Now back at Knight

I have had to take a 34 every week now for 4 weeks straight. But that nice run came to an end with a Thanksgiving layover in Fargo. Now I am on short runs to keep me close to the terminal for my requested home time beginning this weekend.

I still have problems with Knight, and I don't say this is a great company. But it does provide me an income.

But colder weather has struck. And I have been asked to jump trucks and pull start trucks at our terminals. "They can't open the shop on weekends". lol. This company in an attempt to save a nickel, spends a dollar in driver time, and equipment repairs. I have busted atleast 10 straps this Fall for drivers who insist on giving it a try. Just because they are so desperate to get on the road and make some miles. I have rescued loads from broke down drivers. And I really wish, someone at the company would figure out the need for more then three small batteries. I should also mention, at least two of the trucks I jumped or tugged, had just been given the "OK" by the shop after being written up for battery issues. Since, I sat in a truck stop for 4 hours waiting for breakdown to find a driver to jump me, back in October. The end result of which was me getting another driver from another company to pull start me. I have not shutdown my truck for more then 2 hours at a time. They don't want me to idle?!?, too bad, get me 4 healthy batteries.

As another note, back in October, as I drove my car home, at 70mph thru K.C. and up 35, I stopped at the Kearney Pilot for fuel. When I pulled in, my car was fine. I fueld up, grabbed some delicious Pilot coffee, and returned to my car, anxious to get home. When I got into the car, started it up, something miraculous happened. I put my foot on the brake to shift out of park, and my brake pedal suddenly fell out from under my foot. Testing the peddle revealed it no longer had any tension. Opening the driver door revealed a new forming puddle of brake fluid under my car.

I had just been driving at high speed on a busy interstate, and my brake line burst, not while I was on that interstate, but while I was parked at a fuel stop. It didn't burst while I was driving home on curvy Highway 11 between Brookfield and Kirksville in the middle of the night. It didn't burst as I approached a stoplight in a busy downtown. I can only think of one reason for this.
prov·i·dence

1. ( often initial capital letter ) the foreseeing care and guidance of god or nature over the creatures of the earth.

2. ( initial capital letter ) God, esp. when conceived as omnisciently directing the universe and the affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.

3. a manifestation of divine care or direction.

 

Still at Knight! Still the same dispatcher. Even though I have had quite a few arguments with my dispatcher, I haven't been switched. Over the last couple of months to be breif, when the new year started, miles dropped. Getting a little better now.

But what the hell is going on here. Knight is losing drivers and office employees really fast, lately. I think, not sure, but I think my terminal has lost 1/3 of its trucks. And office employees who left, took clients with them. I haven't seen many shippers who I was familiar with in months. Not to mention, very low pay loads just to get out of areas we haul to, next to shippers I was very familiar with. Lately, I can count clients on one hand.
Not sure what is going on, but I think Knight is starting to get a little of it back, if you know what I mean. Until later.

 

I worked for Knight until in March I got an offer from a local company delivering Beer. Home every night, off every weekend, I jumped on it. I went home anxious to start the new job, when a friend and my son were involved in a car accident. Unfortunately, my friend was the only one not wearing a seatbelt. She was ejected from the vehicle and passed away while my son and two of his other friends watched. She was 18....

The accident postponed me starting my new job by a week. I worked at the company for 7 months, until policy changes ran several employees out of the company. It was a good job while it lasted.
I have done other jobs since then, but the bills have pilled up and I am now returning on the road. So, its back to knight I go. I add more to this forum about the changes that have happened at Knight since my last time there.