CRETE - A Year in Review

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by evertruckerr, Jan 11, 2008.

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  1. evertruckerr

    evertruckerr Heavy Load Member

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    Oct 14, 2007
    Phoenix, AZ
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    Supersnack wrote:

    I too share your love of my Blackberry. My personal bane of existence has been the Storm. What a awful piece of excrement that thing is. But I have found the perfect way to fix it.

    It works like this. Bring it into the restroom with you to fill in for your standard reading material. Then, when you wash your hands make sure you leave it sitting on the bathroom counter and walk out. Once that has been accomplished, drive about 15 miles down the road and in a sudden burst of anger scream out a multitude of expletives (feel free to use all of them).

    At this time find the nearest off ramp and head back to the truck stop with the foolish expectation that an actual human being with a shred of honesty would have turned your phone in at the fuel desk.


    Wha La, you have just rid yourself of that pesky Blackberry, even though it has a big message plastered across the screen to call your wife "if found".

    Don't forget to call Verizon to shut the phone off!


    After following the above steps simply go into any Verizon store to ask how much it will cost to get that fancy new Droid everyone is raving about without the discounted "new contract" pricing. For those of you that are wondering? $600

    "I'll take one!"

    "Would you like insurance this time?"

    "Of course not."

    It wasn't quite that bad because when I called to have my lost phone cancelled I had managed to get Verizon to offer me a new phone of my choosing at the "one year" contract price which beat the heck out of paying full price.

    I ended up paying $289 and am infinitely happier with the Droid. It's an amazing little contraption.


    Oooooo! Here's a great little unexpected benefit.

    I had been using my Blackberry for internet access on my Laptop. I just attached it via USB cable instead of having a separate aircard account. The cost was an additional $30 for the tether feature which was better than paying the $60 for the stand alone aircard.

    I just assumed that the Droid could be used in the same fashion and as the sales person was activating everything I asked if the Droid used the same USB cable to tether. It was at that time when she told me that Verizon didn't offer the tether option with the Droid.

    Son of a #####!

    I was just about to put a hold on the Droid when she looked around to make sure no one was listening and then told me in a hushed voice. "You can find an app online that will make it work".

    Sure enough, I found something called Pdanet and downloaded it onto the phone and then transfered it to my laptop. I am now back online.
     
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  3. evertruckerr

    evertruckerr Heavy Load Member

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    Oct 14, 2007
    Phoenix, AZ
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    Supersnack wrote:

    Mayan calendar? What are you talking about, I've never heard of such a thing!



    richri wrote:

    Reefer and dry van are two very different animals. As are standard dry storage warehouses and grocery/cold storage warehouses. That's why I no longer pull a reefer. On the occasions when I do have to deliver to a grocery store warehouse I know there is no reason to arrive early. I also know that I will be dealing with lumpers, union royalty and long waits to get anything done.


    Longbow wrote:

    Them are some sweet numbers. Good to see. I can't seem to hit the solid numbers on a consistent basis because I keep missing out on resets my minutes, but still putting in good miles. It's a vast improvement over last springs barrage of "no freight" messages.
     
  4. Longbow

    Longbow Medium Load Member

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    Jan 22, 2009
    Ohio
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    There is absolutely no comparison at all with last year. The longest i have had to sit for a load was the load that got me home and that was about 9 hours. The amazing thing is I got those miles without a single reset in the entire 30 days.
     
  5. evertruckerr

    evertruckerr Heavy Load Member

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    Oct 14, 2007
    Phoenix, AZ
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    I just wanted to let everyone know that Crete has instituted a new regional fleet. It's called the Arkansas Central and as of now I am the charter driver for this fleet. I am also the only driver and as a result, each and every load must either originate in or conclude in the state of Arkansas with a significant number of these runs involving loads out of the Lowe's DC in North Vernon, IN and no run on this fleet shall exceed 455 miles.

    Yes, I know! North Vernon isn't in Arkansas, but oddly enough, it would appear that every single load originating from this DC goes to Arkansas and I am personally responsible for delivering these loads because of course, I am the sole driver on the Arkansas Central fleet.

    Now, it is also mandatory that every Lowe's load has a minimum amount of downtime on it equal to no less than one day (24hrs), except of course when I get a backhaul load going back to the Lowes DC and ask for a load out that has a little extra time on it so that I can put in a reset because I'm actually back to the point where I'm running out of hours. This of course, is a direct result of the reset that I missed out on while waiting 32 1/2 hrs for and empty trailer. The one that I missed by one and a half hours so that I wouldn't miss my appointment pickup that ended up being on a preloaded trailer.

    This is when you get a Lowes load that delivers the next day in Mississippi. "Wait, that's not Arkansas", you say! You would be correct, but I drove really close to the fine state to get there and even though I'm in Missisippi, West Memphis, AR is a mere 16 miles away.

    Once that load is delivered, the Arkansas Central fleet driver will then be dispatched on a load that picks up in West Memphis ARKANSAS no later than 18:00. A quick look at the clock will tell you that it is currently 17:30 and the paid 16 miles is actually 28 miles and rush hour is firmly entrenched where I-55/I-40 merge with a lane closed on each one for what seems to be an endless construction project.

    OH! Here's the best part about being the primary Arkansas Central fleet driver. The load that is to be picked up (turns out to be preloaded) at a DSC warehouse is a live unload at the Family Dollar warehouse in West Memphis ARKANSAS 1.8 miles away and it's a fun filled adventure of being a live unload with the added joy of lumpers and being assigned a door with a Swift truck still attached (driver nowhere to be found).


    I'm just loving this new fleet. :biggrin_2555:


    I've finally broken free with a load going to Atlanta. Now, this load didn't actually originate from Arkansas, but I did deadhead from there to pickup my load in Memphis but I have now run into another "no hours" day. I got to work a grand total of 2 1/2hrs before shutting down due to lack of hours and I will once again miss out on my reset by 45mins this time around.

    Now I just have to hope there is a empty trailer waiting for me when I get there so I can get my next load to Arkansas. I'm beginning to miss the place. I haven't been there for almost a day.


    Todays vocabulary phrase is ACRIMONIOUS SARCASM.
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2010
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  6. Longbow

    Longbow Medium Load Member

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    Jan 22, 2009
    Ohio
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    I know exactly what you mean. Of the 19 loads I ran in the last 30 days 8 of them either delivered into or originated out of Arkansas.
     
  7. bowlwinkle

    bowlwinkle Heavy Load Member

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    Aug 27, 2008
    Ankeny, IA
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    I spent about 8 days in the Northeast during all of their rain, I'm glad I finally got out of that cycle.
     
  8. Pine

    Pine Light Load Member

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    Apr 23, 2008
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    Oh, I thought it was 10. But don't remember where I heard that. Even if they require 8 sets of chains, maybe that's why they leave chains on the trucks.

    We have been on routes where chains were required. Cops were on the side of the road checking for chains and pulling people over for not chaining up.
     
  9. Pine

    Pine Light Load Member

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    Apr 23, 2008
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    According to this link, http://www.coopsareopen.com/news/chain-law.html, (Read carefully)....

    "California does not require truckers to carry chains during certain times of the year. However, when trucks enter a posted “chains required” area, they must be carrying chains. And when chain law is in effect, truckers cannot proceed without chains on their tires. Cal-Trans will set up “truck screening” areas when chains are required to make sure that truckers are carrying the minimum required chains, so that if they need to use chains, they will be able to install them."

    And yes, supposely 8 sets of chains. I think longbow is right now that I think about it. We always made sure we had 10 sets in case one broke.

    "Generally, California requires 5-axle trucks to have chains on all tires on the main drive axle, two tires on the other drive axle, and one tire on each side of the trailer- any axle."

    Hope this helps... (I hate to give out mis information so I do apologize for that) Thanks.
     
  10. Dna Mach

    Dna Mach Road Train Member

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    Aug 8, 2008
    Texas
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    Chain Laws vary and it is up to every driver to check conditions along their route. Chains are required on certain grades when the conditions warrant it and are never used for more than a few miles. Up the grade and back down, chains are not used for prolonged driving. Chain up or get some rest. It might be a delay of a few minutes to a few hours. But obviously, never enter a chain zone without chains. No telling what the fine is for that.

    Years ago I drove for Schneider. They would issue chains to eastern trucks on an as needed basis. Once they were issued they stayed on the truck until spring when they would be removed during a PM. Schneider also at the time utilized chain banks at tire dealers for easier access. Schneider way of doing it took into account the number of trucks that had when I was there, about 14,000. As for Crete equipping all trucks with chains, like was said above by someone, it's just a logistical nightmare to coordinate chain assignment for a large fleet.

    In ten years of driving 48 states, out of shear luck, I have never once seen conditions that warrant chains. I have mounted them, on a warm summer day to make sure I could do it on the side of a mountain...in the snow....at 2am...with little light but I doubt I would even bother. Let the Fed Ex drivers break up the ice !
     
  11. Big_Al

    Big_Al Medium Load Member

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    Oct 30, 2008
    Out of my mind
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    It's no mystery. It isn't in their best interest, so they could care less. They don't care if you have to fuel every 4 hours cuz you are grossing 79.993. It would not be a logistical nightmare. Remember when they turned the trucks down to 62? They found a way to get all those trucks to a terminal, didn't they? Hell, if they spent half that effort on finding freight they would be running your ### off. They waste so much time on petty crap it's amazing.
     
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