Beep Beep Roadrunner

Nobody called during the night to inform that the load was ready. So walked into the terminal zero dark thirty to check the status of my load to Dallas. This is after I drove around the block and up and down the docks and did not see my trailer. They just said they were having trouble filling the entire trailer for Dallas, would I mind a stop added for Albuquerque? Sure no problem. Cool we will get your loaded first thing. So I go walk Abby a couple miles and lie down for a bit. 3 hours later I go back in to check status, she says 'I will call you in a few minutes when I track down what is going on.' She calls and says they would rather put me on a Seattle tonight. OK already been sitting around for 2 days, that represent 3 days down. I go have a sitdown breakfast and think about it. In the scheme of things that Seattle run sounds not too bad.

 

How are the miles looking like at roadrunner

 

Well I arrived in Mira Loma CA Monday and was going to be loaded out Tuesday night for Dallas TX terminal with a stop in Albuquerque. Then for some reason that fell through and they offered me Seattle instead. Ok. Took them forever to reload. Sat 4 days for 1100 mile run and the terminal is closed at the weekend so this 1100 turns in 6 days.

To be fair I did receive calls from RR agents who could have booked me loads and kept me running.

Already spoke with Seattle planner to get me back down to Los Angeles for the IC Roundtable next Friday.

 

So a quick update--

Stopped at Jubitz Portland OR for the the 10 hour break before delivery to Sumner WA since pushing on to get there 20 some odd hours early seemed dumb as there isn't much to do.

So I went in to have a big fat sit down breakfast like I enjoy whenever I stay there, there is a big giant man sitting a couple stools over who the waitress is talking to about whether he wants coffee and/or water. He asks her if the coffee is any good, if not he will throw it on the floor. She is taken aback by that comment then he gruffly tells her to do her job. She is a little shaken but comes over to me and I tell her I like coffee this morning and I already know what I want. She took my order then went back to the kitchen and came back out and told the guy she called security to come have a word with him. Now he gets up and stands right up in her face towering over her in a dominant stance. I thought he might hit her and I was half off my stool ready to block his exit. But he didn't hit her, just turned and grabbed his jacket and left. So that was kind of exciting. I know she had to be really upset because she brought me the wrong omelette with hashbrowns also when I ordered country fries. She fixed that for me then brought me a $39.95 check which was for a table of 4 over in a booth. She took it back to the register to remove the charges and put the proper charges back on. I don't see any charges at all with my banking transactions so I'm wondering just how shook up she really was. I will have to stop in there next time and check up on her.

Still sitting up here in Sumner WA. Monday so I know it is slow for freight, no word from planner yet. Was walking around about 0500 with my hoodie this morning, two cop cars lit me up and hassled me a little bit about where I was going and what I was doing lol like I'm some kind of bum. Quick couple of words back and forth and they let me go.

Abby is at the animal hospital getting her comprehensive check-up, oops they just called to come get her, she is healthy. OK talk soon as I know where next load is going-- most likely Los Angeles because I'm supposed to attend the IC Roundtable next Friday the 17th.

 

I have been following this post and I have been contemplating the reasons for stopping the contractors from hauling outside freight.
The following statement is a PERSONAL OPINION and is not being stated as fact.

Reason one:
RoadRunner is having trouble getting outside carriers to haul the freight at the rates that they are now forcing the contractors to haul it for.

Reason two:
I leased to LandStar twice and I found that LandStar was able to make its agents very wealthy and LandStar was able to get a much bigger slice of the pie themselves by double and triple brokering their freight through their agents. I can see the likelihood of that happening now at RR. Who made money at LandStar? The same type of people that are going to make money at RR! Charismatic, Diplomatic, and Charming drivers that are able to get in good with some agents and a few that accidently learn of certain niches within their distribution lanes. Everybody else will most likely get by, but they will not truly prosper.

There is no doubt money to be made but the majority of it will be made by RoadRunner, its affiliates, the agents, and then it will trickle down to the contractors and drivers. I suppose that if we don't like it we are more than welcome to start our own companies and see if we can do better!

Welcome to the World of Trucking...

 

My idea of what would happen in that situation is that your trailer would be loaded by the shipper and then shipped out and you probably would spend weeks trying to find it (if you ever did find it).

 

Yes that already happened once. I took a RR loaded trailer across the country then turned and burned right back to get back to my trailer which they had loaded and sent away at the time I had no idea where. Seems like it took a couple weeks to get reunited with my trailer.

They have me a load going from here in the Seattle terminal to Livermore CA terminal. That puts me about 350 miles away from Los Angeles for the Roundtable meeting and only 45 miles from home--either of which I would have to deadhead to-- hmmm decisions decisions.

 

Pretty soon I'm gonna have to completely replace my entire exhaust system coming from the back of the DPF all the way out to the top. Thing is pretty close to turning to dust. Noticed the step clamp cracking some days ago and wired it together temporary til I could think of where to get a new clamp. Figured it would probably be a special order deal, wait some days for delivery etc, do it when I get home deal. Stopped at Brooks OR and walked over to the chrome shop, boom first shelf I see a clamp that works and only $10 bucks, no sales tax lol. Guess what I'm doing after work?

 

You could go home and get your POV and deduct the mileage and motel for your business meeting.

 

Contact some Big Rig salvage yards and try to find some good used parts that are vehicle specific. You appear to have the time available to do some online searching.

I used to purchase exhaust parts like elbows, flex pipe, clamps, and straight pipes from truck parts supply houses.

When you get to the round table ask the other drivers where they purchase their parts. In fact, if RR's shop treats you correctly, you could probably buy them at a discount from them. Any of the dealers has a lot of the exhaust parts because often they are often interchangeable.

Another bit of Information, You can place an ad on your local internet sites and find a good mechanic to do a lot of your required repairs at your home while you are off duty for an hourly rate or by the job, just be selective on who you hire.