Running with JCT, Part Deux

Hello JCt guys, Gals.

ok its Friday and its 330 hubby left the home in a cab already to make his way to the bus station to climb aboard on the big Grey dog long ride. Gets in Sunday sometime in the afternoon. I will keep posting once he arrives safe and sound and his adventures with orientation and hopefully a smooth journey next week.

 

I am going to try and get the ok to drop this load on Colton. I plan to be there at 10am, but could be a little earlier if everything goes my way.

 

Best of luck and barring anything unforeseen - welcome aboard. Tell him not to worry if the outstanding, professional GD (take that as Grey Dog or whatever fits at the moment) drivers lollygag at breaks and generally disregard the fact they are on a schedule and have to meet a relay driver who is also on a schedule (read a Hub Terminal for a Transfer: really it's an LTL relay and partial load swap. It's just that us and our stuff are the freight. Same principle as we do. Relay and repower.) and he misses his transfer bus once . . . or twice. Not that, that happened to me or anything. I had a real long ride too.

Mr.'s a driver and likely to be very well aware of what time it is, how long it's gonna take to get to the next transfer and if the bus is on schedule or not. If not, his instinct will be to recomputed the times on the tickets. Adjust for delays . . . and he might be upset if he misses a transfer and GD has to re-do his tix for next available busses along the route and he calculates rate, time, distance (because that's what drivers do by nature) and realizes he's not gonna be in OKC in time for the shuttle out to Sapulpa from Tulsa, Monday AM. Not that, that happened to me.

OK, it did. I didn't get to OKC til WAY PAST TIME then Tulsa at 1PM. Called the cab to the hotel and got there about 2PM, called JCT in a panic. Worried to death they'd think I did something to miss the transfer buses. Angry at GD. If we took our On Time Delivery (OTD) as lax as they do we'd be broke and bankrupt. Hungry as can be. My wife and I started this adventure with $200 to our names. I took $100 cash with me to live on till first settlement (week in the hole mind you) and left the other $100 with her for her to live on til first settlement. I took snacks and thermos that pushed a regular trip for a bird to eat and drink cause stuff at GD Terminals is HIGH and I wouldn't pay it. The delays caused me to use a vending machine from time to time just to stop my belly from aching. OK? I was tired. I can't sleep on the GD. Not much anywhere I'm a passenger. I'm a driver. I drive or stop and sleep. If it's moving I'm supposed to be awake. Just me. Can't help it. I didn't train as a team when I trained either. A big reason I don't train anymore - the trainer companies run training trucks like a team. I won't do it. How you gonna coach if the coach is in the bunk? Don Shula didn't have back to back undefeated seasons with the Dolphins, one of which they took the ENTIRE season - Super Bowl too - only team in HISTORY to ever do it. Never forget him speaking to our team in High School (I grew up in Miami in the 70's) he didn't coach from his bed at home in Coral Gables over the phone! You get IN the game and you MAKE the plays happen. You plan then EXECUTE the plan. Period. Some make the play happen and execute! Seven hours late for Orientation.

This is going through my old arse mind calling JCT. Cell signal was abysmal between big cities and we hit them after hours - I had to get a new plan to run out west. Found out on the way out I had nothing west of KC. Ever bathe a cat? You know, your wife's favorite fluffy needs a flea dip? They don't take to bathing real well. They CLAW. So you put the heavy gloves and denim on and do what needs to be done. It's for the cat's own good. They claw and usually find the only ##### (tiny hole in chain mail) in your armor and get a lick or two in, in the process. It's all good, but look at the cat after you toss the whirling razor blade blender on the floor hissing and growling (who knew cats growled?) and starting to lick itself dry (how do they DO that). Do you really want to mess with it? That maxed pissed (at the GD) wet cat look . . . that was how I felt. And I MISSED MY WIFE!!! She was in school when I finally arrived. She is one that actually turns it off in class (a fact I'm proud of). Still . . .

My very first ever true trainer back in the '90's was with Werner. Them and Qualcomm had JUST invented what we now call E-Logs. Had a waiver from DOT to "test them" for two years. He was an awesome older fellow from Sweden (it would just make the story even LONGER) named Hal (and had the Sveedish accent) and he took his job as a trainer VERY, VERY seriously. Like your big brother showing you ALL the ropes. Cool guy for sure. He said: "Jou must alvays HALT before jou call ze dispatch or home. Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired? Zen HALT!! Jou are NOT in ze right mind to speak to someone you work for or someone you love ven you live en za road und zey are far away and do not live en ze road as you do. Alvays HALT, and if hungry, angry, lonely or tired?: fix THAT before calling. If you don't you vill only have argument . . . not communication."

So I got a shower, some grub from the Waffle House, got a hold of my wife THEN called JCT and they were awesome. I wanted to come on over and get started but she said they start every day, this thing with GD happens all the time and they had a plan and just relax, get some rest and they'd see me Tuesday like as if nothing happened.

And they did. So if the GD ride turns out to be a GD ride and late? NO WORRIES - JCT HAS IT UNDER CONTROL!!

They did with me anyway.

OH, and starting this with $200 split between my wife and I til first settlement? Worked out just fine and we made it back into good cash flow no problem. Tight as a tick, but this ain't our first OTR Rodeo and we made it. Cash flow working fine and slowly building up steam. Watch your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.

Welcome again.

 

I get to drop this load in Colton, CA. If you don't know, we have rented space at the CR England yard in Colton. Picking up a loaded to deliver at zero dark thirty in Rancho Cucamonga then down to Mira Loma for a drop and hook to Plainview, Tx. And yes, JCT will pay extra for you do them a local favor, plus a decent to #### good run afterwards. In my case, Plainview gets me back "close" to home for home coming up in just under a week. So, I'm happy.

 

Awesome Macho! Home is great. I'm not looking forward to hometime yet. I stay out a good while. This one's gonna be different, though. My son is getting married 11-15-14. I'll go home for that. Happens to be my current wife and I's 8th wedding anniversary and a good bit longer than that before we actually tied the knot in '06. How 'bout that? Same date and all. Figure I better danged sure make that one or just never come home again. I'll start to get excited about 11/7. "Driveway Fever" don't usually hit me til about a week before and I'm close. Then it's: "Katy Bar The Door. The Mule Is Hellbound For The Barn and the Wagon Wheels are Smokin'!" LOL.

Wonder how Dude is doin' on the bus ride. Hate the GD. Hope his trip is better than mine. Bad as it was it was TOTALLY worth it!

Nite all. Sal needs some attention before putting her blanket on. BTW: Any ideas on why I'm refrigerating hardware? BOL says it's saw blades, abrasive wheels, nuts and bolts and adhesives and such going to an Appliance Smart DC in MN. No temp on the BOL but the load message said +63 Continuous, but I p/u preloaded on a drop yard in Newark (OK, Kearney - same difference) and the driver didn't leave BOL's so I had to tell Ginny where to fax them enroute. The unit was preset on +63 cycle and when Ginny was able to fax me BOL's it's flippin' hardware going to a hardware DC and no temp on the BOL. So I left it like it was and just made the appropriate remarks in my Macro 1's (check calls) and nobody has come back with any OMG's so I'm rolling like it is. Just seems weird to have the Reefer on for a dry load. Don't matter to me. I went to Boston (OK Chelsea - but still . . Boston) with onions and had a real quick turn around getting out. If they want me to refrigerate saw blades . . . no skin off my nose. Ain't my reefer fuel.

Again, nite all.

 

Guess it's a good thing you asked for the swap there. LoL

 

anybody got any suggestions on parking as close as possible to rancho cold storage in los angeles. got a 7 am monday morning, trying to get as close as possible sunday for break before del

 

Parking in LA can be a challenge. Are you allowed to parked on the street at the consignee? If not, there is the TA and Pietro at I-10 Millikan Ave exit. There is also the Three Sisters Truck stop at Cherry Ave and Slover Ave. All three charge for parking. The TA/Pietro is free with 50gal of fuel or spend $20 inside. Save receipts. The Three Sisters Truck Stop is free during the day and $10 for overnight. There is also a couple of places to eat at within walking distance and you can look at the brand new shiny Pete's at the dealership next door. There is also the C.R England yard (JCT Drop Yard) in Colton also. The yard is pretty packed right now though. Not sure how long we can stay parked at this yard though.

 

I put in for the swap in Wilcox Az when I knew for sure I was going to be a day and half early.