Where Are You....continues........

Well it's happened, we're now on EOBRs, of the Peoplenet variety. They switched mine on when I parked at the yard for the weekend. So when I leave early Monday morning, I'll be on ELOG. However for the next 30 days we're suppose to also use our loose-leaf.

Last night was the pits. Had to camp at McPherson. My truck has an airtronics bunk heater. I guess I don't know how it works. I set the temp at about 73, after warming the truck up with the conventional heater. Then went to sleep, woke up about 2 hrs later freezing, temp 40. Started truck, warmed up, tried setting the bunk heater again. Went back to sleep, woke up about 2 hrs again freezing. I don't know what's going on with this bunk heater, but it doesn't seem to be working well. So finished the night, about another 1hr of rest, not really sleep, with the truck idling.

Delivered load to KCMO, then was sent to J.E.C., St. Mary's, to load flyash. I'm to deliver it to Great Bend airport on Monday morning. Well by the time I got to J.E.C., it was snowing big flakes. Luckily the temp stayed above 32, so no bad roads. Now hopefully no moisture gets to the powder while sitting in my trailer over the weekend.

 

OMG.... I gotta rush to bed and get almost 6 hrs sleep.... Truck got ready this afternoon, dsp gave me a load to p/up in KS.... and take it to NM.... But delivery is on MOnday.... So, I am loaded, taking my 10 at shipper's parking lot. Not being able to edit this elog really sucks.... now will have to rush like crazy.... and still take this other freaking useless 30 min break, and park as close as possible to receiver and try to take my reset.... before delivery on Monday.... DARN! Like a friend of mine says, "life is a trucker..." After delivery, will deadhead to AZ and then head to California..... Good nite you all....

 

This is definitely a situation where the driver needs to take control of the situation. Basically you tell your company that you don't have enough time to deliver the load on their schedule. Politely inform them that you need time on the front and back end to get to a rest location that has at minimum a bathroom and shower and preferably restaurant facilities. Your DM and upper management may not realize there's a problem, because the drivers take it upon themselves to 'fix' the problem by doing what you did - rushing like crazy and taking 10 hour breaks at locations that have NO facilities, all while the office and management staff sleep soundly in their beds and walk to their private bathroom and kitchen in their warm houses. Let the office staff work out the schedules with the shipper and receiver. Your job is to get it there safely and legally. You're not paid enough to have to sacrifice basic needs to get the job done.

Houston-ish Texas for the weekend.

 

Delivered in St Louis now headed to Kansas City to drop my empty then they said to off until Monday!!

 

Grand Ledge MI, at the Flyin' PEE-j. About an hour from my load, and I gotta sit.

 

I went out and about. Took trash to the drop off point in Shepherd. Got a tire for the Jeep Cherokee. Took an empty drum to my cousin and got checks for the drums I delivered a week or two ago. Went to Livingston and had lunch at Sonic, then got dog food at Tractor Supply.

Came home and found that the tire I had gotten put on the wheel was near flat. Found a crack in a non repairable place. Went back to the tire store. He didn't have anything else in the size I needed (225/75-16) but he had a darn decent 235/70 that was close enough.

I found 25 PSI in it when I got home. I HOPE it's only the difference in two gauges....

 

I was complaining about the freaking new HOS, the annoying 30 min break, the darn stupid reset... and not being able to edit my elog.... But not about my dsp or upper management. Actually, my dsp gave me enough time to do everything that I need to do and there was no set appt. for my pick up and delivery. I heard that most drivers in this co. don't rush much... they like to take it easy.... But I rush because I like... Because I am a hustler And I do it in a safe way.... I also like to take my 10 at a customer's place whenever possible cause it saves me time and it's quieter than truck stops. Besides, I have all that I need in my truck.... I don't eat at restaurants, I cook in the truck. The truck IS my home. The customer was open 24 hrs and had restrooms available.... So, I slept over 6 hrs... drove a little over 9... and now I am taking my 34 (really 34 hrs) reset at a truck stop in NM about 40 mins from receiver. Everything worked out well even got a trailer tire replaced....

 

This co. has one of the best CSA scores in the country... they really take very good care of their equipment.... however this was the second time I pick up a trailer with bad tires.... I guess their drivers are not doing a very good job taking care of the equipment. Whoever dropped this one at the terminal should have told co. about it.... and it would have been cheaper for co. to have it fixed there rather than on the road.... But I got it done today...

 

Hey Eaton.... let us know how it goes with your Peoplenet elog.... Ours here is very slow.... the screen freezes immediately as truck starts moving and it will put me on driving if I go 0.8 miles at any speed and it will include all the time prior to driving up to last change of status. So I have to be very careful and not forget to put myself on driving before I start moving truck. It also takes a good 5 secs or so for screen to unfreeze after I completely stop. And each screen takes a few seconds to open after I tap on an icon. So, changing status from driving to off duty always takes 1 min or so... I almost always lose one min just doing that... Also, it will show me a msg saying when I have 59 mins available to drive before the mandatory 30 min break but after that, no more warnings... if I don't pay attention to my time, I will end up in violation. It does the same when I have 59 mins available to drive. It gives me one warning and that's it.

Well, good luck with your elog... Hopefuly is not so annoying like ours here...

 

I guess I never realized how bad I had it with a Peoplenet.