Van Wyk Inc.

no I moved from florida back to wisconsin earlier this year...but still lay claim to Florida part time LOL..I keep a car and a place to stay when I need it down there...

Hey thanks for the info......forgot some other questions

rider policy (i have 3 wee ones)

can you take the truck home (cause commuting from wisconsin to NW Iowa would be nutty!!)

I also ment that I got a call from Tim (not time fat fingered I guess)

 

I...think...that the rider policy is over 12. But don't quote me on that.

Yes, you can take the truck home. Personally, I found a nice little spot just up the road from my place (I live in a multi-unit apartment w/ no space for a truck) that has plenty of space and shore power for the winter. That's basically the requirement for taking the truck home. Is it legal? Is is relatively safe? Can you plug it in when it gets nippy?

I figure "time" was "tim". It's all good.

I see that you've got Tomah listed now. We've got a guy that lives there. Mike T in 786. Sometimes you'll go through the house under a load, sometimes empty, but always with a trailer...unless there's a drop shipper near Tomah I don't know.

Old timers? Help me out!

 

Thanks everyone...yeah I had my old town listed...My wife is still on the fence about me switching companies...I have to convince her otherwise its a no go.....cause got to make momma happy ya know...

 

alright I know I sound like a noob...but please bear with me...

cameras in trucks???

Paid lumpers??

Tolls (current company tries to avoid them but we do run 80)

prepass/ezpass...

and why the hell would I have to go with a trainer LOL...

 

lol, i mean your the right man to answer his questions!! Your one of the midwest guys on the forums..

I like it for the most part, i've just had my ups and downs here. If i left it would be for a local gig if anything.

1. We don't have spy cameras looking at us in the truck if that's what your referring to
2. Yes paid lumpers, only thing sucks is if you have an early am drop with no one to call and get a check from you gotta take money off your Fuel card and it's a guessing game on how much it's going to be.. But as long as you turn the receipt in for anything you pay going towards the truck you will be reimbursed for it (Scales, Tolls, Lumpers, Washouts, Light Repairs)
3. Yes but they would like you to avoid the Ohio and Indiana Toll Road if you can running in between the East and Midwest
4. Both Pre-Pass and Ezpass but have to pay to run the Kansas Turnpike which isn't that pricey, as long as you turn in the receipt your fine
5. You said you've only been driving for under a year, i think they require a year but you'll only be with a trainer 2 weeks at tops...

 

Did you notice the note on the directions for Stampede about slingin' a set of singles Mark? Ya those were from me! I was the guinea pig for that run the first time we did it last winter and it was snowing like hell when I pulled in there and as you probably noticed the dock is less than stellar. When I was backing in the weight got past the down angle and it just slid into the dock. Well when I went to pull out traction was only a pipe dream so I was jamming anything I could find under my tires, scrap lumber from the pile by the dock, tearing limbs off of the trees & kitty litter. I finally broke down and pulled a set of singles off and half assed put them on and I still barely got out of there. Nice people though!

 

Yeah, I saw that. Heh. I can see that place being a little hairy in the snow.

You're right about the nice people. The owner unloaded me, and the Ham Butts were within one degree of reject temp. He knew way better than to get on my case about it (he's been in the game for awhile, that one). In fact, he reassured me that it wasn't my fault. Wasn't happy though, apparently this is two weeks in a row that his stuff has been high temp, and it was just the box stuff last week...this time it was the combos!

I believe his quote was, "In the livestock business we always say, 'Good gets better, bad gets worse'."

I'm happy he didn't send me to Portland with 4k lbs of distressed Ham Butts.

In other news, I lost an injector on Sunday. I deadheaded from Milwaukie out to Forest Grove for a Monday load, and idled for awhile in the pm, 'cause it was sunny and 85 (in PORTLAND!) Long about three or four the engine started throbbing pretty good, but I didn't pay much attention because it had a tendency to get its groove on from time to time on long idles.

Monday morning was a different story. Getting in to the shipper from the street and maneuvering made me raise an eyebrow, because she was chugging like an old FLD. Got loaded and pulled out and then I really felt it. Under load that missing cylinder was clear as a bell. WHUMana WHUMana WHUMana. It was a painful ride to Portland Cummins (but at least I made it). And then an eight hour job to fix it, from arrive to depart.

I think the good Lord knew I needed a boost after that, so he gave me $50 in the form of a clean level 3 at the Oregon Scales past Troutdale.

So here I am at Three Forks with a fresh #2 Injector and a load of Fish Protein Byproduct headed for Americold in Jefferson, WI for Friday AM. Then home for a haircut, I think.

@ Mic: the trainer wouldn't be for "training" per se, but to give one of our trainers (what do we have, like, 2?) a chance to make sure you know what you're doing. Like hawk said, that can't be more than 2 weeks...and I'd imagine if you check out it'd be a couple of days, tops.

Also, on the lumper thing...with the earlier unloads that require cash off the TCH card, when I run into a customer that I don't (or dispatch doesn't) have a good estimate for, I've taken to just getting 180 or 200 put on the card (and pulling it off in cash, of course) and using the leftover for scales and washouts and other reimbursables until I wear it out. It all comes out in the wash if you overshoot, and at 3 am, it's always better to have too much than not enough.

 

Well got my load of ice cream delivered,last stop in Tacoma was a doozy blindside back from the street with lots of traffic and utility poles to navigate but got her in. Homeless people in the area should be loving the 51 cases of orange sherbet pops donated to the salvation army.Heard I got 2 p/u around Yakima today but no info yet.Truck it safe out there boys.

 

So who's drivin my beloved KWhopper?! 812. Just hit 100k on my second to last trip and if it's yours be thankful everything important has held up thus far! I'm currently riding fixed jump seat in a 10-speed Cascadia lol

Things are going OK here so far. Still slugging through the orientation/training process. Last week was corporate style orientation in E. Brunswick making peanuts and learning how to do everything painfully "safe". Today I'm finishing local/practical training in Bethlehem. Training pay this week is stellar. They are paying the truck twice, for myself and my trainer, and my trainer gets a flat bonus for training on top. My trainer is fantastic. Unfortunately the shift I wanted was swallowed up by the time saw my notice through and got through orientation, so for now I'm stuck with 1800 to 0400-0800, but at least it's M-F. Wish me luck on my own next week!

 

Hell Brian, they had someone in that truck about a couple days after you hitched a ride back to PA, i don't know who tho..