CRETE - A Year in Review

I calculated my 2012 miles. I was 69 miles short of 120,000...and I'm in the shop, hopefully I get my batteries fixed and get out of here today. He said that the noisy 'no idle' heater was related to the battery issue... not sure if he means that it was going bad and drawing too many amps, or if it wasn't getting enough power from the batteries. But we shall see. Hopefully that will be one less thing for me to gripe and complain.

 

Update: I am one step closer to getting out of OTR.

Called on the local position. Comparable pay to what I'm making at Crete, home every night (or day...could be either day or night shift). Day cabs, usually two turns a night, all drop and hook, salary plus bonus. Frankly, I was surprised at the pay. I was thinking about 10k less on an annual basis.

ONLY thing keeping me from jumping on it immediately is the fact that we're in the process of purchasing a house, and a job change (though it's in the same industry) might cause problems. But it turns out that there are positions open from time to time, presumably because of the location. For me, it would be about 30 miles each way to commute. Wifey is going to ask some questions of the mortgage lender to see if a change at this juncture would still be workable for us.

But I've jumped the gun more than once in my life, so I'm taking it very slow and carefully. But if things go right, I could be out of here inside of 60 days. Maybe less.

 

I have not posted for a while, but I got a surprise today. After having to drive overnight from Ottawa to Marshall, MO for a delivery, it was a drop and hook in Marshall. Got the empty, and it had already been washed out (I am on the Shaffer side). Let dispatch know that I was running low on hrs today, so figured I would get some crappy load. They gave me one to pick up tonight in Olathe, KS (Tyson) that goes to Brea, CA. I will also have to do this mostly at night...since it delivers Monday morning. Don't care much for Tyson in Olathe...but I will take the miles.

 

Well, you know what they say..."If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".

Yup.

Got to Kelloggs in West Jefferson for what Crete told me was a 1400 load. Security can't find it. I immediately figure it's a load for Saturday, not today. I was close. 1800 tonight. So, I'll pick it up early in the morning, head to SC for Sunday at 1700, then take a few days off to discuss my future with my wife.

But I really hope this local gig works out. The timing is horrible, but we can overcome most of the difficulties. The new mortgage is the biggest part of it.

 

I usually keep some old T/A receipts layin' around just for this purpose. I have, on occasion, just flashed an old one all opened up ,,,w/me just going at a slow crawl...not stopping. They usually just wave me on. So far so good anyway.

 

I got out of the shop in a decent time...but went to go to bed so I could run my load to Fulton, NY...the good news, the bunk heater doesn't make any noise...the bad new, it's because it won't turn on at all. Not from the 'no idle' button, or from the front control. So, now I'm sitting in the Super8 waiting for the Ottawa shop to come in Saturday to see why. Ottawa...I'll just shut up...mom always said that if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all...in this case, silence is golden.

 

Spoke with the wife today. We've decided that based upon everything happening in our lives at this moment, holding pat makes more sense. So, instead of going local, I think my Poly app will be in the mail by the middle of next week. At least there, I can have at least as much income and more hometime. I can live with that. And, given the time it generally takes to get things processed and approved there, I'm hoping we can finalize what we need to by the time an offer is made, if indeed it is made.

And, since my load wasn't ready until tonight (I'll get it early in the morning), I had a day to decompress and just think. Lots of stuff going on right now, and I'm letting some of it get to me when I know better. But a change is still needed and will be pursued.

 

Spoke with an old Crete buddy of mine...spent two days in the Kansas City shop for a check engine light and a non operating espar heater.

He found out that they fixed neither one as he is now in the Ardmore Oklahoma Freighliner Dealer after his check engine light turned red and then his truck shut down and he had to be towed in. 16 degrees outside and the heater decided it didnt want to work anymore either....Crete refused to let FL fix the heater while he is there so now he has to go yet another company yard after he gets back on the road.

 

Crete Carrier Corp...Where the driver is number one...the same number one the 4-wheelers wave at ya' when they're p/o'd that you're in their way. Quality equipment, Quality home time, Quality employees......OK..I can't stand it any more....:smt046

 

Bad wreck on I10 WB just west of Casa Grande and about 55 miles east of Phoenix. I10 shut down/diverted. Looked like a real bad one. Box truck in the median laying on the passenger side facing the wrong way. They had just righted a trailer that had the roof peeled up from the rear to almost the front third.

Made it to Eloy, AZ for the night. Lot seems almost empty.