Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

Not sure what Trainer Frank said. Sunday Driver considers it not necessary to fuel as long as brought onto the yard with at least 1/2 tank each for both DEF and diesel or "will likely be called out on it." They BOTH probably told me to check the reefer and I brain farted that for sure.

Would not have been a problem to fuel, and I think makes a lot more sense on I-64 than right there in KY, too. Very, very tempting with 3/4s or better to save the 1/2-hour, though, if told not necessary... but someone made a point to fuel the truck I had today so it was full of fuel. Full. Should have been enough reason to return it in similar or better. Yes. Good point.

Chekhov could have fueled the other night but I rather doubt it.

I fueled on I-64.

The Penske I drove that day's not plugged at 62...

Whether to fuel has been a touchy topic at several companies I worked for. Mid-States Express (R.I.P.), you fueled on your way out of the yard--if they paid the bill and had fuel, which wasn't always the case. You rarely saw the same truck 2x in a row.

The 'Plate' (contract) with the post office the USPS contractor had did not include time for fueling, but we were told the only place to fuel was en route, up on I-74 just past the Indiana/Ohio line. Truck ran 2 runs daily, a day run and a night run. Had big tank but really needed top off daily. Very, very tight runs time-wise. So frequently would get the truck and wonder if had fuel enough to get to State line... prior drivers hadn't fueled.

Sometimes I got so pissed I'd fuel just enough to do my run... leave the day driver just what he left me!! At least there I knew who drove before and who was driving after. If a different driver after, of course, I'd top off.

Gordon wasn't slip-seated, at least as a rule, and fuel assignment came with your trip confirmation. No problem for the most part.

Haz outfit fueled right there, but being part-time, I'd fuel on the way out if low, debated with self about fueling 2nd time on getting in--driver who stuck me by not fueling might very well NOT be the next driver. Sometimes I would ask--Hey! Is WatchamaCrap taking the truck again tomorrow???

If yes, didn't get fueled 2nd time and I'd tell dispatch why. Tit-for-tat...

 

Winter Wind Factors and Fuel Mileage

In his thread http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...-real-reason-your-fuel-economy-collapses.html, uncleal13 refers to this article from Today's Trucking (from December 2011) http://www.todaystrucking.com/wind-chill-factors

It's worth excerpting. As outside temperature drops, so does mileage because colder, heavier air causes sharply increased resistance!!!

Winter Fuel a Minor Part of Bad Winter Fuel Mileage

As Speed Goes Up, Air Resistance Goes Up by Factors

14% Increase in Fuel Cost at 0 Degrees Fahrenheit

The article goes on to point out how cold wind affects safety, too. Cold air gusts, being heavier, can push you around on the road, especially with an empty trailer, compared with the same summer wind. And a cold tail wind probably requires a driver to slow down some to compensate.

Who knew cold, dry air is 20% heavier the article asks. Well, we who drive in winter kinda know. We know that safe winter driving is different, slower. Do we know to expect a 20-26 per cent hit on fuel mileage?? Wow!!

Just when freight slows down in winter, your mileage takes a huge hit due to winter fuel, cold and dense air slowing you down along with road conditions and ice hanging off your rig. Put it all together and...

That's a kick in the pants...


//Informal Thread Index can be found at msg 1303, partially complete to Gordon acquisition by Heartland. More to follow as time permits.

 

Kentucky Again Tomorrow, Monday

Last week I emailed Terminal Boss feedback on what works and might not work for me schedule-wise. For example, don't want 4 runs/week. Prefer days latched together. Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday doesn't work because my kickback morning after a run, doesn't get much done.

He emailed back his choice would be Monday/Tuesday (latched--our original plan) and optional Saturday. Only fly in this ointment that the lectures for Spencer Y 'Get Fit Challenge' repeat on--Monday and Tuesday. Happened to bump into Laura and her hubby at Josh and Brianne's Main Street Coffee yesterday before heading to Bloomington and yesterday's run.

She's in charge of the program.

She'll set handouts aside for me. She and I have complete 180-degree philosophy on how to train. She's of the modest rep's with enough weight to push to fatigue quickly. I don't even believe in free weights. But I need to get SOMETHING either here at home or there that gets some traction.

Laura's humor and mine are 180-degrees, too. At weigh-in and girth measurement, I commented felt like 'a pig led to slaughter'. She paused, a moment of perplexed silence.

"Well," she said, "Don't know how to put a positive spin on THAT..."

Probably weighs a very feminine 105, about 5-foot and super tough doesn't act tough-like. "So you're the guy tries to keep Laura in line?" I asked her hubby.

"Hmph!" he replied, "Wouldn't even try." He's an ex-Marine, I think, and it was her epiphany that she could keep up with him. And she told me her mouse story. Had a lady over for a sort of brunch when a mouse made an ill-fated run across her counter, met with the hammer she quickly slammed down on it.

Gal lost her appetite and left...

 

Two Threads...

I'm watching 2 threads (among others) for different reasons.

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...king-forum/270193-oilfield-laying-off-17.html has drama of truckers in the fracking fields who see the world around them suddenly changing as oil outfits cut back, go out of business, announce layoffs and re-negotiate (read: impose) new downward pay levels.

Slim Pickens said the other day that this will last 18-19 months until enough damage has been inflicted on both Iran and the fracking industry here. Sort of a two-effect impact to cheap oil.

Then Captain Zoom http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...king-company-here/268280-im-baaaaaack-29.html, a Gordon newbie who just moved over to Gordon (Indy) from Celadon with his girlfriend Hot Chick. Zoomy was ready to throw in the towel and now ready to give Gordon a further go. Whatever he does I'm hoping turns out well for him and her.

Gordon is still a well-run truckload legend, even from within Heartland's embrace. Has it changed? Well, sure... it's a lot more profitable. Is it still Gordon? I think so. You know, while some here loved the Gordon-Gordon, some I met, especially in the Northwest were deeply, deeply bitter. Felt was a better company under the old man and for them, no doubt it was. The push into the Mid-West was nothing less than heroic. A bet the farm move.

Gordon never has compromised on safety. Never. Gordon was safe before it became both fashionable and necessary under CSA 2010.

The transition to Heartland has further solidified the Gordon family wealth, got them out from under $150-million in debt that Gerdin has rapidly paid off. What remarkable timing! What guts!! With lower fuel prices over the next year, by the time they are free to sell some of their acquisition HTLD stock in November, where will the stock price be?

It's over $26 now from $11 and change on acquisition just over a year ago...

 

3 New Chickens and 1 Noisy Duck...

The roosters have been going off since about 4 am this morning and really working their rhooers right now (6:45 am). Well, I like it. Have to say. Don't know what they're celebrating, but I like it. Just need to add a noisy duck to the cacophony, right?

Looks like that's where I'm going. Made a deal yesterday (Sunday) with a couple over in nearby Gosport for their 3 'free range' chickens and duck ($25). That's one noisy duck!! What's 'free range' mean? Means they don't have a chicken fence on their small yard. I couldn't do that. Gotta have fenced areas. They're maybe throwing in a doghouse for a small coop. We'll see.

Tried to talk the gal out of parting with their small flock. Apparently their son is allergic to eggs; now that's an odd one. How will young Oliver do with losing his pet birds? Mom thinks he'll be fine, got plenty of cats, which is true. Saw lots of cats. They even had goats for a while and the duck slept with the goats... okay, fine. Dairy goats, even small pygmy or dwarf goats, are a lot of work. Need milking every day. Every. Day. That's a little much.

Unless the Gosport couple change their mind (already paid the $25), will pick up the newbies later this week.

Got 5 eggs out of my 5 hens yesterday. Hey!!

Yeah!! Who's going to eat all these eggs?? Huh??

KY run later this morning...

 

Saw an RWI, light tan rig, northbound out of Evansville.

Wasn't you was it, Blu?