Good night from...

Sitting at home in Buckeye, AZ.

MTed out in Ogden, UT on Thursday (GAWD how I HATE grocery warehouses, over 3 hours to unload, least I got paid detention). Had my DM put me back in the 05 division since there was NOTHING to get me in position for a Canadian load. No luck with Mac30 so when I got back to the J (about 1:45 pm) I decided to treat myself to a sit-down lunch.

When I got back to the truck was suprised to see a preplan (phone never chirped) that picked up 45 miles away in 10 minutes. Since the P/U was a drop-n-hook AND going to Buckeye, AZ I grabbed it and took off. Since the load doesn't deliver til 08/19 I parked it in the PHX yard and headed home.

Will be interesting to see what happens after I leave the Walmart DC with an MT. I'm NOT going back to the terminal UNLESS it's to pick up a t-called load. Gonna stash my truck at the Love's (in Buckeye) and wait til I get a load.

 

wonder why some terminals take your mt and some don't? also, some will inspect your truck abd trailer at the fuel island and some don't. you would think all terminals would have same policies. i went in and out of the willows ca terminal without even being checked.

 

most of them never check me but I know one terminal did an inspection
only lost my MT a couple times but most never take it, I try not to go to terminals too often though unless I have to

I decided to take today off, woke up feeling really horrible and congested, been fighting a cold for a couple days and it set in deep overnight. Hopefully I will be good early in the morning, my wife and daughter have the same thing so they probably gave it to me when I was home, she said once it set in she was good the next day so hopefully I will do the same.
Hate giving up making some easy money but getting light headed and dizzy probably doesnt mix well driving a semi...

 

being sick on the truck sux. last week with my mentor i was really sick, but sucked it up. mentor wasn't too happy. he wanted me to take few days off. hope you get better soon

 

p/u here in cheyenne wy tomorrow at 0930 which delivers in boise id the next day at 1530. glad to get out of here lol

 

normally I do suck it up and I did for the last couple days but driving especially later at night was getting difficult since colds make me really sleepy, decided to take a day to relax and get better for a safety stand point, I have been working since I was 14 and im turning 30 next month and taken maybe a total of 4 days off from being sick in all those years so I think im doing pretty well from that point of view.
luckily I only get colds every year, some not so bad and some kick my bass and turn me into a big baby lol, havent had the flu since I was 12, I try really hard not to get sick taking my vitamins, sanitizing when I can but sometimes you just cant stop a nasty virus. I am glad when I delivered at the walmart last night I took a 30minute break because another Swift was at the dock so I parked off to the side and went in and got some dayquil and night time medicine which i think is helping some, I at least stayed asleep last night, been having trouble staying asleep lately.

 

In my experience I've only had trouble with three different terminals regarding MTs.

Phoenix: Requires 100% of inbound trailers to go through their safety lanes. In my experience MTs come under more scrutiny than loaded trailers. I've spent over an hour waiting while they dicked around inspecting my MT only to have them red tag it and then instruct me to drop it. Yet yesterday they turned me loose without so much as looking at my loaded trailer.

Lancaster, TX: They will ask you about the status of your trailer and take your word for it. If you're loaded you're golden and they leave you alone. If you're MT and don't say the right thing they will take it away from you even if you're dispatched with said trailer. I've learned to hang my lock and a seal on my MT AND say I'm loaded and they leave me alone. This technique DOES NOT work in Phoenix as the person asking ALREADY knows the status of your trailer and is just asking to see what you'll say (again, my experience, YMMV).

El Paso: Given the opportunity they will take your MT away from you. I have gone into El Paso with an MT to get fuel and gotten out with no problem. Helps that I was dispatched with said MT, I'd NEVER go into the El Paso yard with an MT I wasn't dispatched with. I was told to take an MT to El Paso when I was a company driver, hasn't happened since I leased my truck.

As always, YMMV.

 

At Scotties favorite t/s in norcal ... 5am delivery in the city, then coming back and spending the night at home, p/u Monday for a run to CO, then work my way back for at least 10 days at home over the Labor Day weekend.

 

Hometime , Georgia
After more unbelievable b.s. finally got here .
Spent last night and today with Grand daughters ( 6 & 8 ).
As its raining here we did " inside stuff " , bowling , movies , toy shopping .
Had a blast .

 

Some icing on the cake -
After discussing the bs I was going thru with the good people in Richmond ( which had them shaking their collective heads ) I was advised to call Human Resources in Phoenix .

After being on hold for 55 minutes and 32 seconds I gave up on that idea .