Central Oregon Truck Co...the fun begins

This truck has been good to me so far. The cruise works now since KW took care of it last Friday. My MPG is at 7.2 right now, including fighting the winds w/ a heavy load from WY to the Bay Area, a large but light load from NV to Tacoma, a large heavy load from Centralia to Austin, and the start of this light and aerodynamic load from Laredo to BC! The Paccar engine brake still leaves something to be desired.

Now I'm taking my 34 at the Fire Rock Casino east of Gallup. Yay bingo & buffets!

 

Been a long time since the last update, did the fun end.

 

Anybody still alive here?

 

Man that's cool to hear. Good luck with your new gig, be safe and stop in occasionally to say hello.

 

I've been looking pretty hard at doing the same thing. Let us know how it goes.

I really love OTR, but the pay is just too horrible. I worked 6 hrs today trying to get a load too heavy for an RGN legal on an RGN after i told them it wouldn't work in the first place. I'm not getting paid a dime for that. One of many examples I'm sad to say.

 

Glad to hear you're still alive, Shaine. Bummed I never had the opportunity to bump into you out here, tho. How has the 1st 6 mos of being a fuel jockey treated you?

I haven't been posting just because of how busy I've been. It's been 1 year and 1 week today! I still have not collected the "wait more than an hour for the next dispatch" $100. If this month goes like the last, I will be sitting at just short of 130,000 dispatched miles for the year. That includes a few extended home times for emergencies and switching trucks 4 times, for 1 reason or another.

Next year is bringing several big changes:
75 new T-680 including 10 for the quads, & at least that many trailers. Like Weeble said, many will be roll tops.

The possibilty of hauling much less, or even no more, steel freight just because of the number of cargo claims being made on it.

Daseke (http://www.daseke.com/about/) recently acquired Lone Star Transportation, bringing the number of flatbed/specialty companies now under their umbrella to 7!

All the companies now have the same Transamerica 401k plan: 100% vested of matching funds on day 1. 100% match on 3%, & 50% match on next 2% = 4% matching funds for 5% of pay defferal. Dozens of investment options, including build-your-portfolio.

COTC will be phasing out ALL of our retreads and going to 100% virgin rubber. Michellin steer, Continental drive & trailer, I believe. I guess retreads are causing a lot of trailer damage when they blow, making them cost-inefficient.

I forget what else I learned the other day.... Just very exciting stuff! Next year will be fabulous!

 

At least the changes are for the better not for the worse. Virgin rubber and new trucks are pluses in my book along with new trailers. Keep us updated.

KH

 

I have a way to get ur truck to idle without tampering with anything. My boss has same set up on our trucks & I do it to mine.

Pm me if ur interested