Swift - Starting the New Year training with Swift 1/7/13 - A long read...

lol, the thought of beige velcro kicks and a white belt scares me. That may just work though. I didn't remember to check the shoes today but I will write myself a note now so I remember tomorrow.

 

Thanks! Going great so far

 

1st Day of Swift orientation........

Basically today was a lot of sitting and waiting. Started with some paperwork right off the bat correcting anything on our applications and elaborating on some of it as well. Something I did notice is that just because you fill out something on your application or tell your recruiter doesn't mean you won't have to fill it out again.

Lot of signing stuff and sitting. Our instructor or leader was pretty cool. Nice guy.

We then went for our pee tests. This time I remembered not to whip my appendage out prematurely as I did during the Swift drug test at the training facility. Unfortunately that last time the pee test was given by a pregnant female and, being as I thought I heard it was an "observed" test, I let her observe my member although that wasn't required. This time it was our instructor/leader giving the test and I kept everything in my pants until they were out of the room. All went well with that whole thing.

We watched a bunch of videos on safety, videos from the CEO's and another video from another corporate guy that said "ummm" between every other word on a subject I don't honestly remember. Nothing too important I don't think, except the safety videos. Three other guys and I already had our DOT physicals squared away before attending so we just sat and waited a lot BS'ng. Everyone else there either needed to get a physical or they went to the wrong doctor to begin with requiring another feel of the nuts with a cough and turn of the head. Good for them.

That was about it for the day. It was good seeing the guys and gal from my training class back in Idaho. There are five of us total from the Idaho facility that are here. I feel like the luckiest one as my motel is only about 2 miles tops from the terminal. At least I'm not getting shuttled from the King Oscar motel in Tacoma as I am familiar with that place from a few years back. It's kind of far and I believe it was named after King Midas' illegitimate half brother, based on the condition of the motel. No gold there.

Tomorrow we go over Qualcomm. Not sure what else we are doing. Will update tomorrow hopefully. Apparently my laptop got wet somehow in my backpack (maybe this incessant rain?) and now it won't take a charge from the AC outlet. Running on batteries only right now so not sure how that is going to work out.

 

No definitely won't be the guy with too many questions. Most of it is going to be answered by my mentor I figure. Hopefully they have the patience of a saint because I'm going to have to learn a lot.

lol, they had wifi I found out today and it worked. Happily used it to try and find a discount cig place. I'm hoping most of the terminals have wifi. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

 

Final Wednesday of Swift orientation....


More movies today. Lots of paperwork. The woman who handles setting us up for our mentor has been sick lately so we haven't met her. There is a good chance she may be in tomorrow. Hopefully so as I have some questions.

They stated that we may go out with our mentors as early as tomorrow afternoon. I'm hoping that is me as I'm checking out of the hotel in the AM and really don't want to stay another night. I don't even have a reservation for tomorrow.

My riding boots are drying out on the wall heater again tonight. So much for looking waterproof. Can't complain for $20 but still wish my feet weren't soaking everyday.

In trying to get my duffel bag ready I had to move some excess clothing into the saddle bags on my bike. Those clothes and some books I brought along are going to have to sit there in the side bags until I get back. Tomorrow morning I'm going to pack up my CPAP machine, after using it tonight, and bungee that bag onto the back. Going to drop off my motel key, make my way over to the terminal, lock up the front wheel and cover the bike and bring my stuff into the training room awaiting my mentor. I'm going to soak into this whole motel experience tonight as hopefully tomorrow I will begin the new experience of sleeping in a truck. This should be interesting. I'm not sure how this CPAP machine issue is going to play out. I thought my recruiter said the terminal shop would have to wire up an inverter. I don't know how that is going to be handled or how the mentor is going to take this issue. I'm also hoping my power cord for the machine and the breathing tube thing are long enough to stretch from the outlet to the upper bunk. I think it's long enough. Hoping it is.

Not sure what they have us scheduled to do tomorrow. We should be getting our driver codes and officially hired tomorrow if all goes as planned.

 

Hey, where are you ucallihaul? I'm in orientation today waiting on my mentor. I have to find out about getting an inverter put into my mentor's truck, whoever that is going to be.

Movies this morning. Met some more people that worked here, terminal manager, head mechanic, regional safety individual, etc. Now we are waiting around for a mentor and to get our codes.