Stevens Transport aviary

Well I am here at the J in Dodge City.
Left Lemar this morning at 0400 to make it here by 0700. Dispatch wanted me here by 0900 so I could get 10 in before leaving. DLD was 2130.
Got here and load was ready, so went across the bridge to wait things out here at the J.
Only had 90 minutes left for my driving time.
Leaving here at 2230 tonight and will shut down tomorrow in N. Little Rock at the Petro. DM tells me he's going to repower this load to Florida driver. Didn't pay much attention until I hung up, but I thought he said I was getting a Florida load in exchange.
Why swap then?
Hi ho, Hi ho!
Now that I've gotten rid of my chains, I should make room for my fishing pole. Getting to be that time of year again.
I'm not too worried about mother.
Every time she complains about my compression, I have her pull the QC tracking up and it shows I was legal. It's usually those days where I don't stop and am just determined to get there.
She says the same thing...'it's not the speed, it's the time between points.'
Well if I don't stop, there's two points...start and stop.
Sometimes I think I should let them tune my truck up to 66 just to drive her crazy.
But her job is to keep us in line and there are many of us that would push that line if she wasn't so hard nosed.
I'm ok. I grew up with Sister Mary Holywater as a teacher.
Mother is a piece of cake!

 

Yes she has, she drove teams with her husband for STEVENS. He still works there

 

And when one does not stop, one can average a much better speed for the day... especially out west where the traffic is lighter. And the problem comes that I will leave the Truck stop at 1 minute after I log it.. and I time my stops so that I pull the brakes within minutes of the time I log, to waste as little time as I can. Give me the electronic logs that log to the minute, then no more problems... I wish... just different ones, like the 2 mile move to a receiver.

Mother is so much easier to get along with than the previous one... There were so many drivers on one day suspensions auditing logs, that one could not get into compliance.
Sitting here at Mclane, Burlington NJ... repowered this load in Hubbard OH, where I stopped last night. And Meat when they called me were all afraid I would be late...
The trainer and Student pushed and got to me by 1700 dallas time.. which gave me 8 hours to make the appointment 390 miles away.. Rolled in after 7 straight hours of driving...
The PA turnpike sucks.... they should just put a sign at the state line, construction next 700 miles... speed 55 or less... they have whole stretches set at 40...
10 miles 65, 10 miles 55, 10 miles 40, rinse repeat...

And kissthefrog, I will take NJ over California any day of the week... Still need to speak spanish on the docks though.
Now I would be a happy camper running texas to Utah, oregon, texas... And through in Wy and Montana...

 

Well, I have my next loads all preplanned.
Got rid of the FL meat and have a kraft load to drop in Ft Worth tomorrow AM. Then pick up a Cott Beverage load to deliver up by the Oklahoma line. Then pick up in OK and run to Cali.
I think this is the first time I've gotten two preplans PLUS my load.
At least Iknow what I'll be doing the next 6 days...

 

Careful what happens sometimes... head over to the petro for a shower, and fuel, and QC beeps, pick up in Newark NJ, goes to fresno CA... Well okay, but do you dispatchers even look at our hours for the day? Pick up time 0700, my 14 is up at 0700..
I acknowledge the load, with the problems it poses, and off to bed..
Wake up to the QC beeping incessantly. It is 815 dallas time, why am I not at the shipper? what is my ETA? ......
7 messages... then some sanity... Steve has taken me off the load... sends me a new load, Lancaster PA, to Ogden UT... 2100 miles, instead of 2800. Works for me, as I did not have the hours to make the appointment at either end of the Cally run.

 

Not sure what happened this past week but it was my worst week since becoming an L/O. 2045 miles...290 of them DH. Both loads had 3 drops. I'm practicing biting my tongue and just taking what loads they send my way but its becoming apparent that I need to start nagging my DM on Monday.

I run hard and stay ahead of the load whenever possible and put in for a repower to maximize my time but it always falls on deaf ears. I think my DM refuses to repower one of his trucks unless its with another on his board. It may just be time for another DM. But we'll see how the next 2-3 weeks pan out then I'll formulate a plan.

 

So I get the canada repowers done and get another right behind it headed to des plaines, il and cudahy, wi. This load has been a nightmare. The drops were punched in the QC backwards to save miles.

1st drop at des plaines at 0800-1600.
2nd drop at cudahy at 0700.

Get to the first drop and have to pull out 16 bulk pallets to get to the 4 for the drop. Come to find out they were small boxes stacked wrong loaded wrong. 1 pallet in the nose 2 pallets behind that and 1 behind the 2. All 4 had fallen over no load locks no air bags and just a thin layer of shrink wrap. So we restack the 571 pieces get it all straight only 9 damaged and the accepted em as is. Set me behind schedule and ran smack into chicago rush hour right outside o'hare. Then get forced off the 290 exit back onto the 90/94. Had to go all the way through chicago to get turned around only to run right through traffic all over again. Finally get up here and the seal didnt match the BOL because the drops were done backwards. So I had to wait 5 hours for em to verify with the shipper. Finally clear me get to the recieving window and there was no appointment set. They had nothing for the load. So now I wait for them to work me in .

1300 miles for the week and no sign of a load out we shall see when I'm empty. Just a crazy week all around.

 

Something Major didn't tell you in business class: Schmooze with your DM often. Make sure they know you are consciencious, run hard, deliver on time, are never a problem.
On any one day, a DM has at least 1/3 of their fleet screwing up. They knowyou are good, but they see the screw ups more readily and ignore the ones not making trouble.
Schmoozing will create a better bond and allow you to semi direct your loads, get preplans more often an generally run better.

 

I usually call mine up to "check in" and chat once a week. He does good about gettin me to a certain area or gettin miles depending on the loads.