How was your month?

Wow ruff start!!!
My first month went just fine, no ditches, breakdowns, or other problems. Just the same old same old
hope February goes better for you.

 

I was first dispatched to Port Arthur TX from IN. no problems. Then I had to pick up a rig and take it to San antone. No problems. I then had to pick up a rig and take it to Idaho. It was so low on fuel that while waiting to fuel it, I ran out. Not a big problem but a little upsetting. The I80 was VERY bad. Trucks wrecked and many in the ditch. I was glad I was carring a bunch of heavy Transmissions. Low in the trailer and that really helped during thru the winds. Then it was off to Denver. some short runs Then I had to go to Dodge City KS. Nice easy trip to St Louis. from there to TN and up to IN. down to NC and back to IN. Cant' say it has been a bad month. Just not as busy as I would of liked.

 

Surely I understand money is tight in trucking right now, but I wonder why trucking companies seem to love sending their drivers away in a truck that's sure to broke down soon after anyway? When (not if) it does, if it happens on the road and needs to be fixed there, wouldn't it be more expensive than having it done in their own shop back at base? Not to mention possible towing cost, etc. And late delivery....

It seems to me it would make more sense to get any repairs done at their base whenever possible and make sure they're in good enough shape not to get stranded on the road?

 

Well you ain't an old hand but you ain't a newbie anymore either.
Since christmas my anal sphincter has been sucked down tight against the seat trying not to die or kill some inbred moron. Thankfully I got some unanticipated hometime due to an injector bowl cracking and letting fuel into cooling system. So until the Volvo house fixes it, its beer:30 and just in time for the Superbowl.

 

dec was good almost 15kpaid miles
this month january its slow and im lazy dont feel like driving still decent had 5 dys off
no where near 15k hoping to at least hav 11k will c how it worked out later no break downs blew a tire thats about it
all in all a quiet january aside from the cold weather.

 

That doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun.
My months always go well. The "worst" thing that happened to me was on Friday - got to a construction site with no-one there. Out in the middle of the desert, in the middle of nowhere, literally there was nothing else there - building a water pumping station.
I call the contractor - "Oh, there's a transport truck around there somewhere, he'll be there soon". Bald-faced lie, I know when contractors are pulling stories out of there *****.
Sat there for 5 and a half hours. BUT, it wasn't the semi, it was an International 7600 - a straight truck with tandems - and also a bench seat. I just left the thing running with the ac on, laid down on the bench and fell asleep for 2 hours, lol.
I always tell drivers that haven't been around too long that - eventually - it will get better. If you stick it out, if you can AFFORD to stick it outfinanicially, well, it just will.

 

didntitellu you were driving an out of service truck. I would suggest at the next truck stop you get a copy of the FMCSR pocketbook and when you call the company you tell them the reference of the problem you're having. No company is worth losing your health or worse over.

 

My spouse had an alternator replaced last month. They didn't see the need to replace the belt. Last week it was finally time for that to be replaced. He was on a busy stretch, just after leaving the yard. Let's see what ya'll say about how they went about getting him in to fix it.

Two miles down the road, it breaks. Breakdown tells him to bring it back, just don't let it overheat! HA! It took him seven miles ahead to get to go back the other way. He had to stop three times, RISK his %^&* life, setting out cones each time! WAITING each time for it to cool. Please tell me there are companies with other scenerios better than this to correct the problem.

Seriously, I think if you put your driver/s at risk like this then you are not worth working for. It looks like about two more months for him. He's averaged three days home a month! I don't expect anything to be much better in that area though.

 

January was a slow month for me. There was an abundance of cheap freight out there but I refuse as a matter of principle to haul it. I spent a week waiting for a load out of Houston, TX. I was not very happy about sitting still, but I would rather lose money sitting still than working an 11 hr day for free.