I'm a Maverick driver running RMW (regional midwest) if you have a question

Sorry, I don't know. I'll keep my ears out.

 

Thanksgiving Day! I didn't expect too much this past week, but as it turns out I was pretty busy and didn't get home until this morning. We had a Monday afternoon apt. in Chicago to unload the bar we picked up in Ft. Smith and took home. Then we loaded for a trip to Virginia. Six shotgun coils, all about 7,000lbs. With only 8 chains on the truck, we had to marry them up into pairs; which worked pretty well. Left over chains for trip chains, and a strap over each coil. We got out in time to make it back to Indy. I parked the truck at home for my 10, and said goodbye to my student. He went home and will head back to Little Rock for his final evaluations next week. In the morning, after sleeping at home, I headed out to make my drop in VA, unloading about 5 in the afternoon. Had enough hours to make it part way to my pickup for a load home. By now I was thinking, "will I make it home." It didn't help that my pick up was 3+ hours east, putting me farther from home. And of course it took me over the "Crooked Highway." It's a beautiful little road, but they should rename it Crooked, Hilly, and Narrow! The area near Lover's Leap is beautiful. Anyway, I found the shipper and loaded up with fiberboard. Not a bad load, but it's big and bulky. I set out for home about noon Wednesday, 11 hours away... with only 8 hours on my clock. I'm OK with it, I stopped and got my 10 over in Ohio, then rolled into home about 9 this morning. This load goes on to Tulsa with an 8am appointment on Monday, so I'll leave out Sunday morning. Until then I have a long weekend at home! Stay safe!

 

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Friday is here and I'm home after a nice dinner out with the wife and two of the grown kids. I left out last Sunday early and drove as close to Tulsa as I could get. From Indpls, that's about all day. I unloaded at a construction site Monday morning, then deadheaded to our terminal at Ft. Smith, AR. There I loaded gray bar, 4 bundles @ 31 feet, going to Warren, MI. Tuesday was a drive day and I got up super early, like 2am, and made it to Brazil, IN. That's on I-70 west of Indpls. There's no way I could have made it home, so I didn't try too hard and made 600+ miles. Wednesday I left early and drove to the drop getting there an hour and a half early for my appointment. They took me right away, so that was awesome! I got a load right away to deadhead to Butler, IN. That place was a zoo! I was about 4 hours waiting to get in to get my coils, and got detention pay. Meanwhile it grew cold and windy! My load... 5 shotgun coils! I set up a long rack, but still had to adjust when I got in to get loaded. With only 8 chains I had to "marry up" two of the coils. To do this we use short blocks of wood in an "H" shape between two coils, then run one set of chains through the pair. Not perfect, but it holds well. The other three were traditional with a set of crossed chains. So that load used a bunch of short and long 4x4's, all my coils racks, all my coil pads, all my friction matts, all my chains and binders, 16 edge protectors, two canvas tarps, two steel tarps, and about all my bungees. By the time I got it all in order I was out of hours and crashed hard for the night. In the morning I felt better and drove the load to a north west Chicago suburb. Short trip, but Maverick pays minimum miles which helps. I unloaded and got all my gear up and had a pre-plan by the time I was done. I deadheaded down to mid state Illinois to load insulation board in the morning. I stopped at a Pilot midway and had a nice dinner and sleep, then got up early to get loaded. What a nice place to go! Helpful, fast, nice... but they sure loaded me down. I was high and wide, and also very light. I got strapped and tarped, then headed home getting in about 3pm today. My load was going to Pennsylvania for a Monday delivery with two drops, but I got a call from Maverick to do a load swap with another driver trying to get home. He met me where I'd parked my truck and we swapped trailers, then he was on his way toward home. I got a load of rolled paper going to North Carolina. I'll leave out Sunday mid morning and bed down close to the consignee Sunday night.
Stay safe!

 

Last week was a hard one, but I managed to stay clear of the cold for most of it. I started off leaving early Sunday for a Monday morning delivery in NC. I parked close, but still a couple of hours away considering the roads down there. I met another Maverick while unloading, and we did our work together helping each other fold tarps. It's nice, and I look forward to hearing "hey Maverick." I went and loaded shingles taking it to Montgomery, AL. I was running early on my clock, mainly because I wanted to get through Atlanta on the early side of rush hour. Turns out I stayed early all week! I got that load off and deadheaded to a load of rough cut red oak. It was an experience being in there after the rain. I had to have a push to get out. That load was going to SE Arkansas, and I drove right on my hours to get there in good time. After unloading at a huge place that makes laminated flooring, I drove further into Arkansas to load kiln dried lumber. It was going to Cuba, Ky, but I stopped in at our terminal in Little Rock to get the truck serviced. I checked in and they sent me to a hotel to get my rest while the work was being done. Even so, after my 10 was up I was back on the road! I continued my early rising schedule and got to my drop in KY in good time. I had a preplan to load over in Blytheville, Arkansas for a load I hoped would take me home. The coil I got in Blytheville went to Bluffton, IN... close to home. I got unloaded and they sent me up north to Butler, IN to get a coil to take home. So here I am, sitting at home after a nice dinner out. I took my break Friday night at the new FJ up on I-69, then drove in getting in around 5am. I crawled in bed for a couple of hours and have a lazy day at home. I'll leave out after my 34 Sunday evening and drive to our terminal in Madison, IL. I deliver a mile away, which is really a nice way to start out the week. Hope everyone has a great weekend, this one makes 10 months since I've had a weekend away from home! Stay safe.

 

I know a few drivers, but have no actual experience with our temperature control division. Sorry, wouldn't want to give you misinformation. Call recruiting, they can give you specifics. Thanks!