Beginning the Long Awaited CDL Process

I keep rest stops as a last resort. Us old guys need to go potty more than you young dudes....but you're not that young, are you? I'm partial to the smaller TS. Parking is no issue, it doesn't have that circus atmosphere and usually the food is much better.



So how's it going, buddy?

I haven't seen you in so long, I had to take out our grad pic from school so I could remember what you looked like......lol.


I'm at our Irving, Texas terminal tonight. My computer has been down but I got her up and running again.

I'll be home this weekend, so if you're around, give a shout.

 

I can't let something happen to me before I get to sample some Sammycat coffee......no way!!!!!

Yeah, I notice the snow has been on the light side so far. I've been through 3 storms and none have amounted to much of anything. This last storm had some ice, but driving a little slower and gearing down the hills took care of that.

 

Hello Everyone.


What a week........ or more.

I've been absent from TTR because my computer picked up a nasty little virus that took quite an effort to kill..................but to quote our beloved AT, "I got that sum beach."


Life is back to normal.

Anyway, I'm sitting in our Irving, TX terminal after waiting 3 days to get a B PM done, when......it was supposed to have been done when I had the Total Transportation terminal do the DOT inspection on my tractor.

I was headed south to deliver my very heavy paper load to Arlington, TX when my FM sends me a message telling me I need a B PM.


WHAT?

"I just had that done in Jackson, MS. Check with them."


30 minutes later she calls me and says they didn't have time to get it done.

"I'm setting you up at Irving for a B PM at 1900." Great. Next time I'm passing through Jackson, MS I'll have to ask them why they said everything was finished.


I'm not complaining, really. I did get to do laundry, take a shower, get some shopping done at the local Walmart, and have a few odds and ends fixed on this truck (they did refuse to rip out this auto slide and stick a real tranny in).

Had to ask.

So in all, after the snow laden journey to Winchester, I got a nice 684 mile run from Sandston, VA to Terre Haute, IN. It was one of those HVP (high value product) loads. You fuel up first, pick up the load, and head out with no stopping for at least 200 miles, and parking for the night must be in a reasonably safe and well lit TS. No Casinos and you can't take the load home. The theory is to out distance a car, fuel wise. I put some snacks up front with me and ran about 450 miles before stopping.

Next was a short trip (205 mi) from Plainfield, IN to Bartonville, IL, and then this paper load which I picked up in Pekin, IL (which was 7 miles from my last drop) to Arlington, TX. Paid miles, 803.


Anyway, last week was 2,984 paid miles. Not too bad. Of course getting this PM done was not expected, so this weeks settlement will be down a touch. At least this 800 mile run to Arlington, TX goes toward next weeks pay.


And, I have home time scheduled for Thursday.



Dang.......wordy again.





Thanks for reading.

-Wedge

 

I'm at our Tunnel Hill terminal for the night. I'll be heading to Ellenwood sometime late morning or early afternoon. I'll be around through the weekend, and go back out on Sunday.

If you make it home, give me a call.

 

Hello Everyone.

That's right....I'm feeding the birds at a rest area in GA, south of Ashburn. Sometimes planning to be early to a receiver can work against you, especially when you have an appointment.

It most cases, anyone I've delivered to didn't mind me showing up early. In this case I would show up about 12 hours early, and the receiver says "Sorry, can't take you early."

My del appointment time is 2300 tonight. This load picked up in Atlanta, and delivers in Plant City, FL (Chompi, I'm heading your way). I had a little trouble locating an empty yesterday. They're like gold if you're in the wrong part of the country. I had to make two stops to find one.

By the time I got loaded, I burned up a good portion of my hours, but there was plenty of margin on this run so I wasn't worried. And making the ASSUMPTION that I could delivery early, I didn't get too fussy on the overnight parking.

So, I'm less than 200 miles from my fuel stop, and just over 300 to the receiver, and can't go on duty until almost 1800 (it's 0930 right now), I'm sitting here at a rest area...............feeding the birds. My rule of thumb is if you're going to be stuck someplace for a while, you might as well be at a TS. For one thing, there's more entertainment, and you have amenities at your disposal. Rest areas, for the most part, are just large parking areas that have rest rooms, and vending machines..............and, of course,....... birds.

I'm not complaining, just reporting. I'm fresh off of home time, fully stocked with food, replaced my DVD remote, computers up, just would have driven a little farther last night. Thta's just the way it goes sometimes.


I'll keep pleading my case......maybe my FM can work some magic.


Here chick, chick, chick...............here chick, chick, chick..........




Thanks for reading.

-Wedge

 

Hello Everyone.

My desire to deliver early got the best of me, so I headed to Plant City, FL knowing I would arrive 2 hours early. My plan was to burn up some time with my fuel stop and having a bite to eat before arriving at Sav-a Lot.

I don't like going to new places at night but finding this place was pretty easy. The first thing I spotted was a line of trucks, 1/2 mile long extending into the street from the guard shack. It turned out that most of these guys were waiting for their appointments to be loaded, so I pulled around them and headed for the entrance and joined a much shorter line of trucks showing up for evening deliveries.


I checked in 35 minutes ahead of my 2300 appointment time (YES!) and the guard assigned me a door to dock at and told me to go to the receiving office after I docked. It didn't phase them in the least that I was early (noted for future reference ).

Broke the seal, opened the doors, put the seal on the floor of the trailer, slid the tandems back, and docked. I had 6 hours left on my clock, plenty of time to get unloaded and find parking for the night.


I zip into the office, hand BOL's to the clerk, and she says "You'll have to speak with the man at the table about hiring lumpers."..........argh!

So I said "How much to hire lumpers, $100, 200.....?"

"$50 dollars."

"That's it?" I say with a smile.

"Yes. You only have 24 pallets so it gets off loaded pretty fast. You can use Comchecks, Trans Checks or cash."


I decided to save time, I'll pay in cash, get the receipt, and put in to be reimbursed when I send in my expense report for this run. I reach into my pocket....................$49.12. .....Crud.


"Do you have an ATM nearby."

"Sure do. Go back out the gate, turn left and the gas station on the corner has an ATM."




Well, with the line of trucks backing up waiting for their turn at the docks, I wasn't leaving. So much for the getting the lumper paid out of pocket change. I shouldn't have bought that coffee at the fuel stop.

When I need money for lumper fees, USX will up-load money on to my fuel card, and I can issue them a 'Trans Check' which I keep on the truck. I hate to use them when time is not on my side.

Zipped back out to the truck (didn't pass any owner less dollar bills on the way) contacted dispatch to get 50 loaded on my card. In the meantime, they start unloading me. 30 minutes after they finished unloading me, the money is up loaded on the card. I call in to Trans Check to register the check I'm about to use, get the transaction number, and then zip back in to the receiving office to pay the bill. Total time at the receiver from arriving at the guard gate to heading back out to I 4 was 2 hrs, 20 minutes. Not too bad, I still had plenty of time left to find a parking spot.

Parking at night in the Tampa area is very difficult. I headed west on I 4 to I 75 NB. The only parking available on I 4 was a TA @ exit 10 and they charge for parking unless you fuel up. I stopped at a rest area on I 75 in Land O Lakes, FL for the night. Nice place, and appears to be brand new. I try not to venture too far away from a receiver for over night parking if I can help it. The next dispatch will base it's dead head miles from my delivery location.


Well anyway, the weather's nice............no birds, though.


Hey Chompi! What's happening?




Thanks for reading.

-Wedge