THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE - DFO gets a truck and hops on Schneider's IC Choice Program

Yeah you shoulda seen the look on my face after scaling the first load with my company Cascadia having been so used to driving a Century lol.

 

Pretty close, by the time I stopped last night I was just too tired to type something up lol.

Just finished my first load as an IC!!

I'll step back and wrap up the training in Green Bay.

On Thursday morning we met down at the OC again and had the usual one-last-time safety speech with the stories of accidents, you know the ones where all the drivers sit there and nod their heads and agree, shake their heads in disbelief in the stories of cell phone usage, then 20 minutes later half of them are outside the OC walking to their trucks with the headsets on? LOL.

After the safety speech we got our official load board training. I had already been playing around with the load board with the dummy login we were given several days earlier, and I was watching some loads. I had no idea where I was going to get sent for empties, but for some reason I was just watching Detroit closely. There was one load out of there I was somewhat interested in. It was still available that morning in class. They ended up calling out places we might get sent for empties, and then asked who wanted to go where. First up was Detroit - there was the long awkward pause as no one wanted to be the very first to say something. Screw it, "I'll go to Detroit!" I said. After that some slowly jumped on board, others hung on in hopes they might get sent somewhere else.

I quickly got on the load board and called over the guy that was running the meeting just to confirm that I understood how everything worked and what the pickup/delivery times were. I quickly assigned it to myself before anyone else had probably even logged in. Within an hour I was in my truck and bobtailing for Detroit. DONE!

We got paid $0.90 + fuel surcharge to bobtail to wherever we were going, I believe it came to about $1.30 a mile. You won't hear me complain. So I got paid that to bobtail from Green Bay to Detroit. A large group of people ended up going to Bridgewater and are now probably regretting that as there isn't much headed out of here. Not sure exactly where everyone else got sent off to, I was too focused on getting the hell out of Green Bay lol.

Now, back to my first load. There are some reasons I picked it. Who has gotten stuck running more relay loads than probably anyone else in Schneider? THIS GUY. I have come to terms with relay loads. EMBRACE THE RELAY LOADS. Guess what my first load was? A relay pickup.

Why? 1. I didn't have to search for an empty trailer. 2. I didn't have to deal with a customer, or getting loaded. 3. It paid good, I believe 1.94 a mile. 4. It didn't go into the Northeast 5. And the best part it was like 7000lbs

Of course I got to the Woodhaven yard last night and its not there, even though workflow said it was supposed to be. CRAP. Oh well, it was time to sleep anyway so I figured i'd check again this morning.

Woke up this morning, nervously drove around the lot, and there it was, thank God. I filled up my tractor from the Flying J across the street and off we went.

Took off for Bridgewater, VA (the same place that many got paid to bobtail to) and made my delivery tonight. My truck did a great job, but I mean what doesn't do a great job pulling a 7,000lb load I guess. I took the Ohio turnpike for the first time today. Since I am paying for fuel now I would much rather pay some tolls and haul ### with no stops than play stop and go, shift and burn fuel. This first tank I am running the speedlimits, so it was 70 for most of the turnpike, then 65 and a lot of 55 through PA, then back to 65 and some 70 through VA. My next tank I am going to run 60 max and see how it compares, assuming I can find some light loads for the next tank, if I'm grossing heavy for the next ones it will be hard to compare.

Words cannot describe how nice it is just to be able to speed up and pass someone. Honestly, as long as I see good mileage improvements running 60MPH max, I will happily run 60MPH. I don't mind that in the least. But it was SO frustrating to not be able to pass someone or run a little faster even for just a couple miles when needed in the company truck. Luckily this old piece of crap trailer held together is all I can say.

I got to the Marshalls/TJ Maxx/whatever it is here in Bridgewater, VA around 2000 or so and dropped my loaded trailer there.

Ya'll should have seen me, it was first day newbie #### all over again. My God. I'm not 100% sure but I believe they must have tightened up the turning radius a bit on the 2012 Cascadia I drove as a company driver compared to my 2011 now. Can't whip around in a tight circle in that little lot, NOPE. Then it comes time to uncouple, LOL. This truck has a different model 5th wheel on it, with some little flip-up lock that falls over the handle when coupled to a trailer. Well, I can't figure out how to flip it up to keep it from grabbing the handle, wtf. So until I figure out the trick to it (please tell me there is one??) I have to somehow reach two hands under there while balancing my flashlight on the tires and then quickly shift my body weight back to release it all while keeping the little latch out of the way... Ok, after fighting that for WAY TO LONG it comes time to uncouple. Ok, air suspension, uhh... just dump it right? Ok dump the suspension, pull forward, wtf why aren't we releasing. Oh, helps if you take the parking brake off the tractor doesn't it. Having a switch to flip AND a brake to release is too much for me to handle apparently. Still not releasing, WTF??? Go look at the 5th wheel, little latch thing fell down and its all locked in again... OMG.

Ok, flashlight balanced on the tire again, 2 hands up there, flip the latch up, quickly pull the handle out, keep pulling the handle out, oh maybe it helps if I move the handle so this piece of the handle rests against the notch so it can't get sucked back in?? Ok, looks good, lets try again.

Dump airbags again. Try to move forward again. YES, AGAIN, RELEASING THE TRACTORS PARKING BRAKE IS STILL NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD. Ok, WE ARE FINALLY UNCOUPLED FROM THE TRAILER. Thanks to the obnoxious beeper I have no problem remembering to raise the suspension again.

Now, my empty is right next to it. Lets just back up. Nope, can't even back up this bobtail tractor right apparently. Takes me TWO TRIES to get lined up to couple to the empty trailer. YES, I HAD TO DO A PULL UP WHILE ATTEMPTING A REVERSING MANEUVER WITH MY BOBTAIL TRACTOR, I WILL ADMIT IT, OK?? Yes, the turning radius is definitely worse on this tractor. Maybe. I don't know.

Couple up to the trailer. Get out and check handle, its pushed in and locked in all the way. Shine flashlight on the jaws. It looks different. Well it is different its a different model 5th wheel. BUT IS OK? Will I drop the trailer going down the road? Is it broken??? I DON'T FRICKING KNOW. LETS RECOUPLE JUST TO BE SAFE. Fight the release handles buddy mr. pain in the ### flip lock thing, finally get the handle pulled out and locked. Uncouple and then couple again. Everything looks the same. Handle is all the way in, its locked. WE'RE GONNA BE OK. Reconnect my air hoses. Well, try. Nope, because they're all bundled together now and the gladhand for the service line has somehow mated itself with the steps on the framerail.

Nearly one hour later, leave facility. Somewhere someone with a sitting by a security camera monitor is probably standing around the screen with the other nightshift guards replaying the footage of me and laughing their ### off.

JUST ANOTHER DAY.

Ahh man, but its done! One load down! Gotta say I'm excited and I have a lot of fun with the whole process of finding my own loads.

There is really nothing good leaving this area tomorrow, I've been checking each time I stopped today. I will check again in the morning. I was going to pick up another relay load and take it up to PA, but looking at the route and where it goes to and whats headed out of there, I think I'll pass on that one.

I'll check the board again in the morning and see if anything new shows up. If not, I may just take the $100 or so hit on fuel and deadhead down to NC and take Saturday and Sunday off. I still need to pick up a lot of the stuff I wasn't able to bring up with me to Green Bay (tools, some extra bedding, etc). I kind of want to avoid putting a third fueling on my account for this first pay period, so that may work out. There are several loads headed out of NC on Monday that could get me in a spot where I think I could do a lot of shorter high-profit loads. Again, it all just depends on what I'm able to find out of this area. I'll happily deadhead a long way to get set up for a very nice paying load as long as the pay offsets the deadhead miles and I still come out with a good rate, and be able to get decent loads out of there too.

Anyway, I'm enjoying the process of learning everything, I know I still have a long way to go!