Good Night From II

So it seems the Swift terminal in Salt Lake is being shut down, in favor of the Central terminal.
Everything is being moved there.

It is a lot larger, and it has some very nice shops.
I didn't get the chance to check out the drivers lounge and facilities, but I think I'll be able to tomorrow.
My truck needs fixing and there are only a couple people left here at our terminal, so I'll probably get moved to the Central terminal.
I saw plenty of Swift trucks there.

I don't like the idea of going through the line every time I come in to this place. As of yet there is no way to bypass it.
And you have to stop at the guard shack and go in, to check in. More time wasted.

 

Ah... THE inspection bays from <___>!! It's nice to have trailers sort of regularly inspected and serviced... Just not on MY time! Nobody that I know of likes going through those bays... The guard shack had our permits and supplies of comchecks, seals and Trippak envelopes... Takes as much time with them, as sitting at a gate talking into a speaker.

 

Dropped a t-call in Mira Loma tonight, which was quite the epic.

First, there was no space left to park a full trailer. Eventually I found a spot over in the trailers waiting for repair, next to the fence by the freeway. This required a very tight back to avoid the overflow of bobtails parked in line for the shop.

After getting the t-call done it was time to find an empty. I walked the yard, trying to find an empty, for about 45 minutes. There weren't any that weren't attached to a truck already. So I waited for 30 minutes parked bobtail near the entrance, flagging down inbound trucks to see if anyone was dropping an empty. No luck.

I go to dispatch to ask if they are aware of an empty. He said that a driver had just left saying he can't find a place to drop his empty!!! Cool!!! I go walk the yard and can't find it, so I go back to waiting in the bobtail near the entrance and see a guy dropping a trailer right next to the turn coming in from the gate. I go over to the day cab and ask the driver if he's dropping an empty, he said it was loaded, but he saw an empty with the doors open parked in the middle of the transfer docks between the Swift and Central operations. I run over there to confirm and tell the yard dogs I'll come get it out of their way.

So, almost three hours after arriving at Mira Loma I finally manage to pull out with an empty and head to Fontana for the night.

By the way, Mira Loma doesn't exist officially anymore, it's now called the Jurupa Valley terminal. A pile of dog poo by any other name....

 

If I don't have a trailer that needs inspecting why should I have to wait in line behind 4 that do?
And we get permits and Comchecks and seals etc. from the dispatch window. We don't use Trippak, we scan.

Different companies and different ways of doing things.
LadyK, I'm SURE you know what I mean.

There will have to be adjustments from both sides of the fence in this transition.

I just think a 'quick lane' would be in order for those that don't need all that stuff done.

 

LOL!!!!

That is so....


TRUE!

 

But I would not have spent 3 hours trying to find an mt.

BT out and go to the TA, or where ever.
Let the planners find and send you to an mt once you get a pplan.
Believe me, they will find you one once you have a load.
And if it takes you a couple hours to get to it, and it makes you late for your load, just do a Mac22 and you'll be good.

 

I figured I might as well take the time to get an empty tonight so my partner can rock and roll in the morning. We're on TJ Maxx dedicated and will likely have a live load tomorrow morning. No need to waste time having to run around for an empty on his time. We're ready to go in the morning.

 

I'm at the Central shop in Salt Lake.

I had the tuck in Swift's Denver shop last week for a thermostat problem and they told me they changed it.
I am back in the shop with the exact same problem.
It turns out Swift never changed the thermostat, just the coolant reservoir because it had a crack. The thermostat was even mentioned when they hooked it up to the computer, but they blew it off.
So now I have to waste more time redoing it.

I like this terminal, and the people.
And there are real shower rooms here, not those crummy stalls like most Swift terminals.

 

Here in our secure yard in Pharr, TX. Sent a pplan, high value, you know, 200 miles, well pplan said drop at 0530 tomorrow. DM could not believe that. Asked CSR and was sent a new time, 1900 tomorrow night in Fort Worth. How they expected me to pu at 1800 and del at 0530 I have no idea, after starting my clock at 0800 today. Then get the load assignment, and a del of 1545. Gotta love plus 1.

 

If I remember correctly there is even a gym (if you're so inclined) 2nd floor of the inspection bays, over the break room, if memory serves... I've never used them, and not even sure if they are still there... But it's a thought