Mentor's/Trainers (all Companies) And Starting Rookie Solo (Swift)

Woohoo, I start my rookie solo career today. I spent the better part of yesterday evening at home (with my tractor... my DM let me bring it home and load it up. I thought that was cool... ) cleaning the outside of my truck. It was filthy, and now it looks brand new. It's something to feel good about. I mean, yeh, it's an older model but, IT'S MINE, ALL MINE. lol

Anyway, yeh, mentor's/trainers, all companies. I won't mention any particular company because, I'm sure that they are all pretty much the same. People wear different cloths but, they all still just people.

I had a pretty rocky experience, as well as a friend of mine. He and I both attended Swift Driving Academy in Corsicana, Tx.. Anyway, yeh, we had bozo's for Mentor's. Ah well..... You do with what you have sometimes. My mentor came back to the tractor drunk and expected me to drive. He was an owner operator. I heard they chased him all over the parking lot on foot but, never caught him. I was stuck in Jurupa Valley, CA/Ontario, for a better part of 11 days. They really had a difficult time getting me another mentor out of CA. Finally they got me a ride to Phoenix where I met number 2 bozo. Aaaa, the second one wasn't so bad at times but, he did have a way about him. So, on to mentor number 3. And by the time I got him, I only had 22 more hrs left of my training. So, we shot up to Illinois and back down the Phoenix, to Loredo and then back to Landcaster. I think I ended up with 220 hrs, and he ended up with a nice little pay check. I passed all of my test, after going home for 7 days (my training took 7 weeks.... remember, I was stuck in Jurupa Valley for 11 days), and now here I am, getting my first load assignment. I get to go make the big bucks now..... :)

My friend, he had a really hard case.... I mean, this guy, while my friend was driving down the road at 65 mph, came out of the sleeper and stuck a towel my friends face. Not cool.... it's no big secret to Swift. My friend wrote a 3 page report on him, and was still writing..... he did end up with a cool mentor after this though.

On a positive note, not all mentors are bad. It's about half and half I think. You seriously just have to work closely with your Driver Coordinator and find the best solution for you.

Anyway, it worked out.... and away we go. :)

PS I may or may not reply to this. It depends upon my phone service. It hasn't been that great lately. Anyway, be good and God Bless... I love my truck. Drives like a dream, even for an older model.