Good Night From II

You've been talking to Steve haven't you? I take care of my cars it beeps at me I do what it tells me, but really after 2 years it's old, and I haven't driven anything over 42 months...... can you see it the shining black Lincoln in my future? The button that opens and closes the trunk for me, the hybrid better mileage..... it'll be fabulous.

 

The good news I'm able to watch all the NFL playoff games from the comfort of a hotel room in Casper, WY...

... the bad news is the Kenworth shop won't even be able to look at the truck until the 12th and I'll need to go pick up a new truck in Denver, SLC, or maybe as far as Phoenix. Nobody on the weekend wanted to take responsibility to make an actual decision, so I have to wait until tomorrow morning when my DM gets back to figure out what we are going to do.

I spent the morning creating a spreadsheet with cost and PTA scenarios comparing the cost of busing me to each location, picking up a tractor, and returning to Casper to transfer personal effects; versus getting a rental car in Casper and driving to each location and getting right into a tractor. We'll see how my DM/Swift will handle the situation. Makes much more sense to rent a car and get us working anywhere from a day to three days faster depending on location.

The weakness of working through the process with On Road is how slow and inept the system is for getting the load repowered and get us to a location where we could get working quickly. From just after midnight on the 1st they could have had a repower on the way and headed to Reno within 12 hours, which as it turns out is how long we had to wait to have a tow truck arrive to take us to Rawlins. Once in Rawlins the tractor had enough power to drive freeway speed a couple miles back to the TA to wait another day to get towed to Casper. When we arrived at the KW shop in Casper they were shocked we showed up, since they told On Road they couldn't even get the tractor into the shop until the 12th. No matter what we are going to lose an entire week of work.

 

been walking the yard at jurupa terminal for an empty yesterday and today with no luck. even went to dispatch to see if i can get a load to get one. no loads going out. so asked to be sent somewhere today to get one. was sent to miller in irwindale and they dont give out empties on weekends. then sent to roadrunner trans at commerce and guy said he wasnt authorized to give any out and noone else working today. called dipatch again and she said they let planners know to send me somewhere else. so i just drove over here to the swift intermod yard and found a 14 series mpty. got it attached and dispatched on tomorrows load. total of about 3 hrs to get one. now i'm stuck here till the morning, so no football for me today.

 

You know that's a 14 footer ...

 

I hope it isn't that 14 footer with the 3" hole in the roof near the front I saw in that yard when I was there last month...

 

Isn't there some rule in physics that says you can fit a 14' trailer under a 13'6" overpass if you go fast enough...? I think they told me something about that at Gordon...

 

You got to get up to 88 mph ...

 

It's always important to remember that whenever in tight spaces more throttle will get you through.

 

yup....been here long enough to know 14 series are 14 footers. but since i'm picking up in gardena ca and delivering to perris ca. dont think i'll have any issues as far as hitting anything. watch out for tree limbs mostly. but i think if i go fast enough and then brake hard, i should be able to sccot under any 13'6". if not, i'll just flatten the tires

 

Yeah...special car and awesome scientist notwithstanding, I remember when 88 was fast. Now, go 88 in Texas? You better be all the way to the right!