Leonard's Express gamble

Sunday was rough. They switched gates on me at the Washington DC airport and I didn't realize it. Missed that connecting flight to Rochester and had to wait 7 extra hours at DC for the 10pm flight. Got in my hotel in Farmington about 1am.

First day of orientation went fine. Medical exam, drive test, some paperwork/computer work. Finished the day over at their driver training school that they have on site using their simulator. There are only two of us in orientation, and it went well. The other driver is going to be a shuttle driver in the greater Buffalo area.

Breakfast at the hotel, lunch delivered to the terminal, and dinner delivered to the hotel. They usually only do roughly 8am-4pm daily.

Found out today that Leonard's acquired Holman in the Boise area, earlier in the year. Leonard's had already acquired another small outfit out there a couple years ago. Can't remember who it was.

Leonard's is up around 900 trucks and trailers now. I think they mean around 900 of each but I'm not positive on that.

 

Update. Orientation finished very early Thursday morning since I was essentially a rehire and the other guy is doing a shuttle gig.

My truck is a 2021 Freightliner Automatic with 66k miles on it. Which is good, because I came to orientation with the most severe bout of Patella Tendinitis, aka clutch knee, that I've ever had. I've been limping along painfully for a couple of weeks now.

It's my first assigned Automatic and I'm already liking it. My right thumb is still having 13 speed withdrawals, but my clutch knee is happy.

I found out that we are around 900 trucks overall now after acquiring Holman in Caldwell, Idaho. That's now our second largest terminal. Blue Peterbilts are what came with the acquisition.

Leonard's is planning to have the different terminals have dedicated brands. I guess that would help with stocking parts and mechanic familiarity.

Idaho will carry on with Peterbilts. Wisconsin, my shop, will be Freightliners, maybe why they gave me a Freightliner. New York will be Kenworth. I can't recall what Delaware and North Carolina are doing.

Picked up Thursday afternoon near Buffalo. My APU runs and charges the batteries but the fan wasn't working and the outlet below the APU wasn't working.

I'm headed down to Lake City, FL, so I stopped in to our shop in NC. I had called ahead and they were expecting me. Arrived about 15:40 and they put my truck straight in the shop. I had been invited up to the terminal office when I called in for the shop appointment. So I limped up to their and met everyone. I hadn't been to that terminal before. Since it was driver appreciation week, they grilled me a couple small steaks and a piece of bbq chicken. With a side of corn.

After eating and socializing for an hour or so, my truck was done already and I hit the road again. I was at the terminal for a total of 1.5 hours and left with a full belly. Can't beat that.

When I deliver in the morning, I'm deadheading home to get my gear. And I was already preplanned when I arrived at the Buffalo shipper to pick up a load early Monday morning in Umatilla, FL headed to Clackamas, Oregon. No rest for the weary.

This is the first company that I have worked for that genuinely likes the fact that I love to run long and tries hard to accommodate me.

 

In respect for Leonard's policy, I try to remember to not name their customers on the open forum. I'll pm you.

 

One last tidbit that I forgot to mention. Friday was the big Six-Oh for me. I'm officially not a young man anymore. Perhaps that's why I forgot to mention it. Even though my body tells me all day everyday that I'm an old fart.

 

Thanks brother. How's your trucking path gone?