ATS/school

hey all, i'm back. At least until I turn off the computer, then who knows? I'll tell you, sitting around with no internet, in a port, while raining....SUCKS!!!! Hopefully Verizon has this problem fixed. I have been trying to post, even had a few long ones written, but wasn't able to re-connect. ARRRGGHH.Sbatson, I had less experience than you and they hired me! Also another guy from school is here too. I can tell you that they have done everything that they said they would for me. There was even a screw up with my tuition re-imbursement. I was having it deducted from my checks instead of them paying the bank. It took my wife a few phone calls, mostly because I had been switched to my permanent FM and settlement person. But there wasn't any problem once she got the right person. Next check had the money back in it. Like every company, they have their problems and flaws. But I am happy with my choice for now. Hey Bigdaddy, hows that new job working out? So, here's what's been going on. Deadheaded out to Longview,WA. Was to get "misc. parts" for a new wind tower project in MT.Well, my contact told me on Friday not to hurry, the ship wasn't even unloaded yet. So I sat all day Saturday and part of Sunday in Post Falls, ID. When I called back on Sunday to say I was close, I was told that all hell had broken loose. Turns out that ATS sent out a guy, supposedly head of wind safety, to oversee the project. Can you say "Hitler complex"? He came in and TOLD everyone how they were going to load. Apparently he managed to get every driver to the point of walking off. But he actually got kicked out of the port on Sunday! If the gut who was my contact, the liason between the port and ATS, wasn't one HEEEEELLLLLL of a good guy, things would have been REEEEAAAALLLLYYY,REEEEEAAAAALLLLYYYY,bad. This guy managed to calm all the drivers down and went to bat for them, it went all the way to the top. And I mean THE top. When it was all said and done, the drivers were right. The way they were originally loaded would have not worked, a real accident waiting to happen. It was quite an education to say the least. I was glad to see that a drivers concerns were taken seriously. Well, finally on Wednesday, late Wed., I was told I could load! Oh, yeah, I found out an hour before this that it had to be tarped. Yep, it was raining. I got the controllers for the towers. They came in large plywoood "crates", 8' long, 4' wide, and almost 9' tall. I could only take 8 of the 10, dock guys said they couldnt load the last two. Ok, thhis is enough to tarp for me. I did do a nice job if I do say so myself! Had to use all three of my big tarps, turned sideways so they would cover to the deck. I got several compliments on the job, and yes dam** I took them because I wasa soaked! Thank God I remembered to bring a ladder this trip! Right now Im in Shelby, MT at the Pilot. Deliver in the am, then I may be heading back to Longview for the rest of the "misc. parts". Ill let you know. Well, enough for now, I have a lot of catching up to do!

 

I hear ya on the gas man! Traded in my wifes suburban for a Focus about 6 months ago. Im not happy with the mileage on that car though, only about 30mpg ave. Our old Neon got 35-38 no matter how it was driven! It does sound like you have a good gig going tho! Good coin and close to home, not bad!

 

Just when I thought I was out from under this load, today. I got out to the staging area at 7 am, just like planned. Made the call to the ATS project super just like planned. Waited with another driver who was carrying part of the same load. After almost an hour the Acciona guy( thats the tower company) comes out and leads us to the warehouse on the other side of town. No big deal, its a small town. When we get there there's another truck ahead of us. Still, no big deal, days young. Then the adventure begins. The warehouse didn't have the proper size forklift. The crates weighed 4000 lbs each, lift was rated at 2500. Even being generous, you knew this would not work. Well they tried using it anyway. Broke the first crate they took off. Not sure how exactly, I was taking off tarps. That required a 30 minute meeting to decide how to move forward. Ok, back to work, fot the second crate off... break time! So, after the mandatory union 30 minutes(well thats how long it took anyway) they start on crate number 3. On this one the forklift says ###### You guys and breaks. Really breaks, think they sheared the bolts, or blew some hydraulics. Either way, dead forklift. So after another meeting of the minds, they go next door and borrow a slightly bigger lift. Nope. Still too small. Now what? Time to call in the "big guns", no not a bigger lift, the bigger bosses. Buuuuut they are up at the main site. So, another break while waiting. First boss man shows up. No help, hasnt a clue. Finally get someone who authorizes a big lift to be brought down from the "reload" site. I dont know were that was or what exactly they did there, but I think the name is a clue. Ok, progress. Oh... but now its lunch time. Finally after lunch we see the big lift arrive. And yes, this one will be big enough. Its one of the construction type, 4x4 articulated etc. Only it has the shortest forks I have seen on this type of lift. So it can only take one crate at a time. And it takes them 20 minutes per crate. I could move Ming vases faster than these guys were moving! I have never seen, supposedly, qualified operators go slower empty than full, until today! Ok, well around 4, yes 4, its finally my turn. Now they are moving a bit faster, quiting time you know! They get half of my truck empty, I go in to get paperwork signed. Only to be told that the "head" guy just got off the phone and he cant sign for anything anymore. Keep in mind he has already signed off the previous 2 trucks. Im supposed to "go find ...... whoever" and have them sign. I snapped. Couldn't hold back the Scottish temper any longer. I sent my FM a message telling her I was about to deadhead back to St. Cloud and they could have the truck back! I wasnt going to wander around looking for ANYONE! Looking back I should have stopped the guys from unloading another crate and told them to put the others back on, I was leaving. Whether back to the port or to St. Cloud, wouldn't have mattered. But I was so sick of this load I wanted it gone, and NOW! Got some sympathy from the FM and she said she was going to contact customer service and get it taken care of. Well nothing happened for over an hour. My truck didn't move though. Sat right in their driveway blocking some people in. Finally got someone, probably wanting to leave, to sign. I did get my next load, going back to Tacoma to load at the port, and head for MN. Not real happy with my FM, she was gone at 500pm. With me still sitting there waiting for something to happen. Right now dopping the load and then the truck sounds REEEAAAALL good. I'll be an hour or so from my home. Because of this mess I now can't load until Monday, sometime. I managed a whopping 1527 miles for the week. I realize most of this was not ATS's fault. And i'll probably wait and see how much detention pay I end up with instead of giving up. But man I am not happy right now! Told my wife this was one of the reasons I wanted my own truck, to be able to tell them not just no but HELL NO on some of these loads. Or at least to get paid something decent for the hassle. Ok, i'm done venting for now.

 

Nothing exciting today, got up late and made it to Ellensburg,WA. Nope, no hurry. Even broke down and bought a "beverage" for myself. And I think i'll walk over to Perkins for breakfast and spend some more money I probably shouldn't. I am not going to worry about this next load until ABSOLUTELY necessary! I thought I saw Bronc pull in a bit ago, but nope wrong company. Right kind of truck, wrong co.