Swift Orientation 2022, Important information and what to expect. 

Thanks for the tip. I hope to be as seasoned as you one day.

@Wisdom-ct8zt: Dear Sir, Do you know if there is any way truck drivers can pull in forward to the parking spots/spaces (at least at truck/rest stops) instead of backing in?

I drove for Swift for about 7 months then found a local job making way more. Swift is a really good company to start with but once you have just a little experience doors start to opening up. Good luck to you.

Congrats to you and hope all goes well. I'm glad I was able to provide you with some insight on what to expect. I'm enjoying this learning process and look forward to providing more informational content during my time with the company.

@@EricButler1 thank u so much

@@EricButler1 Hey Eric, where was the school at? In Florida? I tohught it was in Waco Georgia, but in your video you said you drove down a couple hours... Great video!

@@kitt199546 so sorry for the late response. I went to school at JTech, a third party school to get my CDL license. I drove a couple of hours down south to go to orientation which was only 1 day. I live in Jacksonville Florida which is where the school is located and the terminal that I went for orientation is in Ocala which is about 2 hrs away.

Thanks , I appreciate it! I’ve been following yours, and excited to keep up with your journey. I think it’s good that we all share our personal experiences so others can have information on the company if they wish to join. I also had a career change, I’ve always wanted to get into trucking, just didn’t know how it would look for me.

Motivating bro nice one

@@EricButler1 men I like ur motivational speech hope to join u guys soon, I will really like to ask you some questions privately how do I go about that thanks

Thanks, I will definitely keep providing helpful information for those who wish to join the team. Good or bad I’ll keep you informed.

Look up the Macujo method for cleaning you hair follicles. That will help to clean your hair follicles and give you a better chance at passing. I stopped smoking in February and took the test in June. I passed but I did the Macujo method and cleaned my beard. I failed the hair follicle test with Werner so I can never work there. If you fail the test it would be the same at Swift. Good luck and hope it works out. Swift is a great starter company and if you decide to stay long term they are also a great company to build a career.

They say it tests for the last 90 days if that helps

@@EricButler1 can you tell me about the drug panel how many panel drug test is it for urine & follicle test thnx bru

Yessir

I’m currently wrapping up week 3. Training is definitely interesting, (got a video about that soon). An we get paid weekly.

@@EricButler1 hey Eric. Hope you having fun learning. How’s the pay in orientation vice and training

@@ARI_TRUCKING Orientation pay is for 1 day and they give you $300 for that day alone. Training pay however is $800 weekly for 4 to 6 weeks.

@@EricButler1 so would the $300 and $800 go on the same check

@@michaelwalker9817 no it won’t currently on training. It will not be exactly 300 after tax it will be less.

Thanks my boy!!!

Go drive… you good. I had mine when I went in from an outside school. You good to go.

That’s good , let’s get it💪🏾

How TF you know that do you work there?

No

Yessir

Glad it was helpful! Good Luck...

So I’m not sure of any companies that will straight up pay for your license but what many companies will do is either send you to a school or go through they’re school and they contract you to work for them and pay them back over time. So there will be a small amount deducted each paycheck until paid in full. If you quit it will just go on your credit but that’s it. You may want to do some research to see if a company is out there that will pay.

Ok thank you I appreciate it

Yes, once you get accepted you will have to re certify through Swift which they will send you to that taken care of.

No the road test was not. You have to go through your training first. after you complete it you will go back to your home terminal and complete the road and written test before they give you your truck.

Hello, its a basic English test. If you can just study basic English words and pronunciation and you should be fine. Goodluck !!

You can re take it. they won't cut you just for that unless it was something serious. You'll be fine

No problem bro. Best of luck to you

Yes new drivers, if you have experience you wouldn’t need to go out with a mentor. I don’t know how they would train you on the Zonar tablet but I’m sure they have some sort of trading for it.

That’s awesome. You’ll end up somewhere far far from Orlando. Hope your training goes well. I’m glad to be on my own now. I’m actually on my second load now picking up in Tampa and running it to Pensacola. I’m doing my 10hr reset at the Ocala terminal now.

@@EricButler1 I’m doing mine in Syracuse New York. It’s been a good ride so far. Since I got to my mentor last Thursday, I’ve driven from Indianapolis to Illinois, iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Kentucky , West Virginia, and New York. I love it! How bad was the test after your mentor?

@@garywiley9335 the test was a breeze, nothing to sweat about. I too was all over the map from Fl to Cali, TX, Utah, Wyoming, Illinois, Arizona, etc etc…

@@EricButler1 thanks for replying! Be safe, maybe I’ll get to meet you and arlissa someday . I’ve followed her from the beginning.

@@garywiley9335 I guess you finish your training. Currently in with a mentor been two days now. Not sure if he have patience to teach. And I don’t know how long it will take to get another mentor if I decide to leave.

I believe they do. I took my test from a third party, outside of swift. I don’t think you go to the DMV to take the driving test usually a state exam we comes to the school to test you, once you pass you pick up your CDL from the DMV.

Good luck Ken on your ventures. Hope all goes well.

They do the road test after your training is up. You’ll be fine though, just let your trainer know and he/she will help you through.

I went to an outside source for schooling and received a scholarship through Career Source to pay which I didn’t have to pay back. If you go through the company, I do believe you will sign a contract and have to drive for them for a while to pay them back. However if you leave you’ll be obligated to pay them which they try to collect it through other means. Meaning collection calls, etc.

Yes, the test is simple. It’s a 56 question multiple questions test and a road test where they take you out. As long as you don’t hit any curbs and stop at all the stop signs you’ll be fine. At least that’s how I was tested at the Greer SC terminal. I talk about it more in my other video which talks about the 4 weeks training.

The skills test is super easy. They just have you do a straight back, you drive around the block to make sure you know how to turn without hitting curbs. If you hit a curb you automatically fail but you can redo it again immediately. That’s what they did with us and I tested in Richmond, VA. They might have you do some other maneuvers but it’s all good man. Good luck to you.

@@EricButler1 is it done in a 28 foot pup or 48 foot longbox?

Thanks, Good luck! hope all goes well👍🏾

@@EricButler1 thanks I appreciate it 💪🏽

How is the training ?

I do believe you can. Check with whatever terminal you’re closest to which should be your home terminal and ask to switch. That may work. My original terminal would have been the Ocala terminal but they coded me at the Greer, SC terminal because of short staff so I do believe that’s possible.

@@EricButler1 Thank you for response ! im in california and im thinking of going with the otay mesa swift terminal

1 day for 8 hours…

It’s also because the pay they give us as a mentor isn’t enough to cover the stress of having a new driver with your life in their hands ya know.

@@truckermatt4603 mentors on my account get a flat $200 a week. I’ve recently applied to be a mentor. That’s borderline enough to be a mentor but maybe not we’ll see

Congratulations, this is a great time to become a trucker. I wish you all the best in your trucking journey.

Congratulations

Thanks yeah I'm starting Swifts online school part August 15 and then from their the school in Columbus ohio

So far swift had me do the online classes my teacher Tim was the best yesterday the 8-24-2022 I passed the cdl class a permit test, now the 6th of next month I go to the driving school for the driving part and road test

I’m sure you have to at least have a GED. You may need to reach out to a recruiter. They can definitely let you know. Good luck

Its really basic, nothing too serious. They do a hair follicle and uranalysis test. And a series of simple test to make sure you're healthy.

It’s going well, I was ready for change and I have a plan and a goal so my focus is there..

No problem 👍

Hello Wayne am from Kenya how can i be able to be picked for the orientation

No sir, unfortunately…

@@EricButler1 what do I have to take with me during orientation?

Thanks 🙏🏾

You just bring your identification. I didn’t have any special forms other than my drivers license and social security card.

I get you... ive got job history issues

They money was not that great just starting out I was averaging around $1000 to $1200 after tax and I was generally gone for 3/4 weeks at a time. My lowest check was around $400 and the most wast around $1300. There’s ways to make more than that though. Just didn’t work for me. A lot to do with where you live and if you can run longer out on the road.

@@EricButler1 Thanks for the info bro!

Nah, It wasn't necessary for me but may not be the same for you. If you know you gone go with Swift and your current job tripping, just bounce. But If you're leaving a good company on good terms definitely do the right thing and give them a notice. Don't burn the bridge just because.

Yessir. I actually prefer it that way. They will send you an email with the drug test and physical information so you can get it done. If you’re not able to they’ll take care of it at the orientation.

@@EricButler1 bro I appreciate it I rather take that route don't want to deal with there doctor 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

So they go back 6 months? I smoked 1 darn time and now after your video I feel as if I shouldn't even take the job because it hasn't been 6 months. What do you think? I have NEVER failed a drug test and I don't want to now

Parking is available

@@EricButler1 thanks 🚛🥩👊🏿

Glad I was able to help…

I worked for swift for 7 months before I parted ways with the company. They were great overall with some complaints but nothing too serious. I primarily left because of pay but that’s something everyone will deal with if you’re just starting out. I was gone too often away from the family and the compensation just didn’t justify me being gone the amount of time, which was 3 weeks to a month at a time just to make enough money for the weeks I was gone. If you go home every two weeks you’re cutting into your earnings potential because they have to get you home, instead of just racking up the miles for longer periods before you go home. Now if you’re single it will work fine if you’re ok with being out on the road. That’s what they don’t explain, the fact that, really the only way you’re going to make decent income is to stay out on the road longer. In the end it still wasn’t enough. I was able to find a local job which pays quite a bit more and I’m home everyday. I’m making close to 2k a week and I get to sleep in my bed every night, and I’m still considered a newbie so no complaints. This is what I was hoping for. However I still feel that Swift is a really good company to learn all the nuances of trucking and get that beginner experience. Some people actually stayed with Swift long enough to where they are actually making really good money now and there’s ways but it wouldn’t have worked for me so I had to do what was right on my behalf. Still a well run company.

@@EricButler1 Thanks

Its bad at all. You do need to understand, speak and write fairly well. if you fail they will allow you to take it as many times as you can.

No, I didn’t have to and I don’t remember anyone else needing to bring those type of documents for verification. They contact your past employers. However they are in dire need of drivers. I strongly believe they are bypassing such strict verification but they still act like they reach out but I believe they don’t honestly. If it was a past driving job they definitely would. I think you’ll be fine. If you’re coming from another career field, it’s not relevant so I don’t think they’re calling all those jobs like that.

All the best

You’re welcome. All the best…

No prob!

They offer BCBS for their health insurance.

HS dipoloma or GED is fine.

Actually that’s done after the orientation. For some reason, after the orientation they complete all your background check, but they do prequalify you to work first, if you pass the pre qualifications process then you get a job offer contingent upon successful completion of your complete background.

No, it’s not a class it’s just how they do a pre trip inspection. Everyone just stand around and watch the I structor. He may ask some questions or ask for a volunteer but that’s about it.

Honestly I don’t know, Not since I left. I’m actually waiting for intermodal to become available so I can come back to the company.