Stevens Transport aviary

Hey fellas. I'm scheduled to start Steven's School on 8/30. Just wanted to say thanks for all the great insight into the everyday life of OTR trucking. I worked as a dispatcher, warehouse manager, and yard dog for a LTL/TL fresh and frozen regional carrier for 2yrs and knew I would one day be a long haul driver from the moment I hopped in and backed a 53' trailer into a hole. My boss let me teach myself how to drive around the yard and back 'em in. I picked it up pretty quick and was lucky to have help from the drivers too. Need practice on the road and going up and down the gears though. I spent a yr as a yard dog loading, unloading, dropping and hooking 13-15 trailers a night in all the great weather we get here in New England...with just one warehouse helper...good stuff. How much lumping do you guys do on average? Do you hire lumpers or get paid to unload? Thanks.

 

Smokr I feel for ya...

Switching trucks is such a time killer, and money killer, not like you are making any extra the first 6 months anyway.

Hopefully you get on the road, and can keep the wheels turning now that you have jumped thru all the big hoops.

 

Okay i am dealing with a know it all super trucker, that can not keep current on the terms or technology.

EPA laws are like immigrations laws, NOT enforced unless a political gain can be had. Most EPA laws are garbage and should be repealed. Another discussion. If you are so concerned about it, turn Stevens in, and see how far that gets you.

A Reefer is more than an AC unit...but to keep it simple, for you, I can call it an ac unit. Freon is no longer used, keep up with the times.

Time line so a simpleton can follow.

Trailer goes thru safety lane, driver writes on the inspection report, "TK unit is leaking oil, coolant, Refrigerant, TK shops says it is behind unit, RR says bring to yard."

Previous driver does his job. Safety lane marks on inspection report, Compressor oil low, Refrigerant low, coolant low.

Days later I am assigned this trailer, loaded, on the yard. I get the paper work from dispatch, with the trailer inspection report attached, and a second report from the shop attached, showing the trailer is ready to roll.

I find the trailer, pre trip it, all fluid levels are in the visual inspection range. Did you understand that, all fluid levels are in the visual inspection range.

Drive off the yard, TK codes about 50 miles north, pull off into a picnic area, reset the code, "check refrigerant capacity". Call Road Rescue, get told to reset and keep rolling, inform them if it does it again. I reset the unit 4 times on my way to Amarillo, letting RR know each time.

Get to TK in amarillo, and they find the 3 fluids are all low again....major leaks, but RR tells them to recharge and send me on my way.

No contradictions there, just your inability to understand, being s super trucker that knows everything.

 

Tell him how it is TleHeart!! He is what we call on the CBS Dallas Cowboys message board a "troll". I can back up your story about the way Stevens sometimes does things. I had a trailer for a week that I had to put coolant in DAILY , or alarm code 37 would come on. Informed RR, they told me to keep adding fluid until I could bring it to the yard, since I was on a load that delivered to Kraft in Ft. Worth, and then was going to yard to join the dark side (Alliance). Well, once I was empty, dispatch called me and told me to drop my empty and pick up a loaded trailer to bring to the yard. I informed him about the coolant issue with this empty, and he just said leave it there, we'll get someone to bring it over. Yeah right, I am sure the next driver got to enjoy that one too.

 

After waiting over 24 hours to unload in Cheyenne I was dispatched to the meatpatch in Lexington, NE. I was given a 520 mile load going to Columbia City, MO. Once in Columbia City it was a 34 hour reset waiting on another meat load. The price of the reset; a load taking me home.

I should have known the load taking me home was too good to be true. Not two hours after I start rolling Stevens sends a QC asking for help, meaning they want to repower my load.

I call the dispatcher and he tells me a driver needs to get a load going to his home and that he has been getting the run around the past few weeks. I ask where the other driver's load is going. I am told he has an empty trailer, however, I could be dispatched tomorrow morning. Being that today is Friday, that would mean the weekend crew would be responsible for finding me a load home. That would have virtually guaranteed I would have been stuck on another 34 hour reset waiting until Monday for a load. Given my past experience with weekend crews, I had to declare shenanigans and say no. I told him that I also wanted to go home, that I had also been given several less than stellar loads, and stuck for days at a time. The dispatcher merely said "Ok." and hung up the phone. The QC has been refreshingly silent ever since.

I don't mind helping another driver, however, there has to be some incentive to give up a load. In this case there was just an empty trailer with only the possibility of a dispatch over the weekend. That meant no miles and no money, which is synonymous with no incentive.

 

Well I am back. Hometime was good.
Picked up some frozen peas in Buhl, ID and am headed to Tecumseh, ON. Nice long pull. Too bad that temporary crown dissintegrated this morning.
Oh, well....

 

Today was a friendly day.
I wave to other Stevens' trucks as I pass them. Most of the time I get about half to two thirds that wave back. Today it was close to a hundred percent.
Friendly group out on 80 today.
Ran like a striped ##s ape today. Logged 667 miles. Don't do the math.. it comes to 60.6 mph. I think I'm going to hear from compliance about this one. However, I did it all legally. Other than stopping for fuel, I just drove. My truck does 64 and I had it there all day. Made it into Pilot in Wood River, NE with one minute to spare. That is if you count it as the truck in the lot.
Was four hours late getting out of the shipper yesterday, so I was behind schedule. Didn't want them to take this one away. It's 1900 miles. So I made it all up today (not four hours...just made up what I was behind).
I broke down and bought a real refrigerator that fits in the cubby under the desk. Paid a bloody fortune, but it works great. Tired of pulling a cooler in and out. This has a freezer too, so I can keep some ice.
I probably should break down and get a CB one of these days. My old one finally died a while back. To tell you how old, it only had 23 channels.
Watched another truck pass me, then saw sparks coming from under his trailer. His air/electric lines were hanging too low and every time he hit a bump they scraped the pavement. No radio, so I couldn't call him. He was too fast for me to catch up with.
It's amazing how far you can see something like that. When he was about a mile ahead, I could still see the occaisional sparks. (it was dark)
Well, I guess I'm back into the grind after getting back from home time. It was good, but it was time to get back out again.
See you all around.
Wave back. Be friendly!

 

Just wanted to say that I like this post..lol Made me remember being out there driving.... I remember my old trainer would want me to do between 6 and 7 hundred miles a day.. so I know how that feels but I miss it. You should really get a new CB, I know the cheapest "ok" one will be over a $100 but you don't wanna be in a situation where you need the CB and it not be there. Im still counting down the days until I get to head to Dallas to start driving with you guys.

I do have a question. I remember once at the fuel islands waiting in line that I think I saw a Stevens truck with one of those QC that are full color and touch screen?. you guys have those? I saw someone with them.

Drive safe guys

 

Waving,,, some days close to 100%, other days, it is like I am invisible.

Yea Compliance will say something about your 60.6 miles average....just don't do it too often..

Too bad you could not have made it just a few miles down the road to the Bosselmans in grand Island...much nicer, great showers, great TVs, Theaters, YES more than one.

I have an OLD QC, with just 4 lines on the screen, can not even do all the sensor track stuff...was informed when this QC needs repaired, it will have to be replaced, as QC is no longer servicing this model, or making parts. All new QC have the electronic logs, that Stevens is purchasing. So someday Stevens will be all electronic logs.

I bit of advice for all those new drivers, when going to the yard, have a plan to get off the yard as quickly as possible. This means getting yourself cleared of all the requirements on you clearance sheet. Safety is always a bottle neck, the waiting to talk to a supervisor. Get your time scheduled classes done asap, and then work the other stuff in between. Central Clearance has to be last.

Once you are cleared, that puts your truck onto the priority list for the shop, and it will be worked on sooner. As long as you are NOT clear, your truck may get worked on, but it is not a priority, and will be bumped to get a driver back on the road.

I can clear the yard in one day, and be on the road the next day. It just takes planning and getting the required tasks done. Keep your nose clean, safety is a breeze, and so is Compliance.

 

Well got the phone call today saying my application had been approved, I missed the recruiters call so I have to call her back tomorrow. But hey at least its good news. Hope to be heading for Dallas soon! All take care and hope to meet some of ya someday..