Driving OTR with US Xpress

Uh.....vaughncanter?........I'm having a little trouble connecting the dots. Can you help me out here?

 

If he keeps buying those big toys, you two are gonna need an addition on that house.



Isn't ham for Easter or something?

 

We'll get together soon, I predict. Next time I'm in the area I'll get a message to you.


Have a good Thanksgiving, Chris. My best to your family.

 

Hello Everyone.


Greetings from Columbus, OH....................Yeah, you heard right.

In my last post I told you I had a preplan that picked up in Eden, NC and delivered in Pompano Beach, FL. Not a big deal really. This is the kind of run I get when USX is trying to get me home. I will most times drop the load at our Ellenwood terminal as trips to FL are in demand for drivers trying to get south.

So I pick up the load in Eden. As I'm getting ready to roll, I notify my FM of my projected ETA to the receiver in FL. But knowing that I'll never get that far, I asked my FM if she has a drop location for me. "Not yet." she responds.

I tell her that I'm running the load via the route solution. Worst case scenario, I get to visit Pompano Beach. She sends me a message saying: "Will advise on drop location. Run it south for now."

From Eden, NC I traveled south on I 85 but could only do that as far as Charlotte, as the best routing to eastern FL would need me to head for I 95, I would have to take I 77 south and then take I 26 east to the coast.


Got all that?



So, just as I'm about 20 minutes from peeling off I 77 to pick I 26 east and head for I 95, I get a message from an "unknown"
FM.

Unknown FM: " Have driver needing load south to FL. Can you meet him for repower in Greenville (SC)".


Who am I to refuse.



Me: "10-4. ETA repower location: 1 hr 20 mins."
Unknown FM: "Great. Will have planners work on getting you load to GA."



Almost like a script. Greenville, SC is about 2 hours from my house. Although my HT is set for Friday, getting in a little early is nice. I spent last Thanksgiving at a Flying J in Ohio watching movies in my truck.


I meet up with the repower tractor right on time. He comes in bob-tail. I drop my box, and send in my macro: Repower complete.


In 30 minutes I have a P/A. Ha Cha!


Origin: Pick up pre-loaded trailer in Duncan, SC (right next door)

Load assignment: Columbus, OH.



NNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Me: Thought I was being routed home? Pretty sure OH is not near GA

FM: Me too. Planner saw your HT wasn't until Friday. Take the load



So I accept the pre-plan, and USX sends me the load info.



Me: So how do I get home?

FM: Hang on



A new pre-plan comes in.



Origin: Columbus, OH

Load assignment: Atlanta, GA



I grab that Pre-plan. At least I have a trip that brings me back. Oh. and an additional 1,000 miles for 2 days work.



So, fellow diesel jockeys, I guess Ill be spending this Thanksgiving in the truck......again. I don't mind, actually. I mean sure it would have been nice to get home for T-Day, but these are good runs. And I'll be home for my scheduled home-time.


Just had dinner (pizza!!!!!..........what else?) and settled in for a movie (Iron Man). Tomorrow morning I'll pick up my pre-loaded trailer at the shipper and head south to Atlanta. I can deliver ASAP, but I'm expecting traffic, so I may need to break before I deliver.








Too bad.................could almost taste that turkey, too.





Thanks for reading.
-Wedge

 

I shut down tonight in Tunnel Hill. Snowball has developed a problem with the cooling system. She used up a gallon of coolant between Tuesday night and today.


I'll have the shop take a quick look at it before I leave in the morning........




......if they're working that is.




Happy Thanksgiving!