My Central Thread

Hey Scott, I think she will get use to it. Do not push dispatch too hard too soon. It is early, and it will take time to set up these things.

From Ohio they will probably send you to either the drop yard in Cleveland or the one near Columbus. Or get a load from one of those areas.
They should be able to find you a load fairly easy going to either Bethlehem PA or to Johnstown NY. Or maybe to Johnstown via Bethlehem.
I have a feeling that the Walmart DC there will be your normal home time run.
There are several places in your area to get reloaded.
So you may get home Thursday, or it may be Friday. But don't sweat it too bad. It will get easer in time as you learn where all the freight is and where it goes.
Freight does not move in straight lines when it is getting you home. They go with what they have.

 

Scott in the nicest way possible I hate to burst your bubble, however get used to almost never being home when you want to. It is going to happen all the time! Also, most likely won't be home during holidays. Especially as a new driver. The experienced drivers get seniority and have the first pick for days off. I think it is going to be very tough on you and your wife. This is probably the number one reason for new drivers quitting. Try not to make it a big deal with your DM. That would be a big "NO NO"! You don't want to start off your driver dispatcher relationship like that. You will find yourself wanting to quit if you do. They won't fire you and they won't make a big deal about it, however when it comes to loads they WILL look right over you! Good loads and miles go to the drivers that just say "yes sir/maam no problem"! Just expect not to be home and keep it to yourself. This is probably the reason for the poop in your truck! So just grin and bear it! As far as your truck choice that was pretty much a toss up. The W9 are really good trucks and are very stable in the wind and bad weather conditions. They also don't have a lot of computer sensors and such so when things go wrong you can usually find the problem yourself. As for the prostar, my buddy has one and loves it! He claims it is the best riding truck he has ever had! He also said out of all the trucks he's owned that one has had the least amount of problems. Make sure though you go over it with a fine tooth comb and check everything out before you leave the terminal. Congrats man, I am stoked for you! Wish I was in your shoes. Drive safely and keep us updated.

 

Chrome's right on! Sometimes to get home say you are in CA. Well they will get you a load that goes to Nebraska, from there you will go to Atlanta, to get a load that goes to Chicago to get a load that will take you close to home. Also, one motto to live by in trucking: "The only thing to plan on is the plan changing" Good luck! Be patient!

 

That does seem really tight I hope one of the guys on here has a suggestion for that. I really wouldn't know how to work that one out either. But it is a very good question.

 

You are looking at 620 miles, so it is a haul.
I am surprised they would push that one you this soon. You are correct that you will have 0 extra time.
You are going to have to try and make it and park at the receiver, unless it is a drop.
If I was given that load I would have asked about if I can park at the shipper and receiver before I took it.
If I could not park at either it would suck, If I can park on one end it would help. If at both ends I would be ok, but I am on paper logs.
I do not like to break them, but will bend around the edges now and then.
On e-logs I would have told them I cannot do it in that time, unless I am missing something.
You may make 620 in 11 hours driving, but you are going to have to go thru West VA on the toll road, and that is a little hilly. Hopefully the weather will hold out as well.

The game plan will be to talk to dispatch, find out if you can take your break at the shipper. If so you can get loaded while on break.
This way you will not use any of your 14 on load times.
You should have right around 11 hours to get to delivery then, and hope that you can make the 620 miles before your 11 is up.
Go straight to the receiver. If early that is ok.
This way you are there, and they can take you whenever they are ready. Will probably be early unless it is a grocery warehouse. In which case you will have to wait.

 

The other option I forgot to mention would be seeing if there was a window for pickup or delivery. Sometimes they have a window on both ends. This would explain why they were not worried.

I will have to try and keep track of where you are this week.
I am running the northeast. I would have gotten to pass you tomorrow, but they changed my load.
So now I will be headed to Maine tonight.
Still may find you some time this week though. Closer to the end of the week.
depends on what loads we get.
I will end up with a load of water out of Maine, maybe to Allentown for Wed. Or could end up going elsewhere with it. But most go that way.

 

Well my load got changed lol.
RI and MA in the morning, then off to Albany NY area to pick up headed to Philly for Thurs AM.
Still in the region though.