First Day Orientation

Discussion in 'Celadon' started by fueldog, Feb 9, 2009.

  1. rightLayne

    rightLayne Bobtail Member

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    Feb 16, 2009
    Austin, TX
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    Well I finally found somewhere in my path that had internet access...I was at a flying J by P&G in Edwardsville but the signal was too low. So here I am and I am 10 days in my truck and one paycheck in the bank. This next check should be 2463 miles and today I have sat all day waiting on a load....not to mention my airvalve blew on the trailer right when I was heading down the exit ramp from the rest area to drop this morning. So all in all it's good and the freight is picking up slowly. So nothing out here has changed except that I did notice when I came back from my first load to and from Canada that the city of Detroit on a friday night had no traffic. That was unheard of years ago...it was buzzing and full of cars on the highways. The economy is what I suspect up there is the reason. I can truly say I am amazed that the truck stops have parking and that rest areas out on little roads like 30 in Ohio had only one or two trucks in them in the middle of the night. No freight and no trucks on the roads. So lets keep our fingers crossed. So fuelDog how you getting along lately?
    keep it safe:biggrin_25517:
     
    fueldog Thanks this.
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  3. fueldog

    fueldog Bobtail Member

    35
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    Feb 4, 2009
    Agricola,MS
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    Hey Rightlane, & all you other jammers..

    Yup, life is good at Celadon,, no I'm not getting rich, by any means, but I do have a paycheck roll'n,, just going into 5th week,, nothing changed,, its still to early to give over all appraisel, but my miles avereage to date is 1997 miles,now that's a 4week ave.. Just what I figured it would be 1800-2000 miles per week ave, till freight pics, like last week I had 3129 miles, a week before that 1489 miles,, like I said before,, its timing and depending where you are in the card deck.. Let put it this way, I'm very satisfied, with the way the company runs, and how we work with each other for dispatch and loads. All the DM's I've been in touch with, all have been very helpful, curtious, professional. Like I stated before, its a lot to do with your attitude. You know if you kick a cow, she'll give you less milk than if you play some music and talk nice to her.. Not much different out here working with other.... I understand there are days you want to eat the truck and everthing that's connected to it.. Chill out.. in the end you'll Win out...
    Happy trucking to all you that have the fever, I'm enjoying mine, I'll roll'n west bound, Ca here I come..
     
  4. RickG

    RickG Road Train Member

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    6,135
    Jul 22, 2008
    Owensboro , KY
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    I'm glad you can survive on 2,000 miles a week . That's enough for some . But many considering trucking need to read this because it is far below their expectations . I'm sure you'll do fine and eventually see better days .
     
  5. ThreadingToolGuy

    ThreadingToolGuy Light Load Member

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    Feb 18, 2009
    Menomonee Falls, WI
    0
    Hey fueldog & rightLayne, and all you others!

    I am really glad to hear you both are doing alright. Fueldog, you're stating things "as they are" and what I stated before, it is what I was hoping to hear. What I mean is that your experience is not really good by far, but at least you're not reporting being treated worse than piece of .... You seem satisfied and are moving - it will get better!

    RightLayne, I am sorry that I missed you. I was in Indy on that Monday morning, but had to leave abruptly due to a stupid medical situation - long story, short is that I can easily provide the info. they want, it will just take time. Soon after I realized there was no way I could satisfy them right away, we checked schedules and I got "out of Dodge" before I had to sit 24 hours for nothing.

    Glad to see you obviously got out of orientation, and your post is not really filled with anything in the negative dept. - good to see!

    Anyways, hope to get "on board" in another week, and then maybe we can meet "down the road". Please keep your post on your experiences coming!

    Be careful out there, and have fun!
     
  6. rightLayne

    rightLayne Bobtail Member

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    Feb 16, 2009
    Austin, TX
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    Well I went to Laredo and had some work done on my truck something with the air pump and some other stuff on the rear end of the tractor had me messed up with every trailer I hooked up to since starting. It made me have two road maintenance calls one which was in Canada for 11 hours in -25 and the other 10 minutes from my stop leaving the rest area on the ramp it lost pressure and locked up the trailer brakes. So long story short is it's fixed thank goodness, but no one knows why the check engine light comes on going down the road. I will eventually have to take it to the dealer, next home time.

    Which brings me to home time. I got home and it's great because it's been 80 degrees and it was perfect to work outside around the ranch and get out of that ole truck after almost three weeks. I am ready to get back in now because I have been working outside and have been sore waking up this morning and todays got involved with a stick cactus and it even went right through the bottom of my shoes. Should have had on boots but only went out to check on the brush piles we burnt and ended up working some more. It's funny after being in the truck you actually want to get outside and do all those things you've put off for so long. It rained in Central Texas and we finally got the burn ban lifted after 10 months of having 10 giant piles of wood sitting to be burnt. I wanted it done before the snakes made nests out of them. I burnt the 4 next to the house so I will have to wait on next home time.

    So I feel good about everything and even got home 3/4 of a day early and it's nice because if you get home early they don't count it against you. Since freight isn't pressing on us as a company you can relax and enjoy the extra time.

    Well my direct deposit should kick in this week and that'll be good because all of your money goes on your comdata card which by the way is your employee id and fuel card all rolled into one. I will be able to stop going to walmart to get cash back from a purchase or doing comchecks to get my payday in $300 increments.

    So that's where things stand for me now. I want to see how quickly I get worked back into the mix with the loads after being out of the loop and at home. I'll let ya'll know.

    See ya out there.:yes2557:
     
  7. rightLayne

    rightLayne Bobtail Member

    20
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    Feb 16, 2009
    Austin, TX
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    Too bad Threadingtoolguy, you'll get it all worked out and we'll have to catch up with you out on the road. Good luck.

    On home time NOW YIPPEE. It's good to be out of the truck after almost three weeks. doing home work an the weather has been in the 80's perfect to work outside. Time to get back in the truck tomorrow.:biggrin_255:
     
  8. fueldog

    fueldog Bobtail Member

    35
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    Feb 4, 2009
    Agricola,MS
    0
    Fever and more Fever,,
    Hey, Jammers,,, well, after starting into my 5th week, and since my wife had a week off from nursing work, I thought it would be a good time to get home and enjoy our marriage...
    Yup, Home now for 3 plus days,, Celadon, did good, I picked up in LA, for a delivery in Va, they had me drop in LR terminal, got me a load to MS, within 50 miles of the house, I'm home.. Feels good to stop and not vibrate and shake for a while,.. But that will end soon, I be jamm'n soon,, so far life is good.. But, I keep running into guys with their gripes..about the company, but as I listen to them, it seems alot of it because the fit for them and the company not the same track.. they want to run the company on there rules..or DOT rules only.. Guess they just need to start their own company if they really want to be happy..Maybe, O/O with their own authority.. then they will really understand trucking and why company have the rules they do..
    Look forward to catching up with you out here some time..
    Enjoy home time, and best to all...
    PS.. engine lite, mine does same thing,, intermittant, Fault code 1, then goes away on the fault code, just ignore it.. If your truck is running good otherwise, you'll just waste miles at repair facility.. again mine has done it from day one,, 11,000 miles later still do'n it,, otherwise its fine..
    See Ya, Be Safe keep it between the stitchs..Oh, yeah, send some rain to MS, we're hurt'n pastures short and late,, horses are eat'n us out of hay..:biggrin_2551:
     
  9. ThreadingToolGuy

    ThreadingToolGuy Light Load Member

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    Feb 18, 2009
    Menomonee Falls, WI
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    So far, it sounds like your experiences have been decent - other than RightLaynes' mechanical problems :biggrin_25512:. With your descriptions, it sounds like your miles have been pretty good, and especially some nice runs - Canada to Texas and LA to WV. They told me average runs were approx. 1000 miles and that sounds like a little less than those runs. Also, they said average out should be about 2 - 3 weeks, which falls into line with what RightLayne said.

    My medical thing got resolved - a $600 dollar hole in my pocket and 5 weeks wasted, but we should be able to "carry on". Scheduled back for the end of March and look forward to getting back "on the road" - funny how while on the road we miss home, and while at home we miss the road. Isn't life grand!

    Take care, be safe, and have fun out there!
     
  10. rightLayne

    rightLayne Bobtail Member

    20
    6
    Feb 16, 2009
    Austin, TX
    0
    Sitting out in KY waiting on my morning appt to unload at wally world dc. Storm chased me out from KC and I went to bed only to find it had caught up to me again. Little short on miles so far this week hoping to get one more short one in before scan night, then it'll be right on track. I have to do benefits in a couple weeks so that'll take some out of the check.

    Fueldog it'll be your turn to call her in a week to get signed up,
    so this is your reminder. :biggrin_255:

    Things are good and I signed myself up for those audio books at the pilot, some rent for $6 and others which are good are 12-15. The manager took off the sign up fee by giving me a free $6 book in addition to the ones I rented. So in 20 days I have to remember to turn them in. Just like remembering to scan my log pages with the trip sheets...bad habit I have to break. Then I read in the log book if you miss 8 they'll stop dispatching you. Hate to be one of those guys.

    Anyhow lets all pray for rain as long as it isn't in our paths....

    Take care.:biggrin_25525:
     
  11. ThreadingToolGuy

    ThreadingToolGuy Light Load Member

    76
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    Feb 18, 2009
    Menomonee Falls, WI
    0
    Good to hear from you RightLayne, and glad to hear you seem to be doing alright!

    I'll be going back to Indy tomorrow for Monday's Orien. - hopefully, no more "hiccups" :biggrin_25510:
    Your wish for rain reminds me that everyone's "dream" can be exactly opposite. Up here, we have alot of areas that are either at flood stage or #### near close to it. Believe me, you don't won't to be there! To dry for too long can really be a problem, but when your house is under water - well, that can just make for a really bad day :biggrin_25511:
    Take care out there, be safe, and have fun!
     
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