Going back trucking with PTL

Took off this morning after hometime. Got about 10 miles away and realized I had left my fuel card at home so back I go. I had just gotten MY PP. Picking up in Birmingham, AL and going to Laredo, TX.

I get to the place where I had dropped the trailer and they say they could not find anything wrong with the ABS but adjusted the sensors and the light is now out. After about a hour to get them paid the $286.80 for there work which included a new electrical pigtail for the truck I get out of there. I get about 5 miles down the road and the light comes back on. Hey I tried.

I get to the pickup which I had been to before and get right into a dock and loaded up 3 hours early. I noticed I had a light out on the truck and stopped at the TA in Tuscaloosa and they took an hour to get it looked at, Turns out it had just come disconnected. Doh.

Sitting at a rest area on I59 in MS.

 

Did 576 miles today at a rest stop outside San Antonio, TX.

 

I am at the Laredo drop yard. I got here about 0715 and dropped my load and sent in my MT call. I had set my PTA for 0800.

Talked to my FM at 0900 asking wheres the next PP. After looking at his screen for my truck he says your PTA is set for 2130. I said WTF. He tells me that if a load has a set time to deliver it won't accept a PTA before that time. Most drops here have a time from 0001 to 2359. I found out that I can set my PTA after my MT call is sent then that load is no longer on my truck.

Get my next PP picking up here and going to Bolingbrook, IL got and 0400 delivery on 6/22. So I go looking for my trailer and it's not here yet. It was suppose to be here yesterday. I go over and ask the office people (after they have a conversation in spanish) they tell me it won't be here till 1500. Oh great so here I sit with my clock ticking.

 

So the trailer finally got here at 1730, Since I was so close to a 10 break in I let that finish up and got a jump on the load with 150 miles in. I then stopped for another break. I hate driving at night.

I get up this morning after an 8 hr break and the plan was to make it to my 2nd fuel stop about 600 miles away. After I stopped at a rest stop to take my other 2 hrs to complete my break. I take off up I35E and hear a pop from the trailer I eventually find a safe place to stop and inspect the tires. I don't see anything so I keep on going. About 100 miles later I aee rubber coming from the trailer. So I stop again and the tire is in shreds. After 1 hr and 45 the tire is replaced with my on board spare. Now I don't have enough time to make to my fuel stop but I did make it to a FJ about 50 miles away from it. it's going to be a very tight squeeze to make delivery on time. No more issues allowed.

 

I am sitting at a rest stop on I55 about 27 miles from my last fuel stop and 78 miles from my delivery. Did 611 miles today. I did not want to chance going on to my last fuel stop and not finding a place to park.

I hope after this load the next pickup which I am sure will be around Chicago is not any worse than the other ones I've done in Chicago.

 

Started my day very early at 0200. Got to the delivery an Ikea store at 0350 and the shipping clerk says your appt is for 0700. I just hate when that happens, nothing I can do about it so I sit around for 3 hrs burning my clock. Oh well that's trucking. Got my next PP right away even before I was unloaded. Picking up at an Excel warehouse about 11 miles from here and going to Brownstown, MI for a delivery tomorrow at 0915. Oh boy a whole 282 miles.

Stopped for the night at a rest area on I94 about 110 miles from my delivery. I ran out of time to get any further. Well at least I can sleep in I don't have to get up till 0630.

 

What a lousy day today. Only did about 150 miles and lots of waiting. Got the delivery of my alcohol load this morning no problem.

My next PP is picking up about 3 miles away but not until 1645. So I go over to FJ to scan paperwork and wait there. After about an hour they asked us all to leave because of a gas leak next door. I go over to shipper to wait. They finally get me loaded with 44k of paper rolls to take to Joplin, MO for a delivery on the 25th at 1000.

I was out of time and tired from sitting around and I am glad I am able to stay the night at the shipper.

 

Today was a better day did 579 miles. Sitting at a rest stop on I44 west of St Louis 229 miles from my 0900 delivery of this 44k lb load of paper. Boy this load makes everything take longer to get to speed.

Got up this morning at 0300 EST after an 8 hr break. Since I did not do much yesterday I had my 11 hrs driving and 13.5 hrs of my 14. Being the good company driver I hope to be I decided to head to our Indy drop yard to get a new spare tire after the one blew on this trailer. Asked my FM to add the stop. He did and said "it one adds 1 mile to the trip" I figured as much. After my 30 min break continued on. Another truck came up beside me and signaled to turn on my CB. I keep it off due to all the trash talking. He said my right rear inner tire has disintegrated. Great well at least I am 10 miles from the TA in Effingham, IL. I go in and get the tire replaced in 1 hr. Must be a record. Put what is left of the tire ( the 2 sidewalls) back in the carrier. If you don't bring back what is left you get charged $250.

Good thing for PTL I picked up a new spare huh.