Some truck drivers for Swift Transportation, a unit of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KNX), said they received messages via their onboard computer messaging systems around 7 a.m. Dec. 2 instructing them to chain up and drive in inclement weather to get their loads delivered on time.
“We cannot afford to have you down or the load to be days late due to weather,” said the message, sent by a Swift driver leader and posted by Swift drivers on the Twisted Truckers Facebook page. “If we can drive, we will — whether it be 5 mph or an appropriate speed as long as we are safe.”
The social media post received more than 3,700 comments from truckers responding to the message. Some said they would park until conditions improved while others stated that driving in harsh weather conditions is just part of the job.
Winter weather alerts disrupted much of the Northeast on Dec. 2 after a storm dumped snow, freezing rain and sleet across a large portion of the mid-Atlantic and New England regions. Severe weather was also reported in portions of the Sierra Nevadas and the Cascades in southern Oregon to the mountains of northern Nevada and southern Idaho.
A follow-up message was sent approximately four hours later by the same driver leader to Swift drivers clarifying that he did not recommend drivers be on the road “if the weather won’t allow it or you do not feel comfortable.”
Kevin Quast, chief operating officer of Swift, confirmed the message was sent by one of its “newer driver leaders,” but said the statement didn’t accurately convey the company’s position on safety.
“This was not a company-wide statement,” Quast told FreightWaves. “A newer driver leader with us was a little overzealous with what he was trying to do. We’ve coached him and helped him to understand really what he was communicating and we made sure we are all approaching it the same way.”
A post on Swift Transportation’s Facebook page on Dec. 3, a day after the original message was posted, clarified the mega-carrier’s position on its chain usage stance.
“Chains should be used to get a driver out of trouble and to find the first safe/legal place to park,” Swift’s post stated. “They [chains] are not to be used to make a delivery on time or to get through bad weather.”
Dave Berry, vice president of Swift, said he wasn’t aware of the social media posts concerning the Swift driver leader’s message sent via OmniTracs, formerly Qualcomm.
“Loads can be late, but the priority is the people on the highway and the people behind the wheel of the truck,” Berry told FreightWaves.
Since the merger with Knight Transportation in 2017, Swift is becoming significantly safer than it’s been in decades, Quast said.
“We take safety very seriously and are continuing to improve and work hard to become even safer,” he said.
FreightWaves’ Stephen Oatley contributed to this report
JWINTHEDESERT
In a previous life, I drove flatbed for swift. One time heading EB into Denver just before Eisenhower the chain law in effect sign came on. I think it was around glenwood. Everybody pulled over, including me. Threw the chains on and by the time I reached the tunnel, it was cancelled. Rode into Denver all the way to the terminal with chains on at around 30 mph in white out conditions. “Super Trucker” kept on my rear the whole way down yelling at me on the CB to move it. I said: go ahead and pass me. Saw “super trucker” later in the ditch.
Bill West
In over 20 years of driving, my personal rule was that if I couldn’t cover 40 miles in an hour, not 40mph speed, it was not profitable to keep rolling. Never received any flak from any company for adherence to this policy. Also judging by some comments I can see drivers here have never had to chain their steers or trailer axles, wow! You have had it easy!
David Hollis
As a driver for 25 years I call bullshit on swift saying it was one out of control leader dispatchers and terminal managers have along with government regulations chased alot of drivers out of the industry they care about the truck moving down the road and not the safety of the drivers health look at how they get paid (by the mile) look at how many hours a day they work (11 to 14) look at where they are ( never at home) where can they eat ( not healthy) they may start at 6 am one morning and are expected to just fall asleep 11 to 14 hours later and get up and and do it over again can you or anyone you know fall asleep on command that’s why you see so many wrecks the industry is killing people by the stupidity of those in charge
Tracie
I bet that “new dispatcher” got his ass chewed! My comment to that direction is ” whose picture and name is on that license?” And to top that off, the dispatcher will bail on you in a heartbeat if you have an accident or heaven forbid, kill yourself or someone else. If you can’t drive with the 18 wheels you already have, then park it until the weather gets better. If your route takes you over a mountain, you chain up long enough to get over it.
Drew
I won’t chain for less that $2.50 a mile except to get out of trouble. You want me to risk my livelihood for a load of corn flakes you better make it worth it.
Jacob Iceman
If I got to throw chains to get the job done I do. If I have to drive for four hours doing 30mph stopping every hour for a chain check I do. Driving with chains is a part of the job out west and it is industry wide. It is safe and controlled it is part of the job to drive in inclement weather. Now if I’m not comfortable with road conditions or especially high winds I’ll park it but chains are not for emergency use only they are a traction aid ment to get you through the weather or over the mountain safely . If I throw a set of triple railers on the drives a some singles on the trailer I’ve got better traction then anyone else on the road and theres no reason to stop just drive like you’ve got half a brain and you’ll be ok.
Marek Sieplinski
In case accident you be blamed for driving under bad road conditions dont be a”HERO”
Jose Figueroa
I wouldn’t drive in bad weather I would chain up head to safe area and call it a day till weather gets better no load is that important I drove for Swift when I started I stopped a few times because of bad weather I’ll never risk my life for a company or a load no worth it drivers lose their life out here dispatcher they keep their job they don’t care
Will Skip
About 4 years ago my dispatcher told me to do the same thing and I was the lead driver of 5 going to Central PA In a similar storm I told him I wasn’t about to risk my life or the others drivers and let him know he had the option to meet somewhere in the highway and deliver the load himself Never heard from him that night until we returned to terminal about 6 hours later and we were only about 30 miles from terminal I know I was making the right decision then and I would do it again without any hesitation ,,the drivers and the public, safety should prevail above everything else Period….
Tracie
I bet that “new dispatcher” got his ass chewed! My comment to that direction is ” whose picture and name is on that license?” And to top that off, the dispatcher will bail on you in a heartbeat if you have an accident or heaven forbid, kill yourself or someone else. If you can’t drive with the 18 wheels you already have, then park it until the weather gets better. If your route takes you over a mountain, you chain up long enough to get over it.
Bart Love
I’m willing to bet that their statistics are safer is only because they merged two huge carriers together, so their numbers by mass look better. I’m fine with them sitting and not chaining, leaves more room on the road for those of us who are actually truckers.