Good Night From II

I'm at the Walmart in Indianola, MS.
My live unload with lumpers at the Dollar General DC went smoothly. I get there 5 minutes late for my appointment but got right in.
Even having to wait until it was unloaded before I got the price for the lumpers, I was in and out in less than 2 hours.
It only took Swift about 5 minutes to process the lumper request.
Shocked, and shocked that everything went so quickly.

My next load picks up 25 miles from here and delivers in Laredo, TX.
It was supposed to pick up tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon and deliver on Friday, then I got messages that everything was rescheduled.
Now it picks up Thursday morning and doesn't deliver until Monday. A whopping 740 miles.
I contacted my DM and he said to pick it up and then let him know what my ETA to Houston would be so he could set up a t-call.

So I have a day off tomorrow.
Luckily there is a Love's a couple miles away so I won't have to sit at Walmart that whole time.

 

That dollar General is the better ones. I go there a lot to delivery there then I get sent home for home time........ In Springfield, Or. Picking up load in Lebanon, OR going to Meridian Idaho for tomorrow.

 

At the Bosselmans Pilot in Grand Island, NE. Quaker Steak & Lube showed us that it's possible to get more than a pan fried half thick steak out here. Lol. Headed to Wyoming on a two stopper for Shopko. Was told when I picked this up that they no longer need Swift empties because they're taking the account from us and handing it to Werner. There were so many blue trailers there it felt like I was behind enemy lines. Lol

Dels in Douglas first thing tomorrow then New Castle, WY in the afternoon.

 

Just goes to show you ... out of all the Dollar General/Dollar Tree/Family Dollar dcs that's the one I've had the most issues with.

 

My termination went fairly smoothly on Monday at the OKC terminal. Called my DM first to let him know, talked to driver development to arrange a new mentor for my trainee, and turned in the truck.

My trainee was still waiting for a mentor as of last night.

Monday afternoon was load securement training. Yesterday was the first of two "ride alongs" (unpaid observation) required by ACME, a 400 mile round trip with a load of pipe to an oil rig in Texas. Today we are running a load of pipe to Corpus Christi. After that delivery I'll start driving and getting paid.

The owner of the truck is really good. Knows his stuff, takes care of business and the truck, and is very open and a good teacher. We agreed to cut my team phase of training short, likely early next week. After that I will get 25% TTT (To The Truck). These first two days the truck makes $3300. I think this will be fun and lucrative. Once my wife moves out here next month I'llbe home most nights.

 

Lexington, NE. Was going to try for Council Bluffs, but with only 6k in the box and winds coming from the SSE at gusts of 40mph, enough was enough. Must have been tired still when I saw this load offer this morning. Going to W. Allis, WI. There where 2 others, going to Milwaukee but with a unload time of 1600 and 1700 and this one 0700 on Friday. After just coming across I-80 I should have known better but was getting nothing from the planners. Found out that the planners in Denver ticked off the Coors people last weekend. Kept sending in drivers to grab empty trailers and not telling anyone and the yard dogs where wasting time trying to find a empty only to find out that it was taken. So they shut it down as far as getting one. Bring in a loaded and go somewhere else to find a empty, even if picking up cans. Guess that they changed policy. Used to be that if you bring in a loaded trailer you could just bob tail down for your cans. Now you go to the empty yard and get one and then through inspection. They will give you a few to pick from. Gave me a nice one this morning. Even had air ride. Got to drag it all of 2 miles. Well at least since I am heading to WI they have to get me to AZ for home time so guess that finally will get some miles. From looking at the weather, I guess that I will be in these winds from the South all the way across, including Iowa. At least they are supposed to drop down to about 10mph and start to come out of the SSW.

 

That Dollar General DC and the one in Ardmore, OK are the reason I refuse to haul DG loads.

 

I happened to get very lucky, it seems.
Another Swift driver that docked about 30 minutes after me had been waiting for 3 hours.
He may have shown up early for his appointment, however.
We all know how DG is with appointment times, no matter where.

 

I called ahead to Ardmore and was told "we don't change appointments less than 24 hours out but you're welcome to wait". So I get there 11 hours ahead of my appointment time and am told to LEAVE!! Between that and unpaid detention is the reason I refuse to haul DG loads any more.

 

Weed, CA at the Pilot. Second time I've been here in 4 days. Enjoying the truck follies as I type this. You need you're "A game" to back here.
First time I've seen the sun since passing through here northbound on Sunday.