Great Plains Transport - A company that cares about drivers... NO BS.

Now on top of this really tight load. I get to wait for product. Oh well not much I can do about that. I have done my fair share loose loads. I swear loads are either super tight or loose. Not in the middle. I even got yelled at by the broker for this. I am not trashing GP tho. So far I like this company. Just one of them days.

 

I usually let dispatch deal with the brokers when a problem comes up, I've learn that arguing with the problem brokers is like yelling at a wall. The dispatchers are better equipped to make the case with them. I had a SUPER tight load a couple of months ago... Not so much on the time, but it barely fit into my recap. Dispatch routed my along a more southern route instead of going through Wyoming when it became clear that state was about to get walloped by another snow storm, and well, it's Wyoming lol. Told them I'd do what I can, actually managed to nail all 3 drops on it, and got into a safe haven with 2 minutes to spare. It's one of those situations where all you can do is give it your best shot, and if you run into things beyond your control, then they will just have to deal with it. I'm on one now which originally had 3 pickups and 2 drops, but became 3 picks and just one delivery, and it doesn't even have a delivery appointment. I'm just heading there as quick as I can for now.

Personally I'd love to see the industry get to where brokers are completely done away with and companies can just get all loads directly but I'm not holding my breathe on that.

 

If you see the broker name is Trademark, run, tell them you would rather sit all weekend.

 

@Anonymousproxy did you get a new truck yet?

 

Not yet, got in the yard and they had the current bunch of new volvos outfitted but no plates yet. One driver was switching into the only new Volvo that was Available from an old one, and I was able to ask him how he liked the ishift. I talked to mike earlier that day and he said there's some more coming in soon and I'd have one of those or he might have a newer '16. Either way is fine to me as long as the '16 doesn't turn out to be a lemon or the previous driver has trashed the #### out of it. Even if they had one ready for me in the yard I wouldn't have had the time to make the switch since the load I was on was uber tight.

Last couple times I was in the yard before it seemed different, like they were warming up to me a bit, I was able to sit down with Mike and have a discussion about things I was having issues about, as well as the new equipment. I notice too they have been getting me through the yard more often, was is a huge improvement. I poked around in one of the new volvos and took some pictures to show my partner and a few people in my family, and to help decide where I would fit all of my stuff. That ishift sounds like it's worlds better than the Columbia automatic I drove about 12 years ago.

 

If that Ishift is like the Mack MDrive, then yes its really nice to drive. I prefer it over over the Eaton 10spd auto in the truck I drive now.

 

I've never been a fan of Eaton 10 speeds, even though it's pretty much been an industry standard tranny. I drive a manual 13 a few years ago with a different outfit and it seemed to be a lot better at shifting with the Jake break on. I spoke with one driver that was moving from an older Volvo to one of the new ones and i managed to glean a bunch of info on how some of the stuff worked on it like the hill start feature and the economy/performance modes. Currently headed to deliver into coxsackie ny(now I bet that town name has generated its share of bad jokes lol), then home.

 

Coxsackie is where Mike Tyson was discovered. When I was very young my parents would threaten to drop my brothers and me at the "bad boy school" if we didn't behave.

 

Coxsackie....lmao. I am not sold on those automatic yet. Hope you have a good time off @Anonymousproxy . I am going to rhode island. Is 80 to 95 thru nyc a hard road to follow. I assume to read signs and use common sense

 

I'd take 287 around and across tappan zee. That toll both at the GW bridge can be a jammed up nightmare