Good Night From II

Salt Lake terminal.

I dropped the trailer here and took Leann to Boondocks for the afternoon. We'll be heading out bright and early headed for Sheridan CO for a 1700 live unload.

Coming back in bobtail, and I had to wait behind a trailer getting tires replaced before I could simply drive in.
I really don't see the need to make a bobtail go through the inspection lanes if it doesn't need anything.
1/2 hour simply wasted.

 

moose....when you go into the security gate...take the right lane. you'll bypass the inspection bays. security should of told you that. take the left lane only if you have trailer.

 

slc ut. made it to ups terminal. half the trailer is theirs. anyways...had to drop the trailer so their yarddog can put into dock. have to wait for him to bring it back to washbay.hopefully doesnt take too long. guy at dispatch said it mite take an hour. have a 2200 appt for final in lehi ut.

 

Should have.
There was no one behind me, either. He could have told me to simply back up and go in the other side.

Thank you for the info.

 

I get idiots daily it seems, guy loading my sweep asked if I was taking it to shafter......noooo the paper work your filling out and printing with the shipping address is all a lie

 

just my truck here in lancaster, tx....been waiting for a load since 1700. im a swift newbie, can i go to the dispatch window and ask for a load? my DM said he sent a message to planners but havent gotten anything yet

 

Yes. You can go to the window and ask for a load. However, the dispatcher will then need to refer your request to a planner. If you are really motivated to work you can ask if they have any local work. Sometimes they need empty trailers swapped or t-call loads with local deliveries done. There's times you can do 2-4 loads in a day and make fairly decent money.

Couple days ago in Greer I asked for the planner handling local stuff and did two hours of work for $50. Unfortunately that was the only load they had (a trailer swap, putting a good trailer in a customer's yard and pulling a trailer out of the customer's yard that had holes in the roof).

If you do a few local bits like that then let your DM know you are working local for the day and set your PTA for early the next morning. Make money while you wait for the longer haul.

 

As far as never trying to plan how a day might go, this one was a shining example of adapt and improvise.

I started in Greer, needing an empty to deadhead to Greeneville, TN to pick up a live load. No empty in Greer. Head to Walmart 30 miles SE (I need to go NW to Greeneville) and no empty. Head 35 miles south to another customer and no empty. Head 40 miles north to another customer and no empty. Head back down 40 miles south to the #3 customer with a promise they sweet talked them into releasing a trailer and when I arrive they so "No"...

... but then call the warehouse manager just to make sure. I tell him the story of my day so far in a cheerful and friendly manner. He takes pity and releases a trailer.

Now I'm going to be 3 hours late to the appointment I'd planned on getting to early. I started heading west on I-26 in heavy weekend traffic on Friday afternoon.

Just before the Tennessee border two cars come across the median from the eastbound lanes, exploding into the westbound lanes in a spray of dirt. One spins to a stop in the left lane and the other rockets up the hill and almost into traffic parked on the exit, waiting for a light.

I hit the 4-ways, come to a stop on the shoulder, grab the fire extinguisher and sprint to the car in the freeway. All air bags deployed. I managed to crank open the rear door behind the driver and hear, "We're all right!" All the air bags had deployed. Two teenage boys were the passengers and their shook up mom was driving. Everything good and no fire hazard, so I sprint up the hill to the other car just as the driver is standing up and then starting to collapse. I catch him and help him get on his back, stabilizing his head and neck, and get his feet elevated for shock.

Ambulances and police arrive. I stay to give my information to the police, then get back underway after an hour. Send another Mac-22.

Customer loaded me in record time, which was great since I only had 1.5 hours left on my clock when I got docked. Checked myDAT app for a local Walmart, and made it here with an hour to go. Replenished my groceries and had a great dinner.

Tomorrow I'll be... ah heck. I don't know....

 

yeah...never hurts to walk up to any dispatch window and ask for work. also..if you need an empty..you can ask if the have a local so you can get an mt

 

lepton...nice of you to stop and help. thats probably why getting an empty was so hard