Mercer

Katz...will get ahold of you when the PM's are working again.....have fun down there........

 

Does Mercer hire o/o teams that only want to run vans? I know they have vans but wasn't sure if you might also run some flats on occasion. We know nothing about running flatbed and would prefer to keep it that way at least for the time being.

 

yes two of my friends run van team w/their husbands......

 

seems like there is a lot more van loads on the board lately.

 

I am finally ready, and got my first load tomorrow morning. Picking up at Camp Atterbury and going to Fort Polk. Would have been nice to get a longer run for the weekend, but at this point, it is definetely better than nothing.

 

Good Luck Katz! Things seem to be a little slow right now but hopefully it will pick up before to long. Seems like freight is always off this time of year no matter what type of trailer you pull. This time last year I was pulling a reefer and didn't do much.

 

Thank you all for your help and support! It sure is nice to have income again LOL.

Headed over to Camp Atterbury this morning. Total deadhead was 89 miles, and I think actual loaded miles are about 70 miles more than the B/L suggests. I think gross revenue to the truck will end up at roughly $1.33 a mile. It could be better, sure. But, I've never made this kind of money in 1.5-day's worth of work even when I had what is considered a white-collar job, so I am not complaining.

Picked up a pair of 20' containers - tied them down and I was on my way. Ran out of hrs at TA in Meridian, MS. I decided to do the south route as all routes I looked at were within 20 miles of each other, and it is warmer so I don't have to idle (Currently 50 degrees).

Truck ran good all day. Did not have a chance to get the leak fixed, so I've been checking oil level every time I stop. So far so good. Please note that I'm not complaining to those who recommended the shop to me - I just never had a good luck with any mechanic, and that's how I learned how to turn wrenches in the first place. I'll just fix it myself when I go home the next time. Then I'll know exactly whatever I'd fawk up LOL.

I don't know how heavy these containers are - air scale on the trailer says 11,000 lbs on each trailer axle, so they are probably not that heavy. Although 13-speed trans helps tremendously, I think engine ECU uprate is in order in no-so-distant future. I don't have a confidence to pull up long steep hills on west with 435hp when I get loaded to 75,000+ lbs.

I didn't have money to top off the tanks before the trip, so I don't know what kind of fuel mileage I got today. Guesstimating from the fuel gauge, I'd say I got high 5s. I guess it is to be expected with a combination of mid roof and containers with gaps in between.

I'll sleep in and take it easy tomorrow. They'll unload me on Sunday morning and I only have 300-ish miles to go.

 

So I guess it is not a very good idea to get one of the last of many loads coming to the same place. There must be a lot of drivers ahead of me on the list. Not a single call today.

Should have deadheaded to Houston or Texakarna. Live and learn, I guess.

 

Houston wouldn't have been much better. This time of year things get slow. I've been sitting at home for a week waiting for a decent load. Took a load going to Denver I know I'm going to regret, freight in Colorado doesnt pay much.

 

what board are you on?