Stevens Transport aviary

So is a repower at stevens drop & hook or moving freight from one trailer to the other and cleaning the empty?

 

It is a drop and hook. Basically, it is two trucks meeting somewhere, most often a truck stop, and switching trailers. This is usually done when a driver does not have enough to deliver a load on time. There are other reasons for it, however, this is the most common.

 

Well I graduated Stevens Driving Academy and will be on the yard in the morning ready for dispatch. First 5 weeks here I come. Hope I get a good trainer.

 

congrats formygirlz!!!!

 

congrats formygirlz Aww another california person who will want to go home, and keep me out of california...the joys of produce pickups. Sure wish there was a better way to do produce pickups as a solo driver, but I still have not found one, as there is always one shipper that does not have the product in from the field yet, and delays the whole mess. And then there is that pesky 14 hour rule after sitting waiting, unless you are so unlucky, or is that lucky to wait 10 hours before getting a dock assignment. And then waiting another 2 hours for them to start loading you.

And then the joys of giving that 2200 mile load up, as a whole day was wasted picking it up, and now a solo driver can not make the delivery appointment.

Yes I ended up in California after 8 months. But it only took me this one load to get out, and then give it up in Tucumcari NM, where I got an empty, and was dispatched to the cow pit of Cactus TX.

You all have fun out there, as I am sitting here in beto Junction Kansas, watching it rain and snow, with a winter storm rolling in. Looks like I may have to do my first weather shut down this season

 

Great Job!

 

spring has sprung like a lion roaring its head off, throwing snow and wind at the middle section of the country. Old rule of thumb from Wyoming, march comes in like a lamb goes out like a lion. Translation, warm and nice, then snowy, windy to start spring time.

Have got about 4 inches of slush, ice and snow this morning in beto junction Kansas. More snow on the way. So here I sit today. This load is going to be late and not a thing I can do about it.

I was surprised, called safety, expecting to be on hold for ever, being Saturday morning 7:30, and in 2 rings Bill Craig picked up, and his answer to what is the weather like for Kansas City, across Missouri, "nasty" and I went on weather shutdown, and he stated it will probably be all day too. MY behind is covered.

 

Congratulations Formy. I know the process of getting a trainer is like a crap shoot. I think on Thursday we may have had lunch together and did not know it. I was in the OR1 classroom at lunch eating pizza with everyone from the 3 week school. If I would have known you were in there I would have said hi.

 

With Orientation II now complete I am back on the road. We are underway (trainer driving of course) heading east near Knoxville, TN enroute to a repower at exit 77 on I-81 in VA that is headed back to Dallas.

Orientation II was not nearly as painful as I thought it was going to be. The main things that were covered were safety, administrative issues (how to fill out trip paperwork), and trip planning. There was also a road test and a backing test.

I really have to thank my first two trainers (especially wgcarver) because I felt I was very well prepared to enter this phase of training. Some of the other students in class had never done a trip sheet or even anything remotely close to trip planning. I feel I was very fortunate.

The truck I am on now is a brand new pete with only 18k miles on it. The day my trainer (alliance driver) was assigned the truck is the day we left the yard with it. A big difference with this truck and the KW is that there is much more room. The cummins engine runs at a higher rpm than the cat (1340 rpm # 60 mph). The stereo is decent and the guages are well layed out. There is no external speaker for the CB. There is no desk like what the KW has. I know I should consider myself spoiled with this truck because as soon as I get back to the yard and assigned my own truck I know it will not be this new and probably not have an APU.

Over the next few weeks I will do my best to post mpg's on the truck.

 

Glad things are going well for you! Hopefully my inverter will show up on Monday and I can get it and my cb installed and be on my way!
Keep us posted on your progress!