My RBX journey Strafford MO

I idle if I use my microwave, Its only 1000 watts but I don't want to take a chance on messing anything up. As far as movies, I use my laptop. Right know its plugged into the inverter, vehicle is not running.

 

Update: After I washed my truck last Friday I came to the yard here in Strafford, picked up a load going to ST Louis and made it home Friday afternoon. Went shopping for myself and ended up with the following. Know there's 18 storage compartment in this Freightliner plus under the bunk so I have plenty of room after everything is in its place. Microwave, XM radio, 12 volt cooler. Plastic three drawer chest, plastic bens. Microwave dinners for 20 days, plus about 20 cans of soup I can just pop the top and eat hot or cold. Box's and box's of grolina bars, pop tarts, gym, grapes, water, Pepsi, ect, ect. My wife and I went out to the truck and she organized everything for me. My laptop hangs on a D-ring attached to the bunk belts along with my shower bag. I keep the top bunk up. I don't want anything jumping off of it. The only thing in the floor is my clip board and a small trash can. I even put down carpet between the seats and in front of the bunk. I always slip my shoes off before getting out of my seat. If you seen what you walk in at truck stops you'll understand.

I spent Sunday night in my truck so my Ol'lady wouldn't have to get up at 03:00 Monday morning. I left out and went to ST Louis, Live unload for a 09:00 appt. Only took them 30 minutes or so. Then headed to Illinois for a drop and hook and back down to Springfield MO, another drop and hook. The load had to be at the receiver by 05:00 tomorrow morning so another Operator is taking it. I'm waiting for a load know. The week has went smooth this far and I'm sure it will continue to do so. If something is not in my control I don't sweat it. I only worry about myself, my load, my truck and the families out on the highway that are near me. I've messaged my dispatch many times with questions and he is very responsive and helpful. Well that's all for know, going to finish watching The Avengers on Netflix. Oh ya one more thing. I always use the term Operator, well that's from my days as an Army Engineer. No one out here knows what I'm talking about so I guess from here on out I'll use the term Driver. LOL Everyone be safe.

 

Update: I picked up a load in the yard in Strafford and went to central Ohio, live unload took about 20 minutes. Went to northern Ohio for live load, took about 25 or 30 minutes. Them brought that load back down to Springfield, MO. 4 1/2 days I run 2,259 paid miles. I came home this afternoon and will leave back out Saturday evening or early Monday morning. Not sure yet. I'm going to call dispatch in the morning. I enjoy the challenges I come across. Horse and buggies in Ohio were cool. I clocked them at 15 mph. Went through a town with narrow streets and had to make a left turn with a cement truck sitting in my lane pouring concrete into a curb and the ditch dig up on my left to include the road I was turning into. As I was making my turn, my right side had a dump truck and a back-hoe working and of course on my left were cars lined up to make there turn and you know they were past the stop line and couldn't back up. It was a slow 5 mph challenge. Jesus guided my through that mess. Loved it. I haven't stayed in a truck stop once this week. Rest area's and a gas station across from six flags over ST Louis. Enough room for one truck and I'm glad it was mine. Seen a so called trucker whom I passed, had what looked like a lawn and garden catalog laying across his steering wheel. Unreal. I don't call him a Professional Driver. I call him an individual whom has no concern for the welfare for the families, (children) around him. Pure stupidity. I seen some nutty 4-wheelers as well but I just give them there room. Most of them really don't know any better I guess. I'll check back on here after a while if anyone has any questions or comments. Other wise I'll update again later on in the up coming week. Everyone be safe.

 

No Sir, I live up I-44 about 70 miles from Springfield. US 60 and US 63 are two of the main routes used by RBX going to the Southeast. One fellow that was in orientation with me lives next to Oklahoma City. Another lives in FT Worth Texas.

 

Hahaha!

That route is 90 miles farther.
There is a reason that everyone takes 63 from SPM to MEM.
If you are dragging along at 30 mph through there, please take the other route, though.
There are enough Prime, Swift, England, and other newbie guys clogging up the road without adding to the jam up.
Thanks![/QUOTE]


I'm not a newbie, Not to the industry anyway, only with RBX. I started driving 10 years ago. I also Instructed/drove for DoD for 8 years. Triple axle flatbeds.

The believe the route is more like 125 miles farther. I've driven both routes know and timed them both. With all the curves, hills and bypass bridge weight limits its actually ends up being almost as fast for me to take US 60 over to I-55 and down when I'm close to 80,000. If I'm lite I'll take the route you gave me. I don't want to make the same mistake twice.

Have a wonderful day and be safe.

 

Shovelhead32, you should not have a problem getting home. RBX has many loads running on I-70. I've been thru IL, IN, and OH a number of times. If I happen to be in the yard on the 7th I'll look for you. I'm requesting the 9th to the 11th for home time. Going to take my woman to Red Lobster for our 29th wedding anniversary.

I spoke to Kristi the other day, told her you were thinking about coming out to visit. I guess her and Mr. Peavey are looking forward to it.

Last week I ended up taking a load just outside ST Louis, then dead headed to central IL that went back to Springfield, MO. I was going from there to TN, but I didn't have enough hours so I picked up a load going to Oberlin OH. then a load back to Springfield again. From there I picked up a trailer going to Brownsville IN for a live unload. I arrived around 0300 and the appt was for 0600 so I took a nap, got up, unloaded, took less then 30 min. Pulled my truck off to the side and went back to sleep. New load took me to New Paris IN, and back to Lebanon MO. It was a short week out, I had a couple of apt to take care of. I left out this morning, bobtailed with paid mileage from my home to the shipper in Lebanon, MO. Picked up a loaded trailer and took off to Collierville TN for a drop. Picked up empty trailer and headed down to MS. Drop and hook again and on my way to Cincinnati OH for a 0700 apt, live unload. I'll be sleeping tomorrow night at the receivers. I stopped this evening with 1 hour left on my clock. I'm trying to only drive 9 to 10 hours a day for the next couple of weeks and see how that will work out when I start running on my recap.

My dispatcher, Arron. Very professional man. I've pestered him with more questions then most would probably ask. He told me, (ask all the questions you want too, its my job to assist you in any way I can). I don't like to guess my own answer's when something comes up. I don't like doing things the wrong way so I always ask if I'm not sure about something.

So far everything has been going well. My starting pay is .38 cpm. I don't know of any mega carrier that can match that. However I've been able to increase my mpg this far up to 7.0 mpg which adds .04 cpm to my pay. So as of today I'm making .42 cpm. I'm sure I can increase it. My goal from know until next month is to get my mpg up to 7.7 that will bring my pay up to 44.5 cpm. Summer may decrease it a little, we'll see. Increasing mpg isn't all about running slow cause I don't. Its about learning how to use the accelerator correctly as well as the terrain around you. The fuel lady, Lisa can explain it better then I can.

Going to go, everyone be safe and enjoy the road.