Buckeye hauling Maverick Glass

I am feeling like a flatbeddin' man. I was sent from Richburg to Georgetown, SC to pick up slinkies for Pine bluff, AR. I got there Sunday night and got to go to a local church where they spoke english. Good service. The Arcelormittal facility there had in their directions "don't show up before apptmt and only one truck on the lot at a time". I had to call my FM because I had a 0800 to 1300 window and there were 3 other mavericks at the truck stop with the same direction. The FM checked the CSR and told me "Go when ready". When I got there I was the eighth Maverick there and 4 or 5 more came while I was there. So much for instructions.
After leaving Pine Bluff, I picked up gray bar in Ft Smith for Dekalb, IL. Then over to Peru, IL for Hardie planks (Bldg Matl) for Dublin, VA. I got a little uptight about the directions since they sent me to the facility for pickup instead of delivery. They are about 3 miles apart and I didn't know until I had untarped, unstrapped and put everything away (Mr Efficiency). I had done this while waiting in line and I finally flagged down a fork lift driver and he told me to go to the front of the line and check in. Imagine my frustration when I was told "you're at the wrong place". Then I had to throw straps and haul butt to beat the 1700 window and it was beginning to rain at the front of the big winter storm coming. Fortunately the guys at the correct facility were pretty nice and unloaded even though I showed up right at 1700.
I hope those flatbedders don't have a weekly breakdown as has been my experience. Last week I woke up to find a inside flat on my trlr. That made me late and pushed my delivery into the next day. And yesterday I had some intermittent taillight trouble that turned out to be worn wires and a corroded plug in the rear trailer frame. Both items were quickly repaired but the down time pushed me later than I liked.
Now I sit at a Flying J waiting for the morrow as has been the norm this week. I guess I should feel blessed I am getting the mileage I have been. A little over 1800 last week and around 2700 this week. Hope all are safe through this early winter storm. God Bless.

 

Friday morning I spent a few minutes working with Pilot to get my fueling card to start the pump. When I was with my trainer his would allow him to put all information into the pump keypad. I have had a difficult time getting the pump on without going inside. The manager called HQ and told me it would work after midnight. Saturday it allowed me to start the pump but wouldn't let me put in the rest of the info at the pump. I still had to go in after and give them the Maverick info but at least it started. Sunday I was back to square one; it wouldn't even allow me to start. AHhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Anyway, I got a load out of Salem of heavy equipment. It was a 30000 pound counterweight and 88" bucket for an excavator going to Jeffersonville, IN. I laughed because that was my wife's hometown and her brothers and sister still live there. I touched base with them and set up breakfast then spent the night 2 hours away. When I arrived at the delivery point and the foreman said the excavator that could offload the parts was "supposed" to arrive before me. I said "Don't tell me - it is a John Deere 300CL". He said yeah. I saw that at the pilot this morning when I left at 6:00 and he, being oversized, couldn't leave until daylight so I wouldn't expect him until after 10. So I dropped my trailer and met my brothers in law for breakfast. When I returned the foreman had repaired one of his other units and was able to unload me. I left there for Ghent, KY for 3 coils of Stainless for Little Rock. I drove in there and spent the night at the terminal. Monday I called my FM to see about getting the load delivered a day early instead of Tuesday. She said she would try but no promises. She did call right back and tell me I was scheduled for a BPM. So here I sit waiting on maintenance. It did give me the opportunity to check in with payroll and the recruiters and get some questions answered. Hope everyone is having a great new year. God Bless.

 

I delivered the stainless coils to Ryerson and went back to NLR. I was expecting the tag for my trailer. It has not had one since I picked it up 2 weeks ago and my FM had overnighted it to NLR since I was there for maintenance. The maintenance chief said it wouldn't be in until probably 1130. It was only 0800 and I had received a work order to load out of Ft Smith for Columbus, OH. My FM left it to me as to sit or go. I chose to be moving. Went to Ft Smith and loaded gray bar then back through NLR. It was 1730 when I arrived back and, of course, the tags were locked in the upstairs office. Since I was to be home in Columbus for a 3 day weekend, I told my FM to have them overnight it to my house and she agreed. I left NLR straightaway and drove to West Memphis. That left me 600 miles to get home and if my timing was good it would allow me to go to choir practice. It did and I had a great evening and, as sewerman would say, I didn't sleep in my own bed, I got to sleep in "momma's" bed. I deliver this morning and don't know if they will load me out of Columbus for Monday or leave me empty. I leave that to the dispatcher. I have a scheduled 3 day weekend as today is my 27th anniversary and will spend it with my wife and 2 of my kids. God Bless.

 

Came out of the house on Monday after a great weekend headed for Toledo and a load of square and round tubing for Newark, NJ. Though they were nice about loading and letting me tarp inside (since the wind was blowing like blue blazes) it was over 3 hours before I got in. This made me late for the appt on Tuesday and the demeanor of the receiver showed he wasn't happy. I was only a half hour late according to my work order but evidently they thought I was supposed to be there at 1000 instead of 1300. I did let my FM know even before I got loaded that I would be late. I even did a split berth to try to get there on time. But, I guess you can't please everybody all the time. Once out of 2 months is doing pretty good to me. My load out of that area was 3 "Ice Tanks" for a school in Jamestown, OH. This took me thru the house for a much needed shower but I couldn't stay. The original load assignment had me delivering 2 days later when the trip could be accomplished in one. So I asked the FM to try to move it up. She did but in order to make the 0730 appt I had to get there Wednesday night. After unloading the tanks at the school construction sight (in the rain) I was sent to pick up fencing (In the mud) only 24 miles away for Spartanburg, SC. Another unique load but at least it didn't have to be tarped. Delivering the fence Friday afternoon, I received a pre-load of steel out of Darlington, SC for Jackson, MI. At least I received the QC before the system went snakey. From what I understand Qualcomm was having problems nationwide. The FM confirmed my load which allowed me to spend Saturday night at home and go to church with the family before leaving Sunday to spend the night north of Toledo. After I delivered Monday I called my FM about a battery problem I was having. I had to jump the truck with my Suburban last weekend after being home and yesterday after church. I didn't think this was normal but was unsure with all the cold weather we had lately. She said it was not normal and sent me to the TA to have them checked. So far the tech uncovered the filthy batteries that had corrosion on the terminals. After cleaning the tester said to charge them. (I don't think that's good.) Following charging, 3 out of 4 tested bad - perhaps that could be the problem. Soon to be back on the road. Later - God Bless.

 

I'm moving my comments to Glass Unit Training with Seawheeler. See ya'll there and God Bless.