04/06/2010 posted out of order

This is out oder but somehow this one didn't get posted


I've been neglectful of the blog the last couple of days.

I left you off with me grabbing a 34 hour rest in Wichita Falls, TX. Having completed that on Saturday morning. I went to the plant and grabbed my load. The next three days consisted in putting on full 600 mile days.

On day 2 I stopped in Perry, MI and discovered that the Michigan roadways in conjunction with the load crew in Wichita Falls had managed to break some glass on an optimizer rack. The glass was already tempered so at least when it broke it turned into this small pebble shaped stuff. I threw a strap around the glass using coil protectors to protect the strap and prevented any more breakage.

Monday I finished up my drive into Montreal at about 8pm. I had driven to the consignee and parked there so no driving in the morning and no alarm clock and off to bed I went.

Tuesday as they were unloading the receiver mention they would note the damaged glass. He also mentioned that the remaining glass might be scratched something I hadn't considered. So I got to learn something job related.

Prior to being loaded I got a preplan to pick up a load of peat moss in St Remi, QC and take it to Orrville, OH another 630 miles. This week is adding up pretty good. I can deliver this load either Wednesday or Thursday and the receiver is open till midnight. So the plan is to get it there today (Wednesday). But upon doing my pretrip inspection I discovered a flat tire so I am waiting on Road service to get here and replace the tire.

Only 3 days till hometime!!!

Have a good day
Bookerz out

04/07/2010

Well the Canadians kept passing the buck. Finally 4.5 hours after the call went out my tire is patched.

Now to add insult to injuring I have to deal with the bone heads at U.S. Customs. I have to admit that some of the procedures are for security reasons, but they are so impregnated with people justifying their jobs and their inflated budgets you can't tell which is which.

1 ^st they have only 2 lines open for the initial check. It took thirty minutes to get to where I could hand my paperwork over for someone to look at. 5 minutes of stupid questions. If I was really gonna break the law I would just lie.

2 ^nd I have to pay a $10.75 border crossing fee. I don't pay enough taxes already? Also could this not be incorporated into the customs tax that gets paid by the companies anyway? I get this money back from Maverick, but it is stupid anyway.

3 ^rd I can't pay this fee at the customs booth. I have to go inside this huge building to stand at a counter with 15 computers of which only 2 are in use. To be totally ignored by the two that are working the counter. Mean while there is 20-30 people milling around in the back ground not making eye contact because it might mean they have to do something. So I FINALLY get the honor of paying my money so I can get back in my country.

4 ^th I have to get the truck x rayed. Okay I can see the security reason for this and get this. There isn't a additional fee to pay for this service. I thought that rather magnanimous of them. BUT!!!!! Every border crossing point does it different. One place you stay in the truck and roll slowly through the machine. The next place you get out of the truck and walk to an area that is clearly marked, but they don't bother to tell you you are and ready to roll. Today was get out of the truck and step out of the building and finally after they got tired of me standing there they bother to say I was done. The big thing about this is if your not sure how they want it they treat you like your stupid.

5 ^th And final thing the rules or procedures change day by day. It is like there are too many rules. The head jackass comes in the morning. He throws a dart at a wall where the rules are place and on what every rule the dart lands on that rule will be enforced today. Someone needs to sneak in and place some customer service rules up on the wall.

Rules like......

These people pay our salaries so don't treat them like dummies.

If the trucks/customers are lined up a mile back. Open twice as many check stations.

If a customer is standing at the counter greet them and take care of the business.

I say something about signs with clear instructions but with the way the rules change they would have to hire another 10 slow/ don't mess with me cus I carry a gun types. Just to change the signs daily. And we are already spending way too much for what we are getting.

Enough ranting......

I am not going to make the delivery tonight. I got bogged down in to many way today so tomorrow will have to do.

Have a good day

Bookerz out