Diary of a New Swift Driver

Well, I got my driver code, but not going out with mentor until Monday. They sent me home for the weekend because they could not find a mentor with a CPAP machine.

Some points that I noted during orientation was:

1. Invertors are not allowed, even the plug in kind unless you have sleep apnea, then they will install a small one (that I have to buy).
2. Trucks are governed at 62 and if you go 67 for more than one minute you will get written up.
3. Cell Phones (Including hands free) are not allowed while driving.
4. You don't get paid until you are on the mentors truck and do a Mac 27 every day.

The orientation really could be done in one day, but they are pretty inefficient. The staff says to ask questions, but good luck getting a real answer. No one wants to commit. I ask a lot of questions, but got few real answers.

A lot of sitting and waiting in Orientation. The lunches were paid for and were pretty good overall here in Lancaster.

Wish me luck with my mentor.....

 

They were very strong about that one in orientation. Several people ask and they said company drivers can not use them in the truck.

 

I said CPAP, I meant that I need a mentor with an inverter. The mentor I got has sleep apnea also, so they matched me up very well.

A couple of other things that they mentioned at orientation is that we have to GOAL every time we back. If we have a backing accident and do not GOAL, it is grounds for termination.

I found out the idling policy is just a target. If you are under a load you can idle to stay comfortable. If you are not under a load they will nag you about idling too much. The reason is they can bill the load for the idling.

 

We have to send a qualcomm message GOAL (Get Out and Look), then get out of truck and look. If we don't and have a backing accident, it is grounds for termination. That is what they said.