Stevens Transport aviary

I was told on compression by Donna, that per DOT instructions, they now have to match the QC tracking reports to our logs. The QC marks your GPS location when you start, and again when you stop, and figures the Straight line distance, divided by the time, gives a maximum miles per hour for that segement of your day. If you show the speed the QC has estimated, or above, you are compressing...

They are looking at each segment of your day, not just the total day, which is where my compression was coming from; I would pull into a truck stop at say 20 after the hour, and log 15 after the hour.. then when I left 30 minutes later, 50 after the hour, I would log 45 after the hour, accounting for my 30 minute break.. Not any more, as that is compressing my first drive segment.

So now I have to log it as 30 past the hour, and then set around and twittle my thumbs, until the next hour to show a 30 minute break, and loose 10 minutes of drive time. totally sucks, but what can one do?

 

Grad classes begin on modays and wednesdays.
You have two days of classes (I think...), then you're assigned your truck, wait for it to be ready, then are released upon the unsuspecting world!
Worst part about grad class is waiting for your truck. However, speaking with some grad people while in the yard right now, they are not having to wait for a truck to be available. Just have to wait until it gets thru each department. It's not unlike what you'll experience each time you come in on your 90 day safety review.

 

well i know alot of companys you gotta get permission toleave but if you deliver nearby dident think you need to permission to go to the yard lol

 

Hope everyone is doing well with this new storm.
got cleared after only 27 hours. Original load was to Bramford, Ontario. Not what I wanted, but...
Couldn't leave until at least 0300 this morning so I could complete my 34 (and my needed 24 for Canada). Didn't accept the load on the QC.
At 0330, went into dispatch and since the roads were closed at the Oklahoma line (pickup was in Fayetteville, AR), I convinced them to give me a load to Laredo instead.
Raced ahead of the storm, moving quickly south, but finally at 0630 it caught me just outside Waco. Saw four jacknifed rigs within 6 miles (black ice), so I crept off to a TS and took a nap.
I sent a QC to the safety dept that I shut down for weather and would check again after sunrise, but I was fine.
For some reason, not only did Safety not get the message (until after 10 this morning), they weren't getting any response when they pinged my QC.
So I was a truck MIA.
To make matters worse, my cell phone didn't ring. Just went to VM, so my DM was concerned and after a couple hours of not being able to ping me, they notified Texas State Patrol to be on the lookout, especially in ditches or whatever.
Well, I was fine. Everyone was relieved to hear from me. they still couldn't ping me until after nearly noon.
Quien Sabe?
But I was able to make it down to Laredo, where I sit tonight. Have an 0600 delivery tomorrow, then who knows? Plenty of freight here so I'm sure I'll be out of here quickly.
it was 45 degrees down here when I arrived.
Sweet!
And that's what I"m up to.
How's everyone else doing?

 

#### they couldnt find you in any ditch, you just refused to get stuck lol. im in florida heading to fort worth then the yard probably. never seen snow at the yard, its gonna be weird. everyone be safe, just a few more weeks to go.

 

On my 3rd truck in 7 months this time a 2010 T660 with only 55,000 on it.
Enjoying the E-logs and navigation feature on the QC. Really like this truck had to datail it myself last driver was a heavy smoker and used the entire cab as an ashtray. Getting used to shifting the Cummings I over rev a bit too much and climbing hills still sucks. All in all nice truck!

 

Almost forgot...while in the yard.
Came out of the bathroom over by drivers services and got tapped on the shoulder. Handed me a clipboard and said, "read this out loud to me".
Basically said I was to do a random drug test, if I refused I was toast, etc, etc...
Now I don't have a problem with that (and of course I passed), but there must be a perverse nature in that they grab you as you come OUT of the bathroom, not before.
Had to sit in the doctor's office for half an hour before they agreed to give me some water, then another hour waiting for the kidneys to get around to doing their job.
There was four of us.
All in the same boat.
Jeez!

 

Been running around the edges of the storms for the past week. Repower after repower, trying to keep loads on schedule...did not happen.

Delivered to wonderful Ralphs today, Compton CA, and arriving their late, is so much easier than fighting to get in at 5am with 40 to 60 trucks, and 13 parking spaces. Only took them an hour to unload me too! Then I was sent a 5 pick target load, starting in Mira Loma... going to fort worth Via Fresno... . But I had already used 7 hours of my drive time today, and then another 1 1/2 hours to get over to the first pick, and then set there for 3 hours....14 is quickly approaching... so over to the TA in ontario, 2 miles away. Called produce as required after each pick, and she asked me, my ETA to Bakersfield...Tomorrow. 3 picks in Bakersfield, then up to Fresno for the final...Yea then to Fort Worth for a Tuesday Night Appt.

And to top it all off, I just wanted a load home, so easy too. from compton ca to Cheyenne... DM says he will repower me to get me home.... like that ever happens.

 

Next time I want to go home, I won't ask for it, I will just do it.

This Target load from hell just keeps getting better... Original scheduled pickups were friday... This morning I roll up to Bakersfield, to start picking, first pick 3 pallets, takes 3 hours, then 45 miles over to Bolton Farms... And yea Stevens considers that 1 mile, still Bakersfield... even though the first pick was actually in Maricopa. The loading goes quickly at Bolton farms, surprise, until I see the invoice, and it is only for 566 pieces, I am suppose to get 933. So call produce, and wait on hold for 18 minutes, to get asked to hold!!!!!!! Finally get a person, and get told to stay put, who did they notify about cutting the product, and I lost it.... I am just the truck driver, they don't tell me that. Then I told him he could take this Fnng load and shove it.... and hung up. 15 minutes later, QC beeps, I am good to head to next shipper.... Thanks for wasting my precious time.
Get to the next shipper, 22 miles north of Bakersfield, still 1 mile to stevens, at 3:50, they close as 4. Get loaded with 2 pallets, and it is off to Fresno.... Well, my 14 is quickly approaching, so I call the final shipper, and get a recording... They closed at noon today, and are closed on Sunday. So I pull into the Loves here in Tulare, try to call produce, after 30 minutes of music I give up, and send a QC message letting them know that the shipper is closed until 8am monday.

Now this load is scheduled to be at Target Fort Worth, Tuesday at 2345.
So here I set, for a day and a half, because they can not think ahead, or plan ahead. And the worst part is, Loads come out of Colton and City of industry every day going to the Cheyenne Walmart.

Have not been home officially since thanksgiving... swung by the house under load for christmas.

 

gotta love produce