How long are you sitting?

Mostly just a few hours, although it's been hit or miss depending on what part of the country I'm in. Regular dispatch keeps me loaded up as much as he can. I'm empty today (Sunday), so it looks like weekend dispatch dropped the ball and I'm sitting for at least the evening.

 

Well, here is the sad part. My idea of trucking is driving the fewest miles, for the most amount of dollars. Now I know that most here do not have that option... I have never seen it like this out here in near 20 years. This is bad, especially if you are in the automotive racket, or used to be.

Mike

 

I had a "drop and hook" last week at General Mills in Yoder, IN had 45 min left on my 14 hr clock when I got there at 07:15am, load didn't pick up until 17:00, so I took my 10 hr break there on site, and went back in at 17:30, was told it wasn't ready yet , asked can I get a eta? "hours" I was told, called in, was told to wait for it, I sat there for another 9 hours and 15 minutes... for a drop and hook, got 7+ hrs of detention time, not even close to what I could have made driving though...

 

Sitting? I begged to sit last week so I could get my wrist healed up. (Gout set into it). Nope Off on a run. I send my empty call, and 95% of the time before I get to a place to park, I have a load assignment.

 

yeah sat for a week this time and took a load only has 2 drops 1000 miles on it end up in shreveport, told boss when I come back im on vacation till freight get better. Not that I can afford it but I need some downtime anyhow. With christmas and new years coming il just take the time off.

 

unload and sit till nextday to reload for the last 6 weeks

 

that was the one thing i could say about USA. never sat more than 5 hours for a load (dH 350 miles) in my 18 Mo there.

 

I guess I got a little cranky, I had 34s after every 2nd load. I was in training, so I had to share "personal space" with a complete stranger. So by week number 3 with Chistmas fast aproching, I said "the heck with this, get me HOME for the holidays"

My trainer felt the same way (he wanted to be off by the 20th so he could shop before X-mas)

So on the 18th we pull into Laredo TX. Go out for a nice meal and think "this is good, we should get a load north by the weekend."

By 3pm Friday we begin to panic, because company policy seems to be to let anyone after 5pm on a Friday ontill Monday.

Well, we DID get home for the Holidays. But we had to run *cough* ill *cough* with a trailer that conformed to Mexican DOT standards (it had tires,,,,well a few anyway, and I think the lights worked,)

One rolling DOT violation, ready to be some state Auditer's chistmas present, racing a blizzard out of the Smokey mountains for an impossible deadline, with a clock that had more hours than a month has days.

Heh, heh, Welcome to the world of trucking I guess

 

Frieght is the worst I have ever seen in 15yrs. I run fairly good out west. Don't sit more then a few hrs. But out east I sit 1-4 days. It sucks. have gotten some dates with good looking waiterses thou.

 

I have been running pretty steady. Home a little more than usual. Not trying to complain but i could use the money. Im getting sick of hauling paper roles. Thinking about trying flatbedding so at least i can stay in shape