Hey Fish Hook. What's new?

We might have crossed paths in Kingsport. Did you have any experience in the trucking industry before going to school? We are about the same age. I must admit snow and ice in Chicago makes my butt pucker a bit. Glad to hear the miles are out there. I ran into a 5 year Superior driver last week who was looking for either another job or a terminal transfer saying he couldn't live on 1200 miles a week. Ran out of Georgia I think.

Monday 2/25- Thursday 2/28

This week has been a lot like last week. Same deal shuttling empty tanks around with an occasional loaded one. They have a truck on the yard for me. Attached is a picture. It needs a little work. Hopefully i will get into it next week.

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Wsyrob, today My Interview went great with ABF. The TM approved my application and is now sending it off to Arkansas for approval. I should hear back in 2-4 wks, He said to continue to do landscaping on the side because at this time its slow and at the start I will work a few days a week and will then goto Fort Smith for Schooling. He said In this business sometimes its about great timing and persistence. He said I was very persistent and respectful every-time I called him and he told me to called back. (Persistence goes a long way) I thanked my union school director and my cousin & his friend for putting in the good word.It worked! I brought the TM copies of my Drivers License,Driving record,Med card,Graduation certificate and BCI. He told me to come here and work hard, be on time and he will be happy.

That sounds great. Congrats!

Mon March 3- Friday March7

This week has been just like the last 2 only not quite as many hours. Pretty much been finished by 5 every day. My truck still looks the same as in that picture a few days ago. I have been driving trucks that belong to different drivers while they are home after extended time out. The good news is that they are getting good miles. I believe things are starting to pick up a bit.

I appreciate the information as I live only 90min away. Now I have more options. Thanks for all the information. Keep it flowing.

Kinghunter

Thursday 3/6

Pretty interesting day today. They sent me over first thing to load some transformer oil. I knew that they were going to send me to air off a load of elephant snot that afternoon so I cleaned all the windows on the borrowed truck I was driving so I would have optimum visibility since I had never been to the place I was going to deliver to. Got loaded without a hitch and dropped the load back on the yard. Then I was told that they needed the truck I was in because the driver had to "rescue" a load up north somewhere. I was handed a can of Lysol and told to spray the truck down real good because its driver was out sick. It was still hooked to his load. he was too sick to deliver it the next day. Grossest thing was a cup 1/3 full of flem he was hacking up and spitting into as he drove. I sprayed it down good wiped it with paper towels and off I went to pick up my load. It was a spotted tank at a chemical company and delivered to a waste treatment plant nearby. This was notable for me because it is the first air off that I have done solo.

I got to the plant and got backed in no problem. I did miss my turn and had to drive about 5 miles before finding a place to turn around. I got everything hooked up and fired up the compressor on the truck. Let it run for about 5 minutes and climbed up top to check the pressure. 0 PSI and I could hear air rushing out from the top of the "christmas tree". I turned everything off and tried to tighten the vacuum release valve. Tried it again, same problem. Nothing I could do but call the yard. I was reallty hoping that I hadn't overlooked something stupid. They sent a guy out from the tank repair shop. He got there about an hour later and replaced the entire christmas tree. Worked like a charm. I asked him if there was anything I could do in the field to fix it. He said if you take the vacuum release valve apart that you can sometimes clean it and get it to work. Probably wouldn't have helped in this case and not being in my own truck I didn't have tools to do that anyway. The rest of the day went well.

Friday 3/7

Spent a wonderful day loading tank wash waste water in the rain. High lite is I got the keys to my truck!! I am dispatched on a load Monday that delivers Tuesday morning so i will be sleeping in it for the first time Monday night. I don't have to go in until after noon Monday since my loading time is 4:00PM so i will have plenty of time to get it cleaned up and ready to go this weekend.

A cup of hacked up flem huh. Well I was about to fix supper and you are helping me keep on my diet. Glad to hear you are going to get your own ride. You've come a long way in a short time. Congrats!!! Oh, what is elephant snot? New term to me.

Its a polymer that is used in water treatment plants, paper mills, coal mines and probably a few other places as well. It is real concentrated and rather thick. When water hits it it grows and is real slippery. When you pull apart hoses that have this product in them it can string over a foot hence the nickname elephant snot.