Random LTL Rants (all are welcomed)

What seemed like a perfect plan... ended up being not. I initially set out to avoid small patches of construction which I knew to be existing in certain spots on my run last night, but Murphy's law grabbed me by the jacobs and threw a bunch of curve balls at me.

Attached is an overview of my run, starting my way in the top right, working on across and to the left, eventually returning and completing the circle. What would have been a 500 mile even dispatch turned into 546. Not the largest increase, but an absolutely miserable increase due to timing.

I left my origin 45 minutes late because my trailers weren't ready when I showed up for my run. Got to my hub around 0220, dropped my trailers (both of my doors were on opposite ends and sides of the building which the yard has a one way policy ) and snagged a different dolly (I prefer Silver Eagles over Wabash).

Granted in the beginning where the I95 south area is circled, I opted to take 90 because I figured if I was going to deviate from how I planned my trip to avoid a construction backup, I might as well get a coffee from the coffee girl at a service station that I've taken a liking to, so I'll take some of the blame for not getting to 495 to begin traveling south sooner.

Took my lunch break which finished at 0316, which is infuriating because my gate time for the return leg is 0330 and the tractor sits to keep the ELD happy on break. I actually made the gate, but naturally my handheld didn't process when I left the geofence on time, so my gate departure showed somewhere around 0430. In these instances, I'll hook as fast as I can, leave the gate, immediately park on a safe spot on the street and pre-trip the set.

GW Bridge closed down to 2 lanes on the inbound upper level.

Pulled into 2 scales, both in Connecticut.

Heavy accidents on 95 in Massachusetts.

Every circled black spot was an impromptu route change that was necessary to avoid heavy construction, accident or highway closure as I came upon them.

Granted, aside from the 2 scales and toll booths and construction on the GW Bridge, the tractor never slowed below 35, it was still a miserable trip home.

Oh yeah, complete with that misty rain that isn't enough to leave the wipers on constantly, but is enough to anger you at your windshield view being obstructed enough to not read signs if you don't flip an intermittent cycle of them.

 

Hey is Pitt-Ohio like taking over? Man last night I was getting passed up by Pitt-Ohio trucks left and right they were passing me up they were passing each other up you'd come to a bridge and the Pitt-Ohio trucks would be criss crossing each other. I know recently Saia has been advertising really heavy on TV, Radio and Billboard they must have hired an ad agency and taken the Old Dominion route of advertising to the masses, but I don't know man it seems like Pitt-Ohio headed east into Pittsburgh has all the freight!

 

They don't call it Pitt Ohio for nothing... that's their stomping grounds. Lots of contracts and dedicated hauls in that area, from what I've heard.

 

Well so last night was another faced paced night full of action. First and really only order of business Attention all YRC driver's you're newer Volvo tractors are governed about 1/2 a mile faster then my companies tractors so when you decide you want to pass me up please think twice about that.

Last night I'm motoring down the turnpike going slow turtle in the slow lane, and I see in my rear view mirror a new 4th generation Volvo, pulling a set of doubles fallowing me then later on he gets in the high speed lane, but can't really pass me he's just hanging there he wants to pass, but can't.

Well behind him is creeping up a fast moving Estes truck, Estes and Pitt-Ohio especially Pitt-Ohio they have like the fastest trucks on the road down at Pitt-Ohio the Pitt-Ohio trucks between Cleveland and Pittsburgh just zip around like Nascar they should have had a Pitt-Ohio truck in the Indianapolis 500 because it probably would have won the race.

Anyhow this Volvo is hanging out in the fast lane and wants to pass me up but can't. At first I thought it was one our transit units, but that wouldn't have been it would be hard for a set of GFS doubles to pass a 50fter which is me, I'm living the 50ft life at GFS right now it's kind of like transit, but not really because I actually have a route with customers products that I have to actually go to and deliver. Transit guys don't have to deliver product.

Any how this Volvo is just hanging there in the fast lane and he's not gaining on me. He wants to pass me in the worst way, but he's up against the governor and just doesn't have enough to do it.

So I see behind him a fast moving Estes truck gaining on this YRC truck very quickly. Now granted backing off and fallowing me and letting the Estes truck pass is totally not an option to this screw ball YRC driver. I don't really care for YRC I'm sorry if that offends anyone I don't really think there a good outfit anymore.

And Estes they don't care to be delayed at Estes, Estes and Pitt-Ohio are in a race to see who can get to the finish line first.

Anyhow finally after many painful miles this set of YRC doubles finally slowly crawls almost to neck and neck with me, he is trying his hardest and can't pass me he wants to in the worst way and can't. The Estes truck is behind him just nudging at him to get out of the way.

Finally I decide I have to be the bigger man here and let this idiot get out of the way because he's intent on clogging up all of I-76 because nothings more important that a set of doubles filled with junk freight due at the junk store sometime in the next day or so. So I cut off my cruise control and start slowing down and the YRC truck finally is able to pass me the minute he gets clear of me, I cut the lights twice and put on my right turn signal to indicate to this idiot to get his stupid rear end out of the high speed lane into the slow lane because he's clogging up all of I-76 and the Estes truck is right on his rear end almost.

Doesn't he know Estes Customers are more important the YRC customers. Anyhow this screw ball decides yeah that's a good idea I better get over and he gets over.

The Estes truck blows right by me although has he was blowing right by me the driver of the Estes truck driver looked at me and gave a friendly wave as to say thank you for getting that idiot out of my way and realizing I'm more important then he is.

So that's trucking.

 

For all the gripes I have ever had about LTL, can I just say that I'm glad I have been in a day cab, where nobody talks about installing toilet buckets... Even if it's only because there isn't room?