The journey begins - purchased a truck.

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by blairandgretchen, Dec 10, 2014.

  1. Old Man

    Old Man Road Train Member

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    Apr 3, 2009
    Oklahoma City, OK
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    It's tough, I had to caulk it a few week ago. I also have to provide my own towels and fill the water tank and I have to buy scrubbing bubbles to clean it, but somehow I manage.
     
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  3. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    I bet your towels don't smell like old dirty socks.
     
  4. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    CABS class.

    Landstar new hires are required to attend this within a 90-120 day period of orientation, then every 3 years to renew the contract.
    You can stave it off a while, but they eventually shut your fuel card off till you turn up.

    I went to the Rockford, IL location. It's quite nice and doesn't have the homeless bum drivers hanging around like Fort Worth. The class was safety related stuff in the morning, could have blasted through it a bit quicker if the other 2 hadn't wanted to ####-chat. Lunch served, and I did laundry in the afternoon and went over the 'business' portion quickly with Lori. I asked how my figures stacked up against other new hires and she said they were pretty good, at an average of about $3000 - most others average $1200-$1500 to start.

    Visited with the heavy haul guy Matt, and got bumped up to SD2 so I can start hauling oversize up to 12 feet wide if I want. Met my BCO advisor Bob, and a couple of other folks. Everybody seemed OK, - Illinois folks are kinda funny - not the warm fuzzy bunch you find further south.

    I had intended to attend the class on Wednesday, but got empty early enough in Chicago to bounce up there and do it Tuesday. So, the hotel booked for Tuesday night was still valid - I took it and slept pretty good for a change. $250 was loaded to my fuel card for the class.

    I had originally had a load from Louisville to Minooka, IL booked for Monday, however E-Town gave me a Bellevue, OH load after shuttling 3 Owensboro loads on Saturday into Sunday, so I had to call him and cancel it. He sounded a bit disappointed, but I didn't feel too bad. I'd rang on Thursday, he didn't call back till Saturday, telling me he couldn't get me the details till Sunday as he was having so much fun over the holiday weekend while I was in a nasty truck stop and working. The load sounded like a bit of a mess around anyhow.

    From Bellevue I ran a cheapish load to Chicago. Listed as 'Empty pallets', it turned out to be Pallet LUMBER, heavy, and in the middle of BF Ohio. Amish guys, real nice. Got to Chicago at 3 am - slept a couple of hours and then got woke up - I was in the way and they wanted me unloaded and gone.

    Off to Indianapolis to load a 'machine' at about 800 lbs, needs a tarp on it. Goes to just north of Memphis. I'll send an email off to E-town for some more KC frames for next week - needs to be sent Thursday at 00:01 to get in line for available loads. Then decide whether to find something to go home, or just bounce empty.

    The generator is a pain in the rear - I need to get it under the trailer, along with the extended run fuel tank, as I'm pretty sure the gas soured on the deck, the ethanol attracted water, and the carb is gummed up, as it runs like crud, and wants the choke on. Not good for a $1100 Honda, but I'll take the blame on the gas being in the sun.

    I'm considering moving the headache rack back a fraction and re-installing the vertical stack as the smoke at idle is both embarrasing and filthes up the rear of the tractor/front of trailer.

    That's about all for the week. Back to work.
     
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  5. dannythetrucker

    dannythetrucker Road Train Member

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    everywhere, man
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    just reading your posts makes me tired. well, keep up the good work !
     
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  6. baha

    baha Road Train Member

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    ga
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    CK. on mounting EX. on outside face of headack/box,
     
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  7. tsavory

    tsavory Road Train Member

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    Paoli, IN
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    So you don't like the grass burner? Had been thinking about removing my stack and getting enclosed rack. Guess instead of a deep enclosed rack I'll just build custom boxes for the frame that hide behind the skirt.
     
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  8. Old Man

    Old Man Road Train Member

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    Apr 3, 2009
    Oklahoma City, OK
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    Put on a DPF , no more soot
     
  9. double yellow

    double yellow Road Train Member

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    Aug 28, 2011
    State of Jefferson
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    Funny, I've been thinking about converting to a weed burner to keep my trailer clean... Can you extend the tip closer to your axles?
     
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  10. 062

    062 Road Train Member

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    You really need to get it as far back as possible. Years ago some would run them out like side pipes.
     
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  11. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    Dec 9, 2011
    South west Missouri
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    She didn't even by me dinner . . .

    The Indy to Memphis load, when the rate con turned up - was a CHR load. I should have known. Deadheaded 310 miles to get it. 2 hours out, I booked a load from Memphis to KC. I get to the shipper. 17" tall ? Injection mold machine? NO. It would have been 13'8" on my trailer, and needed a connestoga. Tarps would have been a stretch. $250k radiator testing equipment. The customer organized the transport - and went cheap, obviously, and the LS agent - QLJ, Debbie - said it was "their freight".

    Result? Had to make good on my Memphis to KC - good agent, her freight, want to work with her again - so 810 mile deadhead from Rockford to Memphis to honour my end. Utterly pissed at QLJ. Managed to get a $450 TONU, which is $328 to me after LS's cut (!!!). Double whammy? 40th birthday. Sad arse day.

    Delivered roofing material (hazmat) to KC and then shot home. Oil leak - accessory drive front seal, will be a $500 if it's just the seal, or ??? if it spun the bearing and needs a front cover. One of those things you could let go for a while, but risk an oil pressure loss/tow/big$$ later while working. I'll get it seen to Wednesday.

    So, at a rough look, about 9 days out, 3650 all miles, TTT revenue $6908 - $1.89 all miles. The lost load hurt it a bit, and I worked both 4th July and my b/day (SIN) - now I'm a bit burned out. No email from Etown scheduling, so #### them - I'll stay home a few days.

    Sister in law - we're now 4 weeks out from the surgery. The doctor screwed up everything possible - she is blind in one eye, had a stroke on both sides of the brain, indicating the carotid artery was nicked, cerebral fluid loss, causing (confirmed) meningitis. Despite all this, she is still showing signs of life and cognition. On a feeding tube now, but can eat soft food like pudding, but can't drink water. No insurance, (husband works at Prime), so the hospital kicked her out ASAP, then had to readmit her with high fever (meningitis), with pituitary gland (from which the tumor was removed) sending all sorts of wrong signals to the organs. Gretchen has been there every day for 4 weeks, and had she not - her sister would be dead. Doctors seem to want to bury their mistakes.

    Tacky cliche', but it really is one day at a time.

    Take care out there folks.
     
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