Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

Something Structurally Wrong

The corn up here in Wisconsin is anywhere from knee-high to crotch-high. Heard a lot of complaints and angst this Spring about not getting fields planted due to cold and then rain. Sure enough, it shows. Back in Indiana, most corn ranges from chest-high to 6 foot. Well, we had cold and rain, too. One exception here.

Except for Dairyland Seed 6903 here. More info here: http://www.dairylandseed.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=291&DS-6903

Up on 18 and as I rolled down the 5% grade coming down into Prairie off the bluff, driving down the narrow valley that leads into town, I saw corn as tall as Indiana marked in red-on-white signs, 'DS 6903'. It's listed as a tall-growing corn specially for 'IL-WI'. I think they got that right.

Saw the two quarter horses (haven't mentioned them before but always look for them) coming in, the Mom's a regular-issue brown quarter horse, the youngster's almost as big, but Palomino. Last time, when we had all that rain and most of it had passed by the time I came down the grade, the Palomino was dramatically frisky, doing the 'Hi-Ho, Silver' thing, up in the air, front legs kicking out; did this several times as to say, "Come on, let's PLAY!!" Very cool.

But 'something structurally wrong'. I mean by that, as we might say in the computer industry where we talk a lot about the 'architecture' of things, can apply to anything, almost; I mean, where you have aberrant behavior, bad behavior, that goes on regularly, there's something wrong with the system.

Not that there's any news about something wrong with trucking. There's probably been something wrong with trucking since trucks started to haul things. No big deal there. Still, when you have truck drivers driving in a fashion not safe for themselves or the motoring public and it's not aberrant, it's quasi-normal, there's something structurally wrong, something wrong with the architecture of the trucking industry as we know it.

There shouldn't be a net benefit to driving unsafely, too fast for conditions. Especially when peoples' lives are at stake, including the lives of truck drivers themselves.

To be continued...


Written Wednesday, July 2, 2014 from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

All rights reserved.

 

An 'Easy' Run this Indiana~Prairie du Chien

With time still left on my 14 and 11, could add another hundred or so miles tonight. Rather just wrap the day up here in Prairie, use Double Yellow's 8/2 Split for an early start tomorrow and take the long break I like after 4 hours or so running. Fits me and how I like to drive.

I take the longer way in from Indiana, 74 to 39 north and then across on 18. Ranges 465 to 476 miles per each leg of the turn (turn: Indiana to Prairie and back); so Monday to Thursday, when I deliver tomorrow, will have just under 2,000 miles. Started out around 11 am Monday, was home Tuesday and had time with the critters this morning (Wednesday) before leaving out. Truck's at the house, trailer parked about a mile up the road from home. Adds some miles to the trip, too.

With our Indiana customer shutting down from the 4th to 20th, would like to get this load delivered reasonably early in the afternoon, not close to midnight when they lock up until the 21st. In any event, must deliver tomorrow.

My plans (not set yet) for a trip West during this shutdown were wobbled a bit this morning when I looked at the weather for the next two weeks, which shows temperatures in the 90's the week following next. It scares me to leave the dogs with someone else in that kind of heat. My neighbor's pretty good, but it's not the same as when I'm here. Dunno.

It might be a good time to take a 'power-only' load somewhere, too. Could do that. Also, I'd like to talk to Bev, who schedules loads here in Prairie du Chien. She knows us and may have other loads outbound while I'm still around Indiana and not traveling. She may have a broker or brokers she likes--or, even better, get a foot in the door for other loads without a broker in-between as this load is.

It's all good. One of the brokers called me on the way in yesterday (Tuesday). Had Wisconsin loads and wondered where I was, whether I could take a load. Had to explain the shutdown and the hurry to get both loads in this week by tomorrow, no time for an 'outbound' broker load.

So brokers do call you after they get to know you a little bit.

It's all good.


Written Wednesday, July 2, 2014 from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. All rights reserved.

 

Interview with Schneider Choice Driver

Willow Creek Rest Area was still closed when I drove by, so got off I-39 southbound at exit 72, near Mendota, Illinois, where there is a small Pilot TS. Very small.

Walking up to the store past the fuel islands, noticed a deep groove in the outer passenger-side tandems on a Schneider trailer, a groove that the whole tip of a finger could fit into and feel the steel belt. If DOT looks at that he's OOS (out of service) for sure.

"Oh, they won't fix it," said the driver. He's been 4 years on the Schneider Choice program. I just shook my head, walked on and went inside. Those points will go against him, I thought. On the way out of the store he was still there, so we talked.

He runs exclusively from Milwaukee to Kimberly Clark in Kentucky and back. Load pays $1500, about $2/mile and a little change, one way. Has a 2010 Volvo leased, showroom condition. His next week is all planned out, will now work on week after. Schneider Choice does not have brokers like Landstar.

Every load pops up on the board and anyone can click on it, run that load. He's had no problem getting this load because he plans further out than most do, so gets his load. All loads include the rate and weight, although often the weight is wrong, on the high side.

"Yeah," he said, "This load weighs 15,000 but it shows up as 44,000. I know the load, so I ignore the weight. Just means they can load 'up to 44,000' on you but they really can't." It won't fit.

He used to run Northeast, "been to ALL the grocers." Oh, yeah. Time-consuming.

All I know about Landstar is that so far, their brokers have been fairly rude and low-paying loads. The best loads do not hit the board, LandstarBroker.com. I've done much better on Trulos and that surprises me. Hadn't thought to see if we could pull Choice loads. Might look into that.

"Let me tell you how bad it is, equipment wise," he said. "It's always a battle with them (Schneider). I'll just write it up, not try deal with it on the road."

He went on, "There's a trailer right now in Kentucky, brand new, that they ran a forklift through the ceiling, still shows as an available empty there." Well, it is empty, I guess. But that's what he meant about how bad it is. Always an argument when trailers need repairs, so why bother??

He drove off with those two damaged, dangerous and defective trailer tires.

Still, after 4 years on Schneider Choice, he's very happy with them.



Written Wednesday, July 2, 2014 from Pilot Truck Stop off exit 72, I-39 southbound. All rights reserved.

 

How This Week Fares

How does this week compare?

I was hired in to run one Prairie du Chien a week and that has happened once or twice, but who's counting, right? Basically, it's been back-to-back all May and June and then last week I ran 3 after our customer surprised us, unannounced with another run.

This week our Illinois unit took the extra Monday run and the Postville outbound (which I really didn't want. I prefer loads to that southeast corner of Wisconsin and run the hills empty to Prairie du Chien. Shorter. Lighter. And pays better than Postville. Postville's only $700.)

Then there's this shutdown July 4-July 20.

No time to grab an outbound broker load this week, left out about 11 am Monday. Needed 2 turns by Thursday. No outbound, no extra $150. Negative impact on my pay. And more push.

So 11 am Monday out, back home Tuesday in time to take care of my animals. Back out Wednesday and bumped the dock in Indiana about 5:15 pm today. Then fuel, get a few things out of truck and park it at yard. Drive home. In my car that's been up at the yard last two weeks. Happy it started. Really happy.

Dogs and chickens happy to see me today. Didn't look at the worm bins yet. I'm sure they're fine. For two weeks running, though, could not get to Bloomington (Indiana) and take of the worm bins at Mother Hubbard's Cupboard. I trust someone else has.

With no outbound load, I get just the Prairie trip, $329.16. (An outbound, 'on the way' load adds $150.) Hypothetically I could grab two, load one on Sunday, deliver Monday, finish out the Prairie run, home Tuesday; load another outbound Wednesday, deliver Thursday and continue on to Prairie, wrap up on Friday here in Indiana. Saturday and part of Sunday off. Home mid-week.

Well, that's hypothetical.

Actual total pay this week for two Prairie turns, $329.16 x 2 = $658.32. Now that's gross. Maybe, GROSS (pun intended). Pretty light. Haz pays a lot better. And where's that schedule?? There was supposed to be a schedule 2 months out. Well, there is but it's kinda ugly.

Four days work, start out with truck at home, a day trip out, spend night at Wal-Mart in Prairie du Chien, day trip back, and back home again. Then do it again same way. Two turns. About 475 miles 2x per turn, 950 miles. I probably don't want to really figure this out, hours versus pay. Might get ugly.

I do like the run. Yard Boss says I'm having too much fun. Dealing with brokers is a new side of trucking and I do like that. Nice to have a broker with good loads calling me. Very cool! The outbound load pays me just $150 whether I get $700 or $925 or $1000 for the company; all the same, that $150 plus the $329.16 makes a much better payday and the outbound's 'on the way'.

A 'traditional' driver on straight mileage pay, 39 cents a mile, would get just the $329.16 out to Prairie du Chien and back, even picking up an 'on the way' outbound load and lose 2 hours loading and 2 hours unloading, so in that sense I'm pretty lucky.

It's been well worthwhile so far despite that it wasn't what I bought into.


Written Thursday, July 3, 2014 at China Wok in Spencer, Indiana.

Thanks to 25(2)+2, thread title now reflects 'after' Gordon-ness of this thread, too. Thread's still rooted in Gordon, has also moved on some. Not to mention that Gordon has moved some on and moved on some, too. (Private joke.)

Shouldn't 25(2)+2 be at least 25(2)+3 by now?? What gives??

All rights reserved.

 

Fast-Fading Trip West

I don't seem to 'get' that it's 4th of July and not Saturday. Called the salvage yard to see if Amanda had another starter for a '97 Mercury Sable. Just bought one, installed it in the tan Sable and works fine. Got the maroon Sable off the car hauler last Saturday (and a little sunburned doing it) and that one's ready for a replacement starter.

Then we'll see if I damaged the tranny winching it up on the car hauler in Park. Oh, joy! Amanda did answer and said they'd be back Monday... 4th and all. Right. Right. Thx, Amanda. Does think she has another starter, though.

Then just as thoughtlessly, called Randy to see if he had any haircuts left, which is how I ask if he has an opening. Of course, he's not there today. As if not enough, almost left for the Farmer's Market which is in town tomorrow. Not today. They slip these holidays in just to make me feel bad.

I won't have to wait for Alzheimer's, it's coming to me.

The trip West is starting to fade. When I think about it, I started this job in March, did a back-to-back and then a single for my first two weeks. The single was what I signed up for. Then we had a shutdown like this one. Since then it's been pretty solid. I didn't sign up for full-time and don't want full-time. Has been a lot like close to full-time.

If I count from April, when they came back from the first shutdown, and add up the time off I expected had I done just one Prairie run a week, the shutdown gives me about the time off I wanted.

At least the Amish store up the road was open. The horseradish cheddar is a delightful surprise. Think I like it better than the regular, hickory smoked cheddar. Hey! They're open tomorrow, Saturday, too.

So this is what I do while I'm trying to decide what to do...


Written Friday, July 4, 2014 at home, six miles north of Spencer, Indiana. (I actually started typing in 'Saturday'! Just can't seem to get up to speed on the holiday.) All rights reserved.

 

Hi Zippe,

Tractor is a 2005 International 9400i Eagle, ISX engine, APU (working if on level ground and oil not low), with 1,018,000 (a little more) miles, about 2K beyond full PM (Preventive Maintenance). In last few years have driven a 379 Pete (one had C12 Cat and other had C15, both high miles), 2010 Cascadia (ISX), an 'older' Columbia (Detroit engine), 2007 Kenworth t800 (Detroit)--all trucks I spent some time, trips and miles.

All have been Straight 10s except for the Pete, which was a Super 10. Can definitely make comparisons between those trucks. The Eagle has a clutch issue, maybe a ceramic clutch issue, causes it to lurch, sort of bottom out, and then smooth out some. When the turbo kicks in it surges, too. They would retire the truck rather than fix it.

Company auto-retires trucks at 1,300,000 even if good trucks. Thoughtless. And gets diddly for them at auction. So there's an opportunity to pick up a truck with miles left for very cheap.

Company has about 450 trucks, but only 20 or so stationed at yard I drive out of. I'm in a very unique position, so I'm told. We got this run pushed off onto Yard Boss, who didn't want it, hired me to run it, once week. Has turned out well, a money-maker when we have outbound load.

Pays well enough to run it empty out to Prairie so the $700-$1000 for outbound once or twice a week the truck can pay for itself in a matter of a few months. Very cool. Yard Boss feels that it makes him look good, too, especially since it was sort of pawned off on him like an unwanted stepchild.

The first thing a broker wants to know when you call is your MC number. Company has all that and have a 'Set Up' (application) already filed with most of the good ones. You may have a little ####-chat about the load or the weather, but you don't really get down to business until they know your MC and whether you're in their system, have screwed them or a customer over. That kind of thing. Some put you right away in their Caller ID.

A week ago, I called a broker's assistant and when he asked for my MC, I asked, "Whatsamatter, Anthony? Your mind reader not working?" He replied, "It just popped up, Victor. Sorry. Your MC is 454..." Caller ID attaches my name, MC number to cell phone number.

At some point I'll try talk more about the different trucks I'm personally familiar with, engines, etc. Tentatively I'm with Gary the Mechanic next week for a day or three spread over the two-week shutdown. On my own time. Have some things I'd like to learn. Trade helper for info.

Original plan was do one Prairie one a week and a day or two with Gary in my free time. Just haven't had the free time. I need to be enough help for him to bother having me around and I'm no mechanic, despite that I can pretty much learn anything. At least book-wise.

I'd like practice busting a tire off a rim, saw a tire mechanic pull a flat off an outer tandem, put replacement on, without taking wheel off. Finished in 10 minutes. Very cool. Okay, so maybe it takes me an hour or more and saves $400 service call. Very cool.

Want to know how to do my own brakes, for example. Swap out brake chambers, the kind of not-rocket-science that truckers get reamed for at truck stops and diesel mechanics.

Stay tuned. And thx for reading my 'stuff'.

Vic

 

Murder Suspect Terence Doddy Taken into Custody after Chase

Media report here: http://rockrivertimes.com/2014/07/02/murder-suspect-may-have-returned-to-rockford/

This guy is suspected in two murders this week. One on Monday where he beat another man to death and set fire to the office building; the second at one of the Willow Creek rest areas where he beat a woman to death and stole her car. Apparently there was a high-speed chase from Rockford to Beloit, Wisconsin.

If the link fails, look to the side for a list of top stories.

That will get you to the latest.

I've probably met and talked to all of the attendants on both sides of I-39, both rest areas. Have been impressed with them, a happy, good group, certainly all traumatized by this. Will never be the same. They were unlike the staff at other rest areas and welcome centers. Low key but on top of it. Very helpful. Spoke easily about the area (North Central Illinois).

In all seriousness, I feel bad for these folks, the attendants.

Terrible for the victims and their families. Senseless.

 

More videos (similar) here, msg 289, 9/26/13: http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...-culture-one-drivers-experience-since-29.html

Also, msg 292, 9/27/13: http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...-culture-one-drivers-experience-since-30.html

Like sex, videos are good, just not same as the real thing...


Written Saturday, July 5, 2014 over a very nice fresh-made chicken-vegetable soup at a Mexican restaurant in Cloverdale, Indiana. Oh, yeah, there's a Dos Equis Amber draft right close by, too. Went to Cory Creek Trader's Fair this afternoon, near Brazil, Indiana. $3 to get in and nothing extra to sell things unless you want a booth or electricity. Almost bought another raccoon cage for $15. Offered $10. They're $25 right now at Rural King. I put some water in a bowl in a cage, just in case the small opossum is still inside my place somewhere. Just as soon it not croak and have to find it by smell...

All rights reserved.