Good night from...

Made a Montana U turn after spending the night in Greatfalls, down to Bozeman then back to Milltown, some beautiful country in that little triangle...

 

After a radiator, DPF filter and an exhaust leak later, finally making like Wille Nelson and on the road again ... Tonapah. Got a nice lazy run that delivers in San Antonio anytime Saturday

 

Thanksgiving dinner in Lancaster. Guess it's better than a sharp stick in the eye.

 

As I was sitting 300 miles from final yesterday, got an offer for a 50 mile mt to 220 loaded with live unload. I had to think about it for 2 seconds, no way-- lots of 55 mile per hour roads in between, plus the special comments had keywords like Driver Pallet Jack, and Service Failure lol.

So I knew that would set me up to be empty for Thanksgiving Day and I resigned myself to sitting. But wouldn't you know they pulled a rabbit out and got me a load going back to Chicago, yay. Chat you up in a few hours.

 

I'm learning to read ALL the comments BEFORE I commit to a load. I agrees, when the CSR threatens me with a service failure in the comments let him/her find someone else to haul the load. You also find comments like "trailer newer than 2003" (when my MT is a 13 YO piece of crap). Life is too short to worry about some CSR's phobia. Sending me to a shipper who absolutely will not load a dry van with a wood floor took the cake. The CSR's response was to try to get me to find a refer....which I refused to do.

 

I got my first SF ever last week and got it removed..I was delayed on a ORD and sent a message to my DM before I was dispatched saying that no way I'm going to make it 156 MT miles down to Suffork VA, Grab a load and make it to Chambersburg PA and DEL on time with the HRS I have left ..So I get this message from planner..Preloaded and DEL when you can, Leagally and Safely..Yup heard that before..So I get the load picked up, Found a place to park in Suffork VA..Ran the load and go it there 1 hr passed the window..Oh well, I did a 10 hr break and ran that load non stop....2 days later I get the automated message I got a SF..I said WTF. So the CSR could'nt give me a SF for being late, They gave me a SF for not putting the right weight and PCS in my loaded call..Said they could not bill correctly.So,I pulled over and was on the phone and refused to DEL my next load until this was resolved.. It did get removed but I don't think that is anyway to treat anyone OO or Company driver..I.m currently in PHX enjoying time off with family..PS,,I'm a LO looking for a new terminal..Getting tired of the POD/new DM'S..On my 3rd one in 4 months and being placed on hold and 40 plus mins for a response on the Qual sucks..OK, enough of my rants..Happy Thanksgiving...

 

Well the duck was a success.. although I know you all thought I was crazy going rouge on Turkey Day. Hope you are all safe and thankful. Goodnight from Buckeye.... From Steve's Witch, Steve, or boys, the dogs and cats.....

 

good to hear from ya again! Everyone rants and raves about Lewiston and Lathrop being the best terminals to be out of.

 

La Grande OR at the J... Plenty of room, but there is a train every couple hrs...

 

OK I made it into the Chicago area about 1300, preplan asked me to get my next load at 2100. I quickly sent a message asking what the pick up window looked like, they said good til midnight. Accepted the preplan, busted for the truck stop and took an 8 hour sleeper break, got over to the shipper, load is not ready, please drop empty and return to the truck stop, we will call you. SWEET. Got a red raspberry cobbler with ice cream and cup of coffee, took Abby for a 4 mile walk in the 28 degree temperatures and fixin to take a quick nap.

I had received another preplan with 185 empty miles but I didn't accept it, one reason being it puts me in the realm of 21% deadhead (YTD is 6%) plus I didn't know how my current load was going to play out. The delay I'm on now blows out that next load's pick up time although it probably has a generous window, will ask after loaded call, otherwise they may pull it off me for no response and send something with less deadhead.