Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

Lol, Post Office to Post Office. Sounds about right. We have a load right now, that not counting the 280 miles of deadhead, is paid at 727 miles. I've only done a rough guess, but it looks like closer to 746 miles, once all's said and done. so, we're nearly 20 miles short for the trip. This is actually a pretty good trip, quite often they're short a lot more.

 

Does yours screw up on the turnpike in PA, about 150-200 miles in? Mine freaks out and demands I take an off turnpike route because it's convinced I'm going to top my trailer at some overpass that's 12'6" on the shoulder. It's the only freak out on the 76 in PA though.

Mine also freaks out on the 60 in Calif, tells me pretty much from there the 57 runs across it to the I15 it's not a truck route. Drives me crazy.

 

I find that 150 miles has been the worst mine's been out of route, and that's only on a couple routes. It matches Central's pretty close, I've added up the fuel routing and checked the GPS, and they've been close. Generally we don't go over 100 miles longer than paid, but if you factor in 10% extra, you aren't surprised.

And if you pick up out of Carlisle PA anywhere, and choose not to take the back roads up to the 80, but instead take the 76 down, it adds another 50 or so miles, but it's less trouble.

 

My truck GPS actually reports the car speed limit in every state, regardless of whether the truck speed limit matches or not. Sometimes, that can be really off putting, especially if it's a state I haven't been to in a while, or the speed limit signs are few and far between.

 

no it didnt screw up in PA. It goes along the info found in the rand mcnally atlas.

 

I would check your R.C. Atlas no matter what. GPS is going to get you in trouble one of these days. There was a road in Chicago in which a bunch of truckers were using because their GPS routed them that way as a short cut. None of them checked their atlas and it was a restricted route. They all got $500 tickets and were assessed points. My cousin was one of them and to this day is still trying to fight it. Newbies learn the country first then use your GPS. It will bite you one of these days!

 

The rand mcnally gps has all the same info as as the 2010 atlas. It's the other brands you need to worry about. I don't even have the 2011 book yet. Cobra took me Dow wrong roads many times. Haven't tried the others. The rand mcnally took me the wrong way once. But the book didn't even know about the low bridge either since it was in town and not a highway. But yes, you should generally know how to get to the area.

 

It's been a while, but here is an update from Cutter. Got off my trainers truck on Monday. Ended training with 16500 miles, but Greg took me to upgrade anyway. It was 2 days short of 5 weeks. Training went well. I had a really good trainer and we got along like brothers. I was kind of sad to get off his truck but very happy to be done with training and get out on my own, if that makes sense. So, went through the upgrade testing and orientation Monday and Tuesday. Flew to Reno to do a recovery on an abandoned truck. That's a $100 bonus, but you never know what your getting. Got in the truck on Wednesday and got my first load. Deadhead 500 miles to Burley, ID and then 1798 miles to deliver in Cincinnati and Dayton, Tuesday. Not a bad first run, plus I think they are heading me that way because I requested hometime starting on the 21st in Florida. So, I did the deadhead yesterday and am sitting at Love's in Burley for the whole day, waiting to pick up tomorrow at 10, just 10 miles away. Now onto the truck. It is pretty clean inside and out, about what you would expect doing a recovery. I'll take an hour today cleaning and disinfecting the inside. Here is the bad news. Mechanically this truck is a POS. I really don't feel very safe driving it. The transmission is horrible. When I upshift at 1500 it tach drops all the way to 800 with the Jake off. When I downshift and am lucky enough to get it in gear, the tach also drops about 500 rpm, that is backwards, it should go up. Steering is fine. The throttle response is horrible. When I run up against the governer at 62, the truck jerks back and forth randomly every 20 miles or so, I'm getting sea sick..lol. When I'm driving on highway and there is a curve to the right, the truck rolls onto the left steer and kind of pushes me toward the left and when the Jake engages, the truck lurches to the left steer. So, here is my question for anybody that may know. Since I do not feel very safe in this truck, should I call Cole(equipment mgr.) and ask him if I can stop by Conley on my way to Florida to get a truck I would feel safe in? what are my options? Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

one more question. What is SEDLOD and why is it bad?

 

Originally Posted by Bootlegger66
Good luck getting away from the SE Dispatch Loop of Death! I was stuck in it for 3.5 weeks this time around. Apparently the further you get from Atlanta the better your chances are of escaping.

Finally heading towards Cali tomorrow. Heading out on the 10, so after the SEDLOD adventure I'm looking forward to the abundance of nothingness between San Antonio and Phoenix. Hopefully I can bribe someone to let me drop the load in Fontana on Wednesday so I can have a decent week and a 34 at home.