WSE - from my point of view

Hey, jtrnr!!! what day is this? No, my trainer's truck is an International...it has 10 wheels...11 if you count the steering wheel...LOL. I see Eagle written in a couple of places but you have probably forgotten more about these things than I know. Thank goodness for the names written on them...otherwise, I wouldn't know one from the other.

My trainer thinks I will get a Mack. His says that there is some good, some bad. Lot's of room inside, good jake, no guts (doesn't pull hills very well) and it takes an acre and a half to turn it around.

Gosh, doesn't feel like we've been anywhere yet. And this downtime is killing my miles...only 1427 so far and I have been on the truck 6 days today.

We finally got loaded about 10AM on Monday in Doraville GA, a load bound for Heybern ID. So, we headed out to Mt. Vernon IL enroute. Arrived there a little after 20:00 at the Pilot. Still spaces to be had. Gosh, I can't get over how big some of these trucks stops are.

Anyway, just prior to our arrival...we get a QC msg...dispatch wants us to re-power a load headed for Verona, VA. The driver with the load doesn't have the hours for an on-time delivery. So, once we got all those details worked out, we head out to the rendevous point to find that the load is about 1300 over gross. Driver said it left the shipper that way and he was a relay too. Whatever....I think we are the 3rd or 4th driver on this load which originated in CO. After talking to FM and some creative trip planning...we get under the load and are headed east on I64. We should arrive at the receiver (they have truck parking) tonight around 2200-2300. Delivery is 0900 tomorrow.

So, bottomline...I still have to do NE, NW (which now is a good time to not be headed to WA/OR, etc.), and CA (which is considered West). So, still trainin'.
Gosh, I love this Verizon air card. More to follow.

Take care...94nole.

Only 8,573 miles to go to get to 10,000 and in my own truck.

 

MAJOR LEAGUE VENT...

Again, at the risk of sounding high and mighty, I write this post.

For more than 15 years, I have been accustomed to dealing and interacting with the best of the best. The public accounting world is full of some really sharp cookies. Especially those who rest in the top firms in the business. These folks are the top of the pyramid...people who understand simple concepts and who can be reasoned with.

I will not paint with a broad brush to include all, but in the past week, I have found myself in the midst of a bunch of blithering idiots. Cold and callous individuals who look over there glasses at you, the "truck driver scum", wanting to know in a manner less than cordial..."Can I help you?"

Honestly, this morning, I was tempted to place my breafast order with the witch for 2 eggs over easy with grits and sausage. What the H E Double Toothpicks do you think I am doing here? If you don't want me in here, lock your #### door!!!

I indicated that we had a 0900 appointment and she replies as though I just accused her kid of doing something wrong, "We don't make appointments!!!" Again, in my quick response ability although holding my tongue...AGAIN...I started to wear her narrow hindparts out but instead very calmly asked..."who might I see about getting this trailer unloaded?" Oh, you'll have to see "one of the guys out there." I guess there were several man named Guy.

I had already spoken with one of the guys who told me "oh, yeah, I saw you here at 2:30AM. I'll get you in at 0900." Here we are 11 hours later and were just told..."maybe tomorrow". TOMORROW!!! MAYBE!?!?!?

Let me warn you guys, thinking of entering this business, bring a bottle of patience. Make that 2. The people working at these places are unhappy, they are probably underpaid and couldn't care less about whether you get unloaded/loaded or not.

 

trunch,

thanks for the heads up...62mph and it sucks.

 

You know, I knew there were going to be things that I hadn't dealt with in years....and I really don't want to be a "negative nellie" here on the board like so many others...but this is ridiculous!!

I said when I started these posts that I wouldn't turn this into a company bash...and I haven't and won't. In fact, this isn't the company's fault at all...other than it is a brokered load and not one under a contract.

On the bright side, we had a previous pre-plan to pickup tonight right down the road and take it to PA tomorrow (D/H)...only a couple hundred miles. Yuck.

Now that plan has been cancelled and we are pre-planned to pick up a load at the same place tomorrow bound for Ogden UT...almost 10 times the number of miles.

So, if there is a silver lining to all of this...it is certainly that.

Unfortunately for now though, we are still sitting here in Podunk VA with 40k+ lbs of onions we can't get rid of.

 

Are they just another bunch of angry people? Admittedly, I have heard some pretty bad things about Tyson.

Hey trunch13...why'd you leave WSE?