Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Plywood, to this day whenever I see a sheet of plywood, I start shaking.

 

We are hoping. Right now the latest advisory just came in, it’s still moving west at 1mph. Not turning yet. I still have a few things to do that I wait until the very end only because they’re a PIA.

 

I do need to give a shout-out to Abilene. I’ve been here almost 7 years. In that time I had to get home 3 times for emergencies. Once when we had another hurricane on its way, once when my wife had an emergency medical issue, and now this hurricane. Each time, I told them I would fly home and go back when all was done to get the truck, and each time they said not needed, they will work it out. Granted, timing is everything, but each time Abilene has come through. This go around, I was out in California when it was decided that I needed to get home. One phone call was all it took. The load I picked up in Anaheim went right to our yard in West Memphis that another driver took to Virginia, they had a regular load going to Jacksonville Florida that they held for me that is closed, but we have the gate code and can drop 24/7. I got the phone call with all the final details from my DM Wally on Saturday morning. We are not allowed to bobtail out of the drop in Jacksonville, I was told to drop it and bobtail home. I took a 4 hour nap then got home yesterday morning at 4 am. The roads were dead quiet, only LEO’s out, no trucks, tolls were lifted on the turnpike and I put in the remarks on my log “going home to South Florida to safely secure my property and family”. I figure if I got stopped, I have a pretty good reason for being in violation.

Now, here’s some kudos for Wally and Abilene. Wally is my new DM, he’s been here a while and has been a load planner for the NE. The dude kept me in the loop about what they were doing to get me home, the Operations manager was also involved and gave me what I needed to get home. I’m just one of 400 drivers that work here, we aren’t perfect, but I believe and will say this, there’s more to a company then CPM. there’s hometime (excellent), there’s a sense of caring, they do show compassion, and for me, it’s still a family run feeling.

My feelings about Abilene is the same today as it was when I first showed up asking about a job almost 7 years ago. My only issue is some of the everyday BS we go through. Now, when this all passes and we are back to the everyday grind, this all will be a distant memory and it will be biotching as usual. In the meantime, thank you Abilene!

 

Funny you should say that. They showed on the local news here someone in a Home Depot buying 25 sheets of plywood, then selling them in the same parking lot for $50 per sheet, to an undercover cop, who immediately arrested him for price gouging.

 

Running neck and neck.