God, I don't miss those days, forced dispatch.

Mike

GT,

Great posts on your Gainey experience. Hope it's not too foggy going up I-77 across Fancy Gap cause that is a beautiful drive when the weather is good!

Safe travels,

CaptK

Week 18 started out to be a terrible week, but I and my DM(I cant take all the credit) pulled a rabbit out of the hat and it kept this week out of the record books(for being the worst week ever).

It started with me arriving in Illinios with a couple days until I could make my first stop. After waiting 1.5 days, I call the reciever and ask if I could deliver early. They werent busy, so I got the go ahead.

After the first stop in St. Louis, I headed up the the final in the Chicago area. I would arrive 1 full day early, so I once again called to see if I could come in a day early. They too werent busy, and said an early delivery would be no problem. Now, why was this load booked with all this wasted time on it if the customers were in favor of early deliveries?

Back to the subject, their dock layout was very tight, yet it was a modern building. After learning a trick(Ill explain), I bumped the dock and was MT in about an hour. I tried getting the trailer around a wall that prevented me from seeing what the trailer was doing, but every time I tried to bring the tractor straight with the trailer, the right front side of the tractor would come extremely close to a little wall. That functionless wall kept me from backing in every time I tried.

Thats when I got the bright idea to leave the tandem bar unlocked so I could slide the tandems as I was manuevering. I started around the wall with the tandems at the 40' mark or there about. Then, once I was almost around the wall, I locked the brakes and slid the tandems as far forward as possible. This allowed me to swing the front of the tractor around missing that dang little wall. After docked, I got a "nice job" from the dock supervisor. He said OTR guys always have a tough time backing in here. Well, maybe its time to knock down that little wall that does absolutely nothing but give truck drivers a hard time. (I didnt say that, but I thought it!)

So...after MT, I was again left without a load, so I headed off to a parking lot to sit and wait. Did I mention it has been cold in IL? All this sitting Im doing is costing money! I hope it doesnt hurt any feelings when they see my idle percentage is above 60% for the week.

After a couple hours, I get a load. It picks up about an hour south and delivers to....Honolulu, HI! I guess Ill get to see if this truck can float. I think sometimes they book a load without knowing what location the customer wants to send it to, because its happened before. Why Hawaii though? IDK.

After getting the updated load info, I find Ill be going right back to the freight wastelands. Atlanta, GA. It seems like every time I empty out there, I end up sitting forever waiting for a load. This time is no different.

The pickup in IL is a drop and hook, so I guess thats a plus. Also, delivery is a drop and hook. Hot damn! My luck is changing! NOT! The trip to GA was eventless other than some snow leaving Chicago, which I dont mind driving in. After MT in Atlanta, I am again left wondering where Ill go next. I emptied out in the morning, so I thought Id have atleast a glimmer of a hope of getting a good load. I find a nice spot next to a Burger King and hope I wont be here too long.

Hours upon hours go by, so I accept reality. I will be sitting here the rest of the day. After about 9 hours, I get a load. It picks up the next morning, just over the SC border and delivers just south of Detroit, MI. Of course, it has too much time on it, but we have a drop yard nearby the consignee, so I try my luck with a T-call.

Usually it takes about a half hour for dispatch to get back with me, but it wasnt 30 seconds later that I got the "drop in Carleton ASAP" message. Nice! Shortly after, I got a preplan for a load that was sitting in the yard. It is going to the Minneapolis area, and had a respectable delivery time.

Ive run about 364 miles so far, and am in the same state that this week started out in. Illinois! Ive seen too much of IL this week!!

Week 18-2330 act miles, 2200 pd miles, approx 30 OOR miles-(bobtail personal use)

**This week would have probally been around 1800-1900 if it werent for getting to drop and repower the Carleton loads**

I just want to say thank you for the updates I start with Gainey on Jan 5th.

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Hi, I just wanted to know if Gainey hires student drivers out of Louisiana. Happy New Year.

This is an absolutely wonderful thread! I'm thoroughly enjoying it and your very articulate writing is a big plus. Again thank you.

Gainey no longer hires students, must have min of 6mths exp first. would also look at other companies before gainey.

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You can't play with the Big Dogs when you pee like a Puppy!

Yup.... called them today and that was what I was told. <sigh>

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If it Sounds like a Truck, Looks like a Truck, and Drives like a Truck... It's probably a Truck!

...just a little update. Im still with Gainey and am just waiting for my 1 year to be up and I am out of here. Im looking into a reefer outfit hoping the miles/company/equipment will be better.
My miles have really slumped and Im averaging about 1500 mpw. I am just taking it in stride hoping for better days.
I did get put in another truck. Its a KW T2000 with the NITE system which is a bunk heater and an A/C unit. Funny, if I were in this truck when winter started, Im sure I would have had 15% idle times despite the miles. Oh well.
Sorry for the stopping with the updates. I honestly lost all motivation for keeping up with them.