So I completed the academy in Phoenix and made my way back to Florida. My home terminal called me today and said they wanted me fly out to Colorado and get with a mentor out there. I wasn’t really happy with “flying” to Colorado and I don’t know why they have me down as reefer when I stated I wanted dry van. I’ve been thinking about declining and waiting on a second mentor. They are telling me it could take a week or so for another mentor. Should I wait it out or should I leave florida and head to Denver with this mentor as my first crash course as a new driver. My driver friend was telling me reefer tend to drive a lot at night. I have no problem with driving at night, but that’s if I’m waking up from a good rest in the middle of the night. Im more of a wake up early person, not a stay up late at night guy.
You have to get 10 hours of sleep anyway, doesn't matter what type trailer you're pulling. Get some Melatonin and you'll get some good sleep and it's legal. Take 20 mg. and crash in that sleeper bunk. Melatonin is safe. My doctor put me on 60 mg. I get it from Puritans Pride or Walmart. .
Personally, I hated Melatonin. Puts you to sleep quickly, but I would wake up, and lose contact with the world for about an hour.
If you really prefer dry van then you should wait for a dry van mentor. But you could try reefer just to get a feel for it, and go from there. You might actually like it. If you don't, you can always move over to dry van.
Imo.. I say take the reefer mentor. learn that. if you went with a dry van mentor you wont be taught how to operate a reefer trailer. you can always change to drive van when you go solo. you will learn the swift way with any mentor.
I say fly out to Denver and hit the road. You're in Florida and it's daunting enough for Florida residents to land a job at times. Besides, just because your going out with a reefer mentor, does t mean you gotta stay there. Swift is trying to get the ball rolling so you can get turned out and on your own. They have an avenue to make that happen, and in trucking, you better be opportunistic. You'll learn that very quickly. Reefer is more consistent money anyway.
Go with this ... training is training and it doesn't hurt to know how to run reefer. When you're done training you can always request dry van when you get your truck. On a side note if you go reefer, it will probably be easier to get you home in Florida.
