Swift Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over Independent Contractors

Swift, gave me many good opportunities ; as well as,hard times.I graduated from Swift Academy and immediately began a dedicated run in Texas.Swift was the only company in the U.S. to give me a chance.Prior to swift I had a college degree,a full Va pension, and a partial Government pension from the Justice Dept.I stayed as a shuttle driver for one year before I convinced myself that I was going to be O/O.I struggled to average 2,200 miles weekly during my 3 year lease; but my child support and tractor lease was kept. Being a Lease/Owner you will never own a decent truck because swift owns you and the truck.I managed to get a Cdl, a couple of safety awards, and for the first time in my life I qualified for Food Stamps in Texas.I paid a 70,000 dlls lease but could not afford a 20,000 dlls balloon payment.I drove and return my life time gamble back to Phoenix and filed a dis-agreement.I have return home to enjoy my pensions, family, without half as much stress.

The way it is with Swift is exactly the way it has been with trucking for the 40 yrs my fathers been it an the 15 yrs I been in it! These are big training companies that prey upon the inexperienced drivers out there! The do not realize till there in the seat! No realistic person would ever get into a lease or own a truck..unless you had the money to buy it out right and pay youself back. Most people dont have the tolerance forr the industry today which is sad!I love it but i worked my way to a private fleet driver! Nothing beats it..Swift is a company that is out there to make money like anyone else! Drivers have to read theyre lease agreements and get smarter.You can make it! truck smart! Way to go for swift! they just landed Brundidge,Al. and All of Florida Grocery DC's in Florida bye bye Greatwide!

Imagen you paid the full lease of 70.000 in three years.Now imagen the nice professional con that you have been communicating with for the past two years nine months stop answering your calls about the final baloon payment verbally and agreed about ten to twenty percent down.Imagen the owner of swift snarty nose grandson changing the agreement and demanded fifty percent of 38,000. I went directly to phoenix to meet lil snarty, Joke, Ha, Ha. I turned in my beautyful blue 2007 W9 with a letter of dis-agreement and past a copy to the chain of command.Swift call me two weeke later a offered me my qualcom and I had 10 days to come and get it I replied the qual comes with the and swift will render the qual useless. I was a O/O with limited miles and a dedicated employee .

lawsuit update:

Posted on Wednesday, July 27 2011 at 2:43pm
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling today holding that a Court must determine whether the Federal Arbitration Act's exemption for employees in interstate commerce applies to truck drivers such as the Plaintiffs in this case. Nevertheless, the Ninth Circuit refused to grant the mandamus petition and order the District Court to reverse the prior decision sending the case to arbitration. Thus, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the Plaintiffs' legal position that the law requires a Court to decide whether the owner operators are "employees" exempt from the Federal Arbitration Act, but did not order the District Court to comply with that ruling. Click here to review the 9th Circuit's decision.(15 Opinion Denying Mandamus.pdf 73KB) It may take a short period for the parties and the District Court to work out the effect of the decision, however, Plaintiffs are optimistic however, given that the Ninth Circuit affirmed our legal position. Further updates will be posted as the effect of this ruling and how it affects the parties' positions becomes clear.

Hey,
How do I join the on=going Law Suit?
Contact me ......funbiani@gmail.com

I worked for swift for 7 yrs. as a company dr. then O/O.. there lease program is now a joke. you pay 125K for a truck and then 60k on the balloon payment. during this time if your waiting for a load for more than a day you cannot find a load anywhere else to get you somewhere else where the fright is. as for the mileage pays. being in the office at times has allowed me to see what is done to fix the mileage. its not 7 to 10% its upwards of 20% at times done by adding more towns to the rout. if your contract is termed for any reason even at swifts preference. you are left with nothing all occupational insurance as well as every other benefit that is deducted from pay is terminated that day.. if terminated due to accident everything is canceled as of day of accident.. it is in contract and has been for years that you are not allowed to drive for anyone but swift as long as you are running there base plates. you are not even allowed to pull your own trailer if you own one. you are governed under there rules from speed to loads to logging. if you end up with a lemon your stuck with it. cause IEL will do nothing to fix problem. cause you are governed under the law of a state that doesn't have a lemon law. they even riff you off on fuel surcharge. ask other company's what thew pay the O/O's and you will find that its about 40 to 50 cents higher.. all in all i had a good run at swift. but in the end was termed due to an accident that was caused by mechanical failure. i paid over 60k on the truck and got nothing in the end. Cause i was not the owner of the truck and the insurance company was charged the exact amount left owning as if i made all lease payments and balloon payment. this is not legle. they made a tone of money on the truck just in interest alone they they shouldn't have gotten cause the insurance company payed the truck off early.

F@#ck Swift Transportation.I hope the government find some more shit on their sorry asses.

Swift owner operator wrote:

I agree that we need to be treated better, and not taking swifts side but....They don't MAKE you lease or buy a truck from them. Its your choice.
(hopefully) You get more $$ being a O/O. You get better benefits as a company driver. which do you want? Its your choice!!

Amen. O/O allows you to make more money and allows you to make critical choices about your future...Notice I said YOU. As an O/O, watch your books and fund your life/future/retirement/etc on your terms!

I wouldn't wish Swift on my worst enemy.