I Graduate tomorrow- SWIFT

Day 3- I am packed and ready. I will be heading to the terminal within the hour. I really don't know what to expect. One guy asked for a non-smoking mentor and reading the expression on the DDC's face told me if I want out ASAP I best say no preference. I did say I wanted to run hard to get the hours in.
No code yet but I guess that will be today. The first two days were not very productive. No one has been sent home but one seems like a high risk. I hope I am just mis-reading him. Swift has no need to "build" it's reputation with clowns behind the wheel.
Wish me luck!- wait... "Luck is what a fool calls it when God gives him a break"

 

Coded and out Saturday, got to run home for a couple nights.

Now to start my quest to get assigned a lease return (UW Husky) Purple ProStar!

 

Day 1 OTR
My mentor is a Diamond and has been a mentor for 16yrs. Quiet but knows how to explain whatever I ask. The tractor is a 2012 Cascadia with 85,000 on it. Cummins and a 9sp. There is a lot of room and it is quieter than our BMW.
We started by waiting for a t-call to be brought down to Troutdale from Seattle. Our 9am start ended up 2pm but we got under the load and were off. Salt Lake City terminal, t-call. 24 1/2 hrs later. The whole find a good empty trailer sounded easy, but there are some real winners in the back fourty. Found and hooked. Then found a spot at the second truckstop we tried. Being Easter Sunday there are a lot of trucks sitting. We are waiting to take carbonated water to Billings. P/U @ 5:30am (4:30 our time!) and deliver Tuesday A.M.
At this point I have not seen my mentor drive! I should fulfill my hours in record time. The QualComm is easy. The nav works well. Food is a challenge, however when I have my own truck it will be a cinch. Everyone is helpful and when you pull into a truckstop and back in a spot perfectly straight and centered the other drivers smile and nod. Even if the truck says swift. I think I am going to like this!

 

updates will follow "Finally Coded!" thread