Swift: From the beginning

What a day, what a day. Thought I'd say that twice since I missed an update yesterday. On Wednsday the journey continued. I drove from Oklahoma city to Marshall Missouri (522 miles) and a full 11 hours driving. I wasnt forced into it, my mentor always asked how I was doing and if I felt ok. I just wanted to push myself and I sure was tired and sore (shoulders) after the day had ended.

We arrived at some food factory that looked like it was built in the 1950's in a small town around 11:00pm. So far every receiver we have been to we arrive at night. Good practice for me I suppose. Had to do a drop and hook there. The snowstorm we got stuck in Topeka had made its way to this town a day earlier and there were snow piles everywhere. The place we needed to drop was very tight and snowy. To make a long story short, I ended up having my mentor do the back in. I was kind of upset I couldnt do it. But he told me no problem, you were just tired from the long drive. At least he made feel better about not being able to do it.

Today I drove 352 miles. I did a drop and hook at a walmart distribution center in Mobely missouri. Then we headed to Springfield Missouri for a live unload. Then finished day driving to Joplin Missouri where we have a pick up in the morning that is headed to Cheyenne Wyoming (768) miles. I ended up getting 3 back ups today. 2 at customers and one here at TS where we parked for night. Truck stops are harder than the customers... lol.
Im tired and will update after the trip to Cheyenne. We will be arriving there Saturday afternoon. Till next time....

 

Quick update for last two days. After leaving Joplin Missouri I start driving to Cheyenne Wyoming. The load we had required two load locks and the shipper needed us to leave two more because a Swift driver came in earlier and had none. Anyway that left us with none. As we entered Kansas my mentor tells me Swift has a terminal in Edwardsville, and we will make a stop there to get load locks. We also had a problem with qualcom and we would have that checked out.

When we arrive we drop our trailer and head to shop and check in. They said they have no load locks. So we have a ticket written up to have qualcom checked and some other minor issues. I head over to drivers lounge to wait and it wasnt half as nice as the phoenix terminal. Most of the drivers there looked like homeless people I see on the streets... lol... We wait for 2 hours and shop never calls us. We walk over there and we are told they can get to us in a day or two. WTF? So we decide to leave. What a waste of 3 hours.

We spent the night in Iowa, I drove 322 miles. This morning I start driving and after a lunch break in Nebraska we arrive in Cheyenne at about 6:00pm local time. The receiver was Walmart distribution center just had to drop load and I handled it well. We pick up empty trailer and head to a TS that was packed. I had my mentor park the truck because it was freaking packed. I was also tired from driving all day (509 miles today). So we have no preplan yet for tomorrow.

So far since last week I have 53 hours driving time and 2677 miles. Will update again as time permits.

 

On with the story. After dropping load in Cheyenne we get a preplan for a load in the morning from Ft. Collins Co. to Indio Calif. Ft Collins is only about 40 miles south of Cheyenne. The shipper is Anheiser Busch. We drop our empty trailer and look around for loaded one, which takes about 10 minutes to find. I back up and hook up to trailer with no issues. I also had no problems backing next to two trailers to lose our empty.

Once all connected we slide tandems for California and we head out. The whole process at this facility takes about an hour and a half. We are now loaded with 45,800 pounds of Bud Light. I guess if we get stranded somewhere, we wont die from dehydration.. lol

Our planned route has us heading across Colorado via I-70. My mentor says Ill get a workout today. I didnt quite understand what he meant until the day was over... lol.. Driving over rocky mountains with a 45000 pound load was very challenging (at least for me). Lots of shifting, windy conditions, snow up near Vail Co. and long steep upgrades and downgrades. We also had lmited visibility at the 9000 foot level. The only plus I had was that it wasnt snowing. I ended up driving to Green river Utah. 435 miles and 8.25 hours driving time. Man, I was exhausted. But my mentor said I drove that route like a pro. That made me feel a little better.

My mentor drives from Utah to Barstow Calif where he runs out of hours. We can drive as a team now, since I have more than 60 hours driving time. Our drop off isnt until Tuesday at noon, so we head to the Fontana Calif terminal (my mentor lives in Fontana, so he is at home and Im stuck in the truck). I mentioned that in orientation they told us if your mentor goes home, they should get you a hotel room. He says he is not on hometime, he just happens to live near this terminal where we are waiting (how convenient).

I dont mind actually. Its nice to have a little time to myself for a change. Last night was the first time I had to sleep while the truck was moving, needless to say, I didnt get much sleep. I know I dont want to be a team driver... lol... At least I can do laundry here and take a shower tonight. This terminal is packed with trucks today. We were lucky to get a place to park.

Well, thats my update for the last 2 days. We are off to Indio Ca. tomorrow to drop this load then who knows where. At least weather is nice here.

Until next time. I dont have my laptop with me so I do these updates from my phone. CYA....

 

Well, before we head off to Indio to drop load we get a preplan for a pickup in Yuma Az. to be delivered in Sante fe springs Ca. Since my mentor keeps talking about getting truck in shop, I figured he would turn it down and head back to Mira Loma to get in shop. But nope, he accepts. Now he is in big rush to get to Yuma Az to get this load and delivered right away so he can get home again.

As soon as we are unloaded in Indio he has me pull out of dock onto street to do our logs and paperwork. At that time as im pulling to curb the load assignment comes in for Yuma. He is also on the phone. Im pulling next to curb and he starts pointing for me to get on road. We get on I-10 headed east, I ask him "where is the fire? ", he doesnt understand what I mean. I say whats the big rush, we have plenty of time to get there. I dont even know what the route is yet and I need to update logbook to driving status.

I continue to driving east and he says pull over on side of road and update your logbook. So Im sitting on shoulder of interstate 10 thinking this is stupid. I could have done this outside on street at our last stop. I manage to work my way back onto road and he tells me to take hwy 163 south. I told him we passed that 10 miles back... lol.. I ask if he wants me to turn around at next exit, yes he says. Well the next exit is like 17 miles down the road. At that point is says forget it, we will keep going from here. So instead of heading SE toward Yuma, we have to go straight east then south on some crappy 2 lane hwy for 70 miles. Which ends up adding about 2 hours to the trip. I told him I learned a lesson today. If you rush things and dont plan ahead, it will cost you time and money.

We get to Yuma about 1800 and I drop empty trailer with no problems and hook up to our load (44000lbs) I drive from there headed back to Calif. I get tired around 2100 and he says he will take over. We arrive at receiver about 0200, 13 hours early. We bobtail to Mira Loma and he goes home. He tells me shop opens at 7:00am and to be ready. So I only get like 4 hours sleep and wake up at 0630 so Ill be ready when he gets back. 0700 comes around and no mentor. 0800 goes by, no mentor. At this point im starting to get a little ticked off. Finally at 0850 he shows up. I ask where you been? I get some excuse. Whatever I think to myself.

We get truck over to shop and he says we will go to his house and have breakfast. So thinking we will be back to get truck in a few hours I bring nothing with me. We have breakfast which was cooked by his wife. That was nice and wait for shop to call. At this point ive been in same clothes for 2 days and am feeling dirty. In the afternoon he calls shop and they tell him it wont be ready till Thursday afternoon at 2:00pm. So he says I will sleep on couch. Not really an issue for me I guess but I hate sleeping with clothes on. I wake up this morning sweaty and my back was killing me. I have toothbrush or deoderant with me so I feel scummy. He says I can take a shower but I say its kind of pointless if I have to wear same dirty clothes afterwards. Now he is home for 3rd day in a row which means he wont take official hometime for a while I suppose. Which means no hometime for me and still stuck with only 2 days worth of clothes. No im really ticked off that we didnt stop in vegas when we thru there 5 days ago so I could pick up some stuff.

We picked up truck at 1400 and get a preplan right away. Pick up near here at 0300 on the 21st going to Mc Calla Alabama(2100 miles) So we have 12 hours to get to shipper which 30 minutes from this terminal. He says lets head back to the house. I say Ill stay in truck and get some sleep because Ill be driving first and want to be rested. I go to drivers lounge at decide ill take a shower and change clothes. I get over there and they only have 1shower here and its out of order OMFG!

Oh well, going to get a sandwich from vending machine because no food within walkiing distance around this terminal. Oh ya one more thing, the load we are picking up has a delivery time of 1500 on tuesday, but he wants to run hard and get there Sunday. Oh well life of a trucker I guess.

Will update again when I can.