Life Day 21490: Albuquerque Allegory
On the 8th of May, which was a Monday, I delivered the load in Omaha, then drove to Creston, IA, which is in the southwest corner. While I was waiting to be loaded, the MMM enjoyed a pleasant untethered stroll.
The MMM were happy for the opportunity to roll in the cool, green grass.
I was finished there at 1330 and drove to a Rest Area on I-74 in Illinois, where I took a break for the MMM. Before connecting with I-74, I had been traveling on mostly 2-lane roads with few good places to stop, most of which, I was past before I saw them. From there, I finished my day in Bloomington, IL. Of interest to M.A.S.H. fans, my travels today took me through the "home-towns" of 2 of the characters on that show: Ottumwa, IA, home of Radar O' Reiley, and Bloomington, IL, home of Col. Henry Blake.
Tuesday, I traveled through all or part of 5 States: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Nothing of consequence happened. The scenery kept improving as I left the "heartland" and entered the more mountainous terrain of Kentucky and West Virginia. Although vital to the economy of America, the mid-west is boooring to drive through. I had to spend the night on an "exit ramp" because I ran out of hours about 50 miles before I could reach the truckstop at Cannonsburg, WV.
Today was a short day. I arrived in Elkton at noon and delivered the load. I recieved and accepted a Pre-Plan which had 2 shippers, one in Appomattox, VA and the other in Albemarle, NC. It delivered in Pueblo, CO. A good trip of about 1700 total miles. I left Elkton at 1330 and drove to Appomattox. The load doesn't pick up until tomorrow AM. I was fortunate to find a parking spot in the miniscule truckstop here. I had mediocre Mexican food for dinner from a restaurant nearby. My usual Enchaladas, Beans, Rice and Chips & Salsa. I only drove about 300 miles today.
Thursday was a bit frustrating. I arrived at the first Shipper at the appointed time of 0730 (0930 local time). When I checked in, I was asked for a "load number" which I didn't have. There were no numbers of any kind in my Dispatch. I called my DM. I was at first told that I didn't need a pick-up number because it was a live load. I said that if that was the case, I would already be in the dock being loaded. Bottom line was that with the 3 hour time differential, it was over 2 hours before I recieved the number I needed and was loaded. The second pick-up was 200 miles away over secondary roads, or about 4 hours. Their pick-up time was before 1300 (1500 local). I was going to be late. I told my DM that it would be almost 1400 before I could be there and set off to do the best I could. I arrived in Albemarle a little before 1400. They were almost ready to leave, but decided, after a little cajoling, to go ahead and load me anyway. WHEW!!! It was embarrassing. The loading only took about 1/2 an hour. I was lucky. All of this could have been avoided if I would have been given the necessary information to DO MY #%&@ JOB in the first place. This happens far too often. I wish SOMEONE at Swift would "get a clue". They need to change the format of the Dispatch Screen to include a place for a pick-up number, then make sure that it is filled in, when necessary. Maybe they could take a lesson from the Military and develop a Checklist (written at a 5th grade level) for the CSR to follow. This Checklist should include, but not be limited to, the following question, worded EXACTLY this way "When my driver arrives at your Office or Security Gate, what number will he/she need to pick up this load". This would solve the problem, but of course, IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN. I would have "lost it" had I had been detained another day because of the lack of a pick-up number. Anyway, after I finally left there, I drove to Knoxville, TN where I stopped for the night because of that pesky 14-hour window thing.
Today went a little smoother. I traveled through all or part of 4 states. Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. Before I left Knoxville, I filled up with fuel. Tennessee has comparitively low fuel prices, $2.789, and it took almost $600.00 to fill my tanks. Talk about "sticker shock". The terrain throughout Tennessee is "hilly". It is basically the same in Virginia, West Virginia, northeastern Kentucky and northwestern North Carolina. I stopped at a Rest Stop between Knoxville and Nashville and took these pictures. The pictures typify the terrain in much of the Southeast through which I have been driving for the last 3 days. At least it's not flat.
I liked the looks of the RV in this picture although I can't recall the make and model.
I ended my day in Marshall Junction, MO after driving 635 miles.
On Saturday the 13th, I finished the trip to Pueblo. I first drove to Kansas City, MO to top of my fuel at the flying J. Fuel was $2.719 there. Quite reasonable, comparatively. My truck was still 1/2 full, but as I travel farther west, the price is only going to increase, so I took advantage to the opportunity for "cheap" fuel. Seems like not too long ago, I commented on fuel being $1.999 in Oklahoma City. Ah, don't you miss the "good ole days". My next stop was Oakley, KS where I bade farewell to President Eisenhowers' freeway system and began traveling on the back roads. I took US-40 west to US-287 south to CO-96 west to US-50 west to Pueblo. When I arrived, I made the delivery, then called it a night. I was out of hours until tomorrow having driven 10.75 hours and 669 miles today. Tomorrow, I only have 6.25 hours available, and none available for monday. The "all knowing" Planners found just the load for me. It picks up tomorrow at 1030 (conveniently allowing enough time for me to get the required 10 hours rest), and delivers tomorrow at 1930 in Albuquerque. After I accepted the load, I went "in search of" food. I settled on a steak at Texas Roadhouse. It was good. I had the New York steak with a Baked Potato and Green Beans. After filling up on the complimentry peanuts in the shell, there was no room for desert. I had to park my truck in the parking lot of a furniture store next door. They had statues of animals (which were incidently for sale).
Wolfie reacted as though they were alive and began barking at them, especially the "buffalo" directly in front of my truck. I took him out to investigate them. After that, he could not even be coaxed into reacting to them. After dinner I drove to Wally World and spent the night in their parking lot.
On Mother's Day, I went to the Southwest Grill for breakfast. It was pretty crowded, but I sat at the counter so I didn't have to wait for a table. The food is good here. Today, I had Sausage and Eggs and a Waffle. After breakfast, I picked up my load at the scheduled time and drove directly to Albuquerque. The trailer which I picked up was a special purpose 57' trailer as opposed the normal 53' trailer. These are typically used to haul light loads of high volume (plastic, styrofoam, etc). This load weighed a little over 30,000#, but neither State through which I would be traveling has a "bridge law", so I was not concerned. They are illegal in many States. Not, however Colorado and New Mexico.
Swift paid 301 miles for the trip. The actual distance was 345 miles, driving on I-25 south to I-40 east to the customer. I would really like to know on what sort of "game trails" and "cow paths" i'd have to drive in order to get from Pueblo to Albuquerque in 301 miles. That could be interesting. I'd probably need to hire a guide and a lot of pack mules. I arrived in Albuquerque at about 1600 and delivered the load early. When all the "dust" settled, I found that I will have .25 hours available for tomorrow. That means basically that i'll be taking tomorrow off. I'll have a fresh 70-hours available when I return to work.
The MMM were happy for the opportunity to roll in the cool, green grass.
I was finished there at 1330 and drove to a Rest Area on I-74 in Illinois, where I took a break for the MMM. Before connecting with I-74, I had been traveling on mostly 2-lane roads with few good places to stop, most of which, I was past before I saw them. From there, I finished my day in Bloomington, IL. Of interest to M.A.S.H. fans, my travels today took me through the "home-towns" of 2 of the characters on that show: Ottumwa, IA, home of Radar O' Reiley, and Bloomington, IL, home of Col. Henry Blake.
Tuesday, I traveled through all or part of 5 States: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Nothing of consequence happened. The scenery kept improving as I left the "heartland" and entered the more mountainous terrain of Kentucky and West Virginia. Although vital to the economy of America, the mid-west is boooring to drive through. I had to spend the night on an "exit ramp" because I ran out of hours about 50 miles before I could reach the truckstop at Cannonsburg, WV.
Today was a short day. I arrived in Elkton at noon and delivered the load. I recieved and accepted a Pre-Plan which had 2 shippers, one in Appomattox, VA and the other in Albemarle, NC. It delivered in Pueblo, CO. A good trip of about 1700 total miles. I left Elkton at 1330 and drove to Appomattox. The load doesn't pick up until tomorrow AM. I was fortunate to find a parking spot in the miniscule truckstop here. I had mediocre Mexican food for dinner from a restaurant nearby. My usual Enchaladas, Beans, Rice and Chips & Salsa. I only drove about 300 miles today.
Thursday was a bit frustrating. I arrived at the first Shipper at the appointed time of 0730 (0930 local time). When I checked in, I was asked for a "load number" which I didn't have. There were no numbers of any kind in my Dispatch. I called my DM. I was at first told that I didn't need a pick-up number because it was a live load. I said that if that was the case, I would already be in the dock being loaded. Bottom line was that with the 3 hour time differential, it was over 2 hours before I recieved the number I needed and was loaded. The second pick-up was 200 miles away over secondary roads, or about 4 hours. Their pick-up time was before 1300 (1500 local). I was going to be late. I told my DM that it would be almost 1400 before I could be there and set off to do the best I could. I arrived in Albemarle a little before 1400. They were almost ready to leave, but decided, after a little cajoling, to go ahead and load me anyway. WHEW!!! It was embarrassing. The loading only took about 1/2 an hour. I was lucky. All of this could have been avoided if I would have been given the necessary information to DO MY #%&@ JOB in the first place. This happens far too often. I wish SOMEONE at Swift would "get a clue". They need to change the format of the Dispatch Screen to include a place for a pick-up number, then make sure that it is filled in, when necessary. Maybe they could take a lesson from the Military and develop a Checklist (written at a 5th grade level) for the CSR to follow. This Checklist should include, but not be limited to, the following question, worded EXACTLY this way "When my driver arrives at your Office or Security Gate, what number will he/she need to pick up this load". This would solve the problem, but of course, IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN. I would have "lost it" had I had been detained another day because of the lack of a pick-up number. Anyway, after I finally left there, I drove to Knoxville, TN where I stopped for the night because of that pesky 14-hour window thing.
Today went a little smoother. I traveled through all or part of 4 states. Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. Before I left Knoxville, I filled up with fuel. Tennessee has comparitively low fuel prices, $2.789, and it took almost $600.00 to fill my tanks. Talk about "sticker shock". The terrain throughout Tennessee is "hilly". It is basically the same in Virginia, West Virginia, northeastern Kentucky and northwestern North Carolina. I stopped at a Rest Stop between Knoxville and Nashville and took these pictures. The pictures typify the terrain in much of the Southeast through which I have been driving for the last 3 days. At least it's not flat.
I liked the looks of the RV in this picture although I can't recall the make and model.
I ended my day in Marshall Junction, MO after driving 635 miles.
On Saturday the 13th, I finished the trip to Pueblo. I first drove to Kansas City, MO to top of my fuel at the flying J. Fuel was $2.719 there. Quite reasonable, comparatively. My truck was still 1/2 full, but as I travel farther west, the price is only going to increase, so I took advantage to the opportunity for "cheap" fuel. Seems like not too long ago, I commented on fuel being $1.999 in Oklahoma City. Ah, don't you miss the "good ole days". My next stop was Oakley, KS where I bade farewell to President Eisenhowers' freeway system and began traveling on the back roads. I took US-40 west to US-287 south to CO-96 west to US-50 west to Pueblo. When I arrived, I made the delivery, then called it a night. I was out of hours until tomorrow having driven 10.75 hours and 669 miles today. Tomorrow, I only have 6.25 hours available, and none available for monday. The "all knowing" Planners found just the load for me. It picks up tomorrow at 1030 (conveniently allowing enough time for me to get the required 10 hours rest), and delivers tomorrow at 1930 in Albuquerque. After I accepted the load, I went "in search of" food. I settled on a steak at Texas Roadhouse. It was good. I had the New York steak with a Baked Potato and Green Beans. After filling up on the complimentry peanuts in the shell, there was no room for desert. I had to park my truck in the parking lot of a furniture store next door. They had statues of animals (which were incidently for sale).
Wolfie reacted as though they were alive and began barking at them, especially the "buffalo" directly in front of my truck. I took him out to investigate them. After that, he could not even be coaxed into reacting to them. After dinner I drove to Wally World and spent the night in their parking lot.
On Mother's Day, I went to the Southwest Grill for breakfast. It was pretty crowded, but I sat at the counter so I didn't have to wait for a table. The food is good here. Today, I had Sausage and Eggs and a Waffle. After breakfast, I picked up my load at the scheduled time and drove directly to Albuquerque. The trailer which I picked up was a special purpose 57' trailer as opposed the normal 53' trailer. These are typically used to haul light loads of high volume (plastic, styrofoam, etc). This load weighed a little over 30,000#, but neither State through which I would be traveling has a "bridge law", so I was not concerned. They are illegal in many States. Not, however Colorado and New Mexico.
Swift paid 301 miles for the trip. The actual distance was 345 miles, driving on I-25 south to I-40 east to the customer. I would really like to know on what sort of "game trails" and "cow paths" i'd have to drive in order to get from Pueblo to Albuquerque in 301 miles. That could be interesting. I'd probably need to hire a guide and a lot of pack mules. I arrived in Albuquerque at about 1600 and delivered the load early. When all the "dust" settled, I found that I will have .25 hours available for tomorrow. That means basically that i'll be taking tomorrow off. I'll have a fresh 70-hours available when I return to work.
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