Mentor War Stories

Discussion in 'Swift' started by ltwombat, Jun 8, 2012.

  1. ltwombat

    ltwombat Light Load Member

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    Jun 2, 2012
    Las Vegas, NV
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    I am ramping up to attend the Swift Academy in Phoenix in probably August (gee will it be warm or should I bring my down jacket) then it will be on the road with a mentor. I am returning to trucking after a career in nursing, having not driven since 1997 with Swift. The mentor phase is probably the part I am most dreading only because my first mentor phase was a complete disaster. Let's hear your mentor war stories, they can't all be bad can they?

    mine: CR England, O/O mentor. He picked me up in Salt Lake City with a load of cantaloupes going from Coachella CA to Montreal. He was over his hours when we met so he hit the bunk and had me drive 10hr straight then we switched. I was at the wheel when we hit the Windsor Border Crossing and he refused to get up so I did my first border crossing with an inspection load on my own. Drop went OK then we picked up a load of frozen turkeys headed for Mexico, crossing at Laredo. Back to 10 on and 10 off driving til we get to Windsor where he goes into a store and buys several hundred dollars worth of cigarettes. When he gets back to the truck he dumps my duffle bag and crams it full of smokes, hides some under the bunk and all over the sleeper area, then he has me make the border crossing. As soon as we cross he takes the wheel again. When we get to Mexico we drop the trailer on the US side. Pick up a loaded trailer and drive to McAllen Texas where we stop and he allows a "Guy" to take the truck. We spend the night at his cousins house with me sleeping on a couch surrounded by nieces, nephews and other odd folks sleeping on every flat surface there is. In the morning the truck is parked in front of the cousins house and we hit the road to Atlanta. Even though it is his time to drive he makes me drive through the check point leaving the Rio Grande Valley then takes the wheel again in San Antonio. When we get to Atlanta we park at a truck stop and another "guy" takes the truck and we sleep in the truck stop terminal. Next morning the truck is parked at the truck stop and we deliver the load. Pick up for San Diego and as soon as we hit California I jump off the truck and head home, never to set foot inside a CRE truck again. NOW I know we made a drug run but at the time I was clueless.

    That is my only personal experience with a mentor, so you can see why I am a little worried about this go around with a Swift mentor.
     
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  3. Switches

    Switches Light Load Member

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    Dec 15, 2011
    PHX,AZ
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    Don't bring the jacket. make sure you have sun screen. Get ready to start all over this gig is nothing like it was in 97-99.
     
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  4. Mrh2008

    Mrh2008 Road Train Member

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    May 25, 2012
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    That's rediculous. I'd have have called DEA from a truckstop pay phone if that was me.
     
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