Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

34 was up Sunday but no loads coming out of Reno so put in a day layover, hoping I don’t gotta argue to get approved like lately….was expecting a load assignment first thing yesterday morning but nope, 10am before anything came through. Brokered load of plastic pallets from USPS in Reno to a facility in Colton. Got there 1030 and didn’t get out til 1300. Load wasn’t due til 1200 today so I parked it until 0130 this morning. Unloaded then had me drop empty dryvan on the yard. Of course only one spot open due to all them darn reefers taking up space. Hopefully they find a new customer for them reefers or pay to move them back east. They originally wanted me to load in Sylmar for a team but not enough hours since I just parked it after loading yesterday. Told em to find something I can drop or unload by Saturday cuz only 568 miles this week so far….guessing TM routed me down 95 instead of 395 when he planned me but Ill take the extra miles. I was hoping for one of them starbucks loads to be available to start heading back east by Saturday instead of to California first then back east.

 

I have done three of these Ikea deliveries so far. Pickup is in Danville, VA. Delivery is an Ikea DC somewhere else.

Pickups are listed as live loads. They're not.

Deliveries are listed as live unloads. They're not.

Drop and hook both ends. Ikea DC in Joliet is a 24-hour operation. I coulda made delivery yesterday.

 

Doncha just love it? My week ended Saturday morning instead of Friday afternoon because my info said drop by Sat 0800. It said nothing about being an “on” appt. Frustrating.

 

Ended up with a broker load picking up near pasadena. Supposed to to pick up 0800-1000 but told broker no way with LA traffic, arrived 1040. Of course the empty reefer they told me to grab had a flat tire. Info said reefer ok to load if swing door so I grabbed another thankfully that was ok. Get to shipper and had to blind side into the driveway off the street, thankfully the driveway was wide and two dock spaces open and wide to get in a dock. Of course the traffic decided to drive around me as I blind side back instead of stopping for 5 minutes while I get in the drive. Amazes me how stupid ppl are these days, was obvious I can’t see them while blind side backing, common sense just doesn’t exist anymore….told the broker wasn’t getting to the Nashville Tn area friday either and of course the broker says “but the planner that booked it said you could.” I drive a truck, not a time machine. Planner lied or he really thought I was getting 2300 miles in by Friday. Maybe if California allowed us to drive faster than 55 I might have been close to getting there by Friday. Broker said can’t deliver til Monday if can’t get there Friday. DM supposed to see if can drop on the WM yard Sat. If not Ill just end the trip Saturday so the miles go on this check and deliver Monday. Only 568 miles for the week is unacceptable so might have to exploit the system by ending trip Saturday. They seriously need to get backhaul customers out here with the stuff we still got coming out west.

 

40K lb load, yeah Im not going very fast until after Albuquerque. I want some of that stuff the planner be smoking thinking 40K lb. load plus CA speeds and up hills is going to make it to Nashville, area by Friday afternoon, lol!

 

Dropped off my 1 cooler here in Melbourne,now off to Miami in the am,for a del in Chesapeake fri night.

 

Got split at the WM yard today so those miles go on this check and will rehook after a 34 Monday and deliver these Brazilian cosmetic products the rest of the way south of Nashville. Doggone TQL calling me everyday to see where Im at…..probably send me back to the yard with this reefer after.

 

Tql will probably still harass you long after you del..they did me the same way..kept txt me 4days after del..bot until i threatened them did they stop…be prepared for the stupidity

 

Have had that happen before with other brokers calling me screaming about loads I never had.