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

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by JohnBoy, Apr 10, 2013.

  1. RebelChick

    RebelChick Road Train Member

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    I was complacent for a minute on checking certain things, then it bit me in the you know what. Got chewed out because I missed something very important-3 broken cross members (think trl integrity). Now I check everything vigilantly. I’ve missed a few registrations or inspections over the years, but not at the 4-5 month out of date. Guess what? Found a 2nd trl in a month that had broken cross members yesterday. Loaded with 40k, no less.

    As for the PC, if YOU abuse it, you SHOULD lose it, IMO. When they cut it back for everyone due to certain people abusing it, I didn’t think that was fair. It’s not for forwarding loads. It’s not for use because you can’t manage your clock. It’s for running around BT for personal stuff (groceries, movies, etc), and if (big IF) you get held up by a shipper/receiver to get to the FIRST place to stop for the night. In the 6 years I was OTR, I rarely used my PC. If you have to constantly use it, well.......you might need to rethink how you utilize your clock.
     
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  3. RebelChick

    RebelChick Road Train Member

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    You should see all the trls at the yard this morning. If you thought it was overflowing the past few weeks, you ain’t seen nothing yet. You can’t even get on the back row. People just dropping trls anywhere. Took a video of it, but too large to post. :( It is ridiculous. I think I’m just going to go the heck home. I can’t see bringing MORE trls here. Even out front is packed with loaded trls. SMDH!!!!
     
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  4. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    At least you have plenty of work.
     
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  5. RebelChick

    RebelChick Road Train Member

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    That’s what one would think. Locals on the weekend, not so much. OTR, I wish they’d get them out of here.
     
  6. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    Then grab one and get rolling. ;)
     
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  7. ExtremeUnction

    ExtremeUnction Road Train Member

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    Define "abuse" in this context?

    Hitting the limit every day?

    Hitting the limit a couple times a week?

    Going WAAAAAAY over the limit by an hour or more?

    Asking for a friend.
     
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  8. RebelChick

    RebelChick Road Train Member

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    Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. Wish I could! I miss OTR so much. Sadly, it just isn’t doable for me anymore. :(
     
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  9. JohnBoy

    JohnBoy Road Train Member

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    I’m going to approach your response to my post as the trainer I am. I hope you take what I’m about to say as a lesson, not as a criticism or conflict. Part of my job and yours is to do a pretrip and post trip every day. One of the things I look for is compliance with paperwork (registration) and an inspection sticker. The trailer registration is in the holder above and to the right of the glad hands. The inspection sticker is to the right of the glad hands. One of the first things I look for when hooking a trailer are those 2 things. It annoys the hell out of me when either are missing or outdated. As much as I don’t want to take care of issues I do.

    About 4 or 5 years ago, we had a big problem with out of date inspections on trailers. We corrected that problem. Now it’s every so often one comes into our possession, and unfortunately, it becomes our problem to get it handled, if we don’t correct it and get a ticket, it’s on us. As much as I want to scream and curse at the driver who dropped it like that, it won’t solve the problem. I have 8 trainees driving here at Abilene, some with 2+ years here, I like to think I trained them well and they would do the correct thing. We are responsible for the vehicles we drive, you know as well as I do, DOT is always looking to get in our pockets, doing our part minimizes that. It cost me 3 hours of my time that cut into my trip to get to West Memphis to grab my load to go home for hometime, that’s what is the most frustrating part of this. Am I perfect? Not hardly, but I try to do my job to the best of my ability, and part of that job is to make sure my truck and trailer and myself are in compliance every day.
     
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  10. tbac

    tbac Light Load Member

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    And that folks, is what being a professional is all about.
     
  11. JohnBoy

    JohnBoy Road Train Member

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    Heading to Byhalia to grab my Jacksonville load. I’ll be home tomorrow about noon. This home time will be rather short, I’m having a stress test done on Wednesday, then heading back out on Thursday. This test is just a 2 year follow up for one I had 2 years ago, which turned out to be nothing.

    It’s that time of year, I’ll be gone next time for 2.5 weeks, then home again to go away with my wife to Barbados for a week to celebrate my birthday and our anniversary. I love this job. Lol
     
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