Maverick Driver general bs thread

Have to vent, this situation fits best in this thread because of the "bs" in the title. I got to Gerdau, Charlotte mill at 19:32 with 1 1/2 hrs. Left on my 14. Already not a good situation. I get in the back of the line, get signed in and I get back in my truck and count seven trucks in front of me, situation deteriating. After about an hour and a quarter, one truck leaves loaded, and completely tarped. At this rate my 10 hr break will be half over by the time I get loaded ( If I started it while I was waiting in line that is). What I want to know is why are they letting the drivers finish tarping inside with the covered tarp shed out here. Not to mention it is not raining, or too hot out here to be tarping outside. There are now 5 trucks ahead of me, and at least 3 behind me. GRRRRRR!!!

 

I have learned that if I have less than 2.5 hours left on my 14 and my w/a is to load at a busy place or notoriously slow place w/ no O/N parking, then I call and have rescheduled to the morning and shut down for the night close by. I always try to do all my loading/unloading within the first several hrs of my clock so that the remainder of my day hopefully will be just driving and time management is easier when I am in control of it- not some busy steel mill. I HATE rushing at the end of the day at a shipper with not much time left.

 

I guess that's what I get for talking to much...I'm referring to my rant about how we rarely have to wait for loads.

I delivered the tractor in New Holland first thing this morning, moved over to the other building to get the combine at about 0830...when I get there the guy tells me they are working on the combine (oil leaks, prototype combine)...he says is gonna be at least noon before its ready...noon comes, then he says its gonna be late afternoon and asks me when's the cutoff for me being able to deliver it to AZ before 1600 Friday...I explain it to him (needed to leave there by 1900, and that's really pushing my luck for getting to AZ on time...but possible, with some luck)...they weren't gonna get it fixed in time.

But they really needed me in AZ Friday...the combine was not the hot load...its the backhaul to OK that has to be on time...so they threw together another load (off road forklift and an F550 utility truck) to get me out there...I finally got loaded and out of there at 1530 and was able to get 310 miles in before my 14 ran out...

Then there's the load...it had to be loaded in the wrong order to make it fit on the trailer...gotta unload the truck to be able to get the forklift off in Charlston, MO tomorrow...then put the truck back on and head for AZ.

Trying to make up my mind on a route...there are 3 good options...I'm probably gonna skip the 2 that include OK though...its only 60 more miles to take the southern route, and still well below the 10% OOR...just gotta make sure I time it right, so I miss the traffic jam (Dallas)

Why take the longer route?

Because I'd hate to see this nice shiny F550 get the windows beat out of it in a hail storm and the fuel mileage will likely be better (flatter, no big mountains, and no Salt River Canyon) ... that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

 

Totally different- yet, THE SAME LOL!

 

Yep..........

 

Looks like I'll be in this truck a while. Guy here at Madison says this unit isn't on the for sale block any time soon. Not complaining, as long as they get everything fixed on it today. I'd say that I'm satisified with the truck so far...

 

Even though the wo says no parking, there is parking there. Just tell the guard and they will tell you where they want you to park.
The loaders there do not pay attention to what is going on and do not direct the drivers to tarp outside.
I know what I am in for when I go there, so I do not get upset.

 

If there is no over night parking...I go there, get loaded, and then call safety and tell them that there is no parking and I am going to find a safe haven. I leave and call them when I get parked for the night. NO harm no foul!

 

I agree if you show up to Gerdau with only an hour and a half left there is one good thing, you know where you're spending the night! Accept it, it means you don't have rush and gives you a chance to jack jaw with the other drivers. I've spent several nights there. No big whop.

 

Does that mean that the safety dept won't give you points if your driving without available hours?