Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

Absolutely!! Brokers can play 'stupid', too, where their confirmation does not agree with what was said. Applies to appt times, detention, TONU, lumpers. Must ALL be spelled out in advance if you want to get paid. I'll stop every hour, if necessary, to see if latest corrected confirmation finally got it right.

Otherwise, a month down the road when you get paid what the confirmation ACTUALLY says, rather than what you verbally agreed to, no one will remember what you'all agreed to over the phone.

And I've canceled loads, one where the ACTUAL appt was for 6 am the NEXT DAY rather than 6 pm the SAME DAY and they tried to slide that in. I would have waited all night and not got paid for my wait.

Detention starts 2 hrs after appointment! (Unless you negotiate different terms... If so, it all has to be clearly spelled out in confirmation or email.)

I was tweaked about the $150 TONU, but with nothing spelled out, broker said, 'Sorry'.

Yeah, right...

 

Shutdown Continues...

The shutdown I'm on continues until Monday for my next Prairie du Chien run. That is, our Indiana customer has shut down until then. Yard Boss has had all these loads of scrap going into OmniSource in Indy and I want nothing to do with it. Yard Boss and I were the only ones not to show up at the bbq one of the drivers had at his home on Saturday--or so Gary the Mechanic said.

Called Gary yesterday that coast was clear for me to 'ride-a-long' again today. Answer was yes, so apparently I didn't get too much in the way last week. For what it's worth, he's really easy to work with, learned (what seemed like) a lot and pretty effortlessly. Gary rattled off PMs (Preventive Maintenance) and stuff to do today. I'm looking forward to it.

What a blur the last few days have been! Rolled down not-quite-2-lane gravel road to the Amish store for cheddar-horseradish cheese. (I know, but you'd think differently after you tasted it.) Behind the car was a dust plume that obscured the road--more like a trail--behind me.

Got 2 starters installed so have both '97 Merc Sable wagons back up running. The F700 dump truck and the Cat 955 Track Loader are the only power equipment not yet running. Think the dump just needs a battery and some TLC but it's been sitting a while. Ford in Bloomington will have new coolant reservoir for the tan Sable (the one I'm driving) today; I'll pick up tomorrow.

Bought an 18-foot trailer with sides to haul mulch, looked at... all sorts of stuff. A boat (nah), entry-way bench (well-made, looks like wood, is it?), low-boy trailer (too much of a project but selling for scrap value), F350 dump truck (very, very sweet), another Chevy dump (newer, about same size, very handy and probably has a/c), a 3-sided, 6-foot high dog kennel thing (which I bought and the seller says will deliver, no way I could get my truck up his drive, strictly for mountain goats... ).

A while back I bought 10-foot-tall, vinyl-coated chain link (keep deer out), poles and hardware that I need to go get if I can figure out the old guy's number in my phone. Otherwise...

Haven't started on the garage, which looks like a big mix-master roiled it up. Or any work on inside my place. The new Reds (Rhode Island Red hens) are almost feral. Have made a point to handle them. And they're not roosting, sleeping in their nesting box. Oh, well. Have put their fertile eggs under the broody Golden Comet. If all goes well (??) will have the pitter-patter of new little chick feet in about 3 weeks.

Now, do I really WANT that?? Dunno. Takes 'em 6 months to start laying and have no idea what I'd do with all the eggs. The Reds lay a medium-sized brown egg, don't know if the egg size will get larger as they grow older or no. Golden Comet eggs are BIG. In comparison.

I hear the cluck-cluck-ah-h-h-cluck-ah-cluck outside right now... kinda reminds me of the rattle-off of Morse Code. (No, I don't know Morse Code... ) Longs and shorts. Shorts and longs.


Written Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at home, six miles north of Spencer, Indiana. All rights reserved.

 

A Swinging Door, Hanging on by One Wabash 291 Hinge

"We can fix that," said Yard Boss. All three of us were looking at a left-side (driver side) swinging door that had been almost ripped completely off the back of a trailer. Of the 5 hinges, only the top hinge was left; the other 4 had broke off. The door did close and we left it shut.

"They're designed to break off like that," said Yard Boss, "to protect the door." A lucky event on any day. When I arrived at roughly 9:30 am, Gary the Mechanic was under the back of a tractor, heating up a bolt so he could remove a rear shock absorber. Eventually, we replaced all 6, wasn't easy; had to get the big torch out for some of the hardware.

Now will the driver notice an improved ride??

The Monroe Class 8 Truck Gas Shocks run about $100 each, a $600 upgrade to the ride of the truck. The ones we removed were probably original. Some companies, like the USPS mail contractor I drove for, would only replace shocks when they caused tire problems. No tire-related issue here; Gary had also pulled two tires off and retired and replaced them before I arrived.

The removed tires were virgins and will get capped (retreaded).

When lunch time rolled around Gary and I were ready; Yard Boss wanted another tire repaired so that when the driver got in, he could use that trailer. "There you go again," I said, "Always being the adult." We weren't enthusiastic about it. I frequently tell Yard Boss he's too serious, which he is. He had already swept out one trailer, which the driver will never notice. Yard Boss swept out the second while Gary and I saw to the flat tire.

Well, mostly Gary saw to the flat tire. But I'm helpful. It was a rear outer on the driver's side (left-rear-outer-tandem in truck tire lingo) so Gary did not have to remove the wheel from the trailer. He fixed it right there; we blocked it up, pulled the bad tire off, replaced with a new tire. Well, new recap.

Earlier Yard Boss had asked me, "Want to make some money??" Our Indiana customer had some trailers to move. Had my ear protection on, gave Yard Boss a blank look and then turned to Gary. "His lips move, but I'm not going to hear a thing." Then I pulled my ear protection off and said, "And I'm not going to hear anything, either." Hey, this is a 2-week, almost 3-week shutdown.

Yard Boss got those trailer moves covered but around 4:30 the customer called wanting to know if we could pull a Kentucky load, like right now. They talked a little bit and I thought, here we go. No, the answer's no, Yard Boss told them.

So Yard Boss did not ask me, just told the customer we couldn't cover it. Too short notice. That's an opening for someone else, maybe not to get our work, to get some work, though.

That's how you get a foot in the door.

We also replaced an emergency air line that one of our drivers probably forgot to disconnect before he took off. Chewed it up pretty good and a little damage on the light cord, too.

After lunch I Googled 'Wabash trailer hinge' and got various hits. We knew Wabash in Lafayette; might not be closest. I called Stoops in Indy and in due course reached Mike in trailer parts. He needed the last 8 of the trailer VIN.

"That's a Wabash 291," Mike said. "And in stock." The hinges run about $8 a piece and we ordered 5, even though we had only 4 broken. The hardware to go with cost $35 in addition to the $40 for the hinges. While Yard Boss drove to Indy for the parts, Gary and I removed the old hardware. Mostly Gary.

It's all good. Another good day; no pay, though. That's fine.



Written Tuesday, July 15, 2014. We were more than a little shocked at pictures on line of a truck wreck nearby on I-70 this morning, where one truck ran into the back of another, killing the first driver.

All rights reserved.

///TONU = Truck Ordered Not Used (You show up and shipper doesn't ship due to no fault of your own.)
Roosters = 0 (Reds were in a flock with a rooster so will lay fertile eggs 7-10 days.)
Chicken Tractor = Not yet. Probably will have movable pen/fencing. Pen off my back deck is occasional 'treat' area to forage.

 

Monday and Thursday PU Prairie du Chien

In my email this morning, Yard Boss had sent over the list for Prairie for next week. We knew about Monday and there are two PUs (2 pick ups, 2 loads) Thursday. The Illinois unit will have to get one of the Thursday loads. Enough skids on one load to fill me, more to run another truck.

Spent some time this morning on Trulos and LandstarBroker in hopes to find a Sunday load and Monday DEL (delivery) into that Southeastern part of Wisconsin that I like. Like to run the Wisconsin hills empty.

Two loads show up as possibles; money's too low as of now. One picks up Friday near Vincennes, Indiana; to do that I'd run empty to load, park it loaded by my place and leave out Monday morning or late Sunday, delivers in Madison (Wisconsin) on Monday. Broker was talking $650-$675.

That's too thin. Told him would consider it at $750. He said he could probably get me $700. We did Shelbyville, IL to Sturtevant, WI for this broker.

I get $150 for the outbound whether it pays $600 or $900, but I would rather get $900 since the heavy, Postville load out of Illinois pays $700 and runs right through the hills. Hard on the truck. Same weight (44K) straight up I-39 to Southeastern Wisconsin is no problem. Truck likes it fine.

The other load picks up Monday a.m. near Champaign, IL, delivers in Edgerton, WI, right off I-39 so very little empty miles. Broker's talking $675 right now and has lots of loads out of there, every day this week and the next 2 weeks. But if there were a hang up loading or unloading, I could be late in Prairie and can't let that happen. Need to unload Monday, then on to Prairie.

A broker I've worked with several times gets next week's postings tomorrow (Thursday), so I'll let these loads ride until his loads post.

Got enough on my plate today to gag the proverbial maggot and used, 6x6 fence panels need to come off the F350. Just kicking back in bed at home, putting off writing up a list to help me decide.


Written Wednesday, July 16, 2014 from home, six miles north of Spencer, Indiana.

All rights reserved.

 

Fly's in the Ointment

So far, each load I've looked at has an issue of some sort. The broker who has provided the best-paying loads into Southeast Wisconsin tried to get a next week load moved up to Sunday, to no avail.

The Champaign-area to Edgerton, WI sounded like it could work at $700 or better. Once the broker got around to $700 it turns out that the shipper starts loading first-come-first-served (FCFS) at 7:30 am. That's fine, I can deal with that especially if there's permission to park on the property and I can drive up Sunday night and park at a door.

The fly in the ointment's on the other side where receiving closes at 2 pm and they want you there by 1 pm. Figure at least two hours to load. It's a 4-hour drive; if you sneeze you're late and have to wait until next day. No can do.

Prairie du Chien has to be picked up Monday. Broker finally admitted that they don't consider it a 'same day' load. It's a 'next day' load--so not what I need if I want to be on time for Prairie du Chien.

Must PU Prairie on Monday...

One 'promising' load was probably just a broker feeling out what rate he needs to get from a prospective customer. He posted a Lafayette to Cottage Grove, north of Madison, WI and wanted to know what rate I wanted. That's unusual. Brokers usually provide a starting number.

Told him I recently ran Indy to Windsor, same area, for $925. If I didn't have to run into Indy, could knock of $75; he said he'd run the rate by the customer. Came back saying the $850 rate was okay but it wouldn't be ready as planned (for Friday PU, drag down to Yard, run out Sunday evening).

So it was probably just a feeler.

Tomorrow I'll check on a Paris, IL 15K load to Evanston, IL. I know there's a lighting mfg south side of Paris on Hwy 1 as you drive up from I-70; bet that's it. Could work, depends on rate.

Today there are a good deal more Power-Only loads (328) than van loads (224) to come out of Indiana; in comparison, Illinois has 16 Power-Only and 336 van loads. Shows which state manufactures more new trailers. The IL all look like preloaded trailers, not new trailers out to customer-purchasers.

To be continued...


Written Thursday, July 17, 2014 at home, six miles north of Spencer, Indiana.

All rights reserved.

 

Fun and Games...

Yesterday (Thursday) I called Yard Boss, asking if I took this load I'd found (turned out to be a broker just floating a balloon to see what kind of rates truckers would do this run for) from Lafayette, would he have one of our drivers pull it out of Lafayette and spot it for me; then I would run it Sunday night up to Madison on my way to Prairie.

"I'll tell you the same thing I tell them (our Indiana customer), 'Nope'," Yard Boss said. Then he vented at length. One of our senior drivers curbed a brand new steer up against a railing. Yard Boss noticed one steer looked low, checked it, saw the damaged sidewall (ruined brand-new tire) and sent the driver scurrying for the yard so we didn't have a service call on top of the about-to-be-flat. Just one of those lucky things after 2 years with Schneider and 15 years at this job. Yard Boss spotted it.

When he called today he was urgent and worried. Well, he's always worried; this was different.

"It's bet the farm serious, Vic." A mold broke and parts that come out of that mold are needed immediately. Another outfit in Kentucky has one of these molds, too. At this point no one knew whether they would help. They don't have to; it's our customer's problem. Our customer was thinking send a truck out to arrive at 8 am Saturday.

I suggested if it's that serious, we should go now. Get there with a truckload of racks and not worry whether it's a dry run. Be there with the racks these parts go on. So that, after some yada-yada back-and-forth between Yard Boss and their people, became the plan.

When I bumped the customer's dock, told the forklift driver I was there for the racks going to Kentucky. He pulled the pin on the plate and literally ran off into the facility. Before I left, Chris, Yard Boss's contact, came out with some paper. "My boss wants your cell number and wants you to have his. You have ANY, ANY problem, you call him, okay?"

Well, I was skeptical. Now, though, it was starting to sound just as serious as Yard Boss said.

Who'da thunk?

Nothing special about the trip, wet and blustery for a while, drizzly after. Place so big I could not decipher what gate, got tied up in a commercial strip not built for semi's but did finally get turned around. Security at Gate One gave me a map. "You're going to go ALL the way around the building..."

Place makes a Wal-Mart DC seem small in comparison. Just chew on that!

I found Plastics East, a trailer spotted at the door, no one home, various doors unlocked, walked and walked and hello-o-ed and hello-o-ed at my loudest. No answer. Outside, flagged down a pickup, guy from Facilities who radioed Plastics. Security eventually showed up and after that, Plastics. But he's a supervisor in Skill and apparently I need Production. Won't be back until six.

"At six tomorrow, or so, they'll run some trials. Could probably start on your parts an hour or so later," the Plastic Skill supervisor said. Took me on his golf-cart-like thing into the building, "All the Assistant Managers will be in this office in the morning. Walk between the yellow railings so you don't need a hard hat or anything else, like steel-toed shoes. They'll know what to do with you..."

Security wouldn't let me park on premises.

So that's why I'm at this funky little Pilot where you have to blind-side into your spot.

Tricky and tight.

To be continued...


Written Saturday morning, July 18, 2014 from a Pilot TS in Kentucky.

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