Calex Express....My New Home!

What videos are we talking about? I'd love to see them.

 

Well as I sit here at the terminal I figure I'll post about my adventure back from California.

I was done with my reset right before I got empty last Wednesday. After fueling and getting a new tire put on my trailer in Vegas Louie called and told me to start heading toward Salinas. I stopped at Bruce's in Bakersfield to call in and make sure my loading was still on for Salinas. I'm glad I did. My load assignment was changed and I had a 2 pick up load in Ivanhoe, Ca. and Terra Bella, Ca. I would have been a little pi$$ed if I had gone to Salinas and had to turn back to go to Ivanhoe and Terra Bella by Tulare.

I was told my first p/u would be ready to pick up Wednesday night and the last p/u would be ready Thursday for a Monday delivery in Milton. I got to my first p/u and was loaded and done in 2 hours. I made it to the Loves in Tulare and went to bed. I woke up the next morning and called the shipper to find out my order wouldn't be ready until 4pm. At 3pm I called again and was told it wouldn't be ready until 7pm. I got there at 6 and checked in. I was then told 9pm. At 9 pm, after sitting in the staging area of this disgusting, filthy, dusty rat hole I walked back and was now told 5am. At 7am I called Louie to tell him what was going on. He told me he would call me right back. Meanwhile, sitting in this disgusting place for 12 hours allowed me the good fortune to hack up pounds of dust that accumulated in my lungs. For the whole trip back east I felt like I had lung cancer. I have to say, the people that live in that part of California are alot stronger than me, now I know what the people of the dust bowl era went through.

Louie called me just as I was told to back into a door. My order was cut and they added another p/u onto my load in Strathmore. I put the 4 pallets on then went to my last p/u. I got there at 9am and was loaded, scaled out and on my way by 11am. I called Louie and was told the delivery was pushed back to Tuesday. I made it to Kingman for fuel then finished my day in Gallup NM. From there I made it to OKC Saturday night. Then Brazil In. Sunday night. Then I made it to Milton last night and went to bed. I was backed in at 6am and empty by 7:30. I got here to the yard, got my truck serviced, went to see Louie and got my new dispatch. He wanted to know if I would go back west, I told him sure, next week when I get back from the house. My load is sitting at our shipper going to Orlando for Friday. I'll be home tomorrow night, leave early Friday to deliver and be back home Friday afternoon for the weekend. I asked to reload on Tuesday and was told no problem. I just hope I can get this disgusting sand/dirt out of my system before I get home and kiss my wife!

 

Home time begins. I got here last night and deliver in the morning in Orlando then I'll be home until Tuesday.

I spent the day yesterday on the phone with a couple of new drivers for Calex that were out in California doing the produce shuffle in Salinas. They are new with Calex, not new to driving. I was able to answer all their questions and share with them some of my knowledge to get them loaded and on their way. This for me at this stage of my career is what gives me a true feeling of satisfaction, not the fact that I'm able to do my job in a safe professional manner that really for the most part goes unappreciated, but to share with others that ask, my knowledge and pointers that would make their job a little easier. I'm glad I was able to help, now it's time to go for a swim with the dogs.

 

Thanks. I really do enjoy helping others in this wonderful world of trucking. I figure every little bit of help might make a difference.

 

Got empty this morning and now back at the house for a long deserved weekend off. I posted a picture of my truck at the dock in Vegas from last week. I think it looks pretty good.