Heading For Little Rock! Maverick

Made it home for the weekend with 30 minutes to spare. The week was going good until a got my load out of Southland tube. Nothing bad to speak of. As I was leaving there as I always do I pulled up to the exit gate. The guard starts making wild signals to me and I could not figure out what he wanted. He usually comes up to the truck and takes my paper work. So I pulled forward some more. He then starts screaming at me to stop and bring in my paper work. Now it was cold down there by Alabama standards so I think he was stressed out. I came flying out of my cab in short sleeves, no coat, no hat and yell back at him that I could not understand what he was trying to tell me. It all ended good with him giving me candy and shaking hands and wishing each other a Merry Christmas.
Now this load was going to Lima Ohio and they were giving me two days to deliver it.
I called them the next morning and asked if I could deliver early. They said no. So I shut down by 11:00 am in Wapakonata Ohio. I was not scheduled to deliver until the next day at 8:00. I stopped at the T/A there. I took a walk and found the Neil Armstrong Museum. It cost $8 but was well worth it. Relived all the memories of that day.
Got to Benjamin Steel at 8:00. After sitting there for three hours I went inside to see what was taking so long. There were no trucks at all being unloaded.
I went up to the manager and asked him how much longer. He said that gentleman over there will be unloading you. We walked over to him and he said he did not know he was supposed to be unloading the trucks! *!?!!!!!!!.
Took another hour to unload and then I got a load to Paragon Steel in Butler Indiana.
Got stopped by a train just on the other side of the plant. Finally got to the shipper.
Things are moving really slow. There was a Maverick truck in front of me. Two trucks can be in each lane in the building, but one gets loaded at a time.
I was watching the Averett driver work. He was in front of the Maverick driver in front of me. He was chaining up the entire coil and then tarping it. I asked the foreman if he wanted us to just put two securements on it and then finish outside.
He tells me that he is not going to make anyone go out in this weather. (It was sunny and in the 30's..very little wind.) He told me that I could go out if I wanted to but it was just common courtesy to let everyone do it all inside. I told him it was actually pretty nice outside. The Maverick driver in front of me and I decided that we would only put on two securements and pull out side. A Maverick driver pulled in behind me and he did the same thing.
This was the second week in a row that I almost did not make it home on time because of drivers being inconsiderate and not pulling outside when the weather was not bad. Especially on a friday!!!!
I loaded at the coolest place I have ever been. I/N Kotte.
The whole process was pretty much automated except for the loading of the coil.
They have a big electronic sign outside the facility that tells you when you can pull in.
You then pull around to the loading docks and your load number flashes wait or back in. So you know what to do at all times.
The guy was ready with the coil almost as soon as I was backed in. There were about 6 doors to back into.
Once you are secured and ready to go, you scan your paperwork and it automatically prints out your Bol and you are ready to go. I was supper impressed.
I am heading to Madison Il tomorrow and plan on spending the night at the terminal.
There is a big snow storm starting tomorrow which will be my first.
I know when I make it to the terminal, there will be a place to park and a hot shower waiting and I 70 is pretty much all flat. So I got a nice load for my first snow adventure.
Planning on going 57 mph the whole way next week to get my mpg up a bit as the bonus period ends next week.
Hope you all have a good week and drive safe!
God Bless!

 

I forgot to mention how much fun it is to untarp a truck while standing on ice!
I never fell, but came close a couple of times. I am glad that I grew up in Ohio and have lots of experience in the snow.
I was trying to figure the best way to keep my hands dry. I have some rubber gloves with jersey inserts in them. My fingers froze because the rubber just transferred the cold...I found that ski gloves work the best or something like it, because they are insulated and they keep your fingers dry.
I must say that I envy the covered wagon pullers and the Conestoga. That is the way to go in the winter...and I don't mind saying it! Tarps suck in the winter...lol

 

I had to use my blow torch to get my tarp box locks unfrozen They opened but now I can not get them to work anymore. I wonder if the heat ruined them. They were very good locks that I purchased from Maverick. I will try some oil on them.

 

I was able to get them both working with wd40. I do have some graphite powder but it did not seem to go down the holes very well.
I have been using the bungies during the week. The locks that Maverick gave me for the chains, do not seem to be effected as bad, but as you said No Tarps, they are not down by the road getting pelted with all of the snow, Ice and salt.
I will make sure to keep them well oiled and graphited!

 

You will also find that the cell service is not that great there. For some reason it is bad at all of the Mav terminals!

Good Luck! You made a great choice of companies!