Millis OTR journal

Were you in for a service / work when it happened?
Did you ask what's up or did they tell you?

Maybe you will be personally invited to Heartland's Atlanta terminal for that driver appreciation thing coming up that we got a message from and that is your ticket in.

I caught some crap on my last home time request because I was asking for maybe 1/2 a day longer than I earned based on what the policy says. Have never heard anything like that before. I figured never complaining, being late on deliveries or screwing stuff up was worth something but maybe not. Have been wondering if that has something to do with any changes.

 

But nothing is changing, right?

Ugh I wish I knew how to work the system so that I never had to deal with weekend or fill in dispatch.

So first of all.... That Blue Buffalo broker load annoyed me because if I hadn't been able to pick up early, I would've risked my 14 expiring while loading. This isn't the first time they've given me a broker load like this. Yes, I know that if my clock runs out at a shipper or receiver I can PC to a safe haven, but I really think it's bad trucking to dispatch loads where you depend on the driver to do that. First time it happened, I couldn't even get ahold of the broker to find out if I could load early. So after kicking up a fuss, they took me off the he load and then punished me by refusing to dispatch me until the next morning.

So anyhow, this Blue Buffalo load was supposed to deliver in Lancaster, NY yesterday at 2300. I called the final and was able to reschedule for 1900, which is when they open for dry goods receiving. Keep in mind that dispatch does not know this.

So I get to the final around 1745. Check in, get my door, and they finally finish unloading me around 2300 or so. I check out, park in the overnight parking, and out in my empty call. A couple of minutes pass and load information starts trickling in. Pickup is at Sonwil Distribution, which is this little place by the Buffalo airport. I've been there before. Live load. Appointment time? 1500 earlier that day. Well ####. I left my time machine at home this time.

So I start checking online to see when they open in the morning. According to Google, they don't. Only open M-F. So I call the number in the info and get a recording that also tells me that they're only open M-F. I send dispatch a message telling them this and they reply with "It was planned on you so I'd go in and if there's a problem get with day shift.". Really? That mf'er planned me on a load that was impossible to make.

So I get up this morning and drive over there to see if by some miracle they're open. Of course they're not. Place is locked up tight.

Ended up going to Baldwinsville for beer.

Seriously, wtf?

 

Haven't had anything like that yet! Pulled into Cartersville late last night to drop a Lapel to Albany trailer. Kinda take it easy in the morning since my 70 is pretty thin. Wade tells me to take the trailer to Albany and then puts me on a GP load back to Trenton. I should be able to get into Trenton with my remaining 70.

But man, Georgia Pacific is a trip, haha. Guy next to me got his trailer rejected for being an old piece of garbage and he threw a fit. Wasn't totally sure I'd be able to get under the loaded trailer sitting in a slight hole.

 

Cedar Springs?

 

Yeah. The last couple loads have been a pain as far as addresses go. My GPS won't recognize them at first. Seems I'm not always getting a complete address from dispatch.

 

Was taking a 36 in cartersville, mechanic was drilling them on all the hoods. Said it was to get into heartland places.

 

Cedar Springs is just a pain in the ### place to go plain and simple. Out in middle of nowhere. Consider yourself a success if you made it there your 1st time with no issues lo . Ive heard some other drivers havent been so lucky.

 

Ok makes sense. Ive heard that we arent using Jones Transportation im Atlanta as a drop lot anymore. Instead we will be dropping or picking up from Heartland terminal in Atlanta. Doesn't make much sense to rent a spot from Jones when Heartland has the terminal right there.

 

@davstu92 I cant msg you for some reason. Regarding your question Im really not sure. My best advice I can give you is call recruiting and ask for Peggi. She will shoot you 100% straight. Shes a former driver and will answer any question you have with the truth.

 

What GPS do you have? My advice is whenever your GPS won't accept the address dispatch gives you: Put it in Google Maps, make sure it's the right place, drop a pin on what looks like the driveway, then put the grid coordinates in your GPS.

However this doesn't really work for Cedar Springs. My Rand-McNally GPS thinks there's a weight restriction on one of the bridges on GA273 and will try to route around that. Look way back in this thread for my story of the first time I went there. Long story short is I ended up in Florida.

Also don't be shy about using Macro 35 to get driver-submitted directions and notes.