Last week, Thursday morning, I was sitting in Ohio, east of Columbus unloading the trailer into a silo. I was sitting there, kind of adding up the week so far, and though I still didn;t know what the rest of Thu would bring or what I would do on Friday, I was guesstimating the week in review. I figured that I would make 900-950 for the week, which is something less than average, but acceptable. The dogs are still going to see their dog biscuit money out of that amount. And since I took most of Tuesday off at home, and slept through the a good part of the day on Wednesday, it wasn't bad for what I had done.

A little while later, the Qualcomm beeps, and it's my dispatcher. He wants to know if I can go to Spring Grove Pa for Saturday delivery of starch, picking up in Chicago, and it pays very well for the load. So I punched the address into my GPS on the dash, figured the distances and times I needed to do the load, and then called in and said that I would take it.

I headed up to Chicago, picked up the trailer which turned out not to be loaded yet, so I loaded it myself out of a railcar. I headed out, knocking about 85 miles off the trip, ensuring tht I could arrive nby about 6 pm Friday nite. Stopped and ate, slept, and delivered right on time Sat morning, then turned the truck around and headed back for Michigan.

Still had time to get in a 34 hour break before starting out this morning.

There's always at least one more load out their lurking with your name on it, you jut have to find it. LOL!

Burky, we must have the same dispatcher, "can you squeeze one more in? Mine called wednesday while i was heading back on what was my 2nd lap to southeast PA. Had planned on the 2 trips and then a few days off. Got the usual, "its got to be there and your the only one close", figured it would make for a great week and then take a few days off. Caught up to my dad at a truckstop on the way back and we pretty much goofed off all the way back, even suckered breakfast and lunch out of him. I even got my few days off.

My dispatcher is pretty good, there was no pressure to take the load. it was just a good deal, paying very well, and he knew that I had the hours available to run the load. And it wasn't due to load until Friday, and he had them get it ready so I could pick up the load on Thursdays. Kind of funny, because I was sitting there thinking that it was the first week in about 2 months I stayed in my normal regional area, and it popped up. But this week, I actually did stay in my area, and am home already on Friday morn.

in Union LTL company lingo we call that one extra short run a "cool down"

nothing better than unhooking all my gear - climbing out of the day cab - walking past my pickup thinking I will be home in 14 minutes - then have a dispatcher as "do you have time to run to dayton and back?"


AHHHHH!

Mine was a bit more than a short cool down. Run from Columbus to Chicago to make the pickup, then run from Chicago to Spring Grove pa for the delivery. Then return to home in Michigan in time to pick up a 34 before starting over again on Monday.

Columbus to Chicago 330 miles
Chicago to Spring Grove 689 Miles
Spring Grove to Home 632 Miles.

Yup, I know exactly what you mean. But the beauty of being union, and the first shift to start in the mornings, is I know there are more than half the drivers still out there, so if I say no, I know its not the end of the world! Although most of the time I will say yes!

I know what you mean.....I used to work at this one place and the boss would do that alot on a Friday evening....."Hey, do you wan't to work tomorrow"? ( at the last minute). I'd say, "well, I do have things planned." He'd say, "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow at 6am." Then, I could either argue with him or act all happy, grin and bear it. Ya have to be careful though, if you are one of those people to always so no, they will make sure that you are the first one they ask every time.

hehehheheh


just got back from kansas city - dispatcher did not look at my inbound numbers and offered me a louisville...

I led him on for a bit then he realized I had just knocked out 597 miles in a 62 mph truck.

hehehhe