Company Driver with American Central Transport

I park at the shop (not in Liberty)...but I don't go home that often. I was out six weeks this past time and took all week off. I'm back now.

 

Yesterday afternoon, I picked up a load at the yard going to Allen Park, MI (near Detroit). I drove 680 miles and had to stop in Napoleon, OH early this morning. I will be heading out shortly for an 8PM appointment tonight. I didn't like the route the software gave me...or the fuel stop. It sent me across 70E - 465E - 69N - 469E - 24E - 475N - 75N. I sent a message that I want to take 35N - US36E - 72E - 55N - 80E - 94E which was 40-50 miles shorter. It also wanted me to get fuel in Effingham, IL but I couldn't make Effingham, IL so I got a Kingdom Hall, MO fuel stop. Why would it tell me to get fuel where it is 20-30 cents per gallon more? Why would it send me on a route that is 40-50 miles longer? No idea!

 

Yeah...that was the only thing I could imagine would sway it to choose fuel in IL over MO. I don't know the details of how the fuel tax and surcharge works. I just drive and collect my check. LOL PC Miler (the actual computer program, not the GPS) shows the practical route as 35N - 80E - 94E (775 miles). The shortest route is MO210E - MO10E - US24E - US36E - 72E - 55N - 80E - 94E (733 miles) but I don't know how long it would take due to any lights and reduced speed zones. The way I would have gone was similar except I would take 35N - US36E - 72E etc. then the rest was the same (745 miles). The way it routed me was about 780 miles total.

 

Yeah, it's nice because if I am in KC, I can do whatever I feel like. Plus, I would have to pay to store/park the tractor (plus the trailer) and my vehicle somewhere since there is no yard in Chicagoland. Typically, I would just park the truck and my vehicle at a company yard when I worked for other companies. They had a yard close enough. If I needed to go home every weekend or every other weekend, it would be more of a concern for me. It's also an incentive for me to stay out longer and make more money. LOL

I might even be able to deduct the gas/mileage as a business expense/tax deduction but I'm not sure about that one.

 

I delivered in Allen Park but there are no loads left today because it was 8PM when I was empty (which is fine). Last week's check (yesterday) was actually 1246 miles (not 1790). They put the empty miles from Nashville to KC onto this load. I have 1275 miles from this one load plus a day of layover on this check. It was 544 empty miles and 731 loaded miles. Good start since I just came back out! Hopefully, they can squeeze another decent load on this check before Tuesday comes. It will be back to normal, whole week checks after Monday...for the next 5 (or 6) weeks. I did make $1172 on the side (not working) so it was a pretty good week off! LOL

 

I deadheaded back to Napoleon, OH for fuel. I have to pick up in Defiance, OH but it won't be ready until tomorrow afternoon. The load has an extra stop going to Evansville, IN with the final in Nashville, TN (both for Tuesday morning). It's 101 empty miles and 481 loaded. It's the opposite of usual. Usually, it's hurry up and wait...but this one is wait and then hurry up.

 

my earlier post disappeared before...but now I see it