Superior Carriers 2013-2014

11/22-11/26

Had a small hassle in Blue Island getting loaded Sunday. The trailer I had was leased. They don't have one of ours dedicated to it yet. This load is moving from the Markham terminal to High Point. It seems the customer takes a while to unload them and Markham drivers have not always had am empty to pull back. It makes a little more sense to flip it.

I pull up to load and one of the first questions the loader asks is does the trailer have in-transit heat. I knew it wasn't charged with coolant even if it did. Went out and looked and the answer was no. It did have steam connections with a Chicago fitting. They wanted me to get another trailer but that would delay things at least a day because of the washed within 24 hour requirement. The temperature my whole route back wasn't going to fall below 45F and this product loads above 100. Phone calls were made and people were woken up on Sunday morning. Finally we got high enough up the chain of command to get loaded after a couple of hours of that.

Loading only took an hour and I was on my way only to get caught by a train for an hour and a half a few blocks from the plant. I probably could have found a way around it but chose to collect $15.50 an hour and watch the Bears game. Once loaded I had plenty of time to get back with an open delivery window anytime Tuesday only 750 miles away. I wound up shutting it down shortly after the sun went down in Richmond In. It was raining pretty hard and I didn't see any point in fighting blowing rain at night when the next morning it would be clear.

Made it back to the yard about 4 PM Monday. They had me deliver that load around 8 AM Tuesday and pull an empty back to the yard. After that I bob tailed to Raeford NC about 90 miles away and grabbed an empty at a plant that we are allowed to top load. It loaded at 4 AM Wednesday in Hopewell Va and delivered that same day back in Raeford. The delivery was drop and hook and I was back on the yard shortly after noon on Wednesday.

Had a nice Turkey day and was able to participate in a family tradition we started a few years ago when my son was about 5 or 6. Friday after Thanksgiving we drive up to Laurel Springs, NC and go to a choose and cut Christmas tree farm. They do a hay ride up the mountain where you pick out your tree. Going to do a lot of nothing today. Heading back to Plaquemine Sunday morning.

 

We never did either until we made it an event with our son. This place does it right. Hay wagon up the mountain. Horses in the barn to pet and pony rides for the little ones. Santa is there. It was extra crowded this year. Much more fun with a small child rather than a college Jr. Still fun though.

 

11/30-12/3

Looks like I have a good week shaping up. Made it down and back to Plaquemine Sun-Tuesday. Got back Tuesday right at 5 PM. Local guy was busy so I had to deliver it this morning. Got home around 8:30 and am off the rest of the day. Head out in the morning to do it all over again with one of 4 Plaquemine loads dispatch tells me we have. Should get home around sunset on Saturday.

 

12/6-12/9

Got home Saturday around 7PM. I had Sunday and Monday off and am in a holding pattern for a Holland Mi out and back. Just got a call from dispatch saying it won't be ready until 9:00PM. My wife got that Christmas decorating gleam in her eye when she heard that so I imagine I will have an afternoon full of carting her junk in from the storage shed. Baah Humbug!

This will definitely be a 1 load week. I will only run about 4 hours tonight. The load will be scheduled to deliver 24-25 hours after I get it. It always takes 4 hours or more for the customer to unload so a split break works well. I will drive 4 take 8 off drive 5, take 2 off while I grab a shower, drive the rest of the way to the plant and take 8 off under the rack while they unload me. Its nice to get paid hourly for part of an 8 hour break. Then it will be an easy run home empty with another break and no schedule.

This load can be turned in 2 nights but that would require me running all night until 9-10AM tomorrow to get close enough to turn it without the unloading hours running down my 14 too far. The difference is getting home around 1:00AM Friday and 9:00AM Friday. Just not worth it.

I will still get a full weekend since I asked for Sunday off for the Panther game. Actually 1 load a week would be just fine with me until after Christmas. The only time off that I have officially requested in writing are this Sunday and next Sunday for Panther games. They have always been good about the holidays. We will see how it pans out.

 

12/12

Got back from Holland around 10 this morning. Won't go back before Monday. Saw this on the yard this morning:

Any other terminals trying out CNG trucks?

 

Compressed Natural Gas day cab Mack. Something is just wrong about a day cab Mack without a window in the back.