Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

Company Driver vs O/O Investment

Always seem to have a couple threads here about the launch from company driver to O/O... right now it's Blair (http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...or/268615-journey-begins-purchased-truck.html) and Bright One (http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...ellows-company-driver-independent-thread.html), good threads both. I think Blair should hire a driver for the truck he bought to run LS (Landstar) and stay with OD (Old Dominion) himself... too good a job to waive bye-bye to--but that's the problem, financial handcuffs.

Wish you good luck, Blair!

This summer I looked hard at a couple older, inexpensive cabovers up in Wisconsin. The truck purchase itself, while merely the tip of a larger commitment, did tempt me--a lot. Still, I'm happy to remain a company driver for now with little investment, not yet the disgruntled kid determined to walk away from home to new frontiers and lunch wrapped up in a kerchief hanging from a shoulder pole. Maybe just chronically disgruntled as a gal once described me. Not running away, yet...

Too many ongoing, unfinished projects here on the property. Am anticipating that this new outfit will let me have the free time to get things done around here. Like I expected all last summer. But never happened.

Company drivers can travel light--or should. Listed my Food Kit earlier and it sure came in handy Saturday and Sunday when the roads were mucked up from ice and that little bit of snow. Will vary.

Here's my carry-on check list. My small, black airline rolling soft case, for day trips like Fort Campbell, it's hardly necessary, well, unless it is necessary. Like the Food Kit, it's down right handy if needed. Then there's the small, hard shell case, has see-through sides--for essentials. For now I'm not carrying tools other than multi-function tool.

Rolling airline soft case
Extra clothes: Pair of jeans, 2 underwear, 2 pair socks, 2 T-shirts, hoodie
Baby wipes, toilet paper, Wal-Mart plastic bags (use your imagination)
Paper towels, finger and toenail clippers
Hand lotion
Small inverter, plugs into power receptacle
Various chargers for cell phone, Kindle and iPad (in addition to what's in smaller hard shell case)
Extra gloves for cold weather and work (front pocket)
DVIR book (front pocket)

Plastic crate and loose items
More Wal-Mart plastic bags for trash
Pee bottle (1 gal Ariz Tea with bleach/water mix)
5th wheel pin puller, body work hammer (thump tires), good air gauge
Insulated monkey suit (mine's from Wall's, got it off Amazon)
Covered drink cup with creamers inside
Smoke and deodorizer spray/glass cleaner spray
Steel-toe boots

Small Hard Shell Case (See through sides)
Extra pens/ruler
Hard glasses case with lens cloth/Spare glasses
Sun glasses
Back up cell phone/charger/extra battery
Garmin
Headset and charger
Paper log book (if PeopleNet doesn't work)
Multi-function tool


//This morning--Bah Humbug Day--the caught mouse is another thrasher. Took it and the trap outside to the back deck railing. Maybe go see The Interview up in Indy. Dunno. 3 eggs in nesting box before noon today.

 

Email today from Travis Gordon...

Then links to Winter Driving Tips! (http://blog.gordontrucking.com/bid/...mqGBL_tSjq19hpmlz7WVmO-R_iI74Q&_hsmi=15401134) and Gordon Trucking.


Um-mm, thx but, NO. Definitely, NO... Been there, done that after all. There's another one today from J B Hunt, too.

 

1 in 10 Tire-Related Injury Accidents, A Fatality

Did you know that? Working on tires is dangerous business. According to Alcoa, 1 in 10 tire-service injuries results in a death compared to 1 in 1,000 work injuries overall.

Note to Terminal Boss:

Saw two deer out back this morning. Lots of hunting going on nearby. Would have been safer hanging out around here. Wish 'em luck. Email from Schneider this morning, too. Where did Schneider get my email, I wonder?

Busy weekend again. Terminal Boss asked if could run out both Saturday and Sunday. Yeah, I can do that...

 

Isn't that the truth!! In fairness, got an email from TB (Terminal Boss) that this is the busiest weekend ever for the Bloomington Terminal. About 1 pm, got a call from him, could I run up to Indy with him and 2 other drivers, bring back 3 rental tractors for tomorrow from the Indy yard. At the time I was shoveling sand on the hill in back of my place. Well, sure.

Can you be here in an hour, he wants to know. Yeah, sure.

Spent all day yesterday, Bah Humbug Day, lolligagging in bed, would read for a bit, sleep for a bit, read for a bit, sleep for a bit. Still slept straight through except up at 2 am to pee, felt sluggish as hell this morning.

Had time to swing by Taco Bell for a double decker--what?? $1.79?? That's a 20-cent increase!! I'll switch to McDonald's $1 menu... then spilled sauce all over my front, leaking from the taco. Ugh!! Well, my T-shirt's clean, so stripped off the offending stained top layer.

In my cubbyhole in the office was a pay check voucher, check detail with what I was paid for and a debit card in case my direct deposit didn't hit yet. But it did! Very cool.

--Online courses...................$145.00 (not done yet)
--Ride along with Frank.........$145.00 (Tuesday, he drove, I rode)
...Meeting..............................$36.00 (Friday, Shareholder Meeting)
--Fort Campbell....................$197.62 (Saturday, I drove, followed Frank)
--Fort Campbell stop pay........ $18.40

Total....................................$543.52
Miles.....................................482.0

Taxes....................................$98.61
Deposit to my checking..........$444.91

Cool!! As for today, TB (Terminal Boss) said, "It'll be the easiest $145.00 you'll ever make." Got to the yard at 2 pm-ish, arrived Indy after 3 pm, got back just after 5 pm, so yes, almost $50/hour. On the way back could not find the 4-way switch when we came upon a wreck. Dunno what happened but a cattle hauler went off-roading about a hundred yards, then jack-knifed the tractor up into the woods. Kept it upright.

Good for him. (Not wrecking, keeping it upright.)

In the right lane, a rather mangled compact with damage on driver's side but looked like neither rear-end or front-end bang up, awaited jaws of life to pull driver out. For the next 10 miles the road was too rough and bouncy to run over 50 mph, and the Bloomington-based ambulance was just heading that way as I approached SR 46.

Another day. Another wreck. Gas was $1.89 up at 465 exit 4, just up from Gordon's 'new' terminal which I haven't seen yet. Around Mooresville, light turned yellow at 60 mph and I squeaked through. Behind me, thought it was ours, came on through on the red. Wasn't ours. Why would it be? The only pressure we're under is to drive safe.

No, it was a Swift pulling a flat! Ran the light...

 

Blu, plans for a new-constructed terminal there were rumored bye-bye with acquisition, not gonna happen. Dunno. Heard something about parking across street, use card to get in. Haven't bothered to go by. A while back, just for giggles called, and Brett was still recruiting.

"And, what can I do for you??" he says...

Uh, nothing, Brett. Nothing. Just curious, that's all.

Not sure about Sunday, Wayne. Tomorrow's FC and can pull out about 8 am-ish. I'm assuming it's back-to-back FCs. 3-axle white Penske International day cab. PeePee wanted the yellow Penske F-liner sleeper so we switched. Found the 4-way switch. Office was dark but not locked, so grabbed a couple packets of grease for the very dry 5th wheel. Didn't bother with it tonight...

Gas was $2.12 at Sam's Club, Bloomington, IN.