Why did you quit? thought you were about to get out on the road by yourself.

Wysrob didn't quit. He just meant he hoped freight picked up soon.

Hey Wysrob.

I drove out of Kingsport for a year for TWT(Tidewater Transit) before moving to A&R Transport. I also was just out of school when I started driving for TWT.

I've talked to a lot of Superior drivers in and out of Eastman in Kingsport.

If you have any questions that I could help with I would be glad to help

Dave

Thanks Dave. I spent 2 weeks running local out of Kingsport as part of my training. I might have run into you then. Eastman is quite a plant.

First Week Solo
2/17-2/22

Sun 2/17

All I did Sunday was go down to the terminal and drive the truck bobtail, hook to my load for the next morning and practice backing into empty holes. I will be running a day cab with a super 10 all week. I got the hang of it but had to really concentrate on shifting more than usual. Worked 1.5 hours

Mon 2/18

Had a 6 AM delivery time about 30 miles away so I got to the yard around 5AM and headed out. Honestly I drove a little rough. I am sure a more experienced driver would have no trouble switching trucks like that but It took me a while to figure out how much fuel to give this truck before shift changes especially on grades. I got it out of gear once pulling up a small grade off an exit ramp and had to stop and start over in the middle of the road. Finally made it to the customer and was relieved that they told me to drop it in the yard. I was supposed to pick up an empty but there weren't any in the line. One of the guys who weighed me told me they had one unloading that would only be a few minutes. 45 minutes later they told me they were having problems so I bobtailed back to the yard.

Once I got back they had me load 2 tanks of waste water. I backed the first one in and met with the terminal manager. He gave me all the paperwork and we looked on the computer at trucks that are available. They are bringing in a 2003 Freightliner with 700,000 miles on it to have the mechanics check out for me. Its in Texas somewhere. He also told me I would be running local for the next 4 weeks as part of my training before they turn me out into the system. Pay is $13.30 per hour which really kind of sucks for the amount of drop, hook, tank prep work the local guys do.

I loaded the first tank of waste water and they wanted another one loaded so I backed that one in at about 1:30. I figured that would be it for the day since it takes at least 3 hours to load and balance Ph on a tank of waste water. I was wrong.

At 4:30 they sent me over to a paint plant where we keep 2 tanks spotted all the time under loading racks. They sit 100 yards down a 1 lane road next to the building. There is a curb on the other side and a 6 foot hill. If you run over the curb you will roll over. There are 2 ways to back down this road, blindside around the building or pull out the gate and sight side down the curb. I chose the gate. One problem with that way is if you go too slow the gate will close on you. Its photoelectric and the beam of light comes together between the tractor and trailer tandums. After about 4 pull ups I got it straight in the driveway. The process is back the empty down next to the loading bay, unhook it, hook to the full one, pull it out and drop it, hook back to the empty and spot it in the hole, drop it then hook back to the loaded tank. Also its a 3 compartment tank so all the work on top is tripled. This plant is also notorious for not having paperwork ready and its almost always a 30 minute wait for them to come back into the office. Its also a placarded load so there are 12 of those that you have to put on the tank. It was 8:15 by the time I got this load dropped back on the yard for a 14.25 hour first day. At least I am getting paid by the hour.

Tues 2/19

Started my day at 8:00AM. Today was all a bunch of spotting tanks at customers and bobtailing back to the yard or picking up tanks at tank washes. Handled about 6 tanks shuttling them from 20-40 miles. Got back with my last one about 3:30 and guess what. The paint company has another one ready. I was really hoping to get off by 5 as my wife was having some issues at work and I needed to pick up my son from school by 6. Its about a 45 min drive home. I told them that. Fortunately we didn't have the tank to spot ready so they sent me bobtail to pick up the first one. After the standard 30 minute wait for paperwork I was on my way back to the yard with the loaded tank. I had already called my wife from the plant telling her I wouldn't be able to pick up my son. Got back to the yard around 5:00PM and after dropping the loaded trailer went inside hoping they had gotten someone else to spot that empty. They hadn't so I got back in the truck. As I was about to pull under it the terminal manager came out and told me he had called over to the plant, that they would not load that tank until Wed and that I could spot it first thing in the morning. It impressed me that he would take the time to make that phone call. I called my wife and was on my way home by 5:15 PM for a 9.25 hour day.

Wed 2/20

Started my day at 6:30 AM spotting an empty at the paint company. For some reason it took me a few more pull ups to get the tank on the driveway. Got back to the yard around 8:15. The rest of the day was more of the same picking up and spotting 6-8 tanks. Went to one plant I had never been to before so that was different. Finished up around 5:00 for an 8.5 hour day.

Thurs 2/21

Started the day around 8:00 AM. They sent me up to Reidsville which is a little longer drive. I am really getting used to the truck now and have been shifting better than ever. The biggest advantage to being solo is that I do everything. With a trainer he always did some of the driving and all the hard backing. I had seen the paint company process 4 times before but had never done the backing in. Shuttled about 8 tanks and finished up around 5 for a 9 hour day.

Friday 2/22

Started out around 8 with tank wash pick ups. Got back to the yard and they sent me over to a company I had spotted a tank for on Tuesday or Wednesday. It was a 3 compartment and they needed me to pull it onto the scale weigh it then put it back in the hole so they could fill another compartment. Then they sent me back to Reidsville to spot another tank then pick one up from Browns Summit on the way back.

When I got back to the yard they sent me to pick up the tank I had weighed earlier. Pulled it out, weighed it and figured I was on my way after picking up the paperwork. Wrong! The loader guy called his boss with the weight of the product and was told to put another 2000 lbs on. I backed it back in the hole and waited while they loaded the last little bit. Then it was back on the scale, grab paperwork and since it was 5:00 off for the weekend. Wrong again!!! Got back to the yard to the wonderful news that I was going back to the paint company. Finished up about 8:00 PM for a 12 hour day.

Total hours for the week 53.5 so I should gross around $712. Thats better than the $500/ week training pay but not as much as I will need to make after training. I view this as part of my training.

Good post as always Wysrob. Don't they pay you overtime for over 40 hrs on local work? Hope so. I liked the auto gate drop. That would be frustrating as Hell until you got used to it.

I don't think they pay overtime but I have gotten some nice surprises in my check before. The gate is one of those rolling fence jobs. It would damage the truck if it hit it. It stays open pretty long each time. Only way to get into trouble is to get out and look for too long.

RUN FOREST RUN!

I was just out of school too when I went to work with Superior. I spent 5 weeks in Kingsport and received excellent training. The trainers did a Great job. I have now been solo for 3 weeks with approx 7000 miles and all weather conditions. Chicago during rush hour in a snow storm to Louisville and north in the recent ice storm. I say Thank You to the boys who tolerated me and showed me the way. I have a home and if you want to run the system and show those who dispatch you're ready to go they will run you. I'm home under load for 1.5 days, my choice about the home time, and headed out soon.
I have met several people from other SPCR terminals, all have been helpful and friendly. By the way, with the 7000 miles I have been home a total of 6.5 days when I finish this 1.5 days at home, that includes a 3 day weekend at home.
I'm done now.