Calex Express....My New Home!

Congrats on making it to Pittston. I spoke to Mort and asked him how you were doing. He spoke very highly of you. If you have any questions just pick up the phone and call Jim or Mort. You can always get in touch with me, you have my number.

 

You got a newer truck, good for you. It beats what I was given when I started. But then I wasn't running the coast last year like I am now.

 

Sitting at the house. I got home last night around 9pm. What a week, actually it wasn't a week, it was 5 days. I left the house last Tuesday at 7am and was empty in Fort Lauderdale at 9am. I had called Louie the day before to let him know I can make one more round up north and back home this week only if he could make sure I was home by Thursday.

On my way down to unload my Peoplenet starting beeping, and beeping, and beeping. I thought it was having a meltdown. What was happening was my whole weeks pre-planning coming through from Louie. What a week I would be having.

After getting empty I had to deadhead up to Griffin GA for a drop and hook with 2 drops, one in Lawrence MA, the final in Hooksett NH. I was empty Thursday at noon. Then I had to deadhead to Ware MA and live load a load of plastic for one of our customers in Moosic PA, 3 miles from the Petro. After that I had to go to the terminal and pick up one of our newer trailers and head over to Williamsport for a drop and hook going to Orlando for Monday at 1:30 pm. Everything this week went as smooth as it possibly could. The only issue I had was at my final drop in Hooksett, 6 cases were damaged during the loading process and Sam's Distribution refused them. I called into Eddie with the O.S.& D. report and had to wait about a half an hour for him to call back to tell me to just toss them.

The delivery to Moosic is one of our regular customers. Louie sent me a message over the Peoplenet with my delivery confirmation number for unloading Friday at 6am. I got loaded in Ware, then headed to the Petro in Avoca. By the time I got there I was seeing double and my eyes were hanging out of my head. I parked, ate, called my wife then was sound asleep by 9pm.

Now check this out, I woke up at 5:15 am, drove the 3 miles over to the consignee, bumped the dock at 5:45am and was back at the Petro in the shower at 6:30. That was pretty cool. I ate, did all my paperwork, including my truck and trailer write ups, which I had none, then went back to the truck to drive the 3 miles to the terminal. I started the truck up and was leaving the Petro when I put my stereo on, nothing, completely dead. After hitting it a few times my electronic engineering brain kicked in and I came up with the problem, it was fried. So after this whole week of hard running, no stereo. I got to the yard, fueled and wrote the stereo up. A mechanic came out and found the problem, it was fried. Fifteen minutes later I had a new stereo in the truck and was happy as could be to be able to listen to Howard. Mort told me I could always sing to myself to entertain me.

I went up to see Louie and was given my dispatch envelope with my new trailer assignment. He mentioned something about a good job this week and told me to enjoy my cruise. I left and headed to Williamsport where I drop and hooked and was headed home right at noon. I was told last month that I could leave my truck and trailer at home while on vacation. I told them that it would be in a safe and secure spot while I was gone. Safety told me that they aren't concerned about my decision making and to also enjoy my cruise.

I got my pay voucher before I left knowing that my check was a little light after looking at my checking account online before leaving the truck stop. I found the problem, I was double charged all my insurances, taxes and a few other deductions, for a total of about $325. I went to Mort and showed him the problem, he made a copy of my voucher and went upstairs to talk to payroll about it. Here's the difference about handling things professionally, or going out of one's mind and threatening everyone with insults and bodily harm. I choose to handle things with professionalism. Mort came back and said we have three options, one, we could wait for a check to be cut, but that would take an hour, two we could get a comcheck, that would also take an hour, and three, they saw the mistake and would put it in next weeks check. Because I had a noon appointment for my reload I chose number three.

It finally had to happen, after 14 months working here payroll made their first mistake with my pay. Based on the fact that our regular payroll person quit rather unexpectedly last week, and they threw an intern into this rather difficult job, I fully understand the problem, now I wasn't the only one with payroll issues, but I chose to handle it the way it would benefit me the most. I'm not concerned about Calex owing me $325, they said it would be corrected in next weeks check and I believe them.

My weeks total mileage was 3390 with 2 extra pickups and an extra 4 cents per mile short haul pay for the NH, MA, PA load. I saw Gary yesterday in South Carolina, he loaded Friday night in Jacksonville with a delivery Monday in Wilkes-Barre. After being home a week he told me he was looking forward to having a nice relaxing run up to PA over the weekend. I sometimes feel the same way when I'm home for an extended amount of time, and I have two 100lb Labs and a wife, not 3 boys, a 2 year old girl, and a wife!

 

Todd, how are things going for you?

 

Getting ready to leave to deliver in Orlando. I have a 1:30 appt. this afternoon. Knowing Walgreens, this should take about 6 hours to unload. At least I'll get a little detention pay out of it. I should be home around 9pm and put the truck to sleep for the next 2 weeks. Talk soon all.