Finally got my own truck

I'm alive, just doing some regional type stuff, nothing to get excited about, but I have been driving slower and averaging closer to 8mpg.

I don't think I'll be updating as much as I did last year. I'll get on here every once in awhile. We'll see. Trying to make some other types of stuff work. See if I can't carve out a niche closer to home.

 

I was gonna hire someone but they had a bad record. Not having any luck finding anyone good and close by.

We'll see. I'm getting high rates. $4250 on 575 loaded last week.

 

I'll update later when I get to my destination.

I'd already said I don't plan a whole lot of updating this year. But I guess I should throw a bone to my biggest fans.

 

Long story short.

Last Tuesday at home, got a call load.from Flint to reno nv. Said no thanks. Then saw it posted for a rate. So i.called and got $6300. 7k lbs. Got there Friday, had to.drop trlr and come back Monday. Played poker at the casino in the.petro all weekend and ended up almost $300 ahead.

Monday come around, no call from broker or customer. No replies. Tuesday I ended up having to find the number to customer to find out if my trlr was empty and it was. Never going to GM PDC 86 again. Funny thing is that when I was a switcher, I used to switch out them railcans they loaded going to that very place. I knew the load was a drop Friday. But never been to UT or NV and weather looked good. Salt flats were awesome. NV a bit boring but still cool. Only tough driving was over echo pass and then down the hill to SLC. But I was light so it was okay.

Tuesday afternoon nothing on the board at all going east. So I DH back toward SLCity. Wednesday there was only 1 load popped up going east that was a 2 day load where I could unload Friday but when I called it was gone. Ended up waiting until Friday and got this heavy load of birdseed to hour south of Chicago but unloads Tuesday. Not open President's day. Got $2/mile when everything else was going fast and cheap. Knight posted a load to Cincy for 99cents per mile. This load I took was posted for $2400 but got $2800. He wouldn't pay more and I knew I had to go. So ended up $9100 in 2 weeks on like 4300 all miles.

Sitting here in Gilman IL. This week I need to make something because next week I have jury duty that I already deferred once. Taking Easter off through the next weekend when I will be playing in the state table tennis tournament again. Id really like to try hard to find a team driver that week, I think by the end of April we will start seeing some team loads that pay something worth booking.

About Reno, I got an offer from someone I know personally who runs a plant near where I live who was trying to get me to get on this weekly run to Reno that I had previously said no thx I don't run there. Then he offered again so I said send me the details. They currently pay a broker $4000 and if I could be around that rate, they would contract me directly on it. Lol. I replied back that it would be a team run for me and that I'd need closer to $7000 to do it every week. Then suggested that they start calling carriers in north CA for backhaul if they want a contract at that rate.

Last night in Des Moines, my friend who lives out that way picked me up and we went to prairie Meadows casino and I played poker again and ended up $138 ahead after maybe 1.5 hours. All in all I made like $400 playing poker in a week. Probably the only profit I made LOL.

Over and out.

And btw western flyer, you always are wondering if I failed after I. Don't post for a while. I find that a little offensive. I'm not gonna fail. Not.going up in flames. And if by chance i.did, I'd post about it here and not hide my face in shame. I'm not too.proud a person. Maybe a tad arrogant but not proud I'd tell everyone how I failed so they won't make the same mistakes. The only mistake I'm making right now is giving in to a little bit of fear on calling on loads and a little bit of laziness. Ive always had a hard time motivating myself so that's something I struggle with but I know I put myself to a big challenge. I have to rise up to.it because this will be one of the things that will define my life and character.

I've made it through 13 months I'll be all right. But i do appreciate you checking up on me! I do appreciate the encouragement and kick in the rear. Captain Dave helps keep me motivated when he calls me and I need that.