APRIL 2005
April 30, 2005 on 2:09 pm | In On The Road, Travelblogue | No CommentsApril 6th, 2005 (Wednesday):
On April Fools Day, I didn’t “fool around”. I departed Pecos at 9:30 AM and drove to Tye, TX. I had lunch there. I left at 2:30 PM. My next stop was Royce City, TX. I drove through Fort Worth and Dallas without stopping by design. Unless I have business at our Terminal in Lancaster, I seldom stop there. The truckstops are always crowded and teeming with every sort of ‘miscreant’. I left Royce City at 7:00 PM and drove to Texarkana, AR. I stopped for the night there. I drove 588 miles in 9.5 hours.
On the 2nd, I left Texarkana at 7:30 AM. I drove to our Terminal in Memphis, TN. There I fueled and walked the ‘doggies’. While there, the Planner gave me a Pre-Plan. I left there and drove to the Consignee. This was a ‘drop & hook’ facility, so after doing that, I was Dispatched on my next load. It picked up in Olive Branch, MS and delivered in Philadelphia, PA (23 miles empty and 1000 miles loaded). I went to the Shipper and picked up the load, then went back to Memphis to give the ‘doggies’ a break. I departed Memphis at 3:30 PM. I drove to Cookeville, TN where I stopped for the night. I drove 556 miles in 9.5 hours.
On the 3rd, after losing an hours sleep to Daylight Saving Time, I left Cookeville at 11:00 AM. I drove to Wytheville, VA. I topped off with fuel there because it had the cheapest fuel i’d see for a few States. After my break there, I drove to Tom’s Brook, VA to get my bearings. From there, I drove to Elkton, MD where I stopped for the night. I drove 656 miles in 11 hours.
On the 4th, I left Elkton and drove the 35 miles to Philadelphia. I arrived at 10:30 AM. While I was doing the ‘drop & hook’ the Planner gave me a load from Federalsburg, MD to Jonesboro, GA( 118 miles empty and 707 miles loaded). I left at 11:30 AM and drove to Federalsburg. After the ‘drop and hook’, I left there at 3:30 PM. I drove through the Washington D.C. area and stopped at the first Rest Area that I came to. I took a break there. I left there at 6:00 PM and drove to Kannapolis, NC where I stopped for the night. I drove 602 miles in 11 hours.
On the 5th, I left Kannapolis at 9:30 AM. I drove to our Terminal in Greer, SC where I had lunch and fueled. I left there at 3:00 PM and drove to Jonesboro, GA. I dropped my trailer there, but they had no empties available. I left there and drove to our Terminal in Decatur, GA. I spent the night there. I drove 310 miles in 5.5 hours.
Today, the 6th, I’m just relaxing and building up some hours. I only had 5.25 hours available this AM, so I decided to take the day off. I only pick-up 4.5 hours at midnight, but combined with the 5.25 hours that I didn’t use today, i’ll have 9.75 hours available in the AM. As a matter of fact, I’ll have my full 70 hours available (34 hour off-duty rule).
April 7, 2005 (Thursday):
Today, I awoke at 5:30 AM. I had my 70 hours back, and was ready to roll. While I was out walking the ‘doggies’, I received a Pre-Plan instructing me to take my empty trailer and drive to our Terminal in Memphis, TN. Just after I left the Terminal in Decatur, GA to drive to Memphis, my QualCom beeped 3 times. I stopped just outside the gate to read the messages. When the QualCom goes off 3 times in succession, it’s probably a good idea to see what they want. Such was the case this time as well. They had cancelled my “deadhead” trip and gave me 2 Pre-Plans. The 1st picked up in Forest Park, GA and delivered in Ocala, FL (13 miles empty and 354 miles loaded). The 2nd Plan picks up in Palatka, FL tomorrow and delivers in Ardmore, OK (59 miles empty and 1099 miles loaded) A.S.A. P. After getting directions, I proceeded to the 1st Shipper. After the ‘drop & hook’, I left Forest Park at 9:45 AM. I drove to Lake Park, GA where I ate lunch. I left there at 2:30 PM and drove to Ocala. I drove directly to the Consignee. While I was checking in with Security, the guard said that I had just missed the TORNADO (ref: Mini-Tornado on this BLOG). I left Ocala at 6:30 PM and drove to Palatka, FL. I slept at “Wally-World”. I drove 425 miles in 7.25 hours.
April 12th, 2005 (Tuesday):
On the 8th, my load was finally ready at 2:45 PM. I spent most of the day waiting around for it. I had lunch at Sonny’s Bar B Q. Not bad, but i’ve had better. The ‘doggies’ enjoyed the bones immensly. I left at 3:00 PM and drove to Lake City, FL where I connected with I-10W. I left there at 4:45 PM and drove to Robertsdale, AL. I left there at 10:00 PM and drove to Hammond, LA where I stopped for the night. I drove 494 miles in 8.5 hours.
On the 9th (Saturday), I left Hammond at 11:45 AM and drove to Greenwood (Shreveport), LA. I had dinner and a shower there, and left at 4:45 PM. I drove to Ardmore, OK. I made my delivery and went to bed. I drove 631 miles in 10.25 hours.
On the 10th, I awoke at 9:00 AM. There was a Pre-Plan on my Qual-Com. It picked up in Muskogee, OK and delivered in North Las Vegas, NV (182 miles empty and 1277 miles loaded). I’m going to have employ some “innovative time/distance calculations” in order to make the delivery at 6:00 AM on the 12th. I have to go 1459 miles in 24 available driving hours (44 hours less 2 mandatory breaks of 10 hours each). Fortunately, it will be mostly freeway driving (straight accross I-40), so I’ll be able to drive 68 MPH most ov the way. I left Ardmore at 10:30 AM and drove to Muskogee. After a ‘drop & hook’, I left there at 2:00 PM and drove to Oklahoma City. I took a half hour break there and left at 4:30 PM. I drove to Amarillo, TX. I took another short break there, then drove to Santa Rosa, NM where I stopped for the night. I arrived at 11:00 PM. I drove 694 miles in 11 hours.
On the 11th (Monday), I left Santa Rosa at 9:00 AM and drove to our Terminal in Albuquerque for fuel and a ‘doggie’ walk. They don’t like to do these “forced Marches”. It significantly detracts from their alloted “sniffing” time during their breaks. I left there at 12:15 PM and drove to Flagstaff, AZ. I took a 15 minute break there and drove to Kingman, AZ. Looks like i’ll make it to Vegas on time. I left there at 7:15 PM and drove to North Las Vegas where I stopped for the night. I drove 658 miles in 10.75 hours. WHEW, I made it!!
Today, the 12th, I delivered the load (on-time) at 6:00 AM. I’m taking the rest of the day off to do a couple of loads of laundry and get a PM Service (preventive maintenance ie: oil change and lube).
April 20th, 2005 (Wednesday):
On the Wednesday, the 13th, the Planner gave me a load that picked up in Las Vegas, NV and delivered in Muskogee, OK on or before the 16th (2 miles empty and 1275 miles loaded). The hours that I have available each day for the next 3 days are limited and I’ll have to manage them wisely. I left North Las Vegas at 12:45 PM and drove to the Shipper. I arrived at 1:00 PM and was in the dock by 1:15 PM. It took them 2.5 hours to load my trailer, and I left Las Vegas at 4:00 PM. I drove to Kingman, AZ where I took a 45 minute break. I then drove to Flagstaff, AZ where I stopped for the night. I arrived at 9:00 PM and drove 261 miles in 4.5 hours. I stopped early because when I started the day, I only had 16.5 hours available for the next 2 days. Combining the hours spent at the dock with the hours driving, I actually LOGGED 7.25 hours of the available 16.5
On the 14th, I left Flagstaff at 11:30 AM I only have 9.25 hours available for today. I drove to Gallup, NM for fuel and a short break. I left there at 2:45 PM and drove to Albuquerque. After a 1/2 hour break there, I drove to Vega, TX where I stopped for the night. If I drove the 28 miles on into Amarillo, where there are more numerous and modern truckstops, I would have exceeded my avilable 9.25 hours by 15 minutes. I drove 532 miles in 8.5 hours.
On Friday, the 15th, I left Vega at 8:30 AM. I drove the 1/2 hour to Amarillo where I settled in for a couple of hours for a shower, breakfast and some computer time. Oh yeah, I also walked the BCC (beloved canine companions). One of Amarillo’s claims to fame (Oprah Winfrey aside) is a restaurant called The Big Texan. It is home to the FREE 72 oz steak ( that’s 4.5 POUNDS!!). The “catch” is that you have to eat the ENTIRE meal (soup, salad, steak, potato vegetable and your dinner roll) in 1 hour. They “stack the deck” further in their favor by making the “side” portions about twice normal size. If you are unsuccessful, the meal costs $49.95. I have never tried it because I don’t think they could cook a 4.5 LB steak well-done enough for me to be able to eat it, and anyway, 12 oz is about my limit for steak. The ‘doggie bag’ would have to be a “gunny sack’. I have, however, dined there in the past. It is an above average Steak House on par with Outback or The Texas Roadhouse restaurant chains. Anyway, at 11:30 AM, I bade farewell to Amarillo and drove to our Terminal in Oklahoma City, OK. I took a 1.5 hour break here for fuel and a BCC walk. I left there at 5:00PM and drove to Checotah, OK (ref: An Observation on this BLOG). After dinner, I drove the 25 miles to Muskogee and stopped for the night. I could have delivered my load when I arrived, but had I done so, I would have had to Log .25 hours for the ‘drop & hook’. By waiting until the AM, I can combine the ‘drop & hook’ with my Safety Inspection and conserve the .25 hours (every little bit helps).
Saturday the 16th was a FRUSTRATING day. I awoke to find a Pre-Plan on my QualCom. (So Far, So Good). It picked up at 11:00 AM in Tulsa and delivered in Lathrop, CA on the 21st at 6:00 AM (49 miles empty and 1676 miles loaded). It was scheduled for a T-Call in Henderson, NV because 5 days is is too long to spend on a 3 day run. That changed the loaded miles to 1228. I made my delivery and left for Tulsa at 9:30 AM. I arrived at the Shipper in Tulsa at 10:45 AM . At least, I arrived where the Shipper was supposed to be. HERE IS WHERE THE DAY (NAY, THE WEEKEND) WENT INTO THE TOILET. In capsule form, here’s what transpired. I looked around, but could find no ’signs of life’ anywhere near the Warehouse. I called the DM du jour in Salt Lake City. He, in turn, messaged the Load Planner for this area that there was no one around. He discovered a phone number on his Computer Screen that I didn’t have in my Dispatch. After calling that number, and making numerous calls to every number that I had, for about 2 hours, I Called Salt Lake City again. This time I got some “new guy” who was unfamiliar with what was going on, and my work habits. He said that I was 2 hours LATE and that they had probably already left because I didn’t show up. Strike 1. After I had explained to him what had happened so far, he asked if I was SURE I was in the right location. I told him that I had followed the directions that Swift had provided for me ‘to the letter’. Strike 2. I asked to speak to the person with whom I had spoken earlier, but he had gone to lunch. I started to tell this guy that he was the one who was ‘out to lunch’, but I managed to restrain myself. Who knows, I might need a favor from him one day. I don’t know him yet, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I asked him for some guidance on what to do next (ie: to Contact the Load Planner again to try to get me another load or find the correct pick-up location for this one). He told me to wait. I waited, and waited, and waited for another hour and a half. By this time, I’m 4 hours past the pick-up time. Even I, with my limited mental faculties, can figure out that this is just a total SNAFU. I made the Command Decision to ‘weigh anchor’ and head to the Flying J before all the ‘prime’ WiFi Hotspots were taken. I logged a whopping 1 hour and drove 46 miles for the day.
On Sunday, the 17th, I went back to the “Shipper”. Again, no one was there and the place appeared to be vacant. I didn’t log a DAMNED thing. This way, at least I’ll have a ‘fresh’ 70 hours to begin my Work Week. Back to the Flying J.
On the 18th, Monday, I drove from the Flying J back to where the Shipper is supposed to be. I arrived at 0600, Tulsa Time. Still no signs of life, so I wait, and wait and wait some more. No sense calling anyone yet, as the Weekend Crew will be on until 7:00 AM Salt Lake Time. At 9:00 AM (Tulsa Time), a vehicle arrives and the driver opens the warehouse. I go in and ask him if I’m in the right place. He says that I ‘m not. He has just recently rented this Warehouse, and is a clothing wholesaler. I call myDM. She is not HAPPY about the fact that I had to wait the ENTIRE weekend to find out that the directions are OBVIOUSLY WRONG!! To abbreviate this a little, I’ll just give you the Bottom Line. Whoever gave the directions, or whoever entered them into the System at Swift (we’ll never know THAT answer) omitted a crutial step (a left turn). Had I had that little bit of information, I would have been loaded on SATURDAY. I LOST 2 DAYS DRIVING BECAUSE OF SOMEONE’S INATTENTION TO DETAIL!! My DM gave me $100.00 for ‘waiting time’, but that was the best she could do. Little compensation for the $900.00 to $1,000.00 that I would have made driving. Anyway, after finally getting the correct directions, I found the Shipper with no problem. I was loaded by 9:30AM Salt Lake time. I left Tulsa and drove to Oklahoma City. I had breakfast there and then drove to Amarillo, TX. After a short break there to exercise the BCC, I drove to Albuquerque, NM where I stopped for the night. I drove 630 miles in 10.25 hours.
On the 19th, I left Albuquerque at 9:00 AM. Just after crossing the border into Arizona, I noticed a distinct increase in the wind velosity. It was coming from the Southwest at about 25 mph constant with gusts up to 40 mph. Between there and Flagstaff, I saw 2 vehicles blown off the road by the wind. One was a ‘big truck’ and the other was an unfortunate RV driver w/ a “toad”. The truck driver had the decency to be blown completely off the road the onto the ‘grassy’ shoulder so as to not impede the flow of traffic. The RV’er SPRAWLED himself over most of BOTH lanes. Traffic came to a complete stop and was eventually diverted around the accident via the Shoulder. Anyway, I arrived in Flagstaff at 2:00 PM. I took an hour break there and then drove to Kingman, AZ. After a short break there, I continued on to Barstow, CA where I stopped for the night. I drove 638 miles in 11 hours.
Today, the 20th, I left Barstow at 8:30 AM. I drove to Bakersfield where I took a short break for a BCC walk and a snack. I left there at 11:00 AM and drove to Lathrop, CA where I stopped for the night. I drove 341 miles in 6.75 hours.
April 30th, 2005 (Saturday):
On the 21st, I FINALLY delivered the load from Tulsa. After the delivery, the Planner gave me a load that picked up in Woodland, CA and delivered in Brampton, Ontario {Canada} (75 miles empty and 2526 miles loaded). Good miles, but since I don’t DO Canada anymore, I called my DM to see if I should accept the load and arrange for a T-Call somewhere along the route or turn the load down. She said to take it and she would make the T-Call arrangements. I left Lathrop at 11:30 AM and drove to Woodland. I arrived at 1:oo PM. Since this is a Drop & Hook customer, the load went quickly and I departed at 1:30 PM. I drove to Sparks, NV. I took a 15 minute break for a BCC walk, then drove to Elko, NV where I stopped for the night. I drove 494 miles in 8.75 hours. Still no word from my DM about the T-Call.
On the 22nd, I left Elko at 10:45 AM and drove to Salt Lake City. My DM has arranged a T-Call there, and has a load with actually better miles on it (when you consider the 672 miles that I already have on this trip). I arrived in Salt Lake City at 4:00PM after stopping in Wendover at the Peppermill for a FREE shower (ref: the entry for Jan. 29th, 2005 in the “JANUARY” post on this BLOG). After dropping this load in our yard, I went in to see what my DM had in mind. She had a load for me that was enroute to the Terminal from the Bay Area, but wouldn’t be there until about 8:30 PM. The load was going to Monroe Township, PA (0 miles empty and 2165 miles loaded). The load arrived right on schedule, and I left Salt Lake at 9:00 PM. I drove to Little America, WY where I stopped for the night. I drove 363 miles in 5.75 hours.
On Saturday, the 23rd, I left Little America at 9:45 AM and drove to Laramie, WY. After feuling and a BCC walk, I departed Laramie at 2:15 PM. Between Laramie and Cheyenne, I stopped at the Lincoln Monument, which is in a Rest Area about 15 miles east of Laramie, and took the following photographs:
After leaving the Monument, I drove about 15 miles farther and stopped at a Point of Interest and took these pictures.
After a break here, I drove to Big Springs, NE for dinner. I left at 6:00 PM and drove to Grand Island, NE where I stopped for the night. I drove 633 miles in 10 hours.
On Sunday, the 24th, I left Grand Island at 10:15 AM and drove to Des Moines, IA. I took a 15 minute BCC break here and drove to Davenport, IA where I stopped for the night. I drove 416 miles in 6.75 hours.
On the 25th, I left Davenport at 10:30 AM and drove to our terminal in Gary, IN for fuel and a BCC break. I left at 5:00 PM and drove to the Fallen Timbers Service Plaza on the Ohio Turnpike (I-80 EB MM-44) where I stopped for the night. I drove 353 miles in 6.5 hours.
On the 26th, (the 56th anniversary of my brothers’ birth), I left the Service Plaza at 7:00 AM. I drove to Niles, OH. After a break, I left at 11:15 AM and drove to Bloomsburg, PA. After dinner, I departed and drove to Bloomsbury, NJ (confusing, huh!!) where I stopped for the night. I drove 518 miles in 8.5 hours.
On the 27th, I left Bloomsbury at 7:30 AM and drove to Monroe Township. After the Drop & Hook delivery, the Planner gave me a load that picked up in Cranbury, NJ and delivered in Myrtle Beach, SC (8 miles empty and 573 miles loaded). I accepted it and departed for Cranbury at 10:30 AM. I had to wait about an hour to be loaded because my appointment wasn’t until 3:00 PM and the load wasn’t ready. After being loaded, I left at 12:30 PM (Mountain Time, 2:30 PM Eastern). I drove to Richmond, Va. After a dinner break and a BCC walk, I left there at 7:15 PM. I drove to Kenly, NC where I stopped for the night. I drove 495 miles in 9 hours.
On the 28th, I left Kenly at 8:15 AM and drove to Myrtle Beach, SC. I stopped and called the customer when I was about 25 miles away to see what time I should arrive. I was delivering washers and dryers to a construction sight for a new Resort. The appointment was for 3:00 PM and it was only about 1:00 PM. They said to come on in, so I did. When I arrived, they weren’t ready for me after all. They said that they couldn’t have access to the elevator until 3:30 PM, so I had a couple of hours to kill.
The BCC had fun splashing in the “BIG WA WA”.
After I was empty, the Planner gave me a load that picked up in Mount Pleasant, SC and delivered in Bentonville, AR (113 miles empty and 978 miles loaded). I drove to Mount Pleasant and picked up my load (it was a Drop & Hook Customer). I left there at 4:30 PM and drove to Thompson, GA where I stopped for the night. I drove 481 miles in 8.75 hours.
On the 29th, I left Thompson and drove to our terminal in Decatur (Atlanta), GA. There I feuled and walkedthe BCC. I left there at 12:15 PM and drove to Birmingham, AL. Here I took a long break to eat and shower. After that, I drove to our Terminal in Memphis, TN where I stopped for the night. I drove 476 hours in 8 hours.
On Saturday, the 30th, I left Memphis at 8:00AM and drove to Bentonville. There I got unloaded. I only have 1 hour remaining, so I’m pretty much stuck until tomorrow AM.
The Planner just gave me a load that picks up tomorrow in Jenks (Tulsa), OK and delivers in Lancaster on the 4th (113 miles empty and 1404 miles loaded). I’m going to burn up my remaining hour and get started that way. There is a place to stop in Chouteau, OK about 50 miles from the Shipper. I’ll start from there in the AM.
COMMENTS: I had a total of 11 trips in April. I had 642 miles empty and 11776 miles loaded for a total of 12418 miles. The Deadhead percentage was a fraction over 5% (GOOD). I worked 27 days. The average miles per work day was 459 miles. That’s satisfactory. I’d prefer to see about 475 to 500 miles per day in this catagory. The average miles per trip was almost 1129. That’s excellent. That means that I have about 2 days of driving per trip before I have to “waste” time on loading/unloading, waiting for another trip, etc, etc. I normally don’t get paid for these sort of things. All in all, I rate this month as Very Good. I worked too many days without time off at home ( I had none this month), but I managed to over come the Malaise of March and get out of the “hole”.
AN OBSERVATION
April 16, 2005 on 9:46 am | In Humor | No CommentsLast night I stopped at the Flying J in Checotah, OK for dinner. I was sitting at the counter as I usually do. While I was waiting for my order, I was observing the people in the restaurant. At one table there was a group of 5 people. Their combined weight had to be at least a TON. Here, I’ll make an assumption and say that they were a Family out celebrating something. They seemed in a festive mood, and bore a close resembelance to each other. Anyway, back to the story. One of them got up from the table and headed for the Buffet. About half way there, he stopped, leaning against the wall. It appeared to me like he was trying to catch his breath. After about 30 seconds, he proceeded to the Buffet. At that point, the thought struck me that: “If You Have To Stop and Rest 1/2 Way to the Buffet, YOU MIGHT WANT TO RECONSIDER YOUR MENU SELECTION”
It’s just an OBSERVATION
MINI-TORNADO
April 9, 2005 on 5:24 pm | In On The Road | No CommentsApril 7, 2005
Today, I awoke at 5:30 AM. While I was out walking the ‘doggies’, I received a Pre-Plan instructing me to take my empty trailer and drive to our Terminal in Memphis, TN. Just after I left the Terminal in Decatur, GA to drive to Memphis, my QualCom beeped 3 times. I stopped just outside the gate to read the messages. When the QualCom goes off 3 times in succession, it’s probably a good idea to see what they want. Such was the case this time as well. They had cancelled my “deadhead” trip and gave me 2 Pre-Plans. The 1st picked up in Forest Park, GA and delivered in Ocala, FL (13 miles empty and 354 miles loaded). The 2nd Plan picks up in Palatka, FL tomorrow and delivers in Ardmore, OK (59 miles empty and 1099 miles loaded) A.S.A. P. After getting directions, I proceeded to the 1st Shipper. After the ‘drop & hook’, I left Forest Park at 9:45 AM. I drove to Lake Park, GA where I ate lunch. I left there at 2:30 PM and drove to Ocala. I drove directly to the Consignee. While I was checking in with Security, the guard said that I had just missed the TORNADO. It had touched down about an hour before, about a mile from there, near the Airport. He also said that a Swift truck had been over-turned by the Tornado the intersection of US-40 and SW 60th Ave. We have a Terminal in the area, so after I was unloaded, I went there. The Terminal was not in the Path of the Tornado, and the damage there was slight. The previously mentioned Truck had just arrived via Wrecker. Besides the unfortunate Swift Driver (who was, I heard later, taken to the Hospital for observation), the only damage at the Terminal was 1 small tree up-rooted, a couple of signs blown over on the fuel island, and some trash blown out of a Dumpster. This was a result of a Tornado associated Micro-Burst, not the actual Tornado “funnel”.
It was evidently a small Tornado because there was not too much damage. There were a few trees down, power lines down, etc. Just the expected Tornado related damage. (I wonder if there was a Cyclone that followed the exact path at the identical wind velocity if everything would be put back into place??) The Path of the Tornado from what I could determine was only about 300 yards long, due East on US-40 from SW 60th Ave, mainly on the South side of the Highway. I saw it when I left the Terminal. It was after dark, so I didn’t bother with any more pictures. They wouldn’t have been BLOGworthy.
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