Prime Orientation, Day 2...and then some..

Springfield, MO 8:09AM

Didn't get to post anything yesterday because we went from orientation straight to driving out here.

We got to sleep in yesterday as they didn't want to start us until 0900. The day was spent watching videos. I'm apparently getting another Highway Watch number. The video was interesting the first time with Schneider, but watching it again was not fun. After that, we watched a long, drawn out sexual harassment video and two even longer, even more drawn out maintenance/inspection videos. For those of you pumpkin drivers who read this, the maintenance videos made Schneider's "Three Points of Contact" video look Oscar-quality.

Speaking of Schneider, the pumpkins got razzed in these orientation videos. They were talking about accident avoidance and mentioned watching out for all those "orange trucks you see in the truck stops." And of course, Schneider was used in the example of what to do when a truck rips off your hood when you're parked. Bastards. The maintenance guy DID have a good idea, though. He strongly suggested that when we park, we write down the company names, tractor numbers, and trailer numbers of the trucks parked on either side of us in case bad stuff does happen and they don't have the integrity to own up to it.

FINALLY, the videos were over (about 1600) and we were stuffed into a rental minivan with a third guy who started orientation last week but had a family emergency that forced him to wait another week. After a long 12 hours, we're here at this hotel which seems to house Prime applicants and drivers and not much else. Seriously, the parking lot is secured and all the spaces are large enough to accomodate bobtails. There are a bunch of classrooms for the various training classes that they have here. The rooms are decent. Nothing fancy, and unfortunately no internet access. Thank goodness I have other ways of getting that access. We get three meals a day at the cafeteria here.

Well, I'm absolutely beat. We have the day off to rest, and I intend to do just that. We start tomorrow morning at 0700.