COVENANT -- From a wife's perspective

I have read all the hate mail about Covenant and I know the opinions of several posters in here that have worked for the company in the past.

With that being said, and me being the eternal optimist, I am always willing to give people (and businesses) a chance to do the right thing. I like everybody until they do me wrong intentionally. I have found that for the most part, folks want to do a good job. In the past, I worked for a small university that was severely underfunded in just about everything (like most universities without TV money from their sports teams). So I know what it's like to be told to do something with nothing. I've seen departments so understaffed that single employees try to do the work of four people. I learned to never depend on someone else to do something that affects your livelihood. I also learned to keep copies of EVERYTHING. And I learned to follow up on requests and to be the squeaky wheel. People didn't get to my stuff not because they didn't care; it was because they didn't have TIME.

In this age of cutbacks and outsourcing, I'm sure these kinds of things are not relegated to only the education industry.

I'm not saying I'm taking management's side. I'm only saying that I've dealt with the same thing before.

So that is my disclaimer at the beginning of this thread.

After reading all the horror stories about Covenant, I am willing to give them a chance. My husband has no choice as he needs the job. So this post is going to be the start of his dealings with Covenant only from my perspective as he is a very private person and wouldn't *dream* of posting in this forum. My thinking is that there may be other wives (and husbands) out there that have input in the decision of their spouse to work for Covenant.

So to begin, Redcoat has just finished Covenant's orientation at the Hutchins terminal. He started on Monday, the 25th of August. It was my second trip from Waco up to Red Oak to the hotel as he had previously stayed at the Days Inn when he attended orientation for Swift. Covenant uses the Comfort Inn (about a quarter mile down the road) which is MUCH nicer AND right next to Denny's. They paid for his dinner at Denny's (unlike Swift) although he had a limited choice from the menu, it was still free food which is always a good thing. The people at orientation were friendly and treated everybody like real people. Definitely not like the cattle auction that was Arrow's orientation.

There are other great posts in this forum about what to bring to orientation and what to expect so I'll not go into all that. Nothing very religious went on at Hutchins. The terminal is clean and well kept. He said he never filled out so many forms in his life. He watched all the powerpoint presentations. He read all the propaganda. He waited for the ax to fall like what happened in the other two orientations he attended. It never came. They questioned him about his lack of work history but were satisfied with his explanation (and documentation) that he'd been retired for several years. (Yeah, I'm the nagging wife that forced him to unretire and get a job!!) Thursday rolls around and all the other people there are getting their paperwork. He waits....and waits....and *finally* he gets the word that he is good to go. He is the last person to get assigned a trainer. I have met the man. He seems to be a super nice guy, very personable, and he keeps his truck clean. (BONUS!)

Right now they are playing the waiting game at the Hutchins terminal waiting for a load assignment. They are not alone. Redcoat estimates that there are probably around 20 other drivers there waiting....and waiting. It looks like it may be a LONG holiday weekend as far as any freight going anywhere. He plans on doing some studying for his hazmat (which he was advised to *not* get while attending Roadmaster school). He wants to see if he can get in some backing practice or any other training while they are sitting. He hates being non-productive and is bored to death.

So far the only glitch is after two requests (phone and emails) to have some funds put on his commdata card, nothing is there yet. (too task saturated maybe???) Fortunately he still has a little bit money so he's not a starving trucker yet.

I will update this thread as Redcoat starts his journey with Covenant. And speaking of journey's, if any of you forum rats see me on the road, give me a wave. I don't have a CB in the rig (just a Sirius radio). This is our rig that I travel around the country in (and that we are trying to pay for!!!). It's a Winnebago Tour being pushed by a Mercury Mariner Hybrid. Both have Delaware plates. Right now I'm in Topeka, KS at Lake Shawnee Campground but I'll be heading out on Monday the 1st to head up to Cedar Rapids/Iowa City to do some Air Photo work. Ya'll keep an eye out for me as I've learned to try to give truckers as much space as possible.