before giving to me. So, I had to spend a night in motel. I get back over to the terminal on Wednesday morning, the 6th, and by noon they tell me the truck number and go check out the truck. I check out the truck and it has to go to the shop. I take it to the shop for repairs and I am told by the mechanic that the truck is already on a red tag and for me to get inline for repairs. So, this means another night in the motel.
On Thursday, I go back to the Terminal, and the shop hasn't even looked at the truck. Later in the day I call over to the shop and they said it wouldn't be ready until later and that I should just go back to the motel for the night.
I come back on Friday morning and my Driver Manager calls over to see if truck is done and they say they haven't even pulled the truck in yet.??? Whats wrong with this picture? I was told it was in the shop... Go figure? The shop said to call back by 2pm, my DM did and it still wasn't ready.
Now the Fleet manager, Connie Carrasco steps in and says they are going to make arrangements for me to get a ride home with another driver.By this time, I am very furious with everything that has happened for the week. I haven't made any money, other than DM's saying I would get at least $50.00 a day for 2 days of sitting.
Now by 4:30 pm the truck is ready. I get the truck, load my belongings into the truck and get my first load going to N.J., which delivers on Sunday morning. I make my delivery easily, and get next load at Newark, N.J., right after I'm empty.
Upon arriving to my pickup, I have to call permits to get a permit to haul a load of beer going to Michigan. I never left N.J. Until 4 that afternoon. Everything went ok from that time on and I made my delivery on Monday at 1pm. I then got another pre-plan, I had to go to Lansing, Michigan to pick up a load going to
St. Louis, Mo., but the load was T-called. That meant I had to drop the load in Gary, Indiana. I got the load and delivered it to Gary, Indiana by midnight. There was hardly a place to park so I found what I thought was a safe place in the terminal and gave trip papers to terminal, went back to truck and went to bed.
At 3am, I thought the truck was upsetting. Another driver had drug his trailer across the front of my truck, and it wasn't good enough that he backed back across the truck too. He got out and slid the bumper and headlight assembly back in front of truck. He didn't realize I was awake and I hollered at him and he started making excuses. I told him he needed to tell the terminal what he had done. I watched him and he left the terminal, I ran up to the terminal and told them what had just happened and I had gotten his truck number. The dispatcher told me to go get the accident package and to start calling the numbers. I did.
On Tuesday morning after about 1hr sleep, I go back up to the terminal and turn in pictures and see if they had gotten the driver of other truck to come back, They didn't know where he was, but that he had never called in yet. I then went to the shop and gave them my claim number and they told me to get in line. I spent that night in truck also even after telling my DM what had happened.
The next day my DM wants me to check the Gary terminal for local work, (none available) I tell him I should spend night in hotel, and he agrees but ha has no clue as to how to get money on my Comdata card. Another night in truck. I did spend Wednesday night in truck, called Columbus terminal, they called me back with news that truck was going into shop and would be ready Friday. I said ok.
Later that day around 3pm, my DM calls me back after I pay for another night at hotel. He tells me that I am to be picked up by another driver between 6pm and 7pm. I will be coming back to Columbus to get a new truck. The driver never got to Gary, Indiana until 12pm and she was out of hrs. I could've spent a night in the hotel, but after that I spent the night in the terminal, sleeping in a chair.
On Friday morning the driver comes and gets me and we head for Columbus. We get there after 5pm Friday and everyone has gone. I check out truck and I decided that after 2 weeks of pure HELL, that I was going home and I did. 1500 miles for 2 weeks and a lot of sitting is POOR MANAGEMENT.
I think there should be better management and better judgements into having a driver go thru this. Plus there are lots of others going thru hard times in these terminals. A big company like this shouldn't have any problems if they are concerned about their drivers. I see this company as only knowing the drivers as a number.
Jim
Clarksburg, West Virginia
U.S.A.
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