Knight Phoenix port division

Discussion in 'Knight' started by Belgradebill, Apr 30, 2013.

  1. Belgradebill

    Belgradebill Bobtail Member

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    5
    Sep 29, 2010
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    Anyone doing the Phoenix to Long Beach or San Diego runs? I'm thinking of these because of the claimed home time. I don't have any port exp. and am wondering what it's like. Thanks
     
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  3. Gearjammin' Penguin

    Gearjammin' Penguin "Ride Fast-Truck Safe"

    2,442
    6,871
    Feb 18, 2007
    Central AZ
    0
    OK, my experience is from 2006-2007 on the Big Red Buttscrew's Can Fleet. Years have passed, so YMMV. :biggrin_2558:

    We never saw San Diego. Sometimes Tucson, occasionally Flagstaff, rarely Las Vegas. Usually, it was PHX-->Long Beach, sit on dock for a decade waiting for freight, LB-->PHX take this hot load to the ports right now and then sit on the dock again, lather, rinse, repeat.

    Now, the ports aren't too bad if you find a company that knows what they're doing. But there are downsides.

    You will wait in lines. Long lines. A lot.

    You will find yourself scavenging for spare mudflaps at truckstops, since many of the ones they put on the chassis are made of black-painted toilet paper.

    You will deal with port personnel who have the intelligence and motivation of a turnip. And they're union, so they pretty much can't be fired for anything, so you'll simply have to take their abuse and incompetence with a smile.

    You will run around with your head cut off trying to find a legal chassis, to no avail. You will see stacks of brand new chassis in the back of the yard which will never be put on the road. You are not to question this.

    When someone cuts you off at the train tracks in front of Yang Ming, you will discover that a tractor will indeed lay rubber when motivated by a train whistle.

    You will find that the Port Police are a bunch of power-mad dicks who will try to write you up for anything and everything, and don't care how little parking there is on the ports. (Hint: NYK staging yard(old Matson port)is ideal, but DOT sets up on that road sometimes. Also, the oversize dock (it's been a while, 'H'?) is good, if you can find a space between all the Knight drivers waiting for freight.)

    You will get to know the outbound chassis crew at every port on a first-name basis. You will send Christmas cards to the friendly and competent ones.

    You will actually learn to eat from a roach coach and like it, and be able to fend off the cloud of drooling seagulls that want the scraps of your burrito.

    I haven't covered all the downsides, but there are upsides as well. A lovely climate, a bunch of good and helpful people and a fascinating look at what makes this country run. And if you're in Kali's ports, you WILL have new equipment, by order of the KARB...you won't drive junk any more. If I'd been with a competent company, I might be still running the ports right now.

    If you're in the PHX area, check out Duncan & Son. Though I've never driven for them, I've heard lots of good, and I figure any company who's been doing this for 65 years must have something going on.
     
  4. DaJerzbull

    DaJerzbull Bobtail Member

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    Oct 30, 2013
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    Has anyone eer heard of las vegas to long beach port i saw anad for this was wondering if anyone had any info on that
     
  5. CAGEtrucker

    CAGEtrucker Road Train Member

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    291
    Apr 18, 2010
    Somewhere, AZ
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    I worked Knight Intermodal for 3 months, it is hurry up and waited. I started with 4 guys in port and they all switched to reefer to much sitting. One guy was from Vegas he was always moving usually just dropping containers in the Rancho yard and running back to Vegas. You sit WAY to much they don't want to buy a day pass or whatever the heck they are called so you might get there at 2 or 3 PM then you site until after 6 to go in wait in line then run out of hours and are stuck in a HOT truck you cant idle because it is not "hot" enough. Home time was a joke they want 3 or 4 turns a week by the time you get home you really don't feel like driving home I finished my turns usually late thursday and was off until leaving out Sunday evening.
     
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