Leonard's Express gamble

Got a nickel per mile raise. Now at .58cpm base pay.

And going across I-94 today, the perpetual beast winds out of the north, literally ripped my deflector trim piece off that runs alongside the passengers side of the windshield. I heard a crack and saw it had broken free at the top, and a couple minutes later it broke free at the bottom and went sailing.

Prior to that, it was a mess between Bismarck and Jamestown. Lots of carnage.

 

Correct. Leonard's Express company drivers are camera mandatory.

I have spoke to a few NY drivers that do the California loop.

I'm essentially a dedicated driver in that my dispatcher is also my planner. He's based out of Minnesota and I run mostly freight for his customers.

He runs almost exclusively owner operators, which is how I started out with Leonard's. I think I may be his only company driver.

He knows that I prefer running out to the PNW and back to his zone, MN, IA,WI. When it's time to go home in Florida, he either finds freight out of the PNW to Florida or PNW to Minnesota to Florida, which I'm doing now.

When I was working for the owner operator leased to Leonard's, his truck wasn't California compliant. I could run some California freight but I don't mind not going there.

You're welcome to share your Double J experience on this thread if you like. I don't think there's much info about Double J on this forum.

 

Ran into a driver at the Caldwell, Idaho terminal, that had finished orientation, and was waiting for his truck to be ready.

He got one of the older Holman blue Peterbilts. I think it had 400+k on it. Super Singles and EPU.

He's from Tampa, FL and was hired onto a dedicated FL-AZ gig. I didn't know we had such a gig. But since they flew him out to Idaho, and is going to be dispatched out of Idaho, it must be one of the old Holman runs.

I checked Craigslist Tampa and it was on there.

Checked Craigslist Lakeland and didn't see it.

I do wonder if it's different outbound shippers than what I pull since I mostly pull out of Lk Wales.

 

Update time. It's been a while. Had that looong paid vacation at home with the breakdown. Here goes:

33) West Palm Beach, FL to Auburndale, FL (home) to Lk Wales, FL to Okahumpka, FL (where I broke down) towed to Apopka, FL. (266 miles).

34) Apopka, FL to Lk Wales, FL to Hopkins, MN. (1,676 miles).

35) Hopkins, MN to Gaylord,MN to Clackamas,OR. (1,800 miles).

36) Clackamas, OR to Albany,OR to Tomah, WI. (2,060 miles).

37) Tomah, WI to Gaylord, MN to Fife, WA. (1,906 miles).

38) Fife, WA to Albany, OR to Detroit Lakes, MN. (1,853 miles).

39) Detroit Lakes, MN to Gaylord, MN to Tampa, FL to Auburndale, FL (home). (1,814 miles).

40) Auburndale, FL to Moore Haven, FL to Mankato, MN. (1,823 miles).

41) Mankato, MN to Gaylord, MN to Wilsonville,OR. (1,791 miles).

42) Wilsonville, OR to Selah, WA to Richmond, CA. First time to Cali in about 6 years. (913 miles).

43) Richmond, CA to Castroville, CA to Oxnard, CA (the Pacific is still where I left it) to Tully, NY. (3,204 miles).

44) Tully, NY to Fall River, MA (2 picks) to Portland, OR (2 drops). (3,469 miles).

45) Portland, OR to Clackamas, OR to (3 days broke down in Mt Vernon, IL) to Lithia Springs, GA to Palmetto, FL to Auburndale, FL (home). (3,156 miles).

These 3 consecutive 3,000+ miles loads is the first time in my driving career that I have hit that trifecta.

I grabbed my outbound load from Lk Wales and I'm parked at the J near Waterloo, IA. Got two drops tomorrow in Minnesota and then I can go go grab a preloaded trailer in Gaylord headed back out to Oregon for two drops Monday. I'll post those loads on the next update.

 

Solid. No complaints. What are you signing on to do? And where are you going to orientation? I've only did orientation in Farmington, NY. Good people.