New Swift Driver Questions

This post answers questions 1 and 3:

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr.../139292-want-know-what-new-trucker-makes.html

2 is a variable. If your idle is out of whack with your fleet, someone may look into it and make recommendations but there are no fines. Stay comfortable but don't dump buckets of company money out the window.

4 is going to depend on what fleet your mentor runs . . if it's dedicated or regional, you'll get experience accordingly. I wanted OTR from day 1. My first trainer was NW dedicated and ran heavy haul in a very narrow I-5 corridor. He was good and we had a good relationship but, after about 3 weeks, trip planning was non existent. I asked for and got a second trainer who ran heavy haul throughout WA, OR, ID, MT, UT and Canada or inter-mountain. Between the two, I got off to a strong start and have run strong since.

Your location is a little vague so I can't recommend fleets to pursue or avoid.

 

You are not officially hired until you receive your driver code. You will not be "coded" until the third (final) day of orientation. In some instances, you may not be coded that day. That does not mean you're not hired. It just means they are waiting on some paperwork to be completed. You can be hired/on payroll and still get paid due to not having a mentor. So no, you will not get paid because you are not working. But you will be payroll.

I don't know about fines, but they do let you know if you're idling too much.

I've heard this as well. I trained under the old 6 week deal. So do what you can to get the hours under your belt. Safely, of course.

You don't have to train over all 48. My mentor was on a Costco dedicated. I was home every night and off weekends. The only requirement I remember having to entertain was backing up. I had to do a certain amount of back ups to get through training.

If it were to come that you would have a wait time for a mentor, then you would be sent home and the assigned mentor would basically come get you (meet you near your home). Good luck and (if you're inked into orientation) welcome to Swift.

 

You can be coded and on payroll and not receive a check. You don't get paid for not working, whether waiting for a mentor or not. You aren't producing anything (miles) when you're not assigned to a truck. The difference between training time and getting your own truck is while you are on your mentor's truck, you get a specified amount of money each week regardless of productivity. When you get your own truck, your pay is directly affected by your productivity.

You will get your driver code and if there is a mentor ready for you, you will get paid (prorated) at the next pay period. If you are coded but not assigned to a mentor's truck and there is a wait time, you don't get paid to wait. I don't know of any company that pays you to wait for a trainer after orientation.

 

Right. Basically, orientation is a 3 day interview. You're not officially hired until you have received your driver code. Once you're hired, you're on payroll. But until you reach your mentor's truck, you will not be getting paid. Once you're assigned and got on and rolling with that mentor, you will then start receiving a check for a set amount each week that you are on that truck. One way this will cease while still in training is if you and your mentor can't get along and you get off his truck, you will revert back to no checks until you climb aboard another mentor's truck.

If you have a date for orientation, then you're in.