Lonestar Transportation drivers.. Check in!

DieselDog81 · Aug 4, 2014

Nothing really new with me... just running my tail off on this blade project... was up at 0345 this morning to roll at 0530, and have to roll at 0415 tomorrow to make our 0600 load appointment, and hustle out to the site to get unloaded... then, repeat...

DieselDog81 · Aug 4, 2014

heres one blade from last week, got done with everything at 2200

djtrype · Aug 5, 2014

How many blades are you doing a week?

DieselDog81 · Aug 5, 2014

3-4 per truck

QBall3577 · Aug 5, 2014

djtrype said: ↑

Actually, no. I'm looking to get out of this business completely. I can't take the constant big brother lingering more and more over our heads on medial things that can affect us financially. I'm saving for school right now. It's an Associate's degree but it's a sure fire way of getting hired on with a chemical company or oil refinery. Where I live we have refineries and plants ALL over and they pay very well. Most start out ~$23/hour. Top pay is in the vicinity of ~$35/hour. I've been looking for an out for a few years now and I think I finally found it. With the hours we work and the peanuts we make, I could make almost double and be home every day. Plus, I wouldn't have to worry about traffic citations affecting my employment. Kristen already knows and she's cool with it. I promised her I'd stay until school starts next August.

And the only reason I can even do this is because I have no debt and very few bills...cell and car insurance. I'm banking 60-75% of my income right now. So, if all goes well and I get on a blade project during the slow season, I'll be able to easily attain my goal by August 2015. If I don't get on a blade project then, then I'll stay out as long as need be to bank as much as I can. I'm already doing 10-12 weeks at a time to get all the miles I can. I'd of never went home in June had it not been for my son's birthday.

So, I'm just done. Burnt out as they'd say. It'll be 7 years in September and that's about 5 years longer than I had initially planned to be OTR. Sure, I'll miss doing this. I'll miss a lot about it, but I'm missing way too much at home and I'm not maximizing my potential. I want a home and I want a nice one to retire to and I don't see trucking offering me that. Whereas, I can make ~$70K working the hours I already do and seeing my son a lot more. It's a no-brainer.
Click to expand...

Not to change the subject back but, this is much of the reason I left... I started school again while OTR and it became too much to get all my assignments done in an entirely online school with minimal internet in some of the areas Lonestar sent me to. Then, things progressed even better with the lady so.. it was a no brainer... it was just the right time. I'm in a good gig now hauling propane to customers (LTL and manufacturing companies filling forklift cylinders)... working about 9 hours a day average now that I've organized my route to be more efficient. Love the hourly pay and overtime for sure! I miss OTR... I miss it every day.. especially when I see a Lonestar truck pass by. But, the life I've built after having come off the road 1 year ago I can't trade to go back at this point. Especially with what I've, or we've, planned for our future.

Good for you DJ.. its a tough decision but that was the final part of the equation that made me want to leave.. the regulation. Most of us do the job and do it well.. but when laws are created to stifle income for the driver... they basically show you where the door is. At least, that's what happened to me. I explained much of this to Bob when I left and while he didn't like my decision he said he couldn't blame me.

And, to tag on to what someone else said about the work ethic... I was one of Bobs best drivers.. I never complained and worked my hardest for him... and the company. He knew that when he gave me a task it would get done and done right... and usually delivered early when feasable. That right there is what moves a driver in Lonestar. They want producers and reward nicely with bigger and better things if that is what you want. If you have that mentality towards your driving and your not just a steering wheel holder.. you will do just fine. It takes a while for them to get to know your style but once they do they'll keep ya running.

Wow.. been a while since I've posted in here! I just looked back and.. I need to visit more!

Snowwolf · Aug 8, 2014

Very nice!!!

djtrype · Aug 30, 2014

Not sure if any of you guys have been to Sanford lately, but there's been a policy change because an LST driver whined about moving his truck the 100' to chain down. From now on, if you have a flatbed, you load at the docks facing Womack and you CANNOT leave there without every machine chained. If you have stepdeck, you load where we normally do, but you, again, CANNOT leave the dock before your equipment is fully chained. This driver didn't do anyone any good all because he didn't want to move 100' to chain his equipment. If there's a wait to be loaded then you know why. This only affects LST drivers.

Snowwolf · Aug 30, 2014

Sounds like a pain in every ones butt! On a lighter note, I start orientation Tuesday

wulfman75 · Aug 30, 2014

djtrype said: ↑

Not sure if any of you guys have been to Sanford lately, but there's been a policy change because an LST driver whined about moving his truck the 100' to chain down. From now on, if you have a flatbed, you load at the docks facing Womack and you CANNOT leave there without every machine chained. If you have stepdeck, you load where we normally do, but you, again, CANNOT leave the dock before your equipment is fully chained. This driver didn't do anyone any good all because he didn't want to move 100' to chain his equipment. If there's a wait to be loaded then you know why. This only affects LST drivers.
Click to expand...

sounds like "blanket Party" time lol

AZS · Aug 31, 2014

djtrype said: ↑

Not sure if any of you guys have been to Sanford lately, but there's been a policy change because an LST driver whined about moving his truck the 100' to chain down. From now on, if you have a flatbed, you load at the docks facing Womack and you CANNOT leave there without every machine chained. If you have stepdeck, you load where we normally do, but you, again, CANNOT leave the dock before your equipment is fully chained. This driver didn't do anyone any good all because he didn't want to move 100' to chain his equipment. If there's a wait to be loaded then you know why. This only affects LST drivers.
Click to expand...

so thats what the message on the box was talking about, figured something went down, those things wouldn't move even if you floored it! They have rubber tracks!

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