04/17/2010

Well I got down to Laurinburg an hour early and got the truck put into the shop for the pm. It was only an "A" pm so no motel room for the night. I called thinking that I'd put myself up for the night and they were all booked up.

So I was standing around shooting the bull with some other drivers when the mechanic came out and asked if I wanted the good news or the bad. The bad. The wheel bearings are shot and they need to send my truck to freightliner. The good. You get a motel room for the night. They have to transfer the inverter from one truck to the other and I won't be able to start moving my stuff until Saturday morning.

Well at least I get a room for the night. I might have to bump the Concord, On load I am not sure how long it will take to transfer my stuff. Well I called Maverick to warn them and they said to wait until I got everything transferred and then give them a call with my new eta. Good enough.

Have a good day
Bookerz out

4/13-/4/15/10

I getting neglectful. After unloading Tuesday I was given a deadhead over to Ottawa, Il. From which I'll be grabbing a load headed for Etobicoke, ON.

Now our drop yard is next to a place called the Bears Den. They serve a killer sausage burger. It is rumored that their other sandwiches are equally good, but I haven't ventured away from the sausage burger. It has been my experience that a sausage burger and a couple of pints of ale will cure what ails you. Seeing that I get to spend the night here it was just what the doctor ordered.

The next morning just as the sun started brightening the eastern horizon. I was under way. Today's objective is to try a new truck stop(new to me) only 20 miles from the Canadian border. My usual stop is 80-90 miles from the border in Perry, MI. This different truckstop called Bricoe's is... well a shit hole with a bad parking lot and a dilapidated building. So unless I really need to stage that close to the border it won't be happening again. My usual place has a nice smooth parking lot a nice building and quite a few eateries within walking distance and on site.

Thursday after unloading I was given a dead head to Laurinburg, NC. The truck is overdue for a PM so that is scheduled for tonight (Friday). When Maverick has to keep the truck overnight to do a PM or fix something they will generally put you up in the hotel. So tonight it should be a hotel for me.

I've already got my next work assignment which will take me to Concord, ON. for Monday morning at 6am. At that point I'll have 1600 miles in almost as many miles as I got this week.

Well your up to speed now. My coffee is ready and I need to do a walk around the truck so I can start my day.

Have a nice day
Bookerz out

4/12/2010

Today was a day to try a driver's backing skills and luck.

At my delivery point they unloaded half the load in one building and the other half in another. While my backing skills/luck were not operating at the highest efficiency they were up to the task. And despite moving from one building to another the unload time was still better than some places where movement is not required.

Now my next shipment picked up on the south side of Pittsburgh, PA. There is a considerable amount of construction going on in downtown. Despite the fact the shortest route was through downtown I decided that circumventing it was the best option. Especially considering that running through there with no traffic at 11pm or so last night proved a problem. But it did add 30 miles to my destination.

Once at my destination they decided that my backing a plume was to be challenged again. I got to back my way between 2 rail cars and a semi trailer and about 400 yards to the narrow door. It wouldn't have been so bad but backing straight wasn't within my skill set today. Alas in the door and the only thing hurt (a small amount) was my pride. Good enough. I had heard this was quite the hell hole. I must say that my experience here wasn't all that bad.

Now the qualcomm said that my consignee was a mere 205 miles away. With Pennslyvannia and eastern Ohio roads being what they are I decided to stick with the interstates. That added 50 miles and probably reduced the stress by 50 percent. I consider that a good trade so I went with it.

I have a 6am delivery time and I am only 40 minutes away. So life is good!!
As for tomorrow we will just have to wait and see. Perhaps, hopefully I'll get something with some legs to it and I won't have to work so hard.

Have a good day
Bookerz out

04/11/2010

Yesterday was ill planned, but luck was on my side. Sometimes, just sometimes luck will suffice.

I spend a minute explaining. I left the house late enough that my only option that would keep me legal is to drive straight to the consignee and park on sight. Yesterday, until I got here, I didn't remember being here before, alas I have been here before and there is a place or two where you can park overnight.

I wasn't able to best the best route in due to the highway construction and I missed the detour route. I hate it when I am in the wrong lane in this thing. You can't jump two or three lane and make the exit. Fortunately the gps will adjust to you missing a turn. AS a special note it doesn't berate you for missing the turn either.

Once unloaded I need to make my way to the south side of Pittsburgh and do a live load of crated glass bound for Upper Sandusky, OH for a 6am delivery tomorrow. Good times!

Have a good day

Bookerz out

04/09/2010

After yesterday today seemed like a dream. No international borders and no maintenance people too wait on.

The drive down I-90/I-271/OH-8/I-77 was nice. I hit all the sections at the right times and traffic wasn't an issue. The directions were clear and concise and the receivers receiving area was a bit fun.

I'll take a moment to explain. I had to back down the lane about 250 yards. Push the trailer to the right between two objects towards the dumpster and then pull forward to square up the truck. Actually there was about 8 mounds of stuff to work myself between and around. Fortunately the mounds consisted of sawdust, horse manure, peat moss, top soil, and a couple of mounds where they mixed the stuff with big front end loaders. What was fun about it there was no way I could damage either the tractor/trailer or the material. And the back job went of without a hitch.

After getting unload and waiting a bit. I got a work assignment of picking up a coil in Coshocton, PA and taking it to Randleman, NC. This steel facility unlike my experience in Birmingham, AL went off without a hitch, the only problem being is when it came time for me to leave it was time for shift change. During shift change they close the pedestrian cross walks to motorized traffic. Therefore I couldn't leave I kinda thought that was a bit anal, but it had been 777 days since the had a work time loss due to injury. That is an impressive safety track record especially considering the size of the plant.

I didn't really want this load. At some point along the working for money curve Uncle Sam figures you are making entirely too much money. He figures that taxing you to death at this point will deter you from becoming to greedy. To be frank it was working and somewhere along the way to randleman I'll cross the making too much money line and from that point forward I'll be working for the tax man and not Maverick or myself. But as I am not my own boss and there is no way I could (or would) refuse this load. I will just have to suck it up and cry as the tax man has carnal knowledge of me.

It was the best week this year as far as miles covered 3120 and an additional $100 or so in ancillary pay.

Once I unloaded in Randleman I was released to head home. This alowwed me to arrive home mid afternoon Friday. SWEET! I had encouraged them to find me a load that would get me rolling on Sunday. The response wasn't exactly encouraging to me, but alas they came thru. I am picking up a load Sunday in Richburg, SC and taking it to Cheswick, PA. and I have a preplan on top of that. Running upto Jeffersonhills, PA and taking a load of glass over to Sandusky, OH for Tuesday. I need to be careful how much encouraging I do :). Anyway that will be a nice start for the week coming out of the house. Now I need to get started loading the truck and getting myself underway.

Have a nice day
Bookerz out

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