Calex Express....My New Home!

Well, I wanted to say a quick hello and goodbye to my friends at Calex - I've decided to move on and open another chapter in the never ending saga of Garylobo and family.

It was a very tough decision for me, as I enjoyed many aspects of Calex - and I know how hard it is to find a good company that goes into and out of FL on a regular basis. The truth is, I liked everyone there, and everyone there seemed to like me - with one exception. My dispatcher.

Apparently saying "yes sir" and "no sir" and doing my job well wasn't enough for this gentleman to keep me running hard. Not sure why. I believe he has his favorites - and if you're one of them, you were in. If not, you weren't. Maybe I wasn't gung-ho enough for him. I think he prefers truckers who care about trucking more than their families (read: home time). Just my opinion. Not sure, because in the 1 3/4 year I was there, I never had a real conversation with him. It wasn't for a lack of trying, either. He's just that way.

I thought I was alone in this feeling, until I heard it confirmed by other drivers there. Louie has his favorites, I was told by 2 drivers there, one with 14 years and another with 10 at Calex. This I was told early on. I've heard it from other drivers as well very recently. It's just not me.

I also believe the company over-hired in the SE region in the past few months, and it got to a point where even getting a load home to FL became a battle. Then the return trip up north was usually not one, but 2 broker loads to get back to PA. Ugh.

That's just MY take folks. I speak for no one else. But I will say this - Joe, our safety director, sat me down as I was leaving and had orders from Mr. Grimes, the boss, to do what he could to keep me on. I told him thanks so much, I really appreciate it - but I do have another opportunity where the $ will be better and I'll be home weekly. Joe said he understood and the door was always open to come back. Thanks Joe, Mr. Grimes and especially to Mort - who hired me. You're a good man and we'll keep in touch. Also to Eddie, a real gentleman who works in customer service upstairs.

No more west coast runs for me. I have a wife who doesn't drive, and 4 kids, so while I enjoyed those western runs for awhile, it was getting old, being gone about 3 weeks each time. And having to wait 3-4 to get reloaded out there, sitting at the beautiful TA in Ontario, CA. Where you paid $20 a day to park.

So I say so long for now to my good friends at Calex, and above all my mentor, John Boy - whose giving nature and good will was the reason I started here in October of 2009. If you go back to the beginning of this blog - you'll see I was the first driver to follow Johnny into Calex - about 3 months after he started. I'll always consider you a good friend John and if you need me for anything, just give me a shout pal. Best of trips on your current run west - and I hope your new truck will be PROBLEM FREE when you get back to Pittston.

God bless you all and safest of travels over these busy American highways!

Gary

 

In my way of thinking it is a good sign to see that a company will give you all the time you need to switch trucks..it is needed as you say, having to clean the truck you are going to move into and then getting ones stuff moved in as you like it and then cleaning your own truck. That is one thing we are very strick on, the truck(s) have to be clean. I don't know how drivers can live in a dirty truck. I have seen trucks with trash in the passenger side so high that it is up to the window and you cannot even see the seat !!..

There have been times that we, as Team Drivers, have had to change trucks and when we told dispatch that it will take us at least 3 hours....they could not believe it and asked 'why would it take that long..??' and 'It should not take you that long, you are just moving some stuff'...needless to say they had no idea and of course an hour later we would get a phone call or QC message..'are you ready to run..?' One time we took a run and while he was driving I was in the back putting stuff away..not much fun!!. Once we moved from a FL Classic to a FL Columbia (not our choice), I put everything in its place in the Columbia and I still had the bunk covered in stuff and no idea where I was going where to put it..~lol~....I hate moving trucks, I would rather move house than move trucks..~lol~...esp. when you move into a truck with less storage..

A question just popped in to my mind...what is the hometime policy like..? I see you get home a lot and spend more than 34hr restart time. Is this the norm..? Thanks

 

Im glad I had the chance to meet you gary!!! You are a great person,best wishes on your new job. And Johnboy was that you sleeping at the rest area before barkeyville saturday morning?

 

Gary,Rhonda and I were so sorry to hear that you where leaving Calex. We looked forward to the times we got to chat with you in the terminal when we crossed paths.But I am sure that you are making the right choice for you and your family. We all have to remember that even though trucking is a way of life, it is also just a job. Our loved ones should always come first. It was good to hear that Mr. Grimes made it clear that you would be welcomed back . Perhaps one day our paths will cross again,untill then have a good life,and as always be safe. John and Rhonda

 

Would like to speak with you through p.m. but I am unable to since new here on this board. First, please allow me to say thank you for the wealth of info you have provided here, as it assisted greatly in my decision to come here roughly a month ago.The initial impression of Calex has been outstanding, especially considering a couple of other companies I've driven for in the past and, most of my time in this industry has been spent being somewhat spoiled pulling tankers. I have NEVER been treated this well pulling general freight (hopefully I can continue to say this in the future here). THANK YOU!!! I do hope to meet you one day soon so I can thank you personally. Now unfortunately to my second point...

I apologize that when you moved into my truck ( if it was xx270) that it was not spotless, and would ask that you refrain from classifying me as a "filthy pig" based upon my truck not being white-glove inspection ready. When I moved into my loaner truck due to a busted u-joint/yolk on the driveshaft I quickly transferred most of my son and I's gear in a very hurried rush since I was already behind schedule for my pick up, and honestly had no thoughts of it being loaned out as well since we were expecting to be back in it today upon our return to the yard. Small world it being loaned to you!

Again, I apologize for what you dealt with but ask that you understand what we went through that day as well.

Thank you,
Carlo

 

You know u could've had a forum admin forward ur pm I know ur new here but that's suffin that should've been done in email or pm I know ur voicing your opion but it should've been done in more professional manor just my 02 cents

 

Hello to all. I'm the Calex FNG and am sorry to say that I didn't get to meet some of the former drivers from here, though I think Gary was somewhere around the yard one time I was in town. A little about me...

I started driving in '99 after two tours in the Marine Corps that included playing in Gulf War 1, Somalia, and Bosnia/Croatia (yeah, I regret not staying in because I would have recently retired). However, I only drove a few months before going back in for a third enlistment trying to finish things up when I was injured and medically discharged. That was in 2001, and since then have pulled dry van, reefer, heavy haul, and tankers (chemical and food-grade). I've done the O/O thing and have no shame saying that in the end it wasn't all I thought it would be, though there were times I made some dang good money.

Everything that John has said is true; the freight is here and the staff are exceptional. I am a coast driver and in my first month here I have ran 12,600 odometer miles and have nothing but good to mirror what others say. I am actually treated as an adult here and they know me by my name! I am given my load assignment and entrusted to pick up, transport, and deliver on-time w/o micromanagement; what a concept! Another big plus for me is the rider policy, which has allowed me to bring my now 12-year old son with me just prior to school starting back. It has been an absolute blast being able to spend every day with him these last two weeks, with a few more days to go. BTW, how in the world can a frigging Nerf football cost more than a real one?!?!?! LOL

I'm going to let John give all the specific details but I will chime in here and there with updates. It's funny, I did the whole detailed blog thing like this years ago when I ran tankers on a couple of other message boards, and swore I would never, ever pull a box again! That is until a very close friend told me about this threa and I read each and every one of the then 163 pages. Thank you again to my bro Scott for telling me about this blog, and to John for sharing this valuable info! I never thought I could be treated this good and NOT yank a tank around!!!

Y'all be safe, more later......