Superior Carriers 2012

9/8-9/10

I made it up to Mapleton a little early and enjoyed a 3 hour no touch unload in the comfort of my cab. Dropped my empty at the tank wash in Kankakee, bobtailed over to Markham and grabbed on empty. Pulled it to the terminal in Westville In, dropped it and bobtailed to the Pilot across from AOC in Valparasia In. I got there about 8:15PM 9/8.

My original pick up time for my trailer was 3AM Monday 9/10. Westville dispatch called me and said the trailer was already at the plant and they expected it to be ready Sunday afternoon. I really appreciated that. I told him I was going to stage at the plant and wanted to run as soon as I could get it. He told me to call him Sunday PM and he would check on it for me.

Sunday I watched the Bears game and called as soon as it was over. He was actually in the office and told me it was ready. I rolled up to the plant and the loader had just weighed it. 20 minutes later I was rolling with it. I have never seen this many loads staged there before. There were probably 12 loaded SPCR trailers sitting there. They also have filled a hose rack with numerous clean hoses which was always one of my complaints about loads out of this plant. Good things are happening with the Westville Terminal.

I ran to Corbin KY Sunday night arriving around midnight. Since I will probably be going home after this load I decided to try and deliver early. I took 10 and ran the 200 miles to the plant arriving about 2:30PM Monday. The unloader had just left for the day so here I sit at the truck stop banking some layover pay before my 11AM delivery appointment tomorrow.

 

Just heard a rumor this morning from one of our other drivers. "We have had so many problems with the latest batch of ProStars that they are planning to buy 25 Macks, Petes, Kenworths, and Freightliners. They will go with the most cost effective in the future."

Sounds like a decent plan if true. Maybe we will get a standard size sleeper as well rather than these 56 inchers.

 

I would keep the smaller sleeper. It wouldn't be worth a $2000 per year pay cut.

 

Yeah but you guys never have to sleep right next to something that can kill you.

 

Glad to hear. Hope things stay good for you. If I get too cramped or want to build a kitchen I will just have the shop remove the passenger seat. We have a few drivers who have a dorm style fridge and and microwave mounted there.

Found a nice surprise when I got back to the terminal this evening. There was a letter in my box saying we got a raise!

It almost seemed like they are reading Cyanide's posts.

They are attempting to equalize pay across terminals. Beginning Oct 1 my hourly pay goes from $14.25-$15.65/hour. We are also now getting .46 per mile loaded and .38 empty. Layover is also the same for everyone now, 14 off 10 paid with no more than 10 paid per 24 hour period. On some layovers that will be less for me. The old rate was 15 off paid 8, 10 off paid 8..... The new actually pays more for a 34 reset but less if it's extended more than a couple of days. At any rate a day sitting pays $156.50. That's not bad.