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

Was able to get empty with my 2 Miami drops on Friday then get home for a reset. Left the house last night and headed up to Savannah for a drop and hook going to West Jefferson for tonight.

One of my previous trainees was also at the drop yard before me so I asked him to check the yard for my trailer. Of course it wasn’t there so I took it upon myself to just go over to the customer figuring it was still there. It was, so I was able to not play the “where’s my trailer” game. Here’s the only real glitch in my day yesterday, the guard at the DC I was doing my drop and hook at, a place I’ve been to a dozen times over the years, comes out of his little house to tell me they don’t allow reefer trailers to be dropped. I politely asked when that was instituted, and was told it’s been like that for years. I said that may be so, but for the last 6 years, I’ve picked up probably 7 reefers here. Then I pointed through the fence and showed him the trailers with the big refrigerator sticking out on the front of the trailers. The final piece of the conversation that changed his mind was when I told him the loaded trailer I’m picking up is a reefer as well. It turned out all good. I have a new friend in Savannah now.

 

Just delivered there last week. The old Chex TS is 8 miles north. Haj charges $10 to park. There’s nothing but wide spots around the DC that trucks park at with no parking signs all over. I submitted the parking receipt and got reimbursed after I explained the no parking, 2am delivery and Haji charging to stay at his rathole.

 

For whatever reason, I got there 45 minutes early and was in and out in an hour.

 

Boy, it’s been a while, time to rant. I’m quite sure our regulars that contribute here are absolved of any wrong doing, but still, I’m pissed.

Trailer 7426, picked up this morning at Plant 1 going to Indianapolis for 6am tomorrow morning. Bobtail down to hook it at 7am. Check it out and the first thing I notice is the inspection is out of it since the end of last month. Further inspection finds 2 right side outer tires flat along with 2 bent rims. At this point I’m now going over the whole trailer top to bottom. Through my best Sherlock Holmes investigation, I find the rear axle brake shoes completely wore out. Open the trailer and there’s a puddle of water inside the left door. The reason for the water? 2 of the 4 hinges were broke. In my infinite wisdom, I got a ratchet strap and strapped the doors together in order to drive the 6 miles back to the yard to get this trailer inspected, fixed and ready for the trip.

Now, I can spend my time wishing nothing but ill to the driver that pulled this trailer, passed our yard, and dropped it to be loaded, but I won’t, the reason why? The douchebag steering wheel holder that dragged an unsafe trailer around and left his job for the next driver isn’t worth it. I just hope if he/she does this again and has a major mishap, it’s just a solo vehicle accident and he/she doesn’t take a poor innocent family with him/her. Do your f&@king job steering wheel holder, make the rest of us proud. A&&hat.
Rant over, trailer done, heading to Indy.