Home Time

Orientation is over and I made it home. I didn't update while at orientation because I forgot the power pack for my laptop and my battery died quickly.

Anyhoo. Orientation went well. I am now an official employee of Swift Transportation, now when someone asks I can proudly say that I am not unemployed (like I had been for the past month). The shining moment was when they haded me my very own Comdata card. A Comdata card is basically my gas card, as well as an employee card of sorts. I can also have money transfered onto the card and use it like a debit card. Also, assuming I pass my back ground checks, I will be getting a fast pass into Canada. In a few weeks I'll be giving my fingerprints, and I'll have an interview with a customs official.

Although the best thing happened when I got home. I got my permanent Washington State CDL. And on the back is just about the best sentence ever "CDL-A Any vehicle or combination of vehicles except motorcycles" (emphasis added). Now I just have to get my motorcycle endorsement and I can drive anything with wheels (well to honest, I would still have to get a few endorsements for my CDL too). Not that I particularly want to drive a motorcycle, I just think it would be cool to say that I could drive anything with wheels.

The last bit of news is that I head out with my mentor for 6 weeks (although I'll probably be home some during that time) on Tuesday afternoon. I was hoping to head out sooner, but not much I can do about it but wait.

P.S. Also, I now have to start filling out a Driver's Daily Log as per federal law. So, yes, even though I don't get into a truck until Tuesday, I still have to have daily logs from the day I was hired. Exciting stuff.