Swift newbie starting out

First day of orientation at the New Boston terminal. Hotel is not bad, older but seems fairly clean. Continental breakfast is available a half hour before the shuttle arrives. I did alot of sitting and twittling my thumbs since I was the only academy student there I didn't have to take the physical, drug test or road test. 18 people arrived this morning but I think we lost a few, I will have a new count tomorrow morning. Swift served pizza and soda for lunch followed by movies the rest of the day... I had seen them all at Millington so I was really working hard at trying to keep awake. Got my drivers manual, FMCSA safety regulations handbook, hazardous materials compliance book and a 2008 emergency response guidebook, a little bedtime reading, haha.

Back at the hotel and they provide dinner ... pizza ... well at least it is free. Looking forward to actually learning something tomorrow... I hope.

-SgailDreugan

 

Well it looks like I am home again I really want to get out there driving. Got my driver code yesterday at the end of orientation. Orientation was extremely boring as i had seen nearly all the films and heard all the same stuff while at the academy. Being the only person at orientation from a swift academy I was already educated on swift policy and the 'swift way' of doing things. Things like no inverters of any kind, not even a little 100 watt plug in type is allowed. Hope I can find a 12 volt adapter for my laptop. I was referred to as 'the golden child' by one of the staff, seems my reputation from the academy and road trainer followed me to my home terminal. I can't help it that all this comes so easy to me, I learn and retain quickly and even with almost 30 years of no trucking experience I still have the driving and road skills. I was even asked by one of the trainers if I was considering becoming a trainer myself. I told him maybe in the future, but I am just a trainee myself. Being a trainer or mentor is not something I am even considering at this point. At least no one tried to push any lease deals on me.

So now I wait till they find a mentor for me. Got the new two day loose-leaf logs, I knew they were coming and got to see what they looked like while with my road trainer in Gary. Trying to be understanding and not get negative but it sure seems to me that if you know you have a number of trainees in orientation that you would be routing mentors to the terminal instead of waiting till after everyone is coded and set home to start routing mentors. It's their money they are paying while I sit.

-SgailDreugan