Millis OTR journal

I've had this happen to me. No load rejection, but I had a nice puddle on the trailer floor.

 

Good old I-64 through West Virginia is a well worn path for Millis drivers. The Tamarack fills up early, and the rest areas are postage stamp sized pull offs. Now if you didn't know about this place already, I found a great off the map place just a little ways east of Charleston in Chelyan West Virginia. Mark this spot - E. Dupont Ave. in Chelyan. Plenty of space to park, well lit at night, easy access, McDonald's, Arby's, convenience store, a pizza joint, hardly any other trucks - and doesn't smell like a urinal. Love it here.

 

Gino's is a local favorite for pizza.

 

I think I may have glanced at that spot while going by there and wondered if it was good for parking.

 

Weedsport was busy last night, have never seen so many active drivers there. They need to consider expanding bathroom/shower facilities if that’s going to be the norm.

 

I park at Weedport and always get my truck serviced there and talk to the shop guys.

They are afraid they are going to be shut down. No one that quits (in the shop) is being replaced. Two in the last couple of months. Only 3 people left there (1 trailer guy & 2 mechanics) plus the supervisor and he has to work like a regular mechanic where the ones at the other shops usually just sit in their office. Never replaced the parts room person who left a couple years ago.

They are told if they can't keep up with the work than they will ship the trailers to Trenton. Makes zero sense.
Trenton is 8-9 hours away. Going to pay a driver 550 miles to bring a trailer to Trenton? What if it is something like brakes or an air leak? And Trenton never seems to have time to fix much anyway now, nor is it as big. I've stopped there several times trying to get small quick things fixed and am always told I have 8 other trucks in front of me. A lot of times Weedsport will stop what they are doing and do a quick fix so we can move on. I already sit around enough for free getting things fixed.

And these guys have to mow the lawn and plow snow between everything else. Not sure if this is happening at other shops. The guys still left there are all long term employees and don't have a good feeling and neither do I. If they shut down Weedsport I'll be moving on. I like being near terminal with shop, fuel and parking. All of this is speculation but seems to be heading that way.

 

Sales team should step up their game and get more accounts up there.

 

I've always had good experiences at Weedsport. The few repairs done there have been done right away, and I've been able to get the parts I needed quickly too. I definitely sleep better there too, the clean country air just lulls me to sleep.

 

I slept there recently instead of going home. Had to leave immediately after my 10 hr break and was super tired when I pulled in so decided to just stay in my truck. Had trouble falling asleep at first because trains kept going by but after I did was out all night until my alarm went off.

 

Used to be a Miller Brewery nearby but that closed years ago. A lot of business dried up when that happened. There is one new account I know of out of Rochester. I get that load semi regularly. People there tell me two loads a day M-F going to Appleton, WI. A nice long run.

The pick up in Rochester isn't too bad but Appleton sucks big time. Another place a 53 ft sleeper truck should not go. Zero room. Terrible dock situation along with a double drop and hook. That load should always be left at Richfield for a local driver to finish. Even a regional truck would be a bit better. I'm guessing when winter and snow banks develop it will be impossible to dock there.