CRETE - A Year in Review

I'll be heading home for a couple days. I pick up north of Charlotte, deliver in Valdosta Saturday morning, then home. I won't be able to get 21 days in between when I come back out and Christmas, but my A/M said as long as I'm out 2 weeks at least, and since it's not the usual home time routine for Christmas day...he said that it will work out fine. That is unless the sun explodes on 12.21.12...then I guess I'll never make it home...Cheers

 

Hey snackbar about Christmas what if your 21 day time out hits on Christmas or around there? Will they still let you take your days off including Christmas although I know guys with vacation have top priortity . I was too new last year and kinda got screwed because I was home for Thanksgiving then I went back out and stayed out until time for Christmas but my then "new to the job of trucking ASSet manager told me I couldnt take off my time earned only Christmas day. So I had to go another month before going home. Looks like things are going to line up again like that this year and im just thinking what im going to do as far as options. Does this sound right to you or anyone?

 

Sounds like you asked permission. Just say when you want to be home on the QC. If they deny it in writing and you have time off coming ie you have been out your prescribed time, I would appeal to your FM or terminal as appropriate. Them requiring an additional month out, unless that is your rotation, is not correct. Last year I requested the week before Christmas, but because of stuff they could not get me home until 12/21 so I was home for Christmas...OH POOOh

 

Christmas is a unique problem for hometime. Crete only promises that they will do what they can to get a driver home on Christmas. Earned time off isn't allowed. If a driver needs more than 1 day, then he/she needs to schedule vacation. But it's got to be early. They only allow a certain number of drivers off on vacation per terminal/region. If you look at it from a customer service side of things you can see why they do it that way. I mean, they can't have every driver off for earned time off around Christmas. That would leave 3 or 4 days where we only had a few drivers(the one's w/o family to see open gifts, or who don't celebrate Christmas) to handle all the deliveries and the rest on home time. So I can see their point. I normally take a vacation between Christmas and New Years...but when my 1st grandchild was due, I planned my vacation around her due date. This year I am saving my 2 weeks for A) my wife going in for gall bladder surgery or B) me leaving and using the pay to offset starting with a new company, or both.

My a/mm said that many FL drivers should be home on or around the 23-24th. If they get you home within a couple days of Christmas, I'm pretty sure they won't require you to leave before Christmas day. I have gotten to the point, as long as I'm home to see the grand kids on the day itself...then whether or not I get to stay for my total time due isn't a big deal

 

Last 2 times when my bunk heater didnt work....I raised up the bed..and hit the fan case with my fist ..with the heater switch on....heater started both times

 

I'm beginning to think it's the temp sensor. Last night, I didn't use it at first. About 0100, I woke up and turned it on....it worked fine, but I had to turn the knob almost all the way to the right to really get it warm.

Modern technology strikes again....and again....and again.....

 

Well, I got some news today that, I hope, and am completely optimistic that it will allow me to get away from OTR, at least the two to three week jazz.

Without going into detail, it simply has to do with the convoluted housing situation my wife and I have been putting up with for the last two years. Things are finally taking shape so that by next October (a long way, I know), I can be home at least every weekend.

To be real honest, this could be a reality much sooner, but I'm not giving up a free trip to Italy coming next September, so I'm saving my vacation time for that before making any job change.

So, yeah...it's been a pretty good week. For a change.

 

I am waiting for my heater to go. I'm not sure what the Cascadia's system sounds like when the heater is running normally, but these Prostars have a hum of varying intensity depending on how much heat is needed. I think it's the pump that circulates the coolant to the heater cores. You can't hear it outside, the only thing you here out there is the whooshing sound of the turbo burner under the floor. But lately, the hum has turned into a growl...sometimes so loud I have to turn up the tv. Then it varies it speed wildly from one second to another...then it'll just stop. Heat is still blowing out of the vents, but a bit later, the hum starts again and the whole cycle starts over. I miss my Thermo King APU more each week!!! Even with it's erratic issues, it was still a far better system.

 

hey cretins im a student driver with crete jus started yesterday had a family emergency with wife that i immediately had to get off the truck today with my trainer will they put a bad report on me for taking care of the fam? thanks

 

Has anyone heard from 'evertruckerr'? Did he become a millionaire?