Calex Express....My New Home!

Andy on the rims and tanks I used blue magic then never dull. they came out really clean as you can tell. I also used never dull on the tanks, but could only do half of them due to the fairings.

 

Very very true! Back when I did show cars for customers, sometimes a prior customer would bring a car back to get detailed for a show. I'd use pledge on the entire running gear, just get a couple rolls of cheap paper towels, you'l go thru them in a hurry....

 

Well i spoke with Mort for a few seconds today ( real nice guy ) and i will be sending in my app later on this week and take it from there. I hope that i will be joining yall and be part of Calex soon. So hopefully i will see yall on the road and or get to meet one of yall for the road test. Be safe out there...

 

physical and road test complete.. one step closer...hopefully he gets me in to orientation this week..

 

well i am officially part of the calex family ... got to meet john and gary today very nice guys hopefully we will meet again sometime...a little dissapointed in my truck a little rougher then i was thinking for this company but a little tlc should make it ok... maybe when the new ones come in i can get a better hand me down !!!! hahahahaha

 

Any other questions just ask. As far as the pay scale for teams, call into safety and ask either Jim or Mort.

 

Nice meeting you. Good luck with everything. If you have any questions just ask. I wish I had pictures of mine when I got it. What it looked like then and what it looks like now is a world of difference. Hopefully you'll be running your tail off and the cleaning of the truck will take a back seat. If the truck is really messy Mort will pay to have it cleaned for you, just ask him. Also, the shop will supply you with paper towels and cleaning supplies whenever you need them.

 

Ok, another round to the west coast is complete. I'm now sitting in Milton Pa. waiting to load my Florida load 6am tomorrow so I can be home for the weekend. Actually, I'll be home until Wednesday, I have been putting off a root canal and it started really bothering me on the way back east this past weekend, so it's being done Tuesday. The last time I had this done was 25 years ago and it wasn't a good experience.

I got dispatched last Wednesday out of Reno, NV. for 5 p/u's in Salinas for Friday. After my reset was complete I left early Thursday morning and headed down to start my pickups. I stopped and got my truck and trailer washed along with a trailer washout while at the truck wash I called the cooler and asked about loading my 740 boxes of lettuce a day early. They said sure the product was ready and they would load me as soon as I got there. Cool, 2/3 of my trailer was loaded in 30 minutes and I called my second p/u and was told the same thing. So all I had left on Friday was 6 pallets of product at 3 packing houses, how long could that take, right? How about until 8pm local time. I was not a happy camper trust me.

After loading and weighing the truck I headed out. I prefer running 80, but I decided to visit my brother in Denver on the way back so I went 101 south, 46 east, 58 east 15 north 70, 76, 80. The difference in mileage is only 28 miles, but let me tell you, the time difference is probably 5 hours more because of all the mountains to go over. At the top of Vail Summit I stopped at the brake check area and noticed I was missing a lug nut on my trailer. No problem, I'll just get it taken care of at the TA in Commerce City at my fuel stop.

I got to Denver, fueled and got the lug nut replaced. My brother got there just as I was coming out of the shop. After parking I went over to his house and took a shower, and went out to dinner with him. We had a great time and then it was back to work to finish up my 10 hours. I made it to North Platte Nebraska and called it a night. The next morning I woke up and realized that I was still exhausted. I attributed it to the mountain climbing I did the last day and a half. Trust me, I was beat and I still had 1350 miles to go.

I struggled all day Monday and made it to Morris Il. that night for fuel and my 10 hour break. I woke up yesterday with 650 miles to go. I struggled yesterday also but knew I would have time to rest before reloading for home. I bumped the dock 6:15 this morning with 4 other Calex trucks all coming out of Salinas with produce and was empty by 8:15. I called Louie to hear his famous words, bring it back to the yard. I got to the yard, went upstairs and was given my load information for home. The load will be a drop and hook in Mcelhattan Pa. 6am in the morning going to Orlando for a Monday 5am delivery. I'll be home Friday late afternoon, deliver Monday then go back home to have my mouth torn apart by my Dentist. Oh, Garylobo was at the yard today and is headed to the West coast. I'll be going next week after coming out of Florida.

One last thing, I have noticed 4 or 5 drivers have been hired recently that all have read this blog. I just want to say to the new guys that what I go through on a daily basis and what I have to deal with on the company side has worked very nicely for me since I started here back on August 4th of last year. This is not a perfect company, but it works for me. I find it very refreshing when the President of the company comes downstairs and takes the time to shake your hand and talk to you about the new trucks they ordered, and to ask you how things are going, all this by calling you by your first name. Granted we only have 180 trucks and not 2500, but that's why I choose to work for Calex.You guy's will fit in just fine. All it takes is this one very amazing concept, deliver on time safely, and when a problem does occur deal with it in a professional manner. Good luck and God Bless!

 

Hey everyone, I sit in the Petro TS near the terminal waiting for my dispatch today heading west. I saw John here yesterday and he was wiped after getting back from there. It IS a long trip but the miles are great, and it's mmuch more interesting, so I'm always happy to go. BTW I,m typing this on my new blackberry which I bought last week after my truck didn't want to start in the texas panhandle and I had no signal on my sprint cell phone. Ugh! Hello Verizon! We'll see how it does out west. Take care everyone and remember: Life is like a sewer, what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.

 

I wonder if I saw any of you guys yesterday. I stopped in to drop off my app and spoke to Mort briefly. I've been following the thread pretty closly and would love to be part of this team. I'll keep my fingers crossed.