My TCD experience with Maverick

Ah, ok. Well the Millard's/Tyson I went to in FT Worth wasn't that bad. I saw the barriers and didn't hit a thing. Now on the way to WalMart is a different story. I went to park in this really crappy gravel lot and got myself stuck. Tried backing up and going forward for almost an hour 1/2 and got out and looked several times. It got to the point my landing gear was touching the ground so ended up having to send in a breakdown call to get a wrecker to drag me out of the mess I got myself into. I'm hoping that isn't coming out of my pay. The fun part is going to be trying to get myself out of this hell hole of a parking area to get to Walmart tomorrow morning. I should have just parked on the ramp! I saw trucks over here though so figured that was the parking area. Yeah, big mistake that was!

 

Well I didn't get a lecture from my FM. I did however bent the DOT bumber in the process of getting stuck and reported it. Cost me safety points though. I was expecting that.

 

I know it has been a while since I have updated so lets recap the week! I had a multiload going to Ocheleta OK then to Tulsa OK then to Clarksville AR. Pickup date Sept 16th and delivery date for all three stops Sept 17th. Saw a spot where trucks parked at across from Walmart so headed over there. It was 9pm and dark and couldn't see the condition of the lot. Well was a HUGE mistake to park there. The lot was riddled with huge pot holes. As I tried to avoid one I drove into another and my trailer slid into the one I was trying to avoid. In the process it bent my DOT bumper so had to report it. I was also stuck and couldn't get out and my landing gear was touching the ground. Maverick ended up sending out a wrecker to pull me out. The guy that came said he is up there all the time pulling trucks out. I said I can believe that! Well got unstuck and parked next to the other trucks. In the morning I got out fine and got to Walmart an hour early my first delivery. They told me I was a day early and wouldn't accept the load. Well thanks! I have a multiload and need to be at my other two places the same day. Well sat for four hours while the shipper works with Walmart to get me in. Finally got a dock and got unloaded but now I'm late for my next delivery and they weren't happy! I did make my third delivery in Clarcksville, AR on time though. Couple days later they deemed it preventable which I agree it was so 2 points on my safety record now. Today I am to call to take a driving defensive class that will take 30 minutes, what fun!

On Sept 18th I had a pickup in Russellville AR at Tyson to be delivered on Sept 20th in McLane. Was ontime to both places with no problems! Picked up my load at Tyson at 8am and Delivered my load to McLane in Sturtevant WI at 2am on Sept 20th. While waiting at a truck stop for my McLane delivery I get a preplan at 6pm on the 19th to pickup a load at Andes Candies for Sept 19th at 11pm, but wait my truck is loaded and I have a 2am delivery on the 20th! HUGE PROBLEM! HAHA! Call my FM and he says just get there when you can. OKIE DOKIE! I got unloaded by 3am at McLanes and raced my way over to Andes Candies that is in Delavan WI and got there at 4am. Good thing it was a trailer swap and the load was already loaded! Got trailers swapped and headed out at 5am to deliver a load in Covington TN that is due by Sept 20th at 1pm. Big problem there because I was already late for Andes Candies I am now late for Tootsie Roll in Covington. Now keep in mind I have my hours of service to keep in mind too. When I got to Andes Candies I had 10 hours to get to my next destination before I ran out of time and would violate my hours of service. Well it is about 9 hours to Tootsie Roll which is exactly what I had left to get there! I made it to Covington with 5 minutes left on my clock at 4pm! whew that was close! I had another preloaded trailer and swapped trailers again and spent the night at Tootsie Roll in Covington, TN.

Well Sept 21st at 7am I left Tootsie Roll to deliver another multiload heading for Ring Candy in Council Bluffs IA on Sept 23rd at 8am and second stop is at Palmer Candy on Sept 23rd at 1pm in Sioux City IA. I made it on time to Ring Candy and am now sitting at a rest area to head to Palmer Candy. So that's my week!

I also had a breakdown on the 21st. My trailer gave me a yellow light and I checked and there was an alarm saying the Alternator wasn't charging. Put in a request and they sent me to a company in Matthews MO to get it fixed. Sat there for five hours while I watched him try two different alternators before it was fixed. Good now on my way!

 

exhawkeye, yes they are putting me through the paces. I'm glad though it is giving me plenty of learning experience! I just hated sitting that long at Tyson just to get moving. Finally just got my two deliveries done both very late though! Couldn't be helped though since the shipper took so long to load me. I didn't care for the Cher Makes Sausage place though. It's a blind side back and you have a dumpster next to the dock and a storage shed in front of the dock you have to watch for. Took me about an hour to get it in to the dock with lots of GOAL's. I'm at Andes Candies in Delavan, WI right now waiting for them to load a trailer.

 

Yeah I had that same countdown as I pulled into Tootsie Roll! lol