The Heyl Truck Lines Experience

Sorry to hear you guys are having some problems. Congrats on local job Barracuda, I can totally understand. I've been running hard since the 1st. From MI went to FL. I met Leroy77 there, I thought it was you Barracuda, 'cuz he's got your truck. Also in the same place I noticed that I got a flat on the trailer somewhere on the way to the receiver. I ended up going 36 miles to the yard with flat tire, good thing my load wasnt heavy and I had to take smaller roads.

From FL I ended up going to IL, from IL to TX. From TX I got a load heading to North Platte, NE. Seems I get same run every time I go there. On my way out of Houston I saw disco lights in my mirrors. I got pulled over because one of the mudflaps on the trailer fell off somewhere. It was there in the morning. Cop wasn't a dbag and just gave me a warning. I bought a new mudflap and threw it on myself.

Got my app time tomorrow morning here in NE and after that just a little over a week left before I get to go home. I normally don't stay out this long, but my girlfriend had a trip for a whole month of May so I had no reason to go home.

 

Hey xitman,glad to hear you have been busy.I have been pretty busy as well,I am unloading in Oklahoma city as I type this. I don't have a preplan yet.So we will see how this week goes.

 

It's been awhile. Things were better for the rest of the month. Still got in 11,000 miles even with the bad first two weeks to the month. Went to Canada twice this month. After delivering in California, picked up in San Jose going to Calgary. I love some of the Canada scenery. Going across BC 3 is very picturesque, and one of those roads that if there is somewhere to pull off, it is worth it to stop and take pictures. I got to Calgary 2 days early from the delivery, but thank goodness they let me drop it in the yard. Went and picked up at the same place I did 2 weeks before and took that to Omaha. Of course in the middle of nowhere Saskatewan, the reefer shut down, when it was supposed to be at -10. Tried to charge it up, but the starter was dead. Had to go 30 miles out of the way to replace the starter before the temp got to high. I got a load out of Schuyler, Ne going to Portland. That is when the fun of e logs started. By the time the load was ready I had just enough time left on my 14 that I pulled into Gothenburg, Ne with 0 mins left on the clock. Then I knew I wanted to get to family in Ogden, Ut. 688 miles from there, wasn't sure if I could make that in 11 hours. Surprising I made it with 15 minutes to spare, averaging 64.5 mph. I did my 34 and made to Portland. Now I am on a great run. Don't know why, didnt question, but they dead headed me 700 miles south of San Jose to pick up a load going to NJ 3000 miles, have to be there in 5 days. So far I am liking the e logs, the days when I pick up and deliver I lose out on miles and time in the day, but it makes up, sorta, with not having to log every on duty time as 15 minutes.

 

It sounds like you guys are staying real busy. I had to get out and make sure it still said Heyl on the side of my truck. This has been a terrible month for me. I had the breakdown a couple weeks ago that cost me 3 days, then sat around over the memorial day holiday. It's just been sitting and sitting. Getting reloaded 24hrs+ after each delivery is getting excruciating. I think I might have 7000 miles this month, with about 3 days at home. I was supposed to be home yesterday, but at this point I might be home by Sunday, 5 days later than originally requested. I really do hope this last month was just a string of bad luck. None of these things have happened since I've been with Heyl, but they all seemed to happen this month.

 

Hang in there Shkinferd. I have had those times also, where a lot of sitting, and you are wondering who did I piss off. But it was just random luck you get places and no fright, but the guy coming behind you a few days later, gets a load right away.
I only made it to Laramie, Wy with the load going to NJ. I did some figuring and I would have run out of hours on my 7th day in the middle of PA. Talked to my DM friday morning, and she was like, huh, see what I can do. Made it to SLC, felt guilty that I was on a tight schedule, but spent 4 hours having breakfeast with the family when they called and told me to get to Laramie ASAP. Ok, I get there and the truck was not there, didn't show up for 4 hours later. I could have stayed in SLC for longer. But, they ended up giving the load to a team who will acutally make it by sunday, when the broker wanted me to get it there, right, a solo in 3 days across country. I went from a great load, that I was going to get 4000 miles for the week, to a crap load. The team was on their way to go home in Spokane, instead now I have 3 days to do 900 miles and another stop in Seattle on Wednesday, so I wont get those miles until next week, oy. Oh well.

 

Well I guess the honeymoon is over. I left Florida Friday going to fond du lac,Wisconsin for Monday delivery at 3:00pm. Not to bad 1300 miles but I was there Sunday around noon. I got unloaded around 3:00pm Monday and my next load doesn't pick up until Tuesday at 3:30 pm going to iowa.(535 paid miles). Just to much time on some of these loads and I hate sitting around.

 

Hey everyone,

I am coming back to Heyl after about 6 months away. I had to come off the road family reasons and because I found a local position. Well, as things seem to happen these days, that local position is going away and I plan on coming back to Heyl sometime next week. I was one of the original 10 guinea pigs for e-logs so I can probably answer any questions you may have. The biggest things for me was I ran up against my 14 a lot and split sleeper berth was my new best friend. I will try to post weekly updates of my journeys.

God Bless

 

Time to write again. Sitting in Sioux Falls with my truck in the Cummins shop. I had to add 8 gallons of antifreeze in the last week, yeah, something is burning it up while driving. This week was better, not need writing about last week, would have just added to not getting miles frustration. After getting empty in Seattle, I had to wait around to the next day to pick up my load going to San Antonio. Against my better judgement, instead of finding a walmart in the area I went to what was a J, now a Loves in Tacoma. That is one of the worst truck stops in the country. But in the middle of the day I got a spot, and nothing happened. I Love that drive in West Texas through the desert, especially on US 285, just a lot of oil fields and sand. After San Antonio went down to Edinburg to pick up an loaded trailer headed up to University Park, Il. The good thing about not being told which way to go, is that I chose to add another 20 miles on to my trip by going up 30 to 40 to 55 to 57. Instead of going up US 75 to 69 to 44 to 70 to 57. I think I make up that 20 minutes it takes to go through all the towns in Oklahoma and all the tolls on 44. I would have also just made it to Joplin, eeh, didn't want to even see what it looked like a few weeks later. My next load had me picking up later in the day in Joliet, Il. The load was going to Texas, but they had me take the load to Rochelle to switch with a driver to get me up this way. But the same logic of adding a few miles the last trip to save on time, I through out the window, and to my better judgment I followed my GPS. I should have just went 80 to I 39, instead I saw going up a state highway was a less miles, and thought it would be out of the populated areas of Chicago suburbs. ops, I was wrong. After going through about 50 lights I realized staying on the interstate anywhere around the Chicago area is the best thing. Switched with a driver on a friday night that wasn't going to deliver in Omaha until monday morning, thought it was crap at first then realized it was a place we have dropped trailers in. Weekend dispatch sent me a message early in the morning saying later in the afternnon you could drop it, grab an empty and head to Akron. As soon as I sent in my empty call, I had my route set up to go around the flooding on 29 and make it to Akron. Then, instead got a dispatch having me pick up in Worthington, Mn for a load going to Calgary and to take it to the Sioux Falls yard. Thanks for the heads up, when I am leaving the shipper off a busy street in Omaha, and I have to change my route and plans on the side of the road. But that was sad. Out of Omaha I took US 75 to US 30 because of the roads closed on 29 between Counsil Bluffs and I 680. On 75 you could see some flooding, But on US 30, sad, and could effect more food prices with all the water that was covering valuable Iowa and Nebraska crop fields. After that better week I was sitting at 68 hours for the week. Anyways, thats how I have been doing, everyone be safe out there.
Drumquig47 welcome back and look forward to your posts.

 

Thanks edavies78. Going over Wednesday to fill out paperwork and should be back on the road by the weekend. Everyone be safe and I will see you soon.

 

I really thought things were turning around for my this trip. I left FL with a 3000 Mi trip to Portland, OR. Given the time, I had to average 630 miles a day, then that was increased by a 80 mile detour around the flooding. I really like the loads with a tight time frame. Once the delivery was done, I...sat for 24 hrs! Big shocker there. I got loaded headed to Chariton, IA on another tight time frame. Delivered that one Sat morning, a day on which I've learned to not even bother asking if there is a load for me. Sunday, I deadheaded 200 miles up to Storm Lake for a load with a ready time of 6pm Monday. 200 miles in 2.5 days. Now after all the sitting around, whenever they get the load ready, I have another tight time frame, I have to drive at night and I'll get to sleep during the day in the Texas heat. They don't seem to be planning the loads in advance at all. Once they get your empty message, it's like a surprise to them, and they start looking for a load. I hope they get their act together soon.