My May Journal

Week #5
June 22nd - June 28th

This week started with me still being at home until Thursday night. I stayed home an extra day in order to grab a new student on Friday morning since they changed orientation to Tuesday-Thursday. I get to the terminal Friday morning to find out that out of the 5 students, 4 of them don't want to go out until Monday. That is fine. I am enjoying being by myself again and I don't want anyone that is not ready to go right away.

My first trip this week is another beer run from Coors to Tumwater, WA. Never been to this particular customer and the directions say it is very tight blah blah blah It delivers Monday morning so it looks like an easy trip up for me. Once I get to the customer, its not as bad as the directions try to make it out to be. Just have to pay attention to mirrors while turning in. Once I got unloaded I get sent a pre-plan that doesn't pick up until Tuesday at 1000 in Quincy, WA. This week is not looking good mileage wise, but I did just come off home time.

I make my way to the Love's in Ellensburg, WA and spend the night there. Tuesday morning I make my way to Quincy, WA to pick up my load going to Fogelsville, PA. Once I am done getting loaded I slowly make my way into Montana and stay outside of Missoula.

Miles this Week:
Miles Driven: 1395
Miles Paid: 1336
Miles Difference: 59 or 4.2%

Miles Total:
Miles Driven: 8631
Miles Paid: 8367
Miles Difference: 264 or 3.1%

 

Week #6
June 29th - July 5th

Well the week starts with my trip continuing to Fogelsville, PA. I get routed up over the 94 and then down to the 80 into Pennsylvania. Hopefully the temps won't be so bad and I won't have to idle much. I get a message on the qualcomm stating since the receiver is closed on Monday for the holiday, my appointment got pushed from Sunday to Tuesday night. Oh joy. Now I can really take my time getting there. I really despise three day holiday weekends. Oh well.

I make my way across Montana, slowly, and stop in Billings, MT for the night on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, I hit up the Love's in Fargo, ND. Friday I make my way to Black River Falls, WI and stay at the Flying J. Saturday I get to a Service Plaza in Ohio around mm 101. Then make the rest of the trip and stop at the Bandit Truck Stop 5 miles out side Fogelsville on I-78. Here I will sit for the next 56 hours until I leave tonight to go make my delivery. Oh I hope I get a pre-plan. If I have to sit more tomorrow it will make my bank account yell at me for being hungry

Miles this Week:
Miles Driven: 2872
Miles Paid: 2764
Miles Difference: 108 or 3.8%

Miles Total:
Miles Driven: 11503
Miles Paid: 11131
Miles Difference: 372 or 3.2%

 

A pre plan is want you get before you get your dispatch. It's May asking you "can you deliver this load?". Hopefully you get one before you deliver your current load so once you are empty you can keep rolling and not have to sit around and wait.

 

Week #7
July 6th - July 12th

This week was a week that would not turn out so well for the wallet. I kind of guessed since I started in the North East, but I hoped it would be okay.

So after my delivery Tuesday night, I spend the night at my consignee and in the morning head over to the nearby truck stop. I spend all day there waiting for a load when at 3pm I get a load that picks up in Manchester, PA at 0200 on Thursday morning. It has 2 deliveries, one in Tewksbury, MA and the other in South Portland, ME. I am not too stoked about it, but I get to cross one more state off my list when I get into Maine. I get to Manchester to the Americold and pick up my load. I end up driving all night and get into Sturbridge, MA and get some sleep in order to make my 2300 delivery in Tewksbury. After some rest I head over to Tewksbury and find out this load was originally supposed to be there on the 4th. It looked like Americold had a hard time getting someone to take the load. It worked out for me, the guy had me unloaded in under an hour and said that I could park on site for my break. I never got my time for my delivery in Maine so I figured I would take my break and then get going as soon as I can in the morning. Well, around 5am I get the message "No Arrival Call Yet Made". Well, that sucks. I was never relayed my delivery time. So I sent in a message stating that and I got back "We notified customer, get there as soon as you can and they will take you." So I get up there around 1000 and have to wait for a door, no big deal. After I get unloaded at 1500, I make my way to the service plaza off the turnpike since there is no truck stop near Portland, ME.

I get a message from my DM asking if I can do a favor and save a load in New York. I accept it and head back to the truck stop in Sturbridge, MA that I stayed at yesterday and spend the night. The next day I head to Waterloo, NY to swap trailers with a driver who is having truck issues. The exit to the Petro is closed because a truck took it too fast and flipped over on the exit ramp. A nice 20 mile detour later I meet up with the driver and swap trailers. That night I ended up at a Pilot on the east side of the state off of I-90 and spend the night. The next day I make my way to Westfield, MA and go straight to the customer. My appointment is not until 2300, but you never know. I get checked in and was told nobody shows up until 1830 for unloading so I will have to wait. No big deal since they have overnight parking. I was told I could drop my trailer and bobtail into town to grab a bite or do some shopping if needed. I send in a message requesting to do so, and was told "As long as its not too far and your not away too long, go for it!" Sweet. I passed a small cafe on the way in that looked promising so I head there. Right as I pull in, the qualcomm puts me on duty, driving. 1.5 miles to get there. Oh well, not a big deal since I am going to stay the night at my consignee anyways. I made a good decision to eat there. Good food and excellent chocolate cake for dessert. I head back to my consignee and hook back up and wait for my delivery time.

The next day I made my way back to the little cafe since they had a huge dirt lot and truck parking. After breakfast I get a load that picks up in Lawrence, MA that goes to Bethlehem, PA. Another small run with too much time. Oh how I hate the North East sometimes. After I make it to my consignee, I get a load that picks up in Morristown, NJ, that is supposed to go to Portland, OR. Woohoo! 2950 mile run with two days left on the week to squeak in a few more miles. Gotta love that. Well, it turns out that is not destined to be, but that is a discussion for next week.


Miles This Week:
Miles Driven: 1756
Miles Paid: 1667
Miles Difference: 89 or 5.1%

Miles Total:
Miles Driven: 13259
Miles Paid: 12798
Miles Difference: 461 or 3.5%