Starting over with Paschall Truck Lines.

Hello All,

I am re-entering the trucking industry after a more than five year absence after the coal mines laid me off this past June. I am an Anglican missionary priest and church planter first but as my ministry is bi-vocational in nature I have to work a secular job to support my family. I first got my CDL in December of 1994 after completing the six week course at CDI in Gulfport, MS and then went to work for Builders Transport for I think .23 per mile. I drove for quite a few companies from then until September 2007 and have more than 600,000 miles. As I was of a different mind set earlier in my life and was a hot headed job hopper with different priorities and would quit at the drop of a hat my worldview would start to change in 2005 and I now have an excellent work history and track record. I just believe God will do that to a man once He gets hold of you.

Anyway, after a five year absence I am returning to truck driving with Paschall Truck Lines. I've applied with about twenty companies and PTL is the only company to give me an orientation date to this point and that is for around the 17th of this month. I have been around the block so to speak so I'm not new to this and pretty much understand how trucking companies work. Been there, done that, and earned two t-shirts I guess but you have to start somewhere. I intend to post my progress over the next couple years on this board and particularly about how my re-entry into the trucking industry affects my local ministry and how this new direction develops. I don't know if anybody will be interested but it will certainly be therapeutic for me. I'll also be using facebook as well.

I am looking forward to sharing and interacting with the members of this forum and I pray you and all your families are blessed this Christmas Season.

Your Servant In Christ,
Fr. Adam
Missionary Priest

"Now go out into the highways and hedges where not even the Bishops will try to hinder you.
Go out and look for Jesus in the ragged, in the naked, in the oppressed and sweated, in those
who have lost hope, in those who are struggling to make good. Look for Jesus. And when you
see him, gird yourselves with his towel and try to wash their feet."
(Bishop Frank Weston, Bishop of Zanzabar 1923)

 

Hello All,

Ok. Let's try this again. I did head out for orientation in December but Greyhound lost my bags in Knoxville. Had to go back home until I could get everything replaced but yes, I am on my way to orientation at this moment. I still hate buses but hey, only 4.5 hours left right? Will arrive in Kentucky at around 8:30am then get a ride on to the hotel. Orientation starts bright and early Wednesday morning. This little thread plans to be a running project for me and I am looking forward to interacting with everyone.

Your Servant In Christ,
Fr. Adam
Missionary Priest

"Now go out into the highways and hedges where not even the Bishops will try to hinder you.
Go out and look for Jesus in the ragged, in the naked, in the oppressed and sweated, in those
who have lost hope, in those who are struggling to make good. Look for Jesus. And when you
see him, gird yourselves with his towel and try to wash their feet."
(Bishop Frank Weston, Bishop of Zanzabar 1923)

 

Well it has been one month since orientation and I have been in my own assigned truck for two weeks after riding with another driver for almost two weeks. Took us that long to get 6000 miles which was a drag and we knew we could do better. I have to admit it has been a rough month and I am confronted daily with reminders of why I never went back to driving when I needed a second job or stable income. The income IS NOT STABLE! It's just trucking. It is what it is and there is NO changing that. I've never driven for anyone who could keep you rolling ten (back in the day) or eleven hours a day with pick-up and delivery times that make sense. It seems that every company I have driven for that 3000 mile weekly mark has proven completely elusive and nobody has ever been able to explain that to me. Why? Why do we all talk about 3000 miles and who is that is hitting that? How? A little frustration at the industry as a whole here and not just PTL.

Now, my critique to this point about PTL? First, my dispatcher is great. She wants to take care of her drivers and makes it clear that she does what she can when she can where she is able. She really has no control over loads. Getting and scheduling loads is the planners responsibility. PTL calls the dispatcher the "Fleet Manager". (Personal side note here: I never understood this in all of my years associated with the trucking industry because the dispatcher is really a support position. They neither command nor direct. They facilitate the work of the driver. No matter what name you put on it the dispatcher exists to support the relationship between the driver and the planner).

Anyway, I'm sticking it out. I need recent experience and I am determined to let PTL prove they are better than other companies. They are definitely not any worse and I do have to say the tractors themselves are better than anyone else I've driven for. I love the APU, eLog and Navigo GPS routing. I knew trucking could be like this if someone just made the investment and PTL has done the driver a service for doing so. KEEP YOUR RAND MCNALLY ROAD ATLAS THOUGH!!! You need to be able to maintain those routing skills!!! I really like that I can get paid for all miles driven in the pay period simply by submitting a canned T-call before midnight Thursday night and don't have to finish that last run to transflo. Insurance is expensive and you have to wait six months for the real deal but it is there. The Trailers are garbage! I think as many as half the trailer 6 out of 12, I've lost an average a 2 hours getting work done. Mostly air leaks. They are old and PTL admits it but it is something everyone has to learn to deal with if you are going to work here. I know it frustrates the dispatchers and load planners too. Again, it is something you just have to plan around.

Until next time...
Your Servant In Christ,
Fr. Adam
Missionary Priest

"Now go out into the highways and hedges where not even the Bishops will try to hinder you.
Go out and look for Jesus in the ragged, in the naked, in the oppressed and sweated, in those
who have lost hope, in those who are struggling to make good. Look for Jesus. And when you
see him, gird yourselves with his towel and try to wash their feet."
(Bishop Frank Weston, Bishop of Zanzabar 1923)