The Top 25 Swift Transportation Interview Questions To Prepare For

Getting hired at one of the largest truckload carriers in North America is no easy feat. With a fleet of over 23,000 trucks, Swift Transportation sets a high bar for its drivers. If you have an interview lined up, you want to be fully prepared to showcase your skills and experience.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share the top 25 Swift Transportation interview questions based on insights from real candidates. Whether you’re a new CDL graduate or a seasoned truck driver, understanding what to expect in the interview can help you put your best foot forward.

So let’s get right into the commonly asked Swift Transportation interview questions and tips on how to nail your responses!

1. Why Do You Want To Work For Swift Transportation?

This is likely to be one of the first questions in the interview. Recruiters want to gauge your motivation for joining Swift and whether you’ll be a good culture fit.

In your response, highlight Swift’s reputation as an industry leader and your alignment with their core values like safety reliability and customer service. Share why you’re drawn to their extensive network and opportunity to grow as a professional driver. Convey your enthusiasm at the prospect of contributing to their continued success.

2. What Experience Do You Have In The Trucking Industry?

Interviewers want to understand your background and skills built over your career. Walk them through your trucking journey highlighting companies worked for, type of freight hauled, routes covered and any specialized training.

Quantify achievements like your accident-free miles driven or on-time delivery rate. Share experiences that shaped vital skills like planning logistics, communicating with dispatch and customers, and upholding safety standards.

3. Why Do You Want To Be A Truck Driver?

Hiring managers want to know your motivation and passion for truck driving. Share when your interest developed and key aspects that excite you like the freedom of the open road, diversity of routes and places visited, and ability to take on challenges.

Convey why truck driving chooses YOU given your love for driving focus on safety, problem-solving skills and professionalism. Highlight how your qualities make you a strong candidate.

4. What Are Your Strengths And Weaknesses As A Truck Driver?

This question gauges your self-awareness and ability to self-critique – both important qualities in a driver. When discussing strengths, focus on skills directly relevant to the role like safe driving practices, time management, ability to adapt to changing conditions, and effective communication.

When highlighting weaknesses or areas of improvement, choose aspects you’re actively working to develop rather than flaws that would severely hinder your performance. Demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning.

5. How Do You Ensure You Are Driving Safely At All Times?

Safety is the number one priority for Swift, so expect this question. Share best practices you follow like adhering to traffic rules, regular vehicle inspections, managing speed and distance based on conditions, and staying focused by minimizing distractions.

Emphasize safety training undertaken and any advanced certifications like hazardous materials transport. Provide an example of how your safe driving prevented an accident.

6. You Are Running Late For A Delivery Due To Traffic. What Do You Do?

Here interviewers want to assess your problem-solving skills and responsiveness in high-pressure situations. Share how you would immediately notify dispatch on the delay and implement solutions to minimize impact such as adjusting speed safely, identifying alternate faster route options, and requesting dispatch to inform recipient on revised ETA.

Remain calm, composed and solution-focused in your response. Emphasize timely communication and care for the load.

7. How Do You Inspect Your Vehicle Before Starting A Trip?

Thorough pre-trip inspections are essential to vehicle safety and performance. Demonstrate your systematic process of checking components like tires, lights, brake system, fluids and connections. Mention key areas of focus based on DOT inspection criteria.

Highlight any issues you’ve proactively identified through diligent inspections and how it helped avoid breakdowns en route. Convey your attention to detail.

8. You Are Driving In Bad Weather. What Precautions Do You Take?

Inclement weather can be extremely dangerous for truck drivers. Discuss your safety strategies like reducing speed, increasing following distance, avoiding sudden braking or acceleration, and using headlights.

Share how you’ve handled poor visibility or skidding, reminding recruiters of your experience driving in different conditions. Emphasize adherence to regulations around hazardous conditions.

9. What Would You Do If Your Truck Broke Down During A Delivery?

Mechanical problems are inevitable in trucking operations. Demonstrate how you would respond by pulling over safely and troubleshooting the issue based on your knowledge, if possible. Emphasize contacting dispatch immediately to notify them of the breakdown.

Share how you would work with dispatch to implement solutions like repair assistance or alternate vehicles, keeping the delivery goal in mind. Staying calm under pressure is key.

10. How Do You Build Positive Relationships With Customers During Pickups And Deliveries?

Lasting relationships with customers require professionalism and dependability from drivers. Share how you engage respectfully with customers, communicate proactively about schedules or issues, and represent your company positively through appearance, demeanor and safe handling of freight.

Provide an example of when you went above and beyond expectations to satisfy a customer and develop goodwill.

11. How Do You Handle Challenges Associated With Truck Driver Fatigue?

Driver fatigue jeopardizes road safety, so interviewers want to know you can manage it responsibly. Share best practices like maintaining proper sleep schedules, taking mandated rest breaks, staying hydrated and planning routes to avoid exhaustion.

Discuss indicators you watch out for and proactive steps taken when fatigued like taking short naps or requesting dispatch for a replacement driver. Convey your strong commitment to safety.

12. What Are Some Regulatory Requirements You Must Follow As A Truck Driver?

Knowledge of regulations indicates your ability to operate compliantly. Mention compliance with FMCSRs on transporting hazardous materials, hours of service limits, drug testing rules, speed limits, seat belt use, vehicle inspections and maintenance.

Also discuss ELD mandate, record keeping and documentation requirements. Share how you stay updated on regulatory changes.

13. How Do You Use Technology To Enhance Efficiency As A Driver?

Leveraging technology is key to boosting productivity and reducing costs. Discuss useful applications and devices you use like GPS, routing and scheduling software, Bluetooth headsets, e-logging systems and weather tracking apps.

Demonstrate openness to learning new technologies adopted by Swift. Show how you derive value from tech, not just for compliance but optimizing routes, saving fuel and connecting with dispatch.

14. How Do You Handle The Loneliness And Isolation Of Long Haul Truck Driving?

Life on the road can be socially isolating. Share strategies that work for you like planning breaks to call family and friends, enjoying audiobooks and podcasts, getting regular exercise for mood enhancement and joining driver communities to interact with peers.

Discuss any mindfulness or meditation practices you find helpful for your mental wellbeing as a truck driver.

15. What Are Your Salary Expectations For This Role?

Research Swift’s pay scale for drivers to determine a suitable range. Take into account your years of experience, type of routes handled and other credentials. Provide your range based on the market rate for the role but indicate flexibility based on internal equity and overall compensation package.

Avoid undershooting or overshooting expectations. Be ready to justify your requirements if asked to provide a rationale.

16. Why Should We Hire You Over Other Candidates?

Summarize your strongest qualifications for this role. For example, highlight your clean driving record demonstrating commitment to safety, customer-focused approach reflecting Swift values, ability to work independently and deliver under pressure, and passion for developing your career in trucking.

Back your statements with specific examples. Close by conveying your excitement to join the industry leaders.

17. Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years Professionally?

Share your goals aligned to growing with Swift Transportation like progressing from solo routes to fleet supervisor role or becoming a trainer to mentor new drivers. Discuss your interest in specialized hauling like refrigerated trailers as you gain experience.

Demonstrate your long-term vision of developing domain expertise and leadership skills within the company. Convey your view of driving as a lifelong career.

18. Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?

If transitioning from a previous trucking job, keep your response professional. Avoid badmouthing your earlier employer. Instead, offer a benign reason like seeking better routes, more schedule flexibility, or a larger company footprint that Swift provides.

If you were let go, take responsibility for any shortcomings and share the learning that will make you a stronger candidate this time.

19. What Are Some Challenges You Foresee In This Job?

This assesses your understanding of the realities of truck driving. Respond with challenges like long periods away from home, tight delivery timelines, pressure to avoid delays, and balancing regulations on driving hours and rest periods.

You could also mention dealing with traffic congestion or inclement weather which requires adapting routes and schedules.