Stevens Transport aviary

TLea...man, you've had your turn in the barrel, lately!
Now with that storm moving thru, you may NEVER get dispatched!

I just missed that storm yesterday morning. Was outside Indy repowering this Cali load. Started snowing to beat the band, but managed to lose it about 50 miles into Illinois.

Now just coming into the panhandle of Texas. 46* and sunny.
Hope to make Gallup tonight, then on into LA tommorrow. Hopefully can deliver early or otherwise, just wait for sunday.
At least will be able to get some Huevos Rancheros at my favorite restaurant in Hesperia.

Don't know how that new dispatch system is working. I get vibes from people on the phone that they're 'working around' the system just to keep things moving.
Oh well. Gotta work the bugs out, I guess.

 

That's the storm that went thru Seattle.
My daughter tells me there was 14" of snow at her house, then the freezing rain hit and now there's a inch of ice on top of the snow.
Lost power nine times in one day.
Now the rain is setting in.
Can you say FLOODING?

With all that ice and snow in the N Central area, it's time for those crampons for your boots, so you don't fall and break your neck between the truck and the bathrooms.

 

vibes, out right told me they are having to work around the system... not dispatching loads at all if no truck in the area has the hours...

I got dispatched to another load that was to be picked up in champaign IL yesterday...
supposed to be in Ontario CA Monday am...
Even if I could head south to pick it up, I would be late 2100 miles in less than 3 days.
so to protect my behind, I am now on weather shutdown... have 3 inches of snow on my hood.

Obvious to this driver the new dispatch system does NOT work.

 

Thanks G-Man... I couldn't find it but appreciate the response. Still looking to go to training school in May at one of two places, Stevens Transport is one of the options. Anybody know how good the school is?

 

As far as CDL schools are concerned, they are very good.
I still advise anyone to go to an independent school if at all possible for two reasons:
1. you are not tied to any employer if things don't work out
2. Most CDL schools will make sure you get the extra endorsements on your license such as tanker, hazmat, doubles, etc.
Stevens and company sponsored schools don't do that.

If you are unemployed, see your local Unemployment office. There are grants to pay for your going to a local independent school. The money comes from the Feds: Displaced Workers Act.
If you're a recent vet, see the VA. they often pay this as well.

 

@Emlusified I wasn't aware of the unemployment grants paying for the local independent schools. Sounds like a good deal. Only reason I'm considering company-sponsored training is because I need to build a stronger work history, and being tied in for one year would build up that history.

I'll definitely check into your alternatives though.

 

Question for you vet Alliance guys. Since the last week of December Ive been having some trouble with my truck starting. The first time it happened i though maybe I had bumped the null mode button for the APU and turned it off while sleeping. It will start to turn over but its slow and drains the battery quickly before it starts. Its done this a few times over the last 3 - 4 weeks. I have had to sit and let the APU recharge the batteries and retry starting it. I usually get it going.

It died again today. I had gotten unloaded here at Campbells in Napoleon, OH and went out the gate, turned around to come back in to pick up next load. Turned off the truck and it happened again. It turned over a few times and then died. Tried letting the APU recharge to no avail. Then caught an O/O and had him try to jump me. Still wouldnt start. BAttery was so dead then the APU wouldnt even start.

So I call RR and they call the TA to come try but Campbells maintanance came out tryed to jump me and then pull started me

Cancelled TA but headed over after getting loaded. They checked the Batteries and they all checked GOOD ... WTF?

The guy says it has 3 ... 750 Amp batteries and should have a 4th or should have 3 ... 950 Amp Batts. RR tells me to talk to Past on Monday but that I would probably have to pay for the bigger batteries if I want them.

 

Clegg,
How old are your batteries? I have found that mine have to be replaced about once a year. The constant drain, then recharge due to the inverter, etc, really wears them out. I had the same problem as you are having. The shop replaced the batteries and didn't charge me for them.
Talk with them about these.
BTW, I had TA in Kingman tell me the batteries were fine. Two weeks later, when in the shop, they replaced them all and everything worked again.
Pat did not charge me.

 

TA seems not to check the batteries under load. In this cold your batteries loose half their cranking power. I would get them all replaced. Had the same discussion two winters ago with TA.

Well still snowing and dispatch did not find my request for a jet powered snowmobile to make the load funny. So I am loadless again.

 

Well, went in the TA to eat. Came back out and APU was off and batteries dead. APU wouldnt even start. And its snowing like crazy and 17 degrees out.

Should I just get the TA to replace the batteries now and deal with Pat on Monday ... or what should I do. RR thinks my APU isnt charging the batteries.