10 Minute Orientation??

Ten minute orientation, for someone who’s total trucking experience has been Army related?
I guess I’m out of the truck purchasing business for a while as I have been asked to let the situation rest for the time being.
It will probably be a year or more before I think about buying a truck and possibly a flatbed again.
I find it somewhat unusual how things are going.
The person I was thinking of buying a truck for spent about a week and a half getting her CDL at a SAGE community college near by. This after her release from the Army where she got her experience as a driver, teacher, and convoy leader in Iraq among other things.
She was asked by the company she had agreed to work for, to notify them as soon as her CDL was received. This she did.
She was told that one of the drivers had a heart attack and was asked if she could come to work sooner than she had expected. She was told to bring her passport, personal things, etc. and be ready to go to Eastern Canada.
When she reported for work, she was told she was to drive a truck as part of a team of three trucks that were hauling a crane. A mechanic gave her about a ten minute orientation on the truck she was going to drive. Her first job driving solo scared the #### out of her.
She was told to talk to the other drivers on the CB if she needed any help or advice, or the dispatcher was always available by phone.
When ask what her handle was, she said she didn’t have one. The other drivers decided to call her xxxxxxx.
She was driving a ‘93 KW 900L with a flatbed. She said the truck was very clean and appeared to be in excellent shape.
She keeps talking about the folks she works with. How great they are and how well they look after her. She is being paid almost as well as the driver she is replacing who has been with the company about 12 years. He wants to return in a month or so. Both drivers she traveled with had more years than his 12. The company has nine trucks and seven drivers. She says someone is always available to walk her through any problem she may encounter. They always emphasize that the laws and rules are to be followed. No fudging or stretching of rules is encouraged.
They delivered the crane and were dispatched through a load board, I think, don't really know, going to three different places. Being completely alone without the other two drivers near really scared the #### out of her.
She was told not to worry as she would be under contact by phone. The two drivers on her team as well as the home office kept checking with her.
She got a call about once an hour from someone checking to see how she was doing. She really appreciated a hands free phone.
When she finally got home after being out for eight days she was told that she had fewer problems than had been expected, and had performed as her friend in the Army had promised she would. The Boss told her that she had performed better than he had expected One driver said “It took him months of driving before he backed and maneuvered as well as she did ”. He also said, “she could teach them all a few things about securing loads and tarping”.
The office had insured that she did not object to driving through the Easter weekend. She could have gone out the next day, but took five days off, to get settled in. She wanted to get some things together (tools, personal items, clothes, etc) so she would be better prepared for the next trip.
For her next assignment she was asked to be part of a two truck team hauling bridge cranes. She was told she would have a newer 2001 KW 900L that had just been overhauled. That would probably be her permanent (?) truck. She had no mechanical difficulties or complaints with the older truck, just some things that took getting used to. She says the equipment is kept in terrific shape.
Her original plan (she thought) was to work six months as a team member with a driver she met while on active duty. Her proposed partner is a Reserve Lieutenant that has nine years with the company. She is scheduled for deactivation in July (+3 months?). They had planned to try team driving until she gained experience. Now that she has been driving solo, I think the team driving idea is down the drain.
There is nothing on paper, although possibly in a year or so she might buy a truck and flatbed and sign up with a couple of load boards and develop contacts. Maybe I can act as a kind of dispatcher. I, myself wouldn’t advise leasing on with anyone. Keep everything under one’s own control if possible.
She says everyone is super helpful. This must be complicated, doing everything by oneself the first time it is done. She says all the drivers seem to be satisfied with he company. There has never been a lay off.
Everything is done by phone. No Qualcomm or computer. The older guys say they have only been using cell phones for about three or four years. A dispatcher is always available at the office able to help. No one seems to complain about the company. She wants to wait a bit before she takes her laptop with her. Probably will subscribe to Sprint as that is who the company uses.
Seems to be doing fine with radio and an old 9 inch black and white TV one of the guys tried to give her, but she ended up paying $10 for.
Right now she is in love with what she’s doing, the company, and drivers she is doing it with.
We’ll probably have to wait a year or so and then see how she feels about becoming an O/O. She thinks that she can’t be called up again. She doesn’t want a third tour in Iraq.
Ten minute orientation?