My first Load From Hell!

I had a relatively smooth start in trucking. Its been a couple years now, but there are those "loads" that already stick out in my mind. I learned a lot of lessons in my first year. Most of these lessons where learned all at once during one load! Sit back and enjoy my agony!

I had a good amount of loads under my belt. The truck felt like home already. I had went out for about a month and been home for a few days when Don, my FM, called up with my next load. A good run from Ohio to So Cal. Can't beat that. I just requested that I, at some point, be able to swing through my 2nd home down in East Texas to pick up some gear. Not only did he hook me up with a great load back to WV, but he let me take the low road through Texas (PAID EVEN!) as long as the load got there on time. That was just great. Or was it?

We had plenty of time on this load because it was booked over a weekend for a Monday Delivery. So why not stop in Dallas Ft.Worth? I had a friend of mine with family in Dallas, mine was in FTW. We would spend and hour with both! Ya, that was the plan! Darkness was setting when we pulled out. The plan was to be at the house that night! We pulled into Jefferson, TX that night. My brother had the perfect place to park the truck he said on the phone. I think to myself, perfect ahe? Right!

I pull in, way later then I planned, and my brother sat on a small motorcycle and beckoned me to follow him. We cut through the night down country roads. I mean NIGHT! It was DARK! No lights at all. Soon we pulled into an old abandoned warehouse parking lot. It was a small dirt lot. As I swung the beast around, I thought I took note of all obstacles. I thought! I straightened the cab out and got ready to back it in nice and neat, as if someone was going to care. Did I mention it was PITCH BLACK! The mirror looked like it had fallen out and you where looking at the black plastic! I slowly backed in, mentally remembering where I had seen the tree trunks. Then ............Crunch!!!!!! I forgot to look where all the Branch's where. A tree branch had busted through the rear door way up high of my rear door on the trailer. Now..... Did I mention this was a reefer company? All I can say is Thank God for white Duck tape! After witnessing that the trailer still maintained a good temperature without much effort on the reefer unit, I took my break for the night.

After loading out the truck with what I had come for, we were now running WAY behind. Too much time for family. Too much time loading up the truck. Too much time repairing a quick fix to a small crunch! Boy, my FM was on my butt to get that load rolling down the road. I busted my tale maxing out the ol' log book. It was gunna hurt later in the 70 rule, but that was just gunna have to happen. I proved that I could get up there though. I was beat, but I did it. We rolled into town an hour ahead of our appointment. We did it with only one minor set back. One small thing that I could figure out a way to sugar coat and explain after I unloaded. But wait.... what the....... YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING!

The place was shutdown for Memorial Day! So, you mean we busted our arse to get this thing here and there is no one to unload it until the morning? what?..... Late morning you say?.......... (explicit)

OK Mr. Guard type guy, can I ask you this? Can we drop the load on your secure lot so we can go into town, get something to eat, catch a movie maybe???? The guard told us, sure thing! Just park it right next to all the other trailers out back! We promptly did. We went to the back of the yard and, sure enough, there was a row of trailers from the building all the way down to the end of the parking area. I rotated around and backed it right next to the last trailer. We unhooked and went into town for pizza and did end up catching a movie.

After the movie, just as dusk was approaching, we drove back to the warehouse. As I rounded the corner of the building I was paying attention to my driving. Apparently my friend was not. All that caught my attention was him yelling.... OH ##(*! As I looked up, the trailer was nose down in the ground! Its front end was setting right on the surface. The reefer tank just barely at the surface as well. The legs of the trailer had busted right through the surface as if it was only ASPHALT! As the guard came around the corner smiling, he only said "how was dinner ya'all?" How was dinner??? Dinner? Oh, don't worry about that he said? It happens all the time! I said its like its only asphalt or something? His reply..... It IS only asphalt. I asked him about the other trailers. He told me how up to that spot, was reinforced! All I got when I asked why he told me to drop it there....... A shrug of the shoulders. Let me tell you about migraines!

So, now I am just bent! I call the company breakdown line and proceed to tell this poor lady a story from the beginning. A floury of "and then" were thrown at her starting with a tight schedule, a puncture in the trailer, a closed warehouse, and a sunken trailer! I end by saying, so, I guess I have to return the truck! And it was in a pretty heated voice. After a short pause, she said in a sweet southern bell of a voice "well.... bless your heart". I can't imagine anything working better to calm me down and put me back in my normal comical self. After that she called in the Calvary! It took 2 cranes and another wrecker to pull that thing out of the hole!

The next day, they opened at 8am. We did not get unloaded until 3pm. For some reason.... Its the only way that made since to end this load. I never saw a day like that again. For that matter, I never saw that trailer again. I would probably turn around and drive for the hills if I did.


Noobie Leasons to Learn:

• Stay on schedule and don't be the turtle racing the hair later
• Only park in well lit truck designated places whenever possable.
• Double check the surface before dropping a loaded trailor. If you can, never drop a loaded trailer unless its where its supose to be and signed for.
• Never trust ANYONE to make a decession for you. Its your responsability and only YOU are going to cover YOUR butt.
• Don't sweat the small stuff. If no one is hurt, and no property damaged, its going to be OK!