Driving OTR with US Xpress

Hey Alex.

I've driven trucks with the fender mirror as well. The nice thing about the camera is its extreme wide angle. I can even see vehicles coming down the on ramps. That's the best part. There are 2 negatives. First, I think it tends to make one lazy, and not actually lean up and look to see if a car is truly on your right. Second is if the sun is directly behind you it can blind out the camera so you have to be careful not to depend on it as if it were an absolute. I'm sure you know what I mean. I'd vote for the camera because it does have the ability to provide very clear images in low light, and glare from headlights has vitually no effect.

Who are you running with? I thought you were with WSE, I'm old, I can't remember.

 

Around 750. As long as they keep me moving. I've been fortunate so far.

Net pay is a variable because not everyone claims the same number of dependents.

 

Hello Everyone.

This is my first full week back in the OTR fleet. I ran 2604 miles, which isn't too bad.

Most of my time this week was spent in the Northeast......kinda (PA, NJ, NY, MD). I guess you could call this regional work. Most of my runs have been much shorter, averaging from 75 to 250 miles. It's easy to get tired dealing with city traffic each day, and scrambling to meet pick up and delivery appointments. In most cases I've had more than 1 load per day.

I know, I know....that's trucking. I'm not complaining, just filling you in.

Last night I had to pick up a load in Breinigsville, PA headed for Richmond, VA. I didn't have the hours to run it into VA, so it was re-powered at 0230 this morning.

Of course the re-power truck was a bobtail, so I'm sitting here outside Harrisburg, PA waiting on dispatch to get me moving..............trailer-less

I want to get moving soon because the daylight's burning, and if I get rolling too late, and stay in this region, parking could be an issue tonight.



That's it for now.



Thanks for reading.
-Wedge

 

Almost had a run up to Rochester, Sammycat, but it was given to another driver.

This has been a strange outing. First I have a 4 day go on a Walmart dedicated account, then they put me on some kind of Northeast regional route for 2 weeks which only consisted of PA, NJ, MD and VA.

USX finally got me back into the OTR fleet with a 1700 mile run that started in Novi, MI, delivered in Tuscaloosa, AL, and then back hauled to the shipper in Novi. I'm in Lebanon Junction, KY tonight and should arrive in MI tomorrow afternoon.

I'm exhausted right now because I've been flipping my hours around to meet these pick up and delivery appoinments. Tonight is the first night in 3 days that will at the least resemble normal.


So I am going to eat dinner, and sack out.


I didn't realize you missed my move to the new thread.



Can't be having any of that now, can we?

 

Hello There.

This was the first week since starting with USX that I was disappointed with miles. This weeks settlement sheet shows I drove only 1253 miles. Most of that was due to working the PA, NJ area for almost a week. There were plenty of trips, and used up my hours each day, but that type of work is really meant for daycabs, not OTR tractors (runs under 200 mi).

Being a team player I normally don't complain, but when my FM called me about a load I mentioned my.........discontent.......nicely.


Really. I was polite.

Anyway, I was dispatched on a run from Westland, MI to Hammond, IN. I was delayed at the shipper for almost 3 hours because the load was not ready. And because I had been dispatched on another short run prior to that, I didn't have the hours to reach the receiver in time. I was in contact with my FM on the phone while at the shipper and made it clear that I would run out of hours before arriving in Hammond.


Yep. About 30 minutes short.


So I parked at the Loves in Gary for the night, ran the load in first thing this morning, and now I'm back at the Loves waiting on dispatch.

I don't like not being under load anytime on a weekend. My regular FM is not on duty, so I'm at the behest of the weekend warriors.


Anyway, this week should be much better for miles. I already have about 1900 miles plus I'll be paid for my stops on the run I made to AL this week.


I'll be heading home this week. Hopefully I'll get dispatched shortly and start moving in that direction. Been out 5 weeks, miss the family, and need to put my feet up for a bit.






Oh, I forgot to tell you.........I'm writing a book. A crime/mystery fiction novel. Been at it for about 3 months now.


And the hero is a......................you guessed it.


.......a truck driver.





Thanks for reading.

-Wedge