Where is everyone?

Feeling a lot better after my "day sleep." Still tired, rolling out tomorrow for Tampa, FL.

 

Ft Benning, having to sleep in my truck. I'll be back in FL on Friday though. I'm getting lazy running local.

 

Iam sitting here in Reedville VA at Omega Protein to pickup fishmeal. Sourdiesel

 

LeRoy, Illinois on our way to Alabama. 13' wide, 15'2" tall and 100' from the headlight to the taillights.

 

I can hear the cash register ringing from here!

 

Here I sit in Windy city - former home of the Communist in chief (and hopefully he'll be out of the WH and back here on Jan 20, 2013). It's not so windy and it's really humid.


Friendly tip to y'all open deck brothers...

There's some industrial trade show in Chicago next week. A lot of trucks were here today from all over the country, bringing in all sorts of CNC machines and stuff. My appointment was 14:00 and I just got empty about 30 minutes ago, and it was the same for just about everyone. The show is supposed to be over on the 15th. If anyone comes across load(s) coming out of McCormick Place in Chicago early next week, run away screaming.

 

That is the way the Mc Cormick place always is. I have a better tip. Take the load but make sure you agree to 1-2 hours free, then $100 per hour. You may also need $25-50 for parking and $15-25 for scaling. Anyone from the area is charging this much because the know what is involved with loading/unloading there.

 

I was offered several loads going there this week and I turned them all down. McCormick Place has a union, and they are the slowest, laziest workers you will ever see. You're lucky u got out the same day you arrived, I took a load in there once and say for 2 days. Best part was I was a local driver so when the night shift came in, i unhooked and he hooked to it and I went home. Next morning I went back up there and we swapped again, then the same thing the next day. It was nice because we were paid hourly

 

Unfortunately, I'm at the mercy of our agent. "First 2hrs is free" is the standard procedure at Mercer. Some agents get me detention, some don't even bother for fear of losing the shipper. Never had to claim detention with this agent before, so I don't know how it's gonna go. Parking was $21, which I probably could have negotiated had I known. But we don't have as much negotiation power with the agents compared to Landstar BCOs. And I'm getting tired of it. I'm considering going independent when freight picks up.

They sure fooled me this time. Shame on me. I won't be fooled next time.

I suppose it would have been alright if I was getting paid by hour. I hate sitting though, especially in this humid weather.
The guy who unloaded me was reasonably quick. We talked a little bit and he was actually alright. The guy at check-in office was not so pleasant.