Calex Express....My New Home!

Have fun JB and win some $$$$ for me. Be careful in the mountains.

KH

 

OK all, it's early Sunday morning, dark, cold and boring here in Kansas. I'm waiting for Garylobo to get to his truck so we can get rolling. I'll check in later tonight with an update. See Ya!

 

Hello all. I'm sitting here at the TA in Las Vegas with Garylobo after getting empty. I'll be done with my reset at 5AM tomorrow and was told that I will be reloading in Oxnard Ca. late tomorrow. I need to be in Pottsville PA Monday morning so I'll have little time for anything but driving. If all goes according to plan I'll end up with 5650 miles for this 10 day trip. Be safe all, God Bless.

 

Good for you!!! I am stuck in Tampa!!! How can I contact your company???

 

I sent a quick e-mail to Mort running down my vitals to him, told me to download the app and go from there. As of April I'll be 18 months current behind the wheel running PA, DE, MD, a little Jersey and very seldom NYC in a CLass B, he still told me to fill out an app. Started on it earlier this evening, probably finish it up tomorrow then fax it over see what happens. Tired of doing the local food service crap. All rehabs and other such places. Hopefully it works out.

 

Google Calex Logistics.

 

How did it turn out for you?

 

Hey everyone. I got home last night around 9pm after unloading in Marianna FL. I will post an update sometime this morning.

 

Well after finishing my reset in Las Vegas I called into dispatch and got my reload info. I was dispatched to Oxnard Ca. for a one pick load of Strawberries going to Pottsville PA to one of our regular customers. Garylobo got a 4 p/u load picking up in Brawley Ca. and Yuma Az. going to another one of our customers in Milton Pa. I'll let him tell his story. I'll write about mine. We left the TA in Vegas and headed to Stateline Nv. for breakfast. After leaving we drove down to Barstow and got our trailers washed out then said our goodbyes and headed off in separate directions. My trip to Oxnard was very easy and I got there at noon local time for an 8pm p/u appt. With strawberries they put them in a cooler wrapped in plastic and filled with some type of gas to put them asleep for the trip across the country. After checking in I was told that if they were done earlier they would load me early. Well that wasn't to be. Oh well, I had food, tv, and movies so I camped out waiting to be called. At exactly 8pm I was called and backed in to be loaded. I was done around 10pm local time, left the shipper, then went around the corner and slept for the duration of my 10 hours. I woke up at 5am my time and left Oxnard hoping the LA traffic wouldn't be bad. I got on the 101 Freeway and never hit the brakes until I was getting off the exit in Barstow for breakfast. That had to be the easiest drive I ever had through LA. No traffic, scales closed and ready to roll. We have the PeopleNet system in our trucks which makes it real easy to check call, but with produce we have to live call every day with our location and the temperature reading. I called into dispatch and asked about my delivery appt. and was asked when I could be there. I told them to make it for Monday late morning. My dispatcher Pat told me he would make the appt. and get back with me. I left Barstow and made it to Kingman AZ for fuel and a shower. After leaving Kingman I finished my day at Gallup NM. I was crossing the P.O.E. with 7 minutes left on my clock and made it to the TA. Garylobo had called and said he was 2 hours behind me. The next morning I left after my 10 hour break and went to Albuquerque NM on old Route 66 to a little old time diner I stop at and had breakfast. Garylobo called and was about an hour behind me so I waited for him so we could run back together. We met up and then headed to OKC for fuel and a 10 hour break. We got to the TA in OKC around 7pm and fueled then went to bed. I got a phone call from Pat in dispatch and was told that my delivery was set for Sunday night at 7pm. After some calculating in my head I figured out that I would make it right on time with no delays. The next morning I woke up early, showered and left. Usually the last day of a trip like this is the hardest. But this was a tough day, we kept fighting the tiredness all day. Finally Garylobo couldn't go anymore and stopped for a nap on the OK. Turnpike. I kept going and made it to Brazil In. for my break. I got there around 6:45 pm and figured out that if I left right after my 10 hour break I had time to stop for a 2 hour break along the way. I got up and was on the road at 5am. I made it to my 7pm delivery Sunday night at 5pm and was empty at 8pm. After emptying out I left the consignee and went down the street to this little restaurant/bar that has parking for about 10 trucks, ate and went to sleep for 11 hours. Woke up the next morning and was told to come to the terminal which was 58 miles away. I got to the yard, had new steer tires put on, serviced and was dispatched with my new load going home. It was a 2 stop load dropping in Augusta Ga. and Marianna Fl. The drop in Augusta was a 9am delivery. I got there at 7am, was told to back in, and by the time I got to the dock they had 12 of the 17 pallets off. I left there at 7:45 and was headed to Florida with plenty of time to spare. My hours were real short but I had just enough to finish this load and do my reset at the house, which is where I'm at right now until at least Monday. So, in finishing this busy round here is what I accomplished,

Pittston, Pa to Duryea. Pa to North Las Vegas, NV = 2490
North Las Vegas, NV to Oxnard CA to Pottsville, PA to Pittston, PA.= 3165
5655 paid miles. Already direct deposited.

Pittston, PA. to Mcelhattan, PA. to Augusta, GA. to Marianna, FL=1225

The trip down to Florida was trans flowed in so those miles will be on next weeks check.

This will conclude my trip report. I was asked if I would go back out west when I get back to the terminal next week and said I would. I am going to say something that shows how to make money out here. Keep the left door closed, use your 11 hours for what it's designed for, driving, and for those of you with a refrigerator/freezer, take advantage of it. When I left the house 2.5 weeks ago I left with enough of home cooked meals made by my wife, and enough of other essentials that I use everyday where I didn't have to stop and eat all my meals out. I did have to stop at a Wal-Mart once for some items one time. I did do some laundry in Vegas only to kill some time during my reset. When we leave for the West Coast dispatch puts $300 on our fuel card. I had $50 of my own money, took $200 which I used to get the truck/trailer washed, trailer washed out, tolls that my EZ-Pass didn't cover and a scale ticket. Of the $250 total I had I used $134.50 for the truck, and $116.50 for myself which included a few meals bought out and a trip to Wal-Mart. Oh yeah, I got home with $27.00 in my pocket. So after everything was said and done, I used $44.50 per week and came home with some cash in my pocket. You can make money out here if you work smart.
Be safe all. God Bless!

 

Johnboy, where was the heads up on your I-10 travel time? Most of the time I'm just in a daze out there, not like a bad daze, but I run that route six times a day, 5 days a week, sometimes 6 so after a few hours it all looks the same. Next time you get up this way, give me a heads up there's a good little stop at exit 152 called the Golden Lariat, good b-fast, lunch, everything really. BTW, did you unload at the Family Dollar in marianna? Anyhow, enjoy your time off and keep an eye out next time you're up this way, truck 1410 hauling trash, or "poo" either way you'll smell me before you see me.