Swift hiring process timeline.

Western Express is generally considered a second chance company. This means they are less picky than most carriers about who they hire.

When I first looked into them a few years back, they seemed to be running mostly older equipment, BUT I have heard a few recent hires saying they are getting nice trucks.

In any case, if you can get a foot in the door with Western Express, then drive safely, be professional, and keep your nose clean, you should be able to move to another company in six months to a year if you want.

 

Some independent trucking schools require you to get prehired within the first week of school, so they know you are employable, and will have a good chance to pay for the school.

 

Dude, just go to Western Express, keep your head down for a year and I bet some doors will open up for you. Better money, equipment, home time etc...and when you start working, just remember the first 3 months is the hardest(at least it was for me) after that things start clicking and things level out and get easier. Best advice I can give you is learn the pre trip really well, and commit the in cab and air brake portion to memory. Best of luck to you.

 

You do not have to aggressively seek the ugliest loads to be appreciated. Accept any load you can deliver safely and on time.

If you cannot deliver safely and on time, advise when you can deliver, in a way that is recorded. Qualcomm, Peoplenet, email, whatever WE uses. If the driver manager responds that you should take it and deliver late, then do that.

If they try to tell you to deliver late on the phone, and not record it, send them a message nicely mentioning that per your discussion, you will accept and deliver late.

Dont be angry or aggressive about it, but do be a team player, AND cya if you get asked to deliver late loads.

That's pretty universal in the company trucking business. You do that, and you will already be head and shoulders above average new drivers.

 

You will quickly learn that most shortcuts aren't.

If you can stay on interstates and only take a few extra miles to get somewhere, stick to the interstates.

Most trucking companies are satisfied if you keep your mileage variance 10% or less, and very happy if your variance is 5% or less.