Good Night From II

Inver Grove is one of the smallest terminals, so they may not be able to help with body work that much.
But they are a great bunch of people, from the shop to the DM's and otherwise, from my experience.

And there is a Pilot 1/4 mile away. I was glad for that in the mornings, for my coffee. It's close enough to walk to, even at 31 degrees.

 

Here in Truman, AR. The day went to crap real fast starting with the morning. My preloaded was still being loaded so waited for 2 hours. Then this afternoon get a message, my CA load was cancelled. Then get a pplan, Shelby, NC. Right after that get a msg from my DM. Decline that pplan. Can not get me out of their on Saturday and she can find better in the morning. For giggles, did a MAC 30, and like I expected, all of the crap runs for the weekend. Lebanon, TN for Saturday, Marion, IN for Saturday, Rensselear, IN, 500 miles for Monday and Louisville, KY for Saturday. All loads going to areas where getting out almost impossible. They are doing just what I knew that they would do, keep me within about 500 miles of Columbus for home time, IN 12 days.

 

I never put in a HT request more than 12 days in advance.
Usually it is from someplace very remote from where I want to take it.

I hate getting stuck in the same area for that long.

 

I was wrong. My HT is actually in 9 days now. I knew that once I left PHX and came up to this area they would try and keep me here. I think that I might just get me a load to TX tomorrow and then they can work me back home after that. Just not going to the SE or East coast. I also knew that once that load cancelled all of the good runs out of Memphis for tomorrow morning where more than likely already covered so I am getting the bottom of the barrel. Just did another MAC 30, and again, Lebanon, TN for Friday, one that has been sitting in the yard since yesterday and one for AL, 370 miles for Saturday.

 

For the past month or so Mac 30 has had little to offer.

 

Petro in Jackson, MS running a heavy paper load to Lancaster tomorrow.

 

Awake this morning to a great pplan. Pick up in yard in Memphis and take to Freightliner in Memphis. Pay, 1 miles. Night ECT planners.

 

Lancaster used to be my favorite place. I went there to pick up a student with 27 hours who had left 2 other mentors already.

Got there, met the student, got a stack. One local. Local pay, one short t-call 240 miles, and pick up a hival that was 900 miles. A good load to see what the student's skill level is at after his 27 hours.

Well my local as it turns out was due the day prior, and the planner (CSR CONFIRMED THIS W QC MESSAGE,) knew it was late and would be refused, and changed the dates on the Pre-plan. Delivery was refused, (actually good for my trainee to see what to do in that case,) and then it was off for the short haul t-call in LCaster.

Got to the shipper for a drop hook, and the trailer was empty. Turns out that was a numerical error and a new Bol and correct trailer # fixed everything and we rolled, with him behind the wheel.

Turns out in 27 hours he had somehow never had to shift. Oh and he has to stop every 70-90 minutes to pee and talk on his phone. Got the hival and stayed at LCaster.

Yesterday I rolled 250 miles straight out of DFW and put him behind the wheel.

I got him shifting, explained to him how much his CDL cost, and how we make money. He's supposedly going to give me a full 550 miles today. We shall see.

I'm done venting now lol.

 

Some people don't realize it's an actual job. Yes you can see nice scenery (I really liked Moab, Utah) but just like any job you are expected to perform, not screw off. I hope it works out for ya with this student. My mentor was good, he's now a diamond driver who had a student that didn't want to drive more than a few hours at a time. He said he made him drive seven hours once and it about killed the guy lol. Needless to say it didn't work out for the student.

 

I showed him my pay for next week. Then I had him look up his. I asked him if he was here to earn a living or here to waste time. That seems to have motivated him. We're on his 30 right now and he ran 250 straight miles. We only have 130 to final now.

I had asked him if he wanted to try mentor #4, or let me work with him and build him into a productive driver. That seems to have helped. His previous mentors just wanted his hours. He had no backs, and couldn't shift.

If he continues to improve and can run, I'm going to be proud and happy.

After final I'm going to start him on trip planning, Mac 9 and 22, and plus-1.

Hopefully he succeeds