USX drivers...how's your day??

Hey everyone,

My last post was at the beginning of a run from Rural Hall, NC to San Bernardino, CA, our second coast to coast HVP load in a row. Let me tell you, that really sucks. It pretty much takes twice as long every time you have to stop because one person has to stay with the truck at all times. Its also nice to get out of the truck together and just walk around a little bit, but with HVP forget about it.

Anyway, we got to CA two days early so we dropped our trailer at the Colton yard and grabbed an empty reefer and headed up towards Santa Nella, CA because our next load was supposed to be in that area. About half way there, we got a message saying that our load was cancelled so we parked to wait for morning and a new plan. After a nice nights sleep, I got up to discover a flat steer tire, just the way I like to start the day. Well, I guess that's better than blowing a steer on the highway. It only took about two hours from the time I called the flat tire in and we were ready to roll. Our new load assignment picked up about 15 miles from where we were and is going to the Walmart DC in New Albany, MS. We can't deliver until Sunday morning so we've just been taking our time on this one and are going to spend the night in Olive Branch for some laundry, showers and movie night in the truck.

Next up after our delivery, we are heading back to Olive Branch to grab a loaded trailer there and take it up to York, PA. That delivery is a drop and hook as soon as we get up there Monday morning.

With any luck we'll be able to get something else right away and get some more miles in this week, but if not, oh well. We'll be at about 3300 miles for the week at that point and had a little over 7400 paid last week, so no worries.

Hope everyone has a safe Labor Day Weekend.

 

Hello to all the regulars. How was my day?.....well the whole week was great

As most of you read in my last post that I started my schooling this past Monday.

Thursday was my DOT Physical which started with a BP of 120/80 . And the hearing test that I was worried about (I wear a hearing aid in one ear)......he didn't even do it. I think it was because I notice that several times he spoke in a very low voice with his head down and not looking right at me. He was idle chatting with me at about 5 ft away and I was able to respond to his questions. I guess that was good enough for him. Very old guy...his medical license showed a date of 1975 on my medicial card....but a very nice man. My pee test was all normal for blood sugar and some other stuff that they check right on the spot with some kind of test strip. They then send the sample out for the drug test. No worries there....I don't even drink let alone smoke or take illegal drugs.

Friday was the big day at the DMV to get my permit. I took all the tests back to back....General Knowledge, Air Brakes, Combination, Doubles/Triples, Tanker, and Hazmat. Took me about an hour and half. I got a 100% on my General Knowledge and missed only 1 on each of the rest except Hazmat I missed 2. Not sure what were the questions I missed since she just threw it them in the trash once she graded them. I wish I would have ask her to let me look at them....oh well, I passed & thats good enough for me.

So yes I am very happy to announce that I passed both my physical and now have my Class A Permit.....WOOT

This coming week its more classroom then on Thursday & Friday it will be standing in front of the truck learning our pre-trip. A week from this Monday will be the start of learning to drive the truck.

Well that is it for now.....Hope everyone has a fun and safe Labor Day Weekend.

The Diceman

 

Congrats diceman its smooth sailing from there!

 

The DG account is a good account, $20 per stop/store, $50 per trailer/load, plus miles. You unload the trailer at each store. Most of the product is in roll-tainers that you roll onto a lift gate and then into the store. There is also product called toppers that you hand stack on a U-boat and roll into the store as well. It will keep you in shape for sure!



Congrats Dice!

 

How was my day you ask???? Well, we had a run to Union City, CA and the day before we got to Colton to drop said load, we got a PP for a load picking up in Colton and heading to PA The only negative for this team is that the load didn't pick up until 7am this morning. We arrived at Colton yard around 21:00 We stay at the yard till early morning than head on over to C&K to pick up our load. Wife goes to check in and is told to call her FM due to schedule conflict...wth? Dealing with the weekend FM was a nightmare, too dang slow at responses from DT messages. After about 5 hrs the new shift comes on,,yes, we are still at C&K waiting for someone to tell us what the heck the deal is. Anyway, the guard comes over and gets an update from us, doesn't know a thing so, takes down our info and goes back to shack. He calls me shortly after and says; "I don't know why she told your wife it was a schedule conflict, it was actually that your freight was not here yet". Wow, that was helpful, just don't understand why the guard lady had to lie and why our company cant communicate. If fact, we found out from breakdown that we didnt even have a load on us. We were trying to get authorization for the load bars we had to buy.

About 2 hrs later, we get another PP for pick up at same location and heading to GA.....Ok, kool. Go to guard shack to check in for new load and get a door assignment right away,,,,awesome! Get in and out in 2 hrs!

There ya go,,,thats how our day went... I can tell you, this stupid crap is getting on our nerves.. I really do understand why so many leave this company. If it werent for the miles, we would already be gone but then, we have filled out an app for someone else as well.... God Bless

 

Well let's see...when I last posted we were headed to Goddard, KS. Stopped in at Irving to pick up a new cab card and do some laundry. Then was asked to do a rewpower so headed down to Brandon, swapped trailers and delivered in Temple. Then picked up in Waco and dropped that in irving. Took a load from Irving to Kearney, NE. Delivered that and then deadheaded all the way to Des Moines to pick up a Fedex load to West Sacramento. Delivered that one yesterday afternoon and have been sitting at the 49er. Still no load to get us out of here.

My trainee got to do some mountain driving over Donner's. I, of course, got no sleep...LOL. But now I'm rested and ready to GO. I hate holidays...

 

Lol I was sitting at that 49er just last week. Was there for 3 days. Eventually got us a load out of Modesto. Im glad I got on DG acct now I hated going to CA and getting stuck there every time.

 

Is your trainees name Troy?

After sitting in a Flying J parking lot for 50 hours in Cedar Falls Iowa over Memorial Day Weekend 2011 babysitting a HVP load, we will not work holiday weekends ever again

 

Normally I'm out of here in 4 hours. I should have just stayed in Sparks for the weekend. This load didn't have to be delivered until the 4th.

 

His name is Robert.

I'm used to sitting on a holiday. I don't see a difference between sitting with a load or no load. I certainly wouldn't turn down a load just to sit some more. I've never actually been asked if I want to work or not. My situation is a little different than yours though. I don't have my wife with me to go off and do something for the holiday so I'd rather just work.