Well........that bad loads continue!

Good afternoon from Channahon, IN, from some little seedy motel a mile from the drop yard.  Let me get you up to date:

We arrived in French Lick, IL, at 9:30 AM.  It was 14 degrees but the roads were clear and quite scenic.  We were sent to another loading house to drop our load and since it was first come/first serve, our trailer wasn't empty until noon.  I log back into the system and find out that I am picking up at the same location.  Back to the main warehouse we head to only find out that we needed to go back to where we came from and wait in line for my turn!  Of course, I idled the whole time as there was no trucker's lounge available, we had to stay in our trucks.  I wasn't loaded until 6 PM.....augh

In the mean time, I contacted my dispatch regarding over idle in December.  She argued the fact that 10 hours was in fact, 20 percent of a 24 hour day (HUH), stated that I had no reason to idle in such places as Texas and New Mexico (it does freeze at night in the winter in the desert, it snowed while I was there) and that I had to get my idle down to 20 percent.  Then she wrote me up!  I told her, I idle when I am cold......period!

We drove 80 miles last night and called it good.  I arrived at this yard at 10 AM and was given a load that is not ready until the morning of the 16th!  Today......the 14th.  It has multiple stops around Chicago before it heads to Texas the afternoon of the 16th to arrive on the 18th.  NOT!  It is 1500 miles!  I will need 3.5 days!  I called dispatch, they stated this was all that they had and it had a large window.  They assigned me the load but I didn't accept it as it is only Saturday.....a lot could change......maybe!

I requested a motel room as I can't IDLE and was denied even though it is them making me sit.  I was instructed to go to a rest stop and stay inside.....WHAT?  I decided one night out of the truck is doable as I just re payed myself the loan from trucking school.  I will clean the truck and wash laundry before backing up the the trailer that I will be taking 70 miles for its first round of pickups and spend the night at the yard.

I tweaked the "idle" letter and it will be getting emailed here shortly.  Wonder if I will hear anything at all come Monday.

Off for dinner!

Good morning from a very cold Seymour, IN!

I picked up this load yesterday at 2 PM just south of Columbus, OH.  I had only 3 hours to drive to French Lick, IN (lovely name) but dang nab it; they stop receiving at 3 PM.  While in route, it started to snow and it was 43 degrees.  Within 45 minutes, the temperature went down to 21 degrees!  I was watching the roads for ice until I reached Seymour and decided it was better to stop as French Lick is a very rural and no truck stops for the 78 miles it takes to get there once off the freeway.

I woke up at 4:30 to 14 degrees with a wind chill of 8.  Light snow that is drifting but appeared to be doable until I called the client.  Roads are icy…..it would be better to sit until the sun rises to improve vision (lots of deer) and watch for those icy spots.  I let dispatch know that this 7 AM drop that I wanted to drop yesterday will be a few hours late today.

I was tickled to get a pre assigned load at 5 PM yesterday going from Georgia to Florida!  But it was  a planner error as it was to deadhead to Georgia (688 miles), be there by midnight, and arrive in Florida (450 miles) at 6 AM this morning.  At midnight I got a message telling me the load was ready!  Of course, someone woke up and pulled the load.  I asked for it back this morning  ;)

It is time to finish my coffee and wait for the sun to rise.  Grab your long johns; you are going to need them!

OHHHH!  I am suppose to call dispatch as I am getting their are writing me up for over idle of 35 percent for the month of December!  The first week of December, I had more sleeper time than driving and then there was the week in Yuma so the numbers do not represent a full month of continuous work.......looks like that letter I drafted is going to be needed soon!  I will keep you updated!

Good evening from Columbus, OH

Long day, but little driving..........my life for this week!  In the past three days, only drove half of my hours.  As I was telling my Mom, January is going to be a month of famine.......augh

Now let me tell you about Detroit!  OMG......if it wasn't for it being 6 AM, I would have been a whole lot nervous than I already was.  That load of aluminum was dropped on whatever side of Detroit that is bad!  I drove by blocks and blocks of abandoned 1930's to 1960 homes with broken windows that use to keep a family safe, defaced in filth and graffiti where once a neighbor would gossip with another on the front porch over ice tea; garbage covered the sidewalks where not long ago children rode their bikes, businesses falling down in ruins that use to provide goods for many city blocks, and you could just feel the death of a once lively and healthy neighborhood taken over by greed, crime, and drugs.  It was rather heartbreaking. 

We parked early for the night after we dropped yet another load for Dollar.  We are 30 minutes from the local drop yard where we will pick up a swap and take it an additional 20 miles for delivery........yuppers, a shag.  Let's hope that we head south afterwards as snow is to hit tomorrow.  After all, Yuma is only eight days away!

See you in the morning at 5:30 AM sharp....enjoy that extra 30 minutes of sleeping in :)

James and Pix.........when will you get that dag phone?

Pictures I have taken........

Canada Aye! Nay!

Yuppers, it finally happened, I have been preassigned a load to Canada......it took awhile!  But dang nab it, I left my passport in Yuma.  Bummer!

Load up as we are heading to the Indianapolis terminal to drop this load!

Load is only 2 hours away.......

But not ready until after lunch and it is only 8:30.  So.....I finished an episode of Rescue Me.  We will be leaving here shortly anyway in hopes to be first in line after lunch.  We still need to stop for fuel and a meal.  This load is going to Larado but not us, we get to drop it in Indianopolis...oh well!

Let's enjoy a pleasant drive.......

Waiting in Bentleville, PA for.........a load!

I was up at 5:00 AM (EST) and signed in active and ready to go work!  But that is a little hard to do with no assigned load.  January is going to be a month of starvation when it comes to paychecks.  I will be back in Yuma on or around the 19th for 3 days and I betcha, this month, I might be lucky to make $1200........ouch!  What a way to end my year with the company...........better reason to look elsewhere!

None the less, we are stuck in some beautiful farm country.  Once the sun rises and the temps do as well (below freezing), we might go for a walk and enjoy the scenery while we have it.

Off to ready my morning news!

Back to the city and WiFi!

Hey there my virtural truckers!  I bet you all thought I was in Canada since I have been so quiet!  Not the case, just hitting locations that don't have the internet is all.  So let me give you a quick recap since my last post!

I made it to Channahon, IL on the 4th after my 34 hour restart.  I picked up another load in Channahon the morning of the 5th and drove it 27 miles to Naperville, IL.  At 10 AM, I drove 71 miles to pick up a load for Walmart in Spring Valley, IL, and took it to Cedar Rapids, IA, that afternoon.  Also, that same afternoon, I picked up a load at West Branch, IA, that was due in Maquokela, IA, the same afternoon.  This is when my week starting going down hill.

I arrived at the distrubution center on time but the load was refused as it was due on the 3rd.  I was back at the center at 6 AM, on the 6th, waiting for management approval.  It was granted at 8 AM.......

I was then off and running to De Witt, IA, for an 11 AM pickup to take to Garysburg, NC, due at 7:15 PM on the 7th.  There was no way I was going to get 979 miles in order to deliver on time and I told dispatch.  While in route, I was notified that I was to swap the load with another driver 300 miles from the drop who needed home time.  I was talking with Marcus and he stated that he was swapping out with someone today so he could head home and we both realized that WE were the ones swapping.  I drove on the 8th for 8 hours, with only two 15 minute breaks to get the load to him on time...........

And guess what!  They gave him an extra two hours to deliver the dang nab it load...augh!  None the less, it was nice to see him and I got his load going tot Crafton, PA, which I dropped at 2 PM after waiting 4 hours today.  Now we sit at a truck stop for the night as there is no load for me......I got to work a measly 5 hours today!

Oh, and my paycheck.......$240.  I did not get my breakdown or layover pay!

But I can tell you, I just keep falling more and more in love with Kentucky and Virgina each time I drive through!