Started w/ C-1 (Ft Wayne) on 9/13/10

Obviously its not just a light bulb, no more than the clear bulb on the header of the trailer is just a bulb. They are warning lights and if illuminated then you have a potential problem.

 

Its a good, two days until I go home..As of this posting I have been out 4 1/2 weeks, long time to away from family and friends. You start to get stir crazy in the truck. I would suggest to anyone new, pack a "bag chair", you can get them # WalMart for 10 buucks. Mine has allowed me to sit outside for a while at the end of my day just to get out of the truck.....sometimes all you see and hear are trucks, but its kinda cool to watch big trucks back up in the truck stops, you can learn something new just watching.

My big thing here # USA, detention time. You sit at the shipper of receiver for hours at times, no pay. You take trailers in for maintenance, no pay. That's an imbalance to this place I strongly disagree with. Otherwise, its certainly an experience.....more to follow.

 

I appreciate the heads up, I will use that bit of information. If there is anything I can do to help you, (Im not sure what I can offer), I will be glad to.

 

Currently I am at home and have been now for almost 5 days. Will be back to work later this evening or early in the morning, yet to decide.

about home time with USA.........

With exception to this time, I have had to really argue and complain to get home when I wanted to. USA's policy states that when you "request" home time, they will do their best to get you there within a day or so of the date. We ahve all seen horror stories on this site stating the opposite. I talk regularly with a few people I have been in this process with from the start and they have told me that its been upwards of a week past their re

 

(i have no idea why it posted when i was not done)

their requested time off. The way I see it is that if i go out 5 weeks, and they know that up froint, then thats 5 weeks notice for them to plan on getting me home. They want the freight there on time and we do that so why should it be any different when its time for days off? When my days are coming up I get on the QC the week off and remind them and state in my reminder that I need to be there and I will not take no for an answer. It has worked for me, even though I have had to stand my ground because I have been given load assignments for long runs and I have told them "no" because I am going home. They usually respond, "just get it going and we will swap on the way". No.....thats a pain too. Home time is scheduled, its time to go home.

If its important to you to go home then stand your ground. Remember, we earn the days off, they are not doing us a favor and letting us go home. It doesn't mean we dont like our jobs or we have bad attitudes, we just need days off like everyone else. If it doesn't matter to you, drive on!

 

I have been completly neglecting this thread. I also left my laptop at home so I do not have my mileage tracking spreadsheet to share, I will when I get thru the house again. Until hen I am going old fashioned and writing notes.

Mileage. Our company put out 1qtr financial statements and in that covered average miles per truck for the first quarter. The number was 1958 per week. My average for he first 3 months was 2001.22 so I guess im within he company average. I've seen people post on this site that they are getting 3k per week. If that's so then that's great but it goes against the averages. I will say the freight is picking up and my mileage reflects it.

Nothing much to report. Driving alot, wondering if we ever get to go west any further than Altus OK or Omaha? And really its not a complaint, just curiosity. My fleet manager has been straight and from stories I hear other drivers tell I am thanking my lucky stars. At this company your fleet manager is your lifeblood. I have a good one. More to follow.