Averitt Express Orientation and Interviews

So I just completed orientation for Averitt, I figured I would explain what it was like since I found a lot of people with questions about it.

I would like to say up front that orientation is not exactly the same for everyone and Averitt is constantly making changes to improve and keep up with the ever changing laws and regulations of the trucking industry. Just because orientation went this way for me does not mean it will go the same for you.

Starting from the beginning, when I submitted my application (I highly recommend using Pulse by Tenstreet, it helps keep you informed about the application and review process. You can find it in the app store of your choice)

I applied through the Averitt website and I had no idea it was associated with the Pulse App until the Pulse app notified me that my application had been received.

Be prepared to answer 10 years of employment history regardless of what the job was, if you were a cashier at a grocery store 8 years ago, list it. They do a very thorough background check, this includes past employers, criminal, mvr, dac, psp, you name it. DO NOT INTENTIONALLY OMIT ANYTHING OR LIE ABOUT ANYTHING. If they approve your application you will have the chance to tell your side of the story.

I received a phone call about 5 hours after my application was reviewed, they call from a 931 area code. It was the recruiter asking me the normal interview questions, explaining the position to me, and asking me about the info on my application. After I spoke to the recruiter she informed me I would talk to the Account Manager tomorrow and if he felt I was a good fit for the position, we would continue the application process.

The interview with the account manager was a lot like the one with the recruiter. He asked a few different questions and answered a lot of questions for me. EVERYONE WAS STRAIGHT FORWARD AND HONEST WITH ME.

After I spoke to the account manager the recruiter called me back and told me that she was about to send me an email with a lot of stuff to sign. This part was extremely easy on a smart phone because some of the signatures were actual signatures, not digital ones. It saves your actual signature to be used any time its needed.

After what seemed like a never ending stream of paper work we discussed orientation dates and transportation. I was given the option to drive my own vehicle and be reimbursed, take a bus, or they would fly me in. I flew into Nashville and they have a shuttle service that picks you or a group up and takes you to the quality inn in Cookeville.

When I checked in at the quality inn I was given another packet of paper work that needed to be filled out (you fill out a boat load of paper work throughout the whole process). The hotel is a pretty decent hotel, it was currently under remodel/repairs so some things weren't working right and the pool was closed but even with the work going on, it was neat and clean. There is a microwave and refrigerator in the room.

In the packet they had included an $8 gift card for the burger king that is directly across the street. They make sure you are fed through out the entire process, you don't have to eat what they offer but they do feed you really well. They cater lunch to the training center and they will either have a boxed meal from a restaurant or a meal voucher for dinner.

On Monday they gave us a sandwhich, chips, and cookie from Honey baked ham for lunch and a voucher to a local burrito joint for dinner.

Tuesday was catered chicken parmigiana, some vegetables, dessert, and bread for lunch and a meal box from chick fil a for dinner. I can not eat chick fil a so I do not what all was in the box but I know the sandwhich options were spicy or regular.

Wednesday was catered bbq chicken, some vegetables, dessert, and bread for lunch and your choice of pulled pork or pulled chicken bbq from a local bbq joint for dinner.

And since we left at 130 pm on Thursday they only provided lunch but it was catered meatloaf, vegetables, dessert and bread.

Breakfast is offered at the hotel every morning. They have some kind of eggs, breakfast meat, cereal, waffle and pancake stations, etc... It is not a shabby breakfast at all.

If none of those food options appease you, there are tons of places to eat with in walking distance from the hotel and if you do not like walking Averitt has a deal with a taxi service that will take you any where (with in a certain distance) for free. The company pays for it.

Now that the unimportant stuff is out of the way...

The first day we met in the hotel lobby at 645, they divided us into 2 groups. 1 group was going to do medical things, the other group was going to do road test, computer based training, and get uniforms issued. The groups switch places after lunch. Not everyone will do a road test and not everyone does the same CBT. It all depends on your position applied for. You will be issued 5 sets of uniforms, you try them on to make sure they fit correctly. You will wear them Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and you will take them home with you so make sure you have significant space inside your luggage to do so. They also give you tons of papers and books to take. I can't stress the amount of stuff you leave with, make sure you have ample space in your luggage.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are pretty much the same thing, just different subjects discussed on those days. They cover a lot of information in 3 days, it can be very overwhelming. In those 3 days you'll go over HR stuff, payroll stuff, benefits stuff, everything. Various different people come in and talk to you from 7/8 in the morning until 230/330 in the afternoon each day (except Thursday, you leave around 1/130 Thursday) Some people left on Wednesday and some weren't scheduled to leave until Friday. Everyone's situation is different.

On Tuesday's, Gary Sasser (the CEO) comes in and shakes everyone's hands and opens the floor for questions. He will answer anything you ask. If you want to hear him speak, sit up front. He is 68 years old and his voice does not project too well anymore.

That about covers the basics, I know some folks had questions about the physical and drug test so I'll break that down real quick.

Drug test is urinalysis only. They do a quick test and a lab test. If anything comes back on the quick test you will have to wait for the results of the lab test and I mean anything. My sugars were too high so they took blood and tested my A1C level.

If you are on CPAP, bring a compliance report with you. If you are not on CPAP but they think you might have sleep apnea, you will have to take a test at the hotel. I have been on CPAP for 15 years so I am not sure how they test you at the hotel.

They will take you to a room and administer some strength test. You will have to lower a basket to the floor that has 80 pounds worth of weight in it and then you'll have to put it back on the table. Its about chest height to me, I am 5' 10". After that they have you stand on something and pull up on a set of handlebars. First with legs bent, second time with legs straight. I do not know what amount of force they are looking for.

After the strength test you see the doctor and do the normal DOT physical stuff. Make sure you bring any paper work for medicines that you may be on and if you have any medical issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or what not, have paper work or your doctors contact info readily available. They want proof on everything and they will call your doctor if they feel they need to.

Anything you can do to make things easier for the doctors is very welcome. They are processing a ton of DOT physicals for Averitt every Monday and if they have to hunt down your doctor for paperwork, it slows down the process. The doctors are not just going to pass you on the physical, they are very thorough and will not issue you a medical card until they feel comfortable that you are safe to drive.

I did my best to condense all the stuff that goes on during orientation, if you have any questions feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer.

The most important thing I can tell you is to be honest and up front about everything, they are very thorough in everything they do and they are also very understanding and listen to you.

They do everything in their power to help you and they take good care of you through out the entire process.

and MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH SPACE IN YOUR LUGGAGE!!!

 

Do you still drive for averitt?

 

Where do you run out of?

 

I spent the last 4 days running from Duncan to Chattanooga and back. Was running engine cradles for ZF and Gestamp.

 

@Nukem @hoosier volunteer

Tomorrow I get to run a load of paper from Virginia Beach to Miami and next week I believe I'll be running a flatbed out of Greensboro.

I'm Flex so they're doing my training on multiple types of accounts/loads.