Diary of a Gainey driver

Sorry about the lack of updates, but my computer finally bit the dust and I lost pretty much all of my data(except what I backed up one month ago). I am pretty sure the constant vibration of the truck was what killed it, but Im back online with a new computer, so Ill keep up with the updates. Im two behind, so Ill post them as soon as I feel motivated(Im on hometime right now and just feel like being lazy for a change).

Evertruckerr, I do not take offense to the lack of compensation comments so no worries.

One little tidbit though: Guess what I found on my paystub about the NYC trips? The $100 I was told Id get for NYC deliveries...was just a fairy tale. It is $75.00. A lie? No! Thats a first!

Ever since getting off the NYC deal, I have seen more of the middle part of the country which is quite alright by me. I love the KS and OK 2 laners (back roads as I call them).

 

Yes sir! That was the main reason for my decision.
Another note: I didnt pay attention to a reciept from a $50 something crossing on I-278(or whatever it was), so I didnt get reimbursed for that one...but it was my fault for not paying attention so it cost me $50.
The reciept actually said $4.00.

Since I can only see the breakdown of my paycheck every month(when I get home to the mailbox), I check everything over right then. So far, every weigh scale, toll, and repair have been reimbursed to me. That is, if they are logged on the daily log which means flagging them if 7 or less minutes or going to line 4 for over 8 mins. From what Ive read here, alot of people complain about not being reimbursed for these things which leads me to believe that they may not be logging them right.


Also, you MUST be on line 3 for tolls or they arent reimbursed. Now. Why wouldnt a driver be on line 3 when going through a toll booth? We all know this answer, and so does this company but they are turning their head.

 

Week 14 was slow, but not as slow as the previous weeks. Maybe freight is picking up? Im not holding my breath.

It started with coming off another 34hr reset which I didnt need...which included a truck service. I might mention that I didnt get just a service. As I was walking out to the truck, the maintainence guy was telling me of the things he did to the truck...one of which included hooking up the air drier which had been bypassed.
"I replaced this, that, and the other thing". So I think, ok, theyre on the ball here. Thanks!

Firstly, I find out they cut the trucks speed back to 65. Now, thats not a problem as I stayed around 65mph before, but now if I want to pass someone, I am SOL. Also, I find they added a 5 min idle cutoff(which again, is no problem). Heres what ticks me off though. While walking to the truck with the mech explaining everything to me, WHY did he not mention about the idle cutoff and the truck speed cut? He obviously knew it was done. Was he trying to hide something? I truely HATE when people do this. You cant accuse them of lying since they didnt say anything, but still... Ya hear me? Also, I thought my truck was broke down the first time the CEL flashed and the truck shut off. One call to the shop and I found out why(5 min idle shutoff). Thanks! Glad ya told me! <sarcasm>

Second, remember the air drier they hooked back up? Well, it was bypassed for a reason, but they didnt bother investigating as to why it was bypassed. A couple days later, I was on some back road in Georgia headed to my first stop. When I get there, I hear a loud hissing from the pass front side. I instantly knew what it was and find out that a little rubber plug on the bottom of the driver has come 1/2 way out venting air. I tapped it back in with a hammer and limped to a T/A in Jackson, GA. The fix? Bypassing the air drier which was about $60. The mechs in G.R. obviously did not check their work.

Anyway, now that Im done b1tching, let me get to the weeks events.

This week started with picking up a load just 45 mins from the terminal. It was a 3 stop(or 2 stop as I think of them as) load bound for Baltimore, MD. This was a big customer and also a priority load, so again, I had to stay checked in with big brother. The trip went well and I find myself about 3 hrs early to each customer. The first two are small businesses loacted in a shopping plaza like building, so after a couple manuevers around their tight lots, I am docked, unloaded, and RTG.

The final was a little different. If you know Baltimore, you know its an old city built when the 45 footers ruled the land. (Maybe an old hand can elaborate or correct me on this). This place was the HARDEST dock I think I ever hit. This was due to a brick wall approx 70 ft from the dock. Back in the day, trucks could hit the dock no problem, but now we have sleeper cabs and 53 ft trailers. After killing my left leg, Im finally fairly straight. I have to unhook, then rehook on the other side of the trailer. Try to imagine a bull in a china shop. If I could charge this customer for the difficulty in backing to their dock, it would have been a clean $100.

Once again, I am left without a preplan after MT. When heading to the final delivery, I noticed a large gravel lot where I could park if I didnt get a preplan before MT. Glad it was there, because it turned out Id need to use it for a few hrs.

After a few hrs, I get a load offer(or assignment since we only get one load to choose from ) It didnt pick up until the next morning, but had some miles on it and had a nice delivery time...so I wasnt complaining.

This was a one stop load, with the first stop headed to a printing company DC in Georgia(this is where I was when the air drier went out) and the final was another DC in Mississississippi. Other than the air drier fiasco, the trip went well and I was headed to Louisana for my next load. How did I know where to go? I got a preplan finally!

This load was a paper load which means it would be heavy. Now that my truck is cut back to 65(from the 68-72 mph), I cant get a good run at hills anymore. Anywho, this load was bound for Peoria, IL and also had a pretty nice delivery time. The trip went well except for a misunderstanding of QC directions(theyre are ALWAYS so clear, arent they? ), so I had some OOR miles on that one. The consignee was on Adams street right in the center of town. I never been to Peoria, so it was nice to see this place(I got lost outside of town, so getting turned around was no problem). At the bldg we docked to, there was a brick wall next to it that had "....McGruff Ice Co. 1923" ingraved into it, so I thought that was pretty neat so I snapped a pic.

I might mention that during the week, my laptop crashed and I lost nearly all the data Id been keeping about my trips, so I cant list paid miles. Thats what I get for putting too much faith into technology!

Week 14-2489 actual miles-50 estimated OOR miles

 

Week 15 was so much better and everything went great except for a cluster fark at one customer.

While in Peoria, I get a preplan that will take me to the Chicago area to pick up tile bound for a new opening Lowes store in Kansas City. The trip went well but Ill mention that shortly after I docked in Chicago area, it started snowing which put me in a really good mood. Funny, I would never want to live up north, but I love the winter season.
The trip went great(other than my trailer brakes freezing the Pontiac, IL rest area) and I arrive at the Lowes store only to find...a freaking MAD HOUSE! Trucks were scattered everywhere and only a couple people knew what was going on.

This was their first day opening and it was an unorganized cluster of confusion. I understand that, but for christ sakes, once you recognize a problem, you should start to fix it before it gets worse! I arrive at 11am and there were about 8 trucks ahead of me. Time gets later...and later...and later. Finally, it is 7pm and I am finally at the dock. Why? The recievers were playing favorites and letting all the Fed Ex's and Estes cut in front of the OTR guys. My appt time was 06:30-15:00.

While waiting, I get a preplan that would take me on a short hop over to Kansas, bound for the Houston, TX area. It had good miles, but an insanely tight delivery time. I calculated that I could make it, but my stops would be few and 10 hr brk would be just that(I sometimes like to take 12).

Finally, Im unloaded and headed to KS. I get to the wonderful city of Lawrence(Ill explain why I call it wonderful) and find alot of constuction going on. My QC dirs were coming from an exit that was closed and I was unable to raise the customer on the phone. Since the truckers atlas has a zoom in spot on Lawrence, KS, I am able to see the layout of the roads I need to take. I need to take Iowa to McDonald then left on Princeton. Im coming from KS10 which was the opposite side of town my QC dirs had me coming from (exit 202 I think it was-which was closed). I ended up missing the turn for McDonald off Iowa and ended up on 6th trying to figure out how to get back to McDonald. I decided to start from the beginning, so I headed to the toll booth to start over.

While I was stopped about to get out and ask the toll booth clerk for directions, I see a Swift driver coming through the tolls. I get on the CB and ask if shes going to DLM foods. She wasnt, but told me how to get there. Search my previous posts for a story about this. After all was said and done, I got to the shipper just fine thanks to her directions.

The trip to TX went great(LOVED the OK and KS scenery) and being that I tightened things up to make this tight delivery, I find myself 12 minutes EARLY to the consignee. Thats way too close for comfort!

After MT, I was headed to Dallas(another preplan) for a store to store load. I had put in for hometime a few weeks ago(give them plenty of notice) and this load would take me to my home state.

This load had 1.5 days of downtime which would have been perfect if I needed a 34 hr restart, but I was headed home and really didnt need to reset my 70. It delivered to the Atlanta are, and we have a yard there, so I thought I could work out a T-call and get something that would bring me closer to home.

Well, it all worked out. I get to T-call and end up repowering a load that will bring me 45 minutes from home. Sometimes everything comes together and its a great feeling. I avoided sitting for 1.5 days and got home within a few days of my target date.

Week 15-3309 actual miles-10 OOR miles estimated

 

Good idea! I guess I could have organized things better from the start.

 

Eh, I might still be running NYC if Gainey had EZ Pass. The .2 paycut hurts though, but Im not money hungry like alot of people are(not making accusations at any one in particular) and live quite well on what Gainey pays me.

All the abbreviations you answered are right. I refer to the load as "LD", so LDD I think is a better abbreviation for "Loaded". Actually, for d/h I mean deadhead.

I get my OOR miles based on the excess miles driven AFTER calculating actual miles. As far as Im concerned, the difference between paid miles and actual miles is not OOR miles unless I stray off route.

 

Week 16
11/23-11/30
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The week started on my first day of hometime and was supposed to come out the morning of Thanksgiving. I had a feeling there would be no freight around the holiday, but the policy is 1 day off for every week out, so I made myself RTG after the 4th day. There is also a $180 bonus for running over the holiday, so that was ok by me, but honestly didnt expect to get it. Another driver I spoke with said he was shorted $80(of the $180) holiday pay and that took him 7 months to get paid for. ​

Anywho, I call in and find out there is no freight(suprise? nope) on the 27th, but I do end up getting a preplan for a pickup 110 miles north thats bound for the Syracuse, NY area. Now, since Gainey doesnt pay ANY miles from home(if youre under dispatch, you still dont get anything!!), I drive the 110 miles for free. ​

After a couple hour live load, Im off to the great state of New Jerk, I mean New York. I might mention that I was right in the middle of the heavy showers that the SE saw today. They followed me all the way to just south of Mt. Airy, NC where I am now. ​

Week 16-433 paid miles, 543 actual miles​