Rug_Trucker Goes OTR What I Am Learning

Well I am sitting in Rockwall TX at the T/A. My appointment was for 6am and I sent the macro letting them know my ETA and I was running late. They probably tried to reower the load. No Hazmat guys I guess. I told them I could get there by 1200. I got a message that it has been rescheduled for tomorrow 6am. I could go to the Big D truck stop just a few minutes from the consignee. It costs $10 to park there, no restaurant, lounge etc.

I am sitting here with my doors backed to the West. I am starting the truck when it gets too hot. I was going to hang in the TV room but evidently Texas hasn't heard that second hand smoke is harmful to humans.

Hopefully I'll get a preplan really soon. I'll do my Mac10 and see if that does the trick!

 

I got my load off at the shipper. I went and picked up a drop and hook at Alcatell going to Edwardsville IL. Not the direction I wanted to go.

Trailer had a tire that wouldn't pass a DOT check. I am really getting sick of the lazy drivers that roll with crap tires and drop them at the shippers.

I messaged break down.

While I was waiting I went back into the shipper and informed them my load had the doors open and was not sealed. Also told them I was going to be waiting for a tire. She offered to transload it to a better trailer. I declined. (It was tempting!) Breakdown talked me into driving to the Lancaster terminal and getting it fixed.

It was a 2hr wait to get the tire swapped. Then my DM wanted me to get a B service as I was way over due. Well, I was put on the list.

I told my DM there was no way I was going to get in and serviced on time to deliver this load. They pulled it off me and I sat over night. The next morning they pulled me in at 10 and gotr me done. I had 3 issues that needed addressed.

1. Blower in the dash had crapped out. You had A/C when moving and the switch was in the on position. I also had the bunk A/C vents aimed at the driver seat to keep me cool. That put me in the next line for repairs.

2. I also had the trailer brake handle snap when I was leaving Martinsville WV.

3. Truck has a slight lean. Driver side leaf has lost it's arch. I was told they replace them in pairs and it is a full day or more for that repair. Plus they might not want to do it because of the mileage on the truck.

I was due to get in on Thursday for repairs. Late Wednesday night I got a preplan text on my phone. I was puzzled as my truck was in shop status. Turns out they needed a hazmat load picked up and brought to the terminal. $50 to drive across Dallas and drop it! I had the mechanic pull me out of shop status and got the load.

Guess what? That put me on the end of the list for repairs! I left just as the shop was closing for the night. Back at 2am and back in line before they opened. No good deed goes unpunished! I should have asked for a different tractor to get the load. I had no idea this would screw me.

I didn't whine and sat it out yet another day. Friday morning I went in and asked to get moved forward. The guy told me the springs wouldn't happen until next week. They got me in at 8:30 and didn't get to it until after 12.

4pm it was done. I got a preplan for a load picking up 2 miles from the terminal at the Walmart DC. I have a week to deliver it in Sutherland VA. It can deliver early.

I did the math and driving home was 20-30 miles different than going the fuel route. I was overdue for hometime. I picked the load up and drove 40-50 miles and took a 10hr break and rolled home. I am leaving out tomorrow to deliver on Wednesday. Way early.

Funny thing is there is info on the Qcom that this is a hot load. Yet I have a week to deliver it??????? Weird.

I think my lap top has a virus. I might get that fixed before I leave.

All I can say is when I am running I am getting good miles. Good long runs. I hope it continues.

Later.

 

If you contact breakdown about fixing a trailer they want to get you to pull it somewhere to get it fixed. I told them about one that needed the clearance lights fixed. It was loaded at a shipper waiting for someone else to get it. They said they would have the driver take it to a terminal for repairs.

1. That could get the driver an OOS violation if caught by the DOT or a local cop.

2. They have the potential of being late on a load pis sing the customer off.


Being the "company man" I warned them of a problem.


If there was repercussions for leaving a trailer that needed tires, or other repairs at a shipper to the last guy that pulled it this crap would stop. Or lessen. There is none! I discussed this with my DM last week.

 

Well been a real PITA last couple of weeks. Bored to death. I have spent 9 days in the last 3 weeks in the shops of 3 different terminals. I think my hard drive died in my lap top.

I had a bad tire on a trailer I got at a shipper. Drove it to Lancaster and got stuck there for 4 days. Had to have a B service (1 day to get in.) Got my dash blower fan replaced, and something else. 4 frikken days. I picked up a Hazmat load on the West side of Dallas, brought it to the yard for $50. That bumped me to the end of the repair line. Moral of the story? Get a loaner truck!

Richmond sucked. Air leak. Diagnosed as a defective purge valve on my air dryer. 4 days, still had a leak. Next day T/A in Troutville VA. Cleaned out the purge valve, said crap was falling out and making it leak. Filter in it may be original (460K+) Also found a leaking fitting.

Went to Columbus OH got in shop right away on a Sunday. They found a leak on the fire wall. Left out the next morning, still had a leak down by the air dryer. This wasn't a constant leak. And didn't drain the system.

Went to Ashtabula OH and got a load of paper and took it to Albany NY. Went 4 miles from the port of Albany and picked up a load of Bimbo bread and hauled it to Atlanta. Got a truck relocation order and dead headed 500+ miles to Columbus OH.

Stopped and dropped my trailer at a Walmart in Columbus close to the terminal. Bobtailed to a urgent care clinic as I had a wicked sinus infection all week and was running a fever all week. Doctor was an arrogant jerk from India. Got my meds at Walmart.

Went to the terminal and registered with the shop to get the air leak fixed again. They got me fixed late Saturday night. It turned out to be the line from the compressor to the air dryer. They fabricated me a line as Volvo is closed on Saturday. Evidently Columbus is too small to stay open on Saturday.

I got a load to Humbolt TN. I ran home and had 25hrs off. Got to me regular doctor. She put me on a different antibiotic and gave me a shot. I started feeling better. I got a preplan and went by the truck and got it. It had a weight of 48629lbs. Too much for my tractor. I declined and went home and slept for a few hours.

When I got to the truck I had a message that I needed to commit to the load, the PP wasn't going away. My DM didn't see that I declined it for the weight. Also forgot I sent a message I was home and was going to sleep and recover from not getting good sleep due to my sickness. Also got a message my hometime wasn't for a few days and they needed me to run.

The planner did send a message that the weight wasn't right. I accepted and picked it up. Owens Corning Jackson TN.

Took this load to East TN and my appointment time was 7:30am. The name on the BOL was not the name on the sign at the plant. It was for Owens Corning not Johns Manville. The Mac23 instructions had the plant on the wrong side of the road too. I arrived at 3:15am. No guard shack, just a phone. I called and they asked what I was carrying. I told them "no idea!" They said to go to docks 3 and 4 and have the people verify what I had. They unloaded me!

Con Agra. I got a PP for 24mi up the road. It was a live load according to the PP. Drop and hook! Went to the nearest Loves, had a crap tire swapped out and tried to sleep in the day time. I rolled out. This was for a Savesalot grocery DC in Indianola MS. 5:30am delivery appointment. I got there early and got in line in the big string of trucks parked on the highway. They had available doors and I got in there early. Lumper unload. I went to slep and woke up after my 14 was up. It was 5 cases short and for that it held them up on releasing me. I pulled to the street and went to sleep to finish up my 10hr break. Got a PP for a paper mill in Arkansas City AR. Yet the address was for 20mi away in another town. Luckily the Mac23 was accurate. Drop and hook.

I was 130mi or more from the nearest scale. All 2 lane roads. Some of the them barely wide enough to keep from slapping mirrors with on coming trucks.

I was Tcalling this in Memphis. I had enough hours to get something and roll home. No luck! I sat all day Friday. Hometime was for Thursday. I was hoping to get home and grab some last minute tickets to fly to Florida to catch my nephew's wedding. No luck.

they sent me a PP that gave me 2 days at home under a load. I called my DM told her I needed 3. Also she scrolled back and read the messages that went had going back and forth on Monday when I was sick at home. Just a misunderstanding. She didn't see I had declined that load and why.

Saturday I got a PP to pick up in Memphis. I got there at 10:15am. I was excited that I was going to take my GF out to dinner. This load is going to Shelby NC it delivers on the 13th at a Walmart DC.

6:45pm they got me loaded. I was fuming! They loaded trucks out of order, loaded them incorrectly etc. I raised Hell and they got me loaded. I rolled with it 3hrs home and caught a meal at Applebees before they closed.

Planners sent my a PP for a high value load picking up on the 12th. I declined it. Told them I was on hometime, not delivering until the 13th. Also backed that up with a message to Memphis.

That things in a big nutshell for anyone that cares. Gotta find the number for USA Truck and give them a call.












































I went to get some things at the truck last night. My GF and i got to witness their driver parked next to my truck standing out there in his bare feet pissing in the parking lot.

 

Not able to do updates from the road. Hard drive died. Got new one. Downloaded Windows off a repair disc of XP Pro. It doesn't have the service pack to support my Virgin wireless air card. I tried to get online at home on my DSL and had no luck. I was going to get some upgrades to watch DVD's too. No luck.

I finally got out West! Got a run from Brewton AL to Otay Mesa. I think the Mexican Buckwheat lives there Got to stop at Milagro NM. One of my favorite movies is "The Milagro Beanfield War." Took a load from California and delivered it in Sanger TX. Went to Houston and took pics of the 156 exit on I-45. That little town has the same name as my GF Leona TX.

After I did that load to Otay Mesa I got a 3 stopper going to Northern LA county. I sat for 7 1/2hrs after dropping because the receiver refused to give up any empties. When I got directions to an empty they sent me 2 hrs away by Bakersfield. Got to pass under Buck Owens Blvd, And got off at the Merle Haggard exit.

I-40 across AZ and NM is absolutely beautiful in the daytime. The rocks, the junkyards, and prairies.

I stopped in Tucson and met a friend for breakfast that I have talked to on the net, and on the phone. He is a flooring installer like me. Good to put a face to the voice.

In Amarillo I showered at the Pilot. It looks new from the outside. The shower was disgusting! I complained to the manager. He had them load 2 free showers on my card. He gave me a BS story how they were going to be "steam cleaning" the showers. The ceiling had black mold growing in it, as did the grout even around the entry door.

I asked the cashier for the corporate number as it wasn't on the mirror in the shower. She didn't give it to me. Instead she pointed to a guy behind the counter and said "he is our district manager." I walked him back there and he was white as a sheet! He put it out of service and loaded 2 more showers on my card. I showed him leaks under 2 walls, scum all over the tile, and the black mold. Not to mention no trash can.

Wherever the planners are for Houston they tried several times for me to get a local run. PU 6am empty mi. 15, loaded 15. Deliver 6pm! They sent me that ###### thing 3 different times during the night. Rejected because the next day was my scheduled home time. They gave me 2 plans. PU Shell in Houston go to Seagoville, then Kimberly Clark and Tcall in Memphis.

Got to Memphis and got a PP the next day to Kirklands in Jackson TN to deliver a 3 stopper in IN. The PP said I could PU at 3pm-11pm. Got their at 3:15 and was told it would be 9 or later! The security guard who doesn't work for them is the go between. Was rude just like he was back in July when I hauled out of there. They wouldn't let me stay on the yard. I kicked and screamed on the Qcom to pull the load off me and find me something else or dead head me home. I pulled out of the gate with my empty. Pissed him off, told me I couldn't do that. I was told to get his name or the yard dog driver's name and number because they sent me out of there and told me it would be a long wait. He wouldn't tell me his name.

I went off on him and started reading him the riot act. I cussed him up and down the wall and let him know I did not like the way he talked to me in July or then. He backed off and got the heck away from me.

Needless to say we are buddies now and shook hands. I have to head on out now to go to Indy-Frikken-anna.

DRIVE FAST AND TAKE CHANCES!!

Rug

 

I got my self home. I was out running around and got a load on Friday that loaded in Milton PA. If I was better at trip planning I could have ran longer on Friday and got home Saturday night. I got within 110 miles of home and had to shut down. I have to deliver tonight at midnight in Humbolt TN. I did honeydo's at my GF's house yesterday. I going into Nashville today to make some side money. Install a stair runner that pays $325 for 3 hrs work. Then hook up with a friend who can fix my lap top so I can watch movies and check my email and keep up with the Mopar and trucking world.

Hometime is set for tomorrow. I hope I can escape down there empty. I like dropping my trailer and bobtailing to the house.