Heading For Little Rock! Maverick

Hey guys, how does the time off for Christmas usually work? Are ya'll home from Christmas to New Year's? Last year Hubby was with USX and sat in the truck with no load the whole week. It was rough. It would be better to just stay home if freight is that slow. Thanks to you guys who swap loads to get another driver home. Hubby would've been out 3 weeks if not for swapping last week.

 

They get their drivers in for thanksgiving and christmas. Freight is usually slow at christmas for flats. If you want to stay home just tell them. A lot of drivers stay home until new year. I decided to run one year thinking I would get good miles since most drivers took off. My truck broke down and I had to be towed to a dealer. By the time my truck was ready everybody was closed. My miles stunk that week and I was celebrating at the pilot..... Nasty pilot coffee... You can bet I stayed home the next year...

 

I got burnt a few times. I got to where I would not swap if a driver had been out a week or two. I look at it as that is trucking. Now if a driver had an emergency I would do it no questions asked. I do know of one driver that told me that mav said a driver had a death in the family. When he went and switched with the driver he was told by him his dog had died.

The problem I have with swaps is I keep my stuff in top notch shape. I hate getting junk stuff that some drivers tear up without batting an eye because they don't care. I got tired of swapping and getting trailers that needed tires, lights, or some kind of mechanical problem the driver did not want to take and get fixed. I am not the company repair man that hooks and takes to the shop.

I never asked to have weekends off. Sometimes my FM would call me or qualcomm me and say I been looking to swap you to get you home, but sorry I can't find one. I always sent or said no problem. No worries here, have a good weekend. Sometimes it is nice to stay out a weekend. Not set the alarm, do laundry, lay around or just take it easy. If I went home I am sure I would have to work on something or fix something anyway..

I know of another driver that got a swap because the driver said he had hurt his back. The other driver got there to find the tarps, binders and chains all stripped off of the load. The drivers asked him what is the deal? He was told you will have to use your own equipment I want to keep my stuff. The driver told him too bad I am not swapping you. I guess your back does not hurt as bad as you said. Have fun re-securing and tarping. I am out of here.

 

Good rule of thumb esp w maverick is plan to fuel 300 miles or less before your delivery so you will have plenty of fuel to get you to your next pickup. (sewerman shared that w me). Like Forrest Gump said "like a box of chocolates...you never know what your going to get." Meaning you could make a delivery and then have to deadhead quite a bit for your next load, usually away from the closest fuel stop (Murphy's Law).

I picked up a load of concrete stone or whatever its called from Corning somewhere in Ga one time. At the guardshack was a sign that said "its the drivers responsibility to fuel before loading." I was just above 1/4 tank. They kept loading the crates of this stuff on me and having me pull on and off the scales to get me as close to gross as possible. I came out of there at exactly 80000. Ran it all the way up to Pennsylvania having to fuel a few times so i wudn't be over gross.

Ever since 1/4 tank is empty to me (another sewerman helpful hint)

 

I always tried to fuel before I loaded unless I knew the place did not scale. I am not into multiple fuel stops, or decifering how much fuel I need to take on so I don't over gross.

 

good luck you will be in class from 6am till 6 pm lot of homework better take lot of notes take what your recrutier say and throw it out the window as you will find that out