ATS/school

So I spent the weekend at this little gas station with decent tuck parking, but no showers etc.. Left early am for the pickup. Oh, did I mention that I got pulled into the Billings scale for a level 1 inspection? Sorry I cant remember if I told you. I got put out of service, or I should say th etrailer did. I passed with no violations, but I had no trailer lights. I had brake, turn and 4 way, just no running lights. So that ended my nite, waiting for road service to come fix the trailer. Got it Fixed(I thought, more later) and rolled. Back to the story, I got loaded and tarped in good time. Then I got stopped at the scale in Deer Park, about 45 minutes from the lumber yard. Had to go through a level 3 inspection, passed. Wifes gonna be happy toget 2 gift cards to Wallyworld! I made it to just outside Billings, again, when I found out that guess what? NO TRAILER RUNNING LIGHTS. Pulled over for the nite, and the next morning rolled into the dealer in Billings. Had a little trouble finding the place, very small and a big Freighliner dealer had almost the same name. And we had a different truck in their shop already. After a few minutes of confusion I found out I was at the wrong place. Got GOOD directions to the actual place and waited for them to fix the trailer. By the time they were done I just went to the J in Billings for a shower and to do my laundry. For those who dont know yet, STAY AWAY FROM BUFFETS!! I had no choice this time, the grill was down(that should have been a clue!) Woke up too early and couldnt get back to sleep so I rolled out. I didnt make the state line(with WY) and the truck started blowing fuses again! The POE was open(of course), rolled across the scale, and they didnt catch the lights! They were too busy with another driver who must have gotten too "creative" with his logs. From what I overheard when I went in to show my paperwork, he was going to be leaving MUCH lighter in the wallet. So... right now I am waiting for daylight to be able to safely roll BACK to Billings to see what they can do now. I have gown a bit stale on the Volvo right now. I am not sure, but I think this is the 4th time I will be in the shop. I have no clue what they(ATS) will want to do with this load, it is now late, and looks like it will be close to delivering on Friday, a week late! And thats if the truck can get fixed today. Im guessing that since I have to log being here at the POE, my day is gonna be over by the time they finish. So, I'll have to start over, again, tomorow. I'll let you know.

 

Back to our story: They found another MAJOR short this time. Right where the main power line splits and goes to each of the center turn signals. The line runs over the top of the air tanks, there was just enough slack that when the trailer went over a big enough bump the line would "bounch" and rub on the tank. Turns out that it finally rubbed completely through, everything! Actually melted all the wires this time. So I go get fuel, and start my day over. Made to Dallas to deliver with no more drama. Waited all day for another load, finally got it at 345pm, supposed to pick up back in Dallas. Problem was I went about 30 miles out of Dallas to shower etc.. So i had to go back during rush hour. Would have been nice if someone would have told me the place was open 24 hours! Would have made traffic a bit less stressful! Now the good news, it was a pre-loaded trailer! And they threw the straps and everything! Truly a "no touch" freight, and for a flatbed no less! I am to deliver in Co tomorrow in the am. I was able to work it for a reset today. And man let me tell you , am I glad I didnt try driving this route in the nighttime! Truck route my ###! I didnt get over 30mph for about 2 hours! There were at least 6 switchbacks that were 10mph, for 4 wheelers! I needed the WHOOOOLLLLLEEE road, and no, not just my lane, the WHOOOOOLLLLLEEE ROOOAAAAADDDDD! Tahnk God there wasnt much traffic. I had to pull over 3 times just to let people pass as it was. And there were only 3 spots or I would have done more. So I finally get here, Streets and Trips is right on('cept for the original route they wanted me to take, more on that latter). So I see the construction, big high rise hotel/casino. Buuuutttt, its built on the side of the mountain(yes I know its CO,but...) I turn on the street, the casino is on the corner. Right away things dont look good. Big new casino addition on the left, steeeepppp hill on the right. Basically driving through a very narrow canyon, with one side being man made. There is construction "stuff" on both sides of this "street", barely enough room for the truck. and the road is about to turn into a DIRT road heading back to the top of the hill I just came down. Ok, something aint right. Park and go try to find someone who knows what to do. I got lucky, one of the other trades, not ones getting the load, actually knew where the other trucks had been delivering. Great. Just take the road on the right, and follow the switchbacks to the top. Oh, and watch the first corner its tight. NO KIDDING IT WAS TIGHT! And the hill I had to get to the top of? Well, I used low gear for the first time. Now I just need to wait for someone to sign for these wall panels, give me 6 straps, verify I have picked up the right trailer(from dispatch) and get another load. Now about the lesson I learned today. Ya know the front part of the truckers atlas, the part where it lists all the low bridges? READ THAT AREA!!!! Im in CO right? Legeal height out here is 14' right? True, however...... that part of the atlas also lists RESTRICTED roads. Now in my defense, I did check the route, I always do. Atlas said the route was a truck route( you see how much you can trust that, above), so off I went. Looks to be considerably shorter than the way dispatch sent me. Take the exit, get to the bottom. Looking good, nice pretty canyon to drive through, bout 45 minutes till Im done for the day. WRONG! First sign I see says "restricted, no trucks over 13"0", so back out to the interstate, back to Golden, Back to the route from dispatch.Im almost certain that the road I had to take to get BACK to the interstate was restricted too, but there was no other way. So dont just look for low bridges(definetly look for those tho!) read about the restricted routes etc. too. Believe me, it makes the day SO much more enjoyable! Well your all caught up now! I dont know if i'll be going home for Thanksgiving or not. I didnt request it off, I plan on taking a couple weeks from Christmas thru New Years. They may route me home, but I said I didnt want to take a load from someone who wanted to be home for turkey day,so we'll see.

 

Wow im behind! Sorry. Ok, so I sat for a day in Denver, got sent down to Pueblo to get another trrailer( pre loaded) heading to NJ. Great, northeast again. But the good news is its a 1700 mile run, so I cant really complain. I couldnt get there before everyone went home for the weekend. So I sat, in the same J in PA as the last time I was out there. Again, not all bad, I got a reset, ATS paid for Thanksgiving dinner, and I got a couple days layover. All in all , not bad. I found out Friday that I was going to have to meet another driver and swap trialers with him, he couldnt get into the port. So Monday I make my way to the delivery, nice narrow, winding, hilly roads out here! Got to the customer, really nice guys! I mean REALLY! The kind you wish more customers could be like. Anyways, got empty and started back into Pa, back on truck routes, when I get the message to STOP! You dont need the TWIC card to get into the port he was going to. OK, didnt want to go anyway. Couple hours later Im told to go to New Holland and swap my trailer for a stepdeck. Then get to the port of Baltimore for a load going to WI. One tiny problem, by the time I get to New Holland, its after 3est, not gonna get to the port before they close. Oh and I asked if they wanted me to grab a 48' or a 53'. Didnt matter. UH huh. I wiggle into a spot at teh Baltimore T/A. This place, at least this part of the parking lot, wasnt made for sleeper cabs with spread axle trailers. It took me 3 or 4 pull ups to get into a hole. Felt pretty embarrased, held everyone up etc., then I had to help three others try to get into the same type holes. OK, not so embarrassed now.(remember I am by far my own worst critic!) So I get to the port the next morning. Oh, back up. On the way in to the port, well before the actual port, there are road blocks. Cops, everything. December 1st the Port of Baltimore began requiring the TWIC card to enter the port. They were trying to head problems off before the gate. Ok, so I get in no problem. AAAAhhhh, now the problem. Dispatch forgot to send me the dock receipt. Now for those of you who dont know, you dont get ANYTHING with out a dock receipt. And of course no one is in the office at Corporate yet, i'm in the Eastern time zone, theyre all buying that $5 cup of Starbucks for the ride in to work still! Well, obviously I eventually get the paperwork, and get loaded. Except for one little thing, remember the trailer question? Yep, need a 53' to get the whole load on. Ok, its decided that theyll just leave the one piece off. So now I start to tarp. Four completely different shapes and sizes. One of those oads where you step back and go, "now what the h*** am I gonna do about... that, that, that, and that?" After several hours and three big tarps, as well as every tarp strap I had, Im done. Go over to help another ATS driver finish his up, when I get back in my truck to move out, the Driver Tech is going off. Now the customer is saying that they want the whole load. Im supposed to untarp, unload, and go back to New Holland to swap trailers again. I ask if they are nuts? You gotta be kidding me! Im not going through this whole thing again tomorrow! For no extra money?! No, got lucky. Another ATS truck showed up, and they were able to get the extra piece on his trailer. WHEEEEEEEWWWWW!!!!! So off we head, the other(first ) driver stops early but I push on for several more hours. Shouldnt have, ran myself out of parking spots. Oh well. Finally found one and got very little sleep. headed out in the am, delivered this evening. They reeeeeaaaallllyyyy wanted it today! Now im sitting here waiting for a load in the morning. The other driver is still in IL. He wont be here till noonish. Nice guy, but another who doesnt really run hard. And I dont think I run very hard, really cant with a 63mph truck and all the other restrictions a company driver has!

 

Forgive any spelling errors on this one, im wiped out, you'll soon see why. So im told to head over to Manitowoc and swap out for an RGN. Gona load tractors just south of Milwaukee. That other driver gets the same load, well just like mine. Heading back to the port of Baltimore. So we get to the shipper bout 1/2 hour before they open. We're behind probably 12 other trucks. Took a while for everything to get straightend out, of course we didnt have the right numbers to load. Helped the other guy unhook his RGN, got loaded and went to reconnect the RGN. The #### pin wouldnt relock. Ended up having to get the forklift to raise the thing up so he cpuld get reconnected. Good news was that while we did that they decided that there was no reason to unhook mine and my trailer was loaded before we were done with his. Cool. So we start out for Gary, I had to get some more equipt. etc. Traded in some old straps for new ones, and got some more 3/8 chains. The Gary safety lane is backed up out to the street so it takes longer to get through there than anything else. Good, now lets roll. Well we both needed fuel and $$ for the tolls again. Then we get rolling. We're gonna get a reset at this guys house. Cool, no truck stop for the weekend! Then in South Bend my left steer tire decides it doesnt want to be a tire anymore! Complete blow out. There is now at least one 4 wheeler in IN who wont hang around beside a big truck(for a while anyway). No, no contact, but im pretty sure either the blow out or the truck trying to go in their lane scared the hell out of them! Scared me for a second till I was sure I had it under control and nothin was gonna happen. By the time I was able to pull off safely, no rubber left on the wheel. None. So call road service and wait for a new tire and wheel. About 2 hours later im rolling again, nice shinny new steer tire, on a old steel wheel. tire took out the little part of the fender behind the wheel and in front of the step. Now im at the last travel plaza in IN, ill catch the other driver tomm. Ill update ya on the rest of the trip later, hopefully no more drama! Two breakdowns with tows and this. Thats enough for me for a year!

 

This may be a good time for a "year in review". Am I still happy with the company? Maybe the best answer is I havent found anything better yet. There have been some screw ups, some delays and other generally frustrating things. But nothing that other drivers dont go through. This company is not perfect, but I havent had a reason to leave. And I probably wont, unless that "perfect job" comes along. I like my FM, we seem to work well together and she's getting better at her job which is good for me. I have had at least decent responses to problems. It doesnt always feel "decent" at the time, but when looking back it really was not bad. I can get whatever equipment I need, no problems. I now can fuel anywhere I need to, not everyone can, at least not right away. The freight is pretty steady, not as steady as i'd like, but at the end of the month im almost always at at least 10k. Been as high as 12k, low as 8500. I do wish there was some sort of preplanning, would help reduce down time between loads. All in all I certainly could have made worse choices for starting out! The pay is at least average, if not above. I get the feeling that this slow down has actually forced the coompany to look at the direction they were heading and re-evaluate. I think we will be moving away from the van division and more back into what originally set them apart, specialized. Ill still answer any questions that I can, but may not keep the day to day stuff coming. I think you get a pretty good idea about my first year, and the year with this company. I would recomend them. They have done what they said, followed through on fixing things that were wrong, worked with me when I had family emergencies to get home to, gotten me home when I asked for home time(one screw up but it was my FM's fault not the co.), and they havent made me run if I was tired or out of hours. They actually are more strict on the logs than I would like but thats a good thing for the most part. All in all I would put them in the "good company" colum, no, they arent perfect. You will get out what you put in to some extent. Basically I guess, if you are willing to run when you can, deliver loads on time without problems, be safe in securement, and be dependable (courteous and friendly go a long way in my book as well) you can be happy(or at least content) with this company. The bottom line is going to be up to you. Not every company is going to fit for every driver. What one cant stand others wont mind and visa versa. If you are looking at flatbedding, you would be wise to at least look into ATS and see what you think. I do know there are WORSE companies out there! Whether or not they (ATS) will be a fit for you, only you will be able to judge that. I hope this has given some insight and makes your decision easier(or maybe harder). Be safe, and I'll look for ya on the big road!