Calex Express....My New Home!

I'm pretty sure they do. Call into safety and ask for Jim.

Feel better pal. Sorry to hear about the water pipe. Never fun when that happens.

1 year recent verifiable experience. Clean record, no accidents. You must live close to our freight lanes.

 

Here's an overdue update. I got empty last Monday in Orlando, reloaded that morning at the port in Jacksonville and was empty in Greensboro NC last Tuesday. After getting empty in Greensboro I was sent to Charlotte for a reload that morning with a load going to Plains PA for Wednesday. I made it to the rest area north of Harrisburg that night and went to sleep. it was real foggy and I wasn't about to fight the last 85 miles at night. I woke up at 5AM Wednesday and made it 9 miles before I decided I would go back to sleep until daylight, at least if it was light out I could see where my happy backside would land if I was to run off the road in the fog and snow. I woke up about 7AM and headed north to my delivery. I wasn't to worried about the delivery time as this load was going to one of our logistics warehouses and all it was was a drop and hook. I got there about 8am and dropped the trailer. I then bobtailed to the Petro and took a shower and called Louie. He told me to see him after lunch as he was trying to find some freight.

When I got back to the terminal the shop immediately took my truck in to service it and the APU. I went upstairs and was offered a west coast load, the only problem with it was that I had to go to upper Michigan to unload then I would be reloaded to the west coast from there. Ok, how bad can this be? I bobtailed down to Mountaintop and picked up my load going to Kalkaska Mi. On my way to pick up my trailer I was hearing about this snow storm coming in so I hauled tail west. The load was scheduled to deliver on Friday so I had time, I just was worried about getting delayed and spending the weekend in northern Michigan. Louie called me as I was scaling out my trailer and told me they would unload me the next day if I could get there before 3pm. I said sure and off I went. The last 150 miles in PA was nothing but snow showers and cold. The road was real poo poo. I figured if I could make to the rest area on Rte 23 just inside Michigan I would wake up with exactly 340 miles due north. I always enjoy planning my trips and having things work out. I woke up the next morning and was on the road at 5am.

I drove through Flint, Ann Arbor, Saginaw and other cities and never hit any traffic. Then I realized the reason why, the unemployment rate in Michigan is pretty bad and the people have nowhere to go between 7 and 9 am. I drove all the way to the 198 mm on 75 and pulled into a rest area to use the bathroom and call the receiver. On my way up I couldn't believe the lack of cars and trucks, nothing, desolate. I took a picture just as I was getting to the rest area to send my wife to let her know that it snows on Mars. As I pulled into this huge snow covered rest area who is there waiting for me? No other than Mr. DOT. I parked, he drove up to me, I told him I had to go potty, he said fine he'll be waiting for me when I get back and off I went. When I returned he asked me if I indeed had Electronic Logs and I told him yes I did. He asked to see my hours for the day and my hours left on my 70. I pulled them up and he said that was fine and to have a nice day. End of DOT check. I called the consignee and got directions, as our conversation went on I told him I was an hour away and that I would be there by 11AM. He asked me if that was tomorrow and I told him no, today. The old boy was totally ecstatic about it and told me that they were due to get hammered that afternoon with a snow storm and that they would have me empty in less than an hour after I got there.

I got to the consignee and got backed in and was empty in an hour. On my way out from the customer I went across the street to get a cup of coffee. When I got back to my truck my reload info was on my computer. I had to deadhead 300 miles down to Chicago Heights Ill and reload the next day at 3pm. My pick up was only 11 miles from the TA in Gary, not exactly the highlight of my day but at least I could fuel and shower and be on top of my pick up. I woke up the next morning to -7 degree weather and called the shipper to see if I could get in earlier. They said sure to come on in. I got there at 9am and was loaded by 11. After leaving the shipper my truck and trailer was pulling like I was grossing 80,000 pounds. The bills called for 39,000 so I stopped in Minooka Ill at the Pilot long enough to see a Werner truck take off the hood of a Knight truck and to scale out my load. The Werner driver and Knight driver seemed to have everything under control so I went on with the scaling business. After coming off the scale I decided to park at the fuel island to avoid any collisions. I know, I might be called one of those inconsiderate drivers, but I figured that it was now a whopping -5 and I wanted to get to Los Angeles with all the parts of my truck attached. I got my scale ticket and low an behold I wasn't grossing 80,000lbs, I was grossing 80,500lbs. I was full of fuel, and I was running across 80 to Salt lake city then south to LA so I figured I would burn off enough to cross any scales and I would buy my fuel accordingly. I had planned to stop at Walcott Iowa and spend the night but I heard about another snow storm coming in so I decided to use up my 11 hours driving that day. I made it across Iowa fighting snow showers and made it to York Nebraska where I called it a night.

I woke up Saturday morning thinking if I could deliver a day earlier on Monday, that would get me done with my reset a day early and get loaded on Wednesday instead of Thursday. So that's what I pushed for this past weekend. My only concern was crossing Wyoming. I woke up Saturday, showered and drove to Alda Ne for fuel. I filled up knowing that North Platte would be closed and I would be under gross crossing the Wyoming P.O.E. From there to my next fuel stop in Fort Bridger Wyoming was 675 miles, not a problem. I heard from the fuel desk in Alda that they were expecting 6 inches of snow that day so I kept at it got to Wyoming. At the port the temp outside was 44 degrees. I had my wife at home find out the road conditions across Wyoming for me. Wrong idea John. She called me and was upset about what she read. Oh well, another wonderful trip across Wyoming. There was no road closures but boy was it a biotch. Climbing out from Cheyenne to the top of Sherman hill was nothing but a ground blizzard the whole way from the 353 mm to the bottom of the hill going into Laramie. You couldn't see the hood of your truck, at least it was daylight. I figured if I kept going I could cross Elk Mtn during daylight hours and make it to Little America and take my 10 there.

Well, let me tell you, from the 285 mm to Walcott Junction at the 230 mm was nothing short of a nightmare. 50 mile an hour winds, blowing and drifting snow, and driving almost blind the whole way. I got over Elk without a problem then hauled tail to Little America. After parking I spent the next hour on the phone with my wife trying to reassure her that I was safe and going to bed and that she could also. Boy I love that woman, if you ever want to see an Angel, I happen to be married to one! I woke up Sunday morning hoping to make it to Las Vegas and take my break. I did. I watched the Jet game then went to bed. I woke up this morning and had 265 miles to my delivery, I stopped in Barstow and got my truck and trailer washed, called the consignee and explained to them that yes I am a day early but could you possible unload me today. They said sure to come on in and they would fit me in. This had to be the first time in many years where I had absolutely no traffic issues to Santa Fe Springs. I got there at 11 am, got backed in at noon, and was empty and on my way back to Ontario at 2pm. I am now parked watching the comedy hour out my windshield. I spoke to Louie and he said I will be loading on Wednesday for a load of produce going back to our customer in Milton PA.