Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

My NE trainer smoked, but my other trainers didn't. So I only had to put up with it for about 4 days. Two runs to Brooklyn and back.

In other news: I got a load assignment to haul corrugate to Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in Windsor, VA. Load assignment said I had a 10:00am appointment, but also said it was a drop. So I figured that 10:00am appointment time was more of what Captain Barbarossa would call a "guideline".

Still, I rolled in at 9:45am, ready to drop my trailer and hook an empty. And after standing around for 15 minutes waiting for someone in the shipping/receiving department to deign to talk to me, I was informed that (A) my appointment time is noon, not 10:00am; and (B) they have no yard jockey here, so I will need to drop my trailer in a dock. And I can't do that until noon.

I'm a little torqued about that. I kinda feel like their lack of a yard jockey isn't my problem. But I'm still new at this driving business, so I'm not sure how much Hell to raise (if any).

I called Alan and left him a message informing him that I was gonna be sitting on my butt, chewing up 2+ hours of my 14 to no real purpose, because this place doesn't have a yard jockey. I am mulling over the possibility of putting in for detention, though I'm pretty sure I won't get it.

 

You would to wait over 3hrs to get any detention. First two hours are free.

 

I always, always, always call my shippers and receivers to varify all information. 7 times out of 10 they know my name, when I'll be there and what to expect. The other 3 times there was no way to find the correct contact info and then, like everyone else i just wing it on the info given.

Like now. I delivered my final in Santa Clara and still had 6 hours to go on my 10. I got a broker load. After calling the broker and giving them my info, I called the shipper to varify pick up # and time. The shipper couldn't do that. So I called the broker and told them. Long story short, I now have a name at the shipper who varified the pickup # and time, the broker agent's name, direct line AND cell phone numbers. I'm reasonably sure I won't have any issues when I roll there after my 10.

We have enough to deal with out here. I leave as little to chance as possible.

 

Ah, but it was supposed to be a drop-and-hook. I shouldn't have had to wait at all aside from however long it took me to get pointed in the right direction. So as far as I'm concerned, the clock started ticking as soon as they told me they didn't have a yard jockey and I would have to wait two hours to drop and hook.

But I agree with you that payroll won't see it that way.

 

Question for the Abileners. Werner or Schneider? Just curious to know which one you'd pick for a rookie.

 

Neither.

 

My only two choices unfortunately.

 

Magnum out of North Dakota.

If you're absolutely convinced that Schneider and Werner are your only two options, I would go with Schneider. Everything I've heard about them is that they are big enough to be really worried about lawsuits. So they have their rules and they stick by them fairly consistently, and they won't out-and-out shaft you like some other companies. As long as you understand their rules and are willing to play by them, so will they. You'll get your paychecks on time, and there won't be any funny business except by accident.

I would call the recruiters for both and ask the following questions:

1) What is their policy on snow chains? Are you required to run with chains? (Abilene doesn't require us to run with chains. If chains are required to traverse a particular road during the winter, we're allowed to pull over and wait for the roads to improve.)

2) What do they pay (if anything) for deadhead and/or bobtail miles?

3) What is their layover and detention policy?

4) Are they pre-planned? (I'm pretty sure Schneider is pre-planned. Dunno about Werner.)

5) What sort of info do they require of you, the driver, while you're out on the road? Do you have to provide regular ETA updates?

Those are the questions I would ask, in addition to the more obvious questions like pay and benefits and hometime.

 

Also: Which one has a terminal closest to where you live? That'd be a big influence on my decision. Getting routed back to the Richmond yard has been a great source of unscheduled hometime for me. I've had many an unplanned evening off at my own home just because I happen to live 20 minutes away from the main Abilene yard.

 

GAZE UPON YOUR DOOM, YE MIGHTY, AND DESPAIR!



This is our new Electronic Doohickey What Gets Us Through ALL The Toll Booths Now.

Scott has Very Firm Ideas(tm) as to where it needs to be placed. Discussing alternative placement options will simply exasperate him.

I have driven through (well, past) two weigh stations with it, and it has given me the green light both times. However, it beeps sixteen times, which I think we can all agree is a bit excessive.

Still, if it'll keep me from having to get a cash advance whenever I want to drive I-44 through Oklahoma, I'm all for it.