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

Thanks pal, you too. I guess we will both be coming out of Florida the same day.

 

I'm finally rid of this disgusting broker load. 11 hours of detention to load it in Opelousas La and 5 hours of detention to unload it in Miami. 16 hours of detention after giving them the first 2 hours on either end. I have always said, take the detention and shove it, just load and unload your garbage with in the first 2 hours and let me go earn my pay the way I was hired to, by driving.

As I was sitting at the consignee today I get a load assignment that loaded in Savannah Ga going to Falmouth Va. The only problem was that it loaded in the morning. I sent a message into dispatch to remind them I was on home time through tomorrow and coming back out on Wednesday. I was immediately sent a reply apologizing for the mixup and to enjoy my time off.

 

They seem to be. Thanks for the well wishes!

 

Well it looks like I'm home for an extra night. I was up and ready to go this morning, packed my truck with all my goodies, food, clean underwear, tooth picks and other assorted must haves to last me for my next go around. I woke up this morning with a message on my phone from Abilene wanting to know if I am ready to go back out. Really? It's in the computer that today is the day, I called into dispatch last night to touch base and I spoke to my regular dispatcher yesterday. I have to say, so far I have no complaints about running miles while I'm out, in fact, they seem to burn all my hours up to the max, it's trying to get a load out of the house after home time that seems to be an issue. Oh well, at least I'm home waiting. I'm now going out to dinner with my wife.

 

My one and only complaint about Abilene is something most drivers would only wish for. It seems every time I get home I have to play hell to get a load out. I was done with home time Wednesday, I called in to dispatch 3 times, the last being at 7pm. I loaded up my truck with all my stuff, I sent 2 messages into dispatch and nothing. The last time I called in was at 7pm to be told nothing happening and to call in in the morning. Cool, so my wife and I go out to dinner. At 8:30 while finishing our Red Lobster dinner my phone rings. It's one of the load planners telling me I have a load assignment. Ok, at dinner I take the info down. It's a load that loads in Marble Hill Georgia at 11am the next morning. I have no idea where Marble Hill Georgia is so I google it. It's 670 miles from where my truck is parked!

I want to throw up. After we finish dinner my wife drops me at the truck and I leave. I get on the turnpike and do all my calculations. I now have to drive all night and half the next morning to get there on time to make the pickup. I do it, I stopped for fuel at 5am, take a 2 hour nap over the steering wheel and get to the pick up right at 11am with 15 minutes left on my clock. I'm loaded in no time and get permission to take my 10 hour break right there, in fact, the shipper said to make sure I park in the staging area and he would send the yard jockey over and wake me up when my time was up.

My load was going to kenbridge va, 470 miles away. I decided to get up at 2am and head out. I got to to consignee at 10am and was empty at 11. I was deadheaded back to the yard. I had about an hour left on my clock so dispatch asked me to go pick up a loaded trailer at Hill Phoenix. On my way over my reload came across the Qualcomm. It's a loaded trailer going to Pompano Beach for Monday. This isn't scheduled hometime, I have that for next weekend, it's my wife's birthday, not that she needs to be reminded that she's turning 54, but she wants to spend her birthday together. I will be home tomorrow around noon and deliver Monday.

Right now my truck is in the shop getting a complete service and new drive tires put on, I should be out of here by noon. Be safe all, God Bless!

 

If I felt I couldn't do it I would have told them in a New York minute I wasn't able to do it. You bring up a good point though. Some drivers drive strictly at night, I don't, I will occasionally, but not on a regular basis. The beer issue you bring up? I should have used that excuse, if it wasn't for the reason that I haven't had a drink in 28 years.