Central Refrigerated Truck Stop II

Didn't think about that but you're right! Just to set the record straight I run a dry box on coors dedicated. Lol. No washouts for me.

 

I don't know about y'all but I've got 12 days in a row of just running... Heard its about to get busy too! Finally. Here's a breakdown of my time for any new people looking. July-Sept: Upgraded to a reclaimed truck (brand new Pete 386), learning the ropes, my DM is new but use to drive. First day home I let some random stranger guide me into the front of another truck, oops!! Preventables suck. DM moves to Safety, i get a Dispatcher that keeps me running 3,000+ Miles vary 1,100-3,600. I finally start catching up on my bills from May. Sept-Nov: got on regional in the Midwest. Shorter runs for better pay! Learn to maneuver in Chicago and what times to try and avoid it altogether. Miles vary a lot but the paychecks are great 400-900/week. September 4th during home time find out my girl has breast cancer. Kind of zone out for a couple of months. Eat/sleep/work/call home. In November they finally ask for my truck back. No company trucks though so i have to lease or wait (too bad i cant sit still) Nov-Present: Lease/Op. Pro's: Keep my new truck at a used price since I ran it for 4 months. Set up my own fuel stops based on network pricing, ignore fuel routing when it's not making sense. Turn down loads that make no sense (although they really seem to fix this as long as you catch it when it comes across instead of the day it's due, no matter who you are). I am "in charge", and success or fail, it's on me now. Cons: Startup is expensive. Have to learn another dispatcher's way of running things. It's winter. Startup is expensive. I deadhead 200+ miles for an oil change and then deadhead right back to the area i started in. (guess who paid for that fuel!) The very next day im frustrated and trying to make a run back home because there is time on the load and its dropping near my house. Crazy line of trucks gets me more frustrated. My preload is over 8 hours late but i wasnt there on time so no detention pay. I try a sharp right turn out of the parking lot. 1 inch scratch in the chrome of a peterbilt grill is a $3,000 hood. Also about $150/wk deductible. Now I'm on probation. Another preventable will cost me my job. I work through the holidays but make decent money for my first month and a half. Go home New Year and things slow down afterward. It's winter! I run six weeks straight but don't really get near my goal the whole month (maybe twice I'm close to a good check but it averages out to less than 600/wk. not worth being away from family to me. Very hard to stay on the road at this point. Surgery coming up. Feb 18th-28th home being a nurse (a lot more work than trucking, lol. No more ten hour breaks, they're 4 hours if she sleeps the whole time. I manage to cover all my bills, break even and have about a hundred a week to live on, if I can get out of the hole in four weeks time. I start missing the road about day five. Feb 28-now: Ar-Mo-TX-AR-LA-CA-WI about 7,000 actual miles probably 6,500 paid. Hopefully I'm out of the negative by next week and I've managed to leave my maintenance account intact. At 1:00 a.m., I'm jumping up to run the three hours to my 99, grabbing an empty and running towards OH. That's it in a nutshell.
People that track this thread probably have seen most of this but I wrote it for the noobs and to remind me what I've gone through and why I feel older somehow. There have been great days, mediocre days, and about as bad as I can imagine days! I've been across the country I don't know how many times. My truck is still bouncing along and my tires may squeeze out another 80,000 miles. There are groceries on my shelf and movies right beside them. This is one of the hardest and most rewarding things I've ever done. I still think ive got what it takes to stay out here burning up the long road. I run legal, I quit smoking, and I try to keep positive (although sometimes I'm just a grouchy individual) I learned more about me in these 8 months than i expected to. I've had receivers yell at me, give me dirty looks for no reason, turn their back on me while I'm talking, and just be straight up hateful. I've also had compliments on having everything together, being early, and having manners (even get candy out here sometimes!) It's been over 100 inside my truck when i was asleep and I ran all over the mountains when the snow was dropping in buckets! I will always drive because I love what I do. If family takes me away from OTR, so be it, but I will never forget these roads I'm getting so familiar with. Central has been a fair company and although people tend to paint a rosier picture to get you to sign the dotted line, there are plenty of people on here who can tell you straight up, it's not always easy out here. And I'll leave it at that before I say something cheesy about highway in your veins! Lol. Stay safe and keep reading. There's more than a few of us who are going to be out here a while longer! And thanks to all the drivers! Especially those who help me out on a regular basis even if it's just a laugh I needed.

 

just one question how did you go through all that and manage to quit smoking i want the secret

 

how do you solos make money on the coors fleet, been on it for almost 3 weeks and im not making it loads are too heavy and my fuel cost is outrageous. going back to regular loads, at least there i can make some good money. sorry for the rant but having such a negative balance is a bit discouraging to say they least. i know coors isnt for everybody lol.

 

Ok, I ran this morning like I was suppose to. They have one of our empties at the 99. I get to drop my loaded trailer and then... Anonymous Central driver is already hooking up to my empty?! Ok, he agrees to go next door with me because I have a 0600 appt. they have no empties there either so luckily he was honest enough to give the trailer back. (they gave me the trailer in the receiving office, he was standing right there). I come to my 01 and, drum roll, my appointment is 1900! What?!?! Ok, send my messages, they look into it and I get a door at 0900. Drive around this place looking for the door. Finally find it. My trailer is flashing orange... Great. EC 17, engine will not crank. Ok. OTR says go to ThermoKing. Dispatch says stand by. My HOS SAYS 6hrs03min. Turning out to be a fun filled day! Lol. Hope y'all are having better luck out there.

 

I'll be sitting at crsco if anyone will be there tonight.

 

We will wave at you!! Picking up our 01 in Aurora and heading west... Wish we had time to stop and say HI!

 

Conley, not Colorado.

 

Oops ... You're right ... Well a long distance wave then

 

Lol one of these times we'll be in the same place at the same time.