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

Boy, I sure hope you read this thread before making your decision. I've never worked for Florilli, but I sure hope they've changed their ways over the years, I'm not going to knock a company if I've never worked for them, but boy have they had a terrible name in this industry since the 80's. You'd think after all these years they would have gotten their act together.

 

Update time, as if anyone really needs to hear from me. I got empty Monday in Omaha at 1pm. I was 3 miles to Sapp Bros, T/S so I decided to sit there. I took a nap and about 3pm my QC starting singing. I had to deadhead and reload at 8am in Clinton Ia, 345 miles from where I was. This worked out just fine, I drove to Walcott, got my CB looked at and fixed, yes, I'm old school, need that radio on at all times, especially with winter approaching and Wyoming looming on my horizon.

I got to Walcott, swept out my trailer, fueled, took a shower then got a good nights sleep. Got up the next morning, ate, then drove the 35 miles to my pick up, was loaded and rolling at 10am. The load was going to Newport News Va for a drop and hook, I asked my FM Kimberley if she wanted me to drop this load at the customer or bring it to the Richmond yard, she told me she'll have an answer later that day. At 5pm I was told to bring it to the yard. I got to Richmond at 5:30 the next afternoon and dropped the trailer. I went in, took a shower then went out to dinner with a couple drivers. I figured it was Wednesday, Thursday is a good day to be in Richmond for a good load so off to bed I went. My break was up at 3:30 am, at 3:35 my phone rang off the hook. It was night dispatch with a fire that needed to be put out. I got dressed and went in to see what was so hot. I had to go meet a driver in Gordonsville at the truckstop 80 miles away, take his trailer and make 3 drops in PA that day. Apparently he screwed up his logs so bad that only safety could straighten them out when they got in, the easiest thing to do was shut him down and send another truck to him and swap trailers. I don't say no, if I have the hours and there's freight to be moved, I'll do it.

I met him at 5am, was in Carlisle at 8am for my first drop, 10am in Lancaster for my second drop, my third one was at 10pm in Doylestown, got there at 1:30, split my sleeper, then got the drop off at 10pm. I asked dispatch if I was spending the night up there or, would they send me a deadhead move back to the yard, since I did a split, I would be able to leave at 10pm. I got the deadhead move and was on my way back to Richmond at 10:30. I stopped at the scales in Northern Va and took a 2 hour nap, woke up at 5am and was at the yard at 6:30. This is about were my good day went to poop. It's our responsibility to clean out the trailers after these loads with the excess dunnage and nails. I backed up to the dumpster at the yard, got my crowbar out and with flashlight in hand pulled about 10 nails, picked up the loose 2x6 braces, swept the trailer out, and stepped on a nail that I missed, ouch is all I can say. Right through my shoe and into my left foot. Boy that hurt. I dropped the trailer, got my bag and change of clothes, then hobbled into the shower. I removed my shoe, treated the puncture wound, saw the damage, then went to the walk in clinic. One Tetnus shot later, a bottle of antibiotics in my possession and I was good to go. I went to see dispatch when I got back, had to give safety my clearance to return back to work and I was on my way to our West Memphis yard to drop a loaded trailer off.

Dropped that yesterday afternoon and was given a reload assignment. Bobtail to Forrest City Ar, take my 10 then hook a load going to Groveport OH. My load is just about done, I need to be in Groveport by midnight tonight. I'll be there about 10pm, take my 10 then get one out of there in the morning. My pay period ended at Midnight last night, it was a good round, 6350 miles, 550 miles of northeast pay and 4 extra stop offs.

The foot? ouchy ouchy, but on the mend.