Orientation; day one

Happy birthday, Alexis.

Well, other than a huge amount of paperwork along with a significant amount of information packed into a very long, 12 hour day, day one was fairly insignificant. However, I have been wanting to find out more about the training period and my trainer. As it happens, I get the sneaking suspicion that I'm not being told everything outright.

This is some of what I understand "could" happen. Tomorrow is the second day of orientation and for some people that could mean they start their training. In fact, we were given computer-based-training modules to compete after class today. We were told we would want to complete the majority of the modules today so as to be more available tomorrow should a trainer be ready to take you away.

As for me starting training tomorrow, I understand my chances have been reduced greatly by my having asked for a non-smoking female given the fact that most drivers are smoking males. This means that Joe has a much greater chance of leaving me tomorrow or the next day and starting his 275 hours ahead of me. I also asked if I can complete my training all in one shot and was told, yes. I was also told that they try to arrange for a trainer in my geographic location so if they would want some time off I might get some time off as well but to my way of thinking that conflicts with what I was told about the completing the training all in one shot. But here is the worrisome part. Joe could possibly finish his training before I do and, in that case, instead of him sitting around waiting for me, he would likely go do a solo run. And I (and Joe, too) will likely finish our training anywhere in the US. So, on top of finishing our training at different times, we will probably finish them in different locations. And I did not anticipate doing a run by myself. No, I will not like that. The training is already going to be 6-8 weeks long, how much longer then, are we going to be doing solo's trying to get back to Omaha so that we can get home? Remember, we drove our car here and one of us needs to get that car back home. I am not going to relish the idea of driving 500 miles home by myself. Then again...my music, my temperature setting, windows open if I want...or not. Hmmmm. But no, way too boring.

I did find out something good, though. I learned that because of the increase in fuel costs that the tractors are being outfitted with APU's. I think that stands for "auxillary power units" and that means that I can plug my laptop into an actual plug. Yeah.