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

Ha ha we probably crossed paths at one point somewhere in the lounge. I was with the herd of newbies going on break outside to the smoke area.

 

Finished orientation yesterday and got coded. I'm pretty excited at this point and just waiting on a mentor to come and pick me up. They put me up at the King Oscar in Auburn last night with 4 other guys. One guy is waiting on a truck to go solo as he just got off the road with his mentor. They bused him up here from Phoenix to get a truck and now he is waiting. I have to talk to someone at 10 AM to find out when I will be getting my mentor. I believe they are trying to find someone with an inverter arleardy hard wired into their truck. This CPAP thing is a PIA but a necessity. Wish I didn't have to use it to begin with.

Hoping I'll be going out today on a mentor's truck.

 

Who wouldn't want to drive in a pants optional truck? I don't understand it. Ironically enough, when I was asked about whether I wanted a smoker or non smoking mentor I requested a short, balding Filipino man wearing a necklace of real seashells and flipflops and now they have me sitting here while my requested mentor is sought. To make the process quicker I did tell them it was ok if this individual chose to wear black socks with the flipflops although I prefered no socks if at all possible. I should only be here a few days waiting me thinks.

Today was a day governed by Murphy's Law. Last night four other guys and I hung out and talked newbie truck while we stayed here at the ever classy King Oscar motel . We traded some tall tales of experiences not yet experienced and then departed ways until meeting again over the continental breakfast this morning. We were shuttled over to the terminal and began calling about our soon to be mentors. This past week the person that usually handles setting up those in orientation with mentors has been out sick. Our orientation leader has been doing his best but this process was all new to him so he referred us to a woman down at the corporate office in Phoenix. The first "student" received a phone number for a mentor, called and he is set up to meet and leave with his mentor tonight. I received a phone number for a mentor next. Something gave me a bad feeling about this individual before I even called him. He answered his cellphone and was not too happy to hear from me. I told him that I was to call him about being my mentor and immediately was told he does not train male students, he only takes on females. I asked again to see if I was hearing this right and I my understanding was accurate. He stated something about having a bad experience with the last 3 males out of my terminal. I thanked him and hung up. I called back the woman in Phoenix and she was gone for the day due to a family issue. Another individual down in Phoenix said that I would have to get back with the woman on Monday. So now I'm back at the King Oscar paying out of my pocket until at least Monday. On Monday the woman here at this terminal will most likely be back so I'm hoping she can hook me up. Until then I'll be parked here at the King Oscar.

Definitely feeling like I just rushed to sit. Good thing is that I'm officially hired, received my Comdata card and driver code and ready to go otherwise. I could complain but there's no point. I'm happy to be at this stage and if I need to wait a little then so be it. As long as my money doesn't run out.

Glad I could help.

 

Hell yes. If we run into each other I have my camera ready to go. I may need someone to run distraction while I take the photos. I"m really hoping to maybe get some good pics of a L.L. peeing in a dirty puddle behind a truck or something similar. I can only hope.

I hear Austin has some cool places to eat. Plus if you got time you can go watch the bats fly out from under the Congress Ave. bridge.

 

Hmmm... that's an idea. What about it Jakaby? A new Discovery show based on life in a truck and truckstops? I'm all for it.

That might have been me. I was out in the little smoking pavilion during every break. You would know if it was me as I was the guy that spoke very fast. At least most people outside the NY/NJ metro area tell me. I'm still trying to speak a little more slowly. I've talked to so many drivers out there that I've lost track. Yesterday I spent the good part of an hour chatting over some deep philosophical issues with a dude from California. Pretty interesting guy. I've enjoyed talking to all the different folks out there. There's never a shortage of interesting stories and outlooks.