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  • Report:  #47018

Complaint Review: DSW/HDS Swift Transportation - TUCSON Arizona

Reported By:
- Tucson, az,
Submitted:
Updated:

DSW/HDS Swift Transportation
6251 S. WILMOT RD. TUCSON, 85706 Arizona, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-800-7792
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
I worked for DSW for one (1) year. That was all I could take. Just what does a DM do? NOTHING!!!!! All they care about is MOVING THE FREIGHT.

Now, granted; that is what it is all about. BUT, it takes THREE(3), count 'em, three people WORKING together to accomplish that job.

According to DSW, it only takes ONE (1); the DRIVER!! If you have a question about a particular route, or load, and you call your DM, the first thing he/she will tell you is: CALL SWIFT.. DSW does not have it's own planners. They train the drivers, put them on a truck, then LEASE the entire setup to SWIFT.

This way they get out of all the responsibilties of "Running a truck". If anybody would bother to check they would find out that DSW does not have any O/Os.. DSW is nothing more than a "Labor Leasing" company.

Now, there is nothing wrong with that. Until you run into a problem on the road. You call your DM (who happens to work out of the Tucson office); you will get one of two answers: "I can't help you"?! or; "Call Swift".

So, you call Swift. What happens? They say: "Who is your DM? you say: "Joe Blow in Tucson". Swift says: "Then you will have to talk to him". It is a "Catch-22" situation.

You try and follow the proper channels, and all you get is a runaround. These companies want YOU (the Driver) to do it all.

They want you to plan the route, get your own directions to the customer, call the customer for delivery instructions and/or delivery times, and at the same time; drive the truck in a safe and efficient manner!!!

Oh, yea, and they REQUIRE you to fuel where they tell you too. Now, lets look at the figures:

You are given a 1,000 mile run. Let's be generous: you are being paid $0.32 a mile. So, you MAKE $320.00, BUT, what have you EARNED?

The average planner gets $10.00 @hr? It takes you 18 hrs to plan the run, (Because a good driver is constantly planning); You spend $5.00 (if not more) in phone calls to the customer to get Delivery times and instructions (Because your DM is to lazy to do it for you).

If we start "billing" these companies for what WE do, that they should do, maybe we will start MAKING the money we actually EARN, or, these DMs and Planners will stop getting paid to sit around on their butts and smoke cigarets and drink coffee. Thats all I have ever seen them do in Phoenix.

Kent

Tucson, Arizona
U.S.A.


12 Updates & Rebuttals

Anonymous

Medford,
Oregon,
Yes Sir, you're exactly right.

#2UPDATE EX-employee responds

Sat, May 25, 2013

This former driver is writing just the way it happens at swifty.If you're with thrifty swifty long enough it will happen to you.Just when you think you're in the clear heads-up, because you're not.It depends a lot on you're DM,if you get a good DM you might make it happen for awhile,but if you get a wanna-be DM "may the force be with you".Good luck to all the new drivers and be sure to check your mileage against your pay.


Chuck Biscuits

United States of America
abuse in the workplace

#3General Comment

Fri, September 14, 2012

Every review about Swift transport Co. has been nothing short of a nightmare,$13.00 a month paychecks, women left behind and having to hitchike to a truck stop, sexual abuse,constant verbal abuse, how the hell is this place still in business?? Thanks everyone im staying away from swift.


Kent

Tucson,
az,
usa
Wow, 9 years

#4Author of original report

Wed, February 08, 2012

Wow, I wrote that report 9 years ago, when I first started in a job that I literaly knew nothing about.  I did learn tho, and I learned fast, but apparently not fast enough for some companies. Or, maybe, not fast enough for myself.  2 years after that article I was in Columbus, Ohio.  I was living in Northern Arizona.  My wife died in a house we had only had for 2 weeks.  I drove for another 2 years.  I gave it up in 2007, 2008 I sold the house and moved back to Oregon (my home state).  I had to give up my CDL due to finances.  To this day, I would love to get back in a truck.  It is the one profession that you never leave, no matter how far you go.  But, I will admit, and for those that are thinking about it, Truck Driving for a living, is not a job for a family man.  If your wife drives, or if you already own your own truck and have a few bucks saved, you might be able to male a go of it.  But I would not recomend it for a family man--just too much time away from home and too much stress.  A single person with no ties, no debts to speak of, could not ask for a better job.  See the Country and get paid at the same time.  I have seen more of the United States while driving truck than I ever would driving my own vehicle.  It is a great job, but it takes a very special person to do it, and make it worth while.  I will always give a high five to a trucker, and I always stop at truck stops when traveling.  So, you guys keep moving the country, keep the hammer down, and for You and your family, Keep the Rubber on the pavement!!!!

Report Attachments

driven0ne

el mirage,
Arizona,
United States of America
dont aplogise to this rich guy for saying the truth.

#5UPDATE EX-employee responds

Wed, February 08, 2012

I have been in the trucking industry for twenty plus years, I have had all manor of jobs. local, otr, regional, owner op and lease. yes  im one of those guys who is never satisfied. but wait, is it that im not satisfied or that i keep getting lied to? i think its a little of the first and a lot of the former. driving school tells new(notice i didnt say young? most of my students are around 45 years old) drivers that they will average 40,000 plus their first year, neglecting to tell them the expence of living on the road.($6000) or more, unless they only ever eat 2$ truck stop hotdogs lol. second they tell them how great home time is. dsw perposly left me out over christmas(doug as much as admitted this when he 'let' me out of my lease.) they neglect to tell you that your paychecks are going to be wildly eratic at best. some times(at least once per month) you might not get a check because miles were low and you needed to eat. they neglect to tell you that about 10-20 percent of your miles are unpaid due to their short pay calculations, this can add up to about a moth and a half to two months of unpaid labor. Doug knows exactly whats going on, although i dont bare him any mallice i also realize that this industry is controled by men like him, and thats a shame. he will do anything to increase his bottom line, regardless of how it affects yours. I guess thats buisness in america. but it didnt have to be this way. like you stated, he is mearly jerrys little worker bee. 


Sherry

Phoenix,
Arizona,
U.S.A.
You don't have to plan your routes... This driver is in a catch 22

#6UPDATE Employee

Fri, June 18, 2004

This driver is talking about being in a catch 22 situation..When a driver needs directions, he has a qual com that when put in properly will give directions. When breaking down, the driver is required to get a po# from his DM in Tucson then send in a msg or contact the onroad dept for breakdown problems.. If a driver is low on fuel, he has been told over and over to stop at a truck stop and let his dm know he needs fuel and not to move until he gets it. The price of fuel is outragious when the driver runs out on the road.. I have seen things in the company that the drivers have brought on themselves.. It doesn't matter what company a person drives for, there will always be faults.. If taken through the proper channels, things do get done


Sherry

Phoenix,
Arizona,
U.S.A.
You don't have to plan your routes... This driver is in a catch 22

#7UPDATE Employee

Fri, June 18, 2004

This driver is talking about being in a catch 22 situation..When a driver needs directions, he has a qual com that when put in properly will give directions. When breaking down, the driver is required to get a po# from his DM in Tucson then send in a msg or contact the onroad dept for breakdown problems.. If a driver is low on fuel, he has been told over and over to stop at a truck stop and let his dm know he needs fuel and not to move until he gets it. The price of fuel is outragious when the driver runs out on the road.. I have seen things in the company that the drivers have brought on themselves.. It doesn't matter what company a person drives for, there will always be faults.. If taken through the proper channels, things do get done


Sherry

Phoenix,
Arizona,
U.S.A.
You don't have to plan your routes... This driver is in a catch 22

#8UPDATE Employee

Fri, June 18, 2004

This driver is talking about being in a catch 22 situation..When a driver needs directions, he has a qual com that when put in properly will give directions. When breaking down, the driver is required to get a po# from his DM in Tucson then send in a msg or contact the onroad dept for breakdown problems.. If a driver is low on fuel, he has been told over and over to stop at a truck stop and let his dm know he needs fuel and not to move until he gets it. The price of fuel is outragious when the driver runs out on the road.. I have seen things in the company that the drivers have brought on themselves.. It doesn't matter what company a person drives for, there will always be faults.. If taken through the proper channels, things do get done


Sherry

Phoenix,
Arizona,
U.S.A.
You don't have to plan your routes... This driver is in a catch 22

#9UPDATE Employee

Fri, June 18, 2004

This driver is talking about being in a catch 22 situation..When a driver needs directions, he has a qual com that when put in properly will give directions. When breaking down, the driver is required to get a po# from his DM in Tucson then send in a msg or contact the onroad dept for breakdown problems.. If a driver is low on fuel, he has been told over and over to stop at a truck stop and let his dm know he needs fuel and not to move until he gets it. The price of fuel is outragious when the driver runs out on the road.. I have seen things in the company that the drivers have brought on themselves.. It doesn't matter what company a person drives for, there will always be faults.. If taken through the proper channels, things do get done


Kent

Tucson,
Arizona,
U.S.A.
DISCLAIMER ..Most people don't like the truth even when it does sound like a "PUT ON".

#10UPDATE EX-employee responds

Sun, July 20, 2003

This is actually in response to David in Bullhead City. The disclaimer was and is ALL MY OWN WORDS. I never had a problem getting another job. I just realized that You cannot change things by trying to "tear them down". In fact, DOUG CALLED ME. He wanted me to come back to work for them. But, they could not offer me anything I didn't already have, so I turned him down. They do have a couple people that could use an "attitude" adjustment, but that will be left to a higher power. There are good, better, best; and bad, badder, and worst companies out there. I happen to be with one of the "GOOD" ones now and I am going to stay here. David: No body is asking you to "Buy it". I don't even care if you like it! Most people don't like the truth even when it does sound like a "PUT ON". Just remember, I am the person that went through all of it, and I am the one that has tried to correct it. From what I understand, this web site is for BOTH good and bad. Well, I stated something BAD about a company that is actually GOOD, and I tried to correct that. I will defend your right to say what YOU want to, and not accuse someone else, even tho I might not agree with you. So, pleasae, David, have a good life, I know I'm going too.


David

Bullhead City,
Arizona,
U.S.A.
Did you try and get another job and they wouldnt give you a good recommendation until you cleaned this up?

#11Consumer Comment

Sun, June 22, 2003

What happened Kent? Did you try and get another job and they wouldnt give you a good recommendation until you cleaned this up? I'm just not buying this. It looks like someone from the company wrote this just trying to clean it up. Even tho I sided with the company I'm calling bullshit on this disclaimer.


KENT

Tucson,
Arizona,
U.S.A.
I wrote the above report in a fit of anger and miss-understanding.

#12Author of original report

Thu, June 19, 2003

I was in a frustrating situation and could not seem to find a (to me) proper solution, so I struck at the first person available - THE COMPANY. I wish to extend my personal apology to Doug, and any other person who feels they were a target of my heated rage. I am sorry for any problems this may have created for DSW. They are a good company. I was just an inexperienced person in a world that I didnot understand. But, the more I drive, the more I realize that there are changes that need to be made, but they will not be made by attacking the companies. We have to work with them if we are going to accomplish the changes that everybody admits, need to be done. Again, I am sorry, Doug.


David

Bullhead City,
Arizona,
U.S.A.
Newb Drivers Sheeeeesh

#13Consumer Comment

Thu, February 27, 2003

You new drivers crack me up. Every one of your complaints are soley the drivers responsiblity. Divers from day one are responsible for planning and routing their trips and getting delivery direction. Only recently have some companys as a courtesy started doing some of this for the drivers. Now all the new drivers think this is the way its done. That they have to do nothing but drive the truck. In you example you claim to be making almost $18 per hr ($320/18hrs). Maybe I'm missing the point here and that is my question to you sir. WHAT IS YOUR POINT????? Now the part about DSW being all screwed up bears plenty creedence. If I was you I would quit DSW and just sign up with Swift. At least then you would cut out the middle man. Working for DSW is the same as working for SWIFT and no benifits.

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