Random LTL Rants (all are welcomed)

Well gentlemen (and possibly a few ladies),

I spent the last two months bouncing around the entire country after being laid off. I went from LTL in South Carolina to ice road trucking in Montana hauling hay and animal feed. After three weeks of working the farm, I threw in the towel (long story) and came back to SC to being unemployed.

There is no problem so bad that I could not make worse and signed on to a temp agency which found me CDL A job with a company that installs guard rails. I was advised that it would be a labor intensive job, but with a recent notice of being delinquent on my water bill and a stern warning that they would cut my water off, I accepted the position anyway.

The job was absolutely abysmal. 40 hour work week condensed into four days with Fridays off. It consisted of repeatedly lifting posts that weigh 60-90 lbs (depending on length) and erecting and mounting 25 foot sections of guard rails that weigh 250 lbs (we only used two people for this process).

Long story short, it didn't work out. This job has a 100% turnover rate, with some people quitting halfway into their first shift. I lasted 6.5 shifts.

After my first shift, my entire body was covered with bruises. I felt like I just survived getting hit by a bus. I had enough energy to drive home and collapse on the couch. I asked my wife to do a beer run, but I was already passed out when she got home and she threw a blanket over me. I woke up the next day and texted my old TM to see if freight has picked up any, and of course he said they are still working on getting us back.

The following week s### really hit the fan and our lines became longer each day. We went from 350 feet of rail to 1400 feet by Thursday. Thankfully we had Friday off and I spent all weekend loathing having to come in Monday. On Monday (this Monday 1/23) I reported in and was told that I would stay behind to help clean the yard. At about 9:30 I saw I had a missed call and a text message that read "this is ______ , the TM at Holland. Give me a call ASAP".

I had tears of joy when I heard his voice and told me that he needs me not tomorrow, not now, but two hours ago. I told him I was available the next day. I called my guardrail boss and told him I was resigning but would finish my shift (didn't want to walk off the job). I went to lunch later on that day and came back to finish my shift. One of the cool supervisors I worked with motioned me forward. He shook my hand and said "it was a real pleasure working with you R/R. I need you to clock out, turn in your company time card, and get off the property". It was only 1 PM so I called up my dispatcher at Holland to see if he needed any help back at the old barn.

"Bring it on in R/R, bring it on in!". As I pulled in I took my Guardrail company reflective vest off and donned my Holland vest (which happened to still be in my car). I spent the rest of the evening working the dock and getting some really warm welcomes from my old coworkers.

Gentlemen (and ladies),

I want to make it TTR Official. I am back in the saddle.

Some pics from MT before it snowed.