We're hanging up the reins, so to speak.
Lori has turned in the truck back in Springfield today and is on her way home. I drove back from Denver last Monday while Lori waited for the truck to get fixed (a job that wasn't completed until Friday, a full week after we dropped it off.) She then picked up a load of beef from Fort Morgan, CO and drove the trailer to Springfield for someone else to pick up.
While it was great being able to see so much of the country, I underestimated how much I would miss being at home. I knew that being away for weeks at a time was part of the deal but I didn't think it would be that big of a deal; it was. It's rather humbling to realize I didn't know myself any better than that.
In addition to not being at the house on a regular basis, I struggled with the feeling that I was never "off duty." Even when we were between assignments, we always had to be ready to head out at a moments notice. That made it hard for me to "unwind" and really relax.
Even so, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. We went places and saw things we probably never would have otherwise. And there are lots of great memories of life on the road.
Not sure what we'll do next. Local driving jobs are an option and I'm looking into part-time or contract work back in local government public affairs. Whatever happens, we know God is in charge and is putting us exactly where He wants us to be.
Thank you all for following our adventures, for sharing your thoughts, and for providing the encouragement to keep this blog going.
Take care and God bless!
Showing posts with label Trucking trials. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trucking trials. Show all posts
Monday, December 8, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
REALLY holed up in Denver
We're still in Denver. That's because the repair shop has discovered the need to bore the engine core - and the guy that does that isn't in until Monday.
So, we're here until at least late Monday, if not Tuesday. We'll make the best of it.
So, we're here until at least late Monday, if not Tuesday. We'll make the best of it.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Holed up in Denver
More truck troubles have us overnighting in Denver. After making our delivery this morning (NOTE - Arizona Ice Tea is NOT from Arizona; this batch came from Sacramento CA!), we decided to take the truck into the shop to have the latest coolant leak checked. (As you may recall, we had a new water pump installed three weeks ago.)
The good news is it isn't the water pump. The bad news is it's a blown head gasket - and that means an overnight stay.
In keeping with our philosophy of being 40 Ton Tourists, we decided to get a room at the Hyatt Regency across from the Denver Convention Center (site of this year's "DenverCrat" Convention, but we won't hold that against the hotel.)
The outdoor 16th St Mall is just a few blocks away so we did some quick window shopping, got some dinner, and high-tailed it back to the hotel. We did NOT bring warm enough clothes for walking at night.
The technician says the truck should be ready tomorrow. We'll see...
The good news is it isn't the water pump. The bad news is it's a blown head gasket - and that means an overnight stay.
In keeping with our philosophy of being 40 Ton Tourists, we decided to get a room at the Hyatt Regency across from the Denver Convention Center (site of this year's "DenverCrat" Convention, but we won't hold that against the hotel.)
The outdoor 16th St Mall is just a few blocks away so we did some quick window shopping, got some dinner, and high-tailed it back to the hotel. We did NOT bring warm enough clothes for walking at night.
The technician says the truck should be ready tomorrow. We'll see...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
He said, she said
What a ruckus over 20 bottles of fat free ranch dressing.
During the course of our four deliveries today (one of which was at a location that was NOT designed for semi-trucks!), one of the customers found out they had reeived five boxes of ranch dressing they hadn't ordered. Okay, fair enough. We call our claims department to find out what to do. Claims calls the shipper who says "Our records show they ordered them, they have to take them." The receiver first says okay then says "My broker says I don't have to take them and I want them back on your truck."
After some more phone calls and some very clear direction from our folks to leave the dressing and go to our next delivery, we hit the road - half expecting the bottles of dressing to be thrown off the dock and into our trailer as we pulled away.
Now we can understand why the receiver wouldn't want to take something he didn't order, as well as why the shipper wouldn't want the hassle of taking back something they shipped (though it is more likely we would have "disposed" of the dressing in one way or another). But really, all of this drama over 20 containers of salad dressing? We would think some sort of arrangement could have been worked out. Instead, there ended up being bad blood on both sides and probably the loss of a customer for the company providing the dressing.
During the course of our four deliveries today (one of which was at a location that was NOT designed for semi-trucks!), one of the customers found out they had reeived five boxes of ranch dressing they hadn't ordered. Okay, fair enough. We call our claims department to find out what to do. Claims calls the shipper who says "Our records show they ordered them, they have to take them." The receiver first says okay then says "My broker says I don't have to take them and I want them back on your truck."
After some more phone calls and some very clear direction from our folks to leave the dressing and go to our next delivery, we hit the road - half expecting the bottles of dressing to be thrown off the dock and into our trailer as we pulled away.
Now we can understand why the receiver wouldn't want to take something he didn't order, as well as why the shipper wouldn't want the hassle of taking back something they shipped (though it is more likely we would have "disposed" of the dressing in one way or another). But really, all of this drama over 20 containers of salad dressing? We would think some sort of arrangement could have been worked out. Instead, there ended up being bad blood on both sides and probably the loss of a customer for the company providing the dressing.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Justice, mercy and grace
It’s human nature to want to see justice done, especially if you’re the victim of some wrongdoing. “I hope they get what they deserve” is a common sentiment we use when discussing criminals standing trial.
Of course, justice can be a bitter pill when it’s you who has to face the consequences of your actions. Those are the times when compassion and mercy – not getting what we deserve – are what we’d really rather see.
We were the recipients of a good dose of mercy yesterday. Just outside of Flagstaff, one of “Arizona’s finest” pulled Lori over while she was driving and I was in the passenger seat. He claimed Lori wasn’t wearing her seat belt, so he decided to do a “Level 3” inspection, which includes going over all of our permits, load paperwork, and driving logs.
We figured we were both in for a ticket; Lori for the seatbelt and me for being in the passenger seat when my log said I was in the sleeper berth. After about 20 minutes, the officer came back and let us off with what amounted to a written warning about not having a copy of the trailer’s registration with us and my log discrepancy. His decision to be merciful was much appreciated.
Had the officer decided to not to note those two things on his inspection report, we would have been eligible for a cash bonus from Prime for passing a safety inspection. That would have been an example of the other end of the spectrum; grace, or getting good things we don’t deserve.
Fortunately, we are the recipients of mercy and grace every day. Instead of giving us what we deserve, God shows His mercy by giving all of us the opportunity to avoid the very real eternal consequences of disobeying His rules. But more than that, He gives us grace by allowing us to spend eternity with Him, something we certainly do not deserve. You, too, can enjoy His grace and mercy. Click here to find out how.
Of course, justice can be a bitter pill when it’s you who has to face the consequences of your actions. Those are the times when compassion and mercy – not getting what we deserve – are what we’d really rather see.
We were the recipients of a good dose of mercy yesterday. Just outside of Flagstaff, one of “Arizona’s finest” pulled Lori over while she was driving and I was in the passenger seat. He claimed Lori wasn’t wearing her seat belt, so he decided to do a “Level 3” inspection, which includes going over all of our permits, load paperwork, and driving logs.
We figured we were both in for a ticket; Lori for the seatbelt and me for being in the passenger seat when my log said I was in the sleeper berth. After about 20 minutes, the officer came back and let us off with what amounted to a written warning about not having a copy of the trailer’s registration with us and my log discrepancy. His decision to be merciful was much appreciated.
Had the officer decided to not to note those two things on his inspection report, we would have been eligible for a cash bonus from Prime for passing a safety inspection. That would have been an example of the other end of the spectrum; grace, or getting good things we don’t deserve.
Fortunately, we are the recipients of mercy and grace every day. Instead of giving us what we deserve, God shows His mercy by giving all of us the opportunity to avoid the very real eternal consequences of disobeying His rules. But more than that, He gives us grace by allowing us to spend eternity with Him, something we certainly do not deserve. You, too, can enjoy His grace and mercy. Click here to find out how.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Fix it
We've spent most of the past two days getting work done on the truck.
It was time to have our 22,000-mile routine maintenance done, so we scheduled an appointment at the truck stop in Ontario to have it done. While we were waiting, we noticed a nice leak out of the back of our water pump. We figured they could fix that along with doing our maintenance.
No such luck. Since the truck is under warranty, we had to go to a Freightliner dealer to have the water pump fixed. By the time we finished with the maitenance work and drove over to the dealer in Ontario, it was 4:15 - which meant having to wait until the next morning to get the work done. So, we spent the night in the dealer parking lot.
They started working on the truck about 6:30 a.m. but it took until after 3:00 to finish! However, the waiting wasn't all that bad. Since we were the first ones in the customer lounge, Lori got to pick the TV channel. It was quite amusing seeing a room full of truck drivers watching Regis & Kelly and The View.
We're now waiting at a cold storage facility in Riverside to pick up a load of produce going to a Wal-Mart distribution center just south of Kansas City. It doesn't deliver until Saturday morning at 6:00 a.m. so we can actually take our time getting there. It would be nice to stop at a grocery store along the way so we can restock the pantry and cooler.
Looking forward to being home next weekend for our annual Family Reunion picnic.
It was time to have our 22,000-mile routine maintenance done, so we scheduled an appointment at the truck stop in Ontario to have it done. While we were waiting, we noticed a nice leak out of the back of our water pump. We figured they could fix that along with doing our maintenance.
No such luck. Since the truck is under warranty, we had to go to a Freightliner dealer to have the water pump fixed. By the time we finished with the maitenance work and drove over to the dealer in Ontario, it was 4:15 - which meant having to wait until the next morning to get the work done. So, we spent the night in the dealer parking lot.
They started working on the truck about 6:30 a.m. but it took until after 3:00 to finish! However, the waiting wasn't all that bad. Since we were the first ones in the customer lounge, Lori got to pick the TV channel. It was quite amusing seeing a room full of truck drivers watching Regis & Kelly and The View.
We're now waiting at a cold storage facility in Riverside to pick up a load of produce going to a Wal-Mart distribution center just south of Kansas City. It doesn't deliver until Saturday morning at 6:00 a.m. so we can actually take our time getting there. It would be nice to stop at a grocery store along the way so we can restock the pantry and cooler.
Looking forward to being home next weekend for our annual Family Reunion picnic.
Monday, November 10, 2008
White out!
Well, we thought we had headed far enough south to avoid the snow - we were wrong.
I took over driving in Tucumcari about midnight. The sky was clear, though it was definitely cold. Everything was going along fine until BAM! Just outside of Grants, New Mexico the windshield was suddenly filled with big white, wet snowflakes and I couldn't see a thing. Lori woke up when a loud expletive lept out of my mouth. She plopped down in the passenger seat to help give directions since my windshield had instantly iced up and the wiper wasn't clearing it away.
The defroster eventually heated up the windshield enough to melt the ice and I could sorta, kinda see where I was going. I managed to follow the tracks of the truck in front of me and not go off the road. Being the middle of New Mexico there were no off ramps to safely get off the highway.
Fortunately, it only lasted about 20 minutes followed about 15 minutes later by another lighter snowfall. By sunrise, the sky had cleared though the ground was covered with about 2-3 inches of snow. Not something you see very often in the Arizona desert. It had also snowed quite a bit in Flagstaff so the pine trees were full of snow. A nice winter scene - two weeks before Thanksgiving!
Now that I've had my "first time" maybe I won't yell and wake up Lori next time it happens.
I took over driving in Tucumcari about midnight. The sky was clear, though it was definitely cold. Everything was going along fine until BAM! Just outside of Grants, New Mexico the windshield was suddenly filled with big white, wet snowflakes and I couldn't see a thing. Lori woke up when a loud expletive lept out of my mouth. She plopped down in the passenger seat to help give directions since my windshield had instantly iced up and the wiper wasn't clearing it away.
The defroster eventually heated up the windshield enough to melt the ice and I could sorta, kinda see where I was going. I managed to follow the tracks of the truck in front of me and not go off the road. Being the middle of New Mexico there were no off ramps to safely get off the highway.
Fortunately, it only lasted about 20 minutes followed about 15 minutes later by another lighter snowfall. By sunrise, the sky had cleared though the ground was covered with about 2-3 inches of snow. Not something you see very often in the Arizona desert. It had also snowed quite a bit in Flagstaff so the pine trees were full of snow. A nice winter scene - two weeks before Thanksgiving!
Now that I've had my "first time" maybe I won't yell and wake up Lori next time it happens.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Go, Dog, Go!
What promised to be a lovely trip from the California coast through the Rockies to Detroit turned into a bit like the title of the Dr. Suess book featuring driving dogs.
The delivery instructions were very explicit on this load - do not be late as it needs to arrive between 3 and 5 a.m. to meet the production schedule at the receiver's location (Fresh Pak salad in Detroit). That wouldn't have been a problem except for a four-hour delay leaving Santa Barbara. Add to that the fact that the speed/rpm governor setting on our truck meant that the uphill sections of Utah and the Rockies were spent going about 35 mph and you end up with a trip during which we barely had time to "heed nature's call" if we were going to make the appointment.
With a little luck and putting the accelator to the floor, we managed to arrive at 4:45 a.m. - and then proceeded to wait for 4 1/2 hours! Needless to say, we let our fleet manager know. We'll see if anything comes of it.
We understand why Prime wants to limit the speed on it's company trucks (fuel mileage) and we really don't have a problem running at slower speeds since higher fuel mileage means pay bonuses for us. However, we are going to ask Cheryl, our fleet manager, if we can have the speed on our truck turned up (which Prime will do on your fleet manager's approval) - not because we want to go tearing across the flat lands but because we really need to be able to go faster than 35 mph uphill. Not only do we think it's a problem when it comes to being on time, it can also create a safety hazard as cars and trucks approach us from the rear.
The delivery instructions were very explicit on this load - do not be late as it needs to arrive between 3 and 5 a.m. to meet the production schedule at the receiver's location (Fresh Pak salad in Detroit). That wouldn't have been a problem except for a four-hour delay leaving Santa Barbara. Add to that the fact that the speed/rpm governor setting on our truck meant that the uphill sections of Utah and the Rockies were spent going about 35 mph and you end up with a trip during which we barely had time to "heed nature's call" if we were going to make the appointment.
With a little luck and putting the accelator to the floor, we managed to arrive at 4:45 a.m. - and then proceeded to wait for 4 1/2 hours! Needless to say, we let our fleet manager know. We'll see if anything comes of it.
We understand why Prime wants to limit the speed on it's company trucks (fuel mileage) and we really don't have a problem running at slower speeds since higher fuel mileage means pay bonuses for us. However, we are going to ask Cheryl, our fleet manager, if we can have the speed on our truck turned up (which Prime will do on your fleet manager's approval) - not because we want to go tearing across the flat lands but because we really need to be able to go faster than 35 mph uphill. Not only do we think it's a problem when it comes to being on time, it can also create a safety hazard as cars and trucks approach us from the rear.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Deja vu all over again
We're back in Seguin, TX, sitting at the Tyson plant, waiting for a load of fresh chicken headed to - you guessed it - Walnut, CA and Oxnard, CA. Seems like these two Sysco Food Services centers have a standing weekly order for chicken.
This trip isn't exactly the same as last time, however. This morning we had to swing by Big Rig Truck Accessories in New Braunfels, TX and pick up a new cover and latch kit for our APU generator compartment. It seems we "lost" the old ones somewhere between Deming, NM and San Antonio last week.
I thought it would be a fairly straightforward process to put on the new latches (and being a good "company man" I figured we could save Prime the cost of an installation), so we just picked up the new items and headed for Seguin where I proceeded to undertake the installation while Lori did a load of laundry at the local laundramat.
I don't think my hands will ever be clean again. What I thought would be a relatively quick and simple job ended up requiring my crawling around under the truck to remove the bottom cover of the APU compartment and then squeezing my fingers into two little openings to loosen and re-attach some screws, a process that took a good hour to complete. I'm still on the lookout for a bar of Lava soap to get the grease out from under my fingernails.
Anyway, we're hoping to be back at home again Thursday afternoon/evening.
This trip isn't exactly the same as last time, however. This morning we had to swing by Big Rig Truck Accessories in New Braunfels, TX and pick up a new cover and latch kit for our APU generator compartment. It seems we "lost" the old ones somewhere between Deming, NM and San Antonio last week.
I thought it would be a fairly straightforward process to put on the new latches (and being a good "company man" I figured we could save Prime the cost of an installation), so we just picked up the new items and headed for Seguin where I proceeded to undertake the installation while Lori did a load of laundry at the local laundramat.
I don't think my hands will ever be clean again. What I thought would be a relatively quick and simple job ended up requiring my crawling around under the truck to remove the bottom cover of the APU compartment and then squeezing my fingers into two little openings to loosen and re-attach some screws, a process that took a good hour to complete. I'm still on the lookout for a bar of Lava soap to get the grease out from under my fingernails.
Anyway, we're hoping to be back at home again Thursday afternoon/evening.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Back at it
What a great time at home! We spent five days at home relaxing and spending time with family, including a somewhat belated birthday party for Lori and her twin sister. Everybody was over to the house on Saturday for smoked ribs, chicken, hot links, corn bread, cole slaw, "armadillo eggs," peanut butter pie, and peach cobbler. Of course, we made enough to have left overs on the truck.
We got back to it Monday morning with a pickup of Rival home appliances in Fontana. But that wasn't until after headquarters managed to track down the driver who had left his locks on the empty trailer we were trying to pick up at the drop yard in Ontario. We had already called the local truck service facility to send somebody over to cut off the locks but got to call him off in the nick of time. Needless to say, we were not pleased about the delay. There was really NO reason for this driver to lock up an EMPTY trailer (other than he wanted to make sure it was still there when HE was ready to get back on the road; just plain rude.)
From Fontana it was straight through to Grantsville, UT (just outside of Salt Lake) for the delivery at a Wal-mart distribution center. Actually, we just dropped the loaded trailer and picked up another empty one. After a LONG day, we headed over to the Prime yard in Salt Lake to spend the night. We're waiting in line at the inspection bay to get one of our trailer tires looked at; it appears to have a leak.
We do have a load assignment for pickup later this evening. It's headed for Tennessee but our plan is to take it to headquarters in Springfield so I can take my license test.
We got back to it Monday morning with a pickup of Rival home appliances in Fontana. But that wasn't until after headquarters managed to track down the driver who had left his locks on the empty trailer we were trying to pick up at the drop yard in Ontario. We had already called the local truck service facility to send somebody over to cut off the locks but got to call him off in the nick of time. Needless to say, we were not pleased about the delay. There was really NO reason for this driver to lock up an EMPTY trailer (other than he wanted to make sure it was still there when HE was ready to get back on the road; just plain rude.)
From Fontana it was straight through to Grantsville, UT (just outside of Salt Lake) for the delivery at a Wal-mart distribution center. Actually, we just dropped the loaded trailer and picked up another empty one. After a LONG day, we headed over to the Prime yard in Salt Lake to spend the night. We're waiting in line at the inspection bay to get one of our trailer tires looked at; it appears to have a leak.
We do have a load assignment for pickup later this evening. It's headed for Tennessee but our plan is to take it to headquarters in Springfield so I can take my license test.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Tucumcari Tonite!
In honor of those iconic billboards along I-40/Route 66, we’re spending tonight in Tucumcari, NM. (Actually, it’s just a coincidence but I’ve always liked those billboards ever since I first saw them as a kid during family vacations to Missouri.)
We left Dodge City, KS early this afternoon with a load headed to the L.A. area. Tomorrow will be a FULL day of driving so we can get as close to L.A. as possible tomorrow night to give us plenty of time to make our 6 p.m. delivery appointment on Tuesday.
There was a bit of excitement in the truck stop parking lot as we were arriving. As I was trying to back into our parking space for the night (with directional assistance from Lori) she witnessed another truck backing right into the front end of another truck. Unfortunately, the driver of the parked truck was standing up inside his cab and was thrown into the cabinet, which hurt his neck severely enough that they had to call an ambulance to take him.
This same driver almost backed right into us as well while we were coming into the parking lot. Luckily, I got passed him before he got the parked truck. It is very true that most truck accidents occur in truck stops.
We left Dodge City, KS early this afternoon with a load headed to the L.A. area. Tomorrow will be a FULL day of driving so we can get as close to L.A. as possible tomorrow night to give us plenty of time to make our 6 p.m. delivery appointment on Tuesday.
There was a bit of excitement in the truck stop parking lot as we were arriving. As I was trying to back into our parking space for the night (with directional assistance from Lori) she witnessed another truck backing right into the front end of another truck. Unfortunately, the driver of the parked truck was standing up inside his cab and was thrown into the cabinet, which hurt his neck severely enough that they had to call an ambulance to take him.
This same driver almost backed right into us as well while we were coming into the parking lot. Luckily, I got passed him before he got the parked truck. It is very true that most truck accidents occur in truck stops.
Friday, August 29, 2008
A bad streak
A new day is dawning - and we’re still sitting in Fort Morgan.
We arrived at about noon yesterday after dropping a trailer full of canned Arizona tea in Longmont, CO and spending the night at a local truck stop. We had spent most of the day at Prime's yard in Denver since we couldn't drop the tea until midnight. I practiced backing up the trailer for about two hours, developing a blister on the right palm from spinning the steering wheel back and forth. I only "spilled orange blood" (ran over an orange practice cone) once.
The instructions for this current load said get the trailer to Cargill Meat in Fort Morgan ASAP, so we did. And then the waiting began. Lori tells me there usually isn’t this much waiting around so I must be having beginner’s luck (all bad!) this week when it comes to getting in and out of shippers and receivers.
Once this load is ready (which they tell us will be 4:00 p.m. today), we’ll have 3 to 4 days of driving as we’re heading to Assonet, MA and Norwich, CT by Tuesday morning. We’re planning a stop at the world’s biggest truck stop, Iowa 80 in Walcott, IA, since it’s along the way. Our route also includes a trip over the George Washington Bridge into New York City and the Bronx. Lori says I get to be a “tourist” since this will be my first trip through “the City.” After that, no more excuses; I’ll have to drive.
Despite having to wait, this is actually a pretty good load since it will be next to impossible to get a new load over this weekend because of the Labor Day holiday. By the time we’re ready to get another assignment it’ll be Tuesday afternoon and everyone will be back to work.
I’m going to take a look at the Internet and see what there is to do here in Fort Morgan, CO. We really don’t want to hang out at Wal-Mart like we did yesterday. There’s a tour of the meat packing plant here at 10 this morning but I think we’re going to pass. It’s depressing enough seeing all the trailers full of steers going in one end of the plant and then coming out empty at the other. But hey, if you want steaks…
We arrived at about noon yesterday after dropping a trailer full of canned Arizona tea in Longmont, CO and spending the night at a local truck stop. We had spent most of the day at Prime's yard in Denver since we couldn't drop the tea until midnight. I practiced backing up the trailer for about two hours, developing a blister on the right palm from spinning the steering wheel back and forth. I only "spilled orange blood" (ran over an orange practice cone) once.
The instructions for this current load said get the trailer to Cargill Meat in Fort Morgan ASAP, so we did. And then the waiting began. Lori tells me there usually isn’t this much waiting around so I must be having beginner’s luck (all bad!) this week when it comes to getting in and out of shippers and receivers.
Once this load is ready (which they tell us will be 4:00 p.m. today), we’ll have 3 to 4 days of driving as we’re heading to Assonet, MA and Norwich, CT by Tuesday morning. We’re planning a stop at the world’s biggest truck stop, Iowa 80 in Walcott, IA, since it’s along the way. Our route also includes a trip over the George Washington Bridge into New York City and the Bronx. Lori says I get to be a “tourist” since this will be my first trip through “the City.” After that, no more excuses; I’ll have to drive.
Despite having to wait, this is actually a pretty good load since it will be next to impossible to get a new load over this weekend because of the Labor Day holiday. By the time we’re ready to get another assignment it’ll be Tuesday afternoon and everyone will be back to work.
I’m going to take a look at the Internet and see what there is to do here in Fort Morgan, CO. We really don’t want to hang out at Wal-Mart like we did yesterday. There’s a tour of the meat packing plant here at 10 this morning but I think we’re going to pass. It’s depressing enough seeing all the trailers full of steers going in one end of the plant and then coming out empty at the other. But hey, if you want steaks…
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
A wierd bit of heaven
I never thought that taking a shower would strike me as a little bit of heaven.
It’s amazing how quickly the things we used to take for granted take on a new importance now that we’re “on the road.” This morning’s shower was a perfect example. I was amazed how much I enjoyed simply standing in a hot shower, something I haven’t had the chance to do since Sunday morning (even though sponge baths are an everyday occurrence). It was also a perfect “pick me up” after spending the night in a loading dock sleeping with one ear open for a call over the CB telling us that our trailer was loaded and ready to go (which happened at 4:30 in the morning).
I did all the driving today, some 530 miles to Colby, KS. I’m looking forward to another new bit of heaven I’ve discovered; a full night of uninterrupted sleep!
It’s amazing how quickly the things we used to take for granted take on a new importance now that we’re “on the road.” This morning’s shower was a perfect example. I was amazed how much I enjoyed simply standing in a hot shower, something I haven’t had the chance to do since Sunday morning (even though sponge baths are an everyday occurrence). It was also a perfect “pick me up” after spending the night in a loading dock sleeping with one ear open for a call over the CB telling us that our trailer was loaded and ready to go (which happened at 4:30 in the morning).
I did all the driving today, some 530 miles to Colby, KS. I’m looking forward to another new bit of heaven I’ve discovered; a full night of uninterrupted sleep!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
First day of driving
I have now driven officially for Prime, Inc.
We picked up a loaded trailer at Prime’s yard with heading for Oklahoma City. It’s a short trip scheduled for delivery at 11:00 o’clock tonight. Short and sweet; a good first trip for me.
While we were checking out, two more of my classmates were picking up bus tickets home. I estimate that about half of my class did not make it out onto the road with an instructor.
I drove for 3½ hours and then swapped seats with Lori (after a nice in-truck dinner of salad) so she could take the load the rest of the way in. I got a little taste of various driving situations; merging, up and down hills, changing highways, and even some “big city” freeway driving through Tulsa. I didn’t hit anything, so I count it a success!
We’re pre-planned to pickup another load in Fort Gibson, OK tomorrow evening that’s due for delivery in Longmont, CO (just north of Denver) late Wednesday. I think we jinxed ourselves by saying we hoped we wouldn’t have to drive through Denver this week since the Democratic Convention is there. Oh, well. With any luck we’ll be able to skirt around any congestion.
We picked up a loaded trailer at Prime’s yard with heading for Oklahoma City. It’s a short trip scheduled for delivery at 11:00 o’clock tonight. Short and sweet; a good first trip for me.
While we were checking out, two more of my classmates were picking up bus tickets home. I estimate that about half of my class did not make it out onto the road with an instructor.
I drove for 3½ hours and then swapped seats with Lori (after a nice in-truck dinner of salad) so she could take the load the rest of the way in. I got a little taste of various driving situations; merging, up and down hills, changing highways, and even some “big city” freeway driving through Tulsa. I didn’t hit anything, so I count it a success!
We’re pre-planned to pickup another load in Fort Gibson, OK tomorrow evening that’s due for delivery in Longmont, CO (just north of Denver) late Wednesday. I think we jinxed ourselves by saying we hoped we wouldn’t have to drive through Denver this week since the Democratic Convention is there. Oh, well. With any luck we’ll be able to skirt around any congestion.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Catching our breath
Whew, this week has been a whirlwind. We arrived in Springfield Sunday evening to a nice surprise; Prime would supply us with a room in their motel facility while we were both in training this week. That sure beats the heck out of sleeping in the truck or getting a “bunk room” at the main terminal.
Our classes started Tuesday morning so we spent all day Monday getting the truck looked after. The shop at the terminal was able to replace the 12-volt power outlets and install an additional side view mirror but couldn’t get the auxiliary power unit repaired (despite a couple hours of effort). We had an appointment for a front-end alignment, so the shop delayed the APU repair work and we headed over to a nearby truck tire shop. In the meantime, Prime’s repair folks made an appointment for us at another repair shop that could fix the APU (which they did while we enjoyed a movie at the theatre in the terminal building).
By that time it was back to the motel to get some sleep before our 5:45 a.m. wake-up call. Over the next three days, it was in and out of various classes for both of us. Bottom line – Mike has his Commercial Vehicle Learner’s Permit and Lori is all set to teach him how to get his Commercial Driver’s License.
A few more classes on Friday morning and then all the newbies get to drive around the practice pad and meet their instructors. I’ve got a bit of a leg up on the rest of the class since I’ve been driving around the practice pad (forward and backward) on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. Most of the trainees will head out with their instructors on their first load assignment late Friday or early Saturday. Lori and I have decided to stay until at least Sunday afternoon so we can go to church here in Springfield at our “home church away from home.”
Our classes started Tuesday morning so we spent all day Monday getting the truck looked after. The shop at the terminal was able to replace the 12-volt power outlets and install an additional side view mirror but couldn’t get the auxiliary power unit repaired (despite a couple hours of effort). We had an appointment for a front-end alignment, so the shop delayed the APU repair work and we headed over to a nearby truck tire shop. In the meantime, Prime’s repair folks made an appointment for us at another repair shop that could fix the APU (which they did while we enjoyed a movie at the theatre in the terminal building).
By that time it was back to the motel to get some sleep before our 5:45 a.m. wake-up call. Over the next three days, it was in and out of various classes for both of us. Bottom line – Mike has his Commercial Vehicle Learner’s Permit and Lori is all set to teach him how to get his Commercial Driver’s License.
A few more classes on Friday morning and then all the newbies get to drive around the practice pad and meet their instructors. I’ve got a bit of a leg up on the rest of the class since I’ve been driving around the practice pad (forward and backward) on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. Most of the trainees will head out with their instructors on their first load assignment late Friday or early Saturday. Lori and I have decided to stay until at least Sunday afternoon so we can go to church here in Springfield at our “home church away from home.”
Monday, August 11, 2008
Plan B
You get these kind of streaks in the trucking business sometimes. Unfortunately, it's happening to Lori and Mike THIS week. Lori was scheduled to be home by late Wednesday so she could be on hand for Mike's retirement lunch and dinner on Thursday. Now it's looking like she'll be home Thursday afternoon - and not even on her own truck.
The load she is picking up in Napoleon, Ohio was delayed while the warehouse waited for another truck to arrive with part of Lori's load. So, instead of leaving Monday morning for Denver she didn't leave until after midnight. That will put her in Denver Wednesday morning, which is still two full driving days away from home. Of course, that's if she had enough available driving hours left in her 70-hour/8-day limit.
So... The plan is for Lori's brother and his wife (Curtis and Candy) to swing by Denver to pick her up in their truck Wednesday and take her (and their load) to Southern California by Thursday afternoon. Then, Curtis and Candy will pick Lori AND Mike up on Friday evening and take them back to Denver, where Lori and Mike will get on Lori's truck, head to Kansas to pick up a load of fresh beef, and get it to the Prime facility in Springfield by late Monday. Another truck will take the beef to its destination and Mike and Lori will begin their training on Tuesday. Whew!
Everybody is keeping their fingers crossed...
The load she is picking up in Napoleon, Ohio was delayed while the warehouse waited for another truck to arrive with part of Lori's load. So, instead of leaving Monday morning for Denver she didn't leave until after midnight. That will put her in Denver Wednesday morning, which is still two full driving days away from home. Of course, that's if she had enough available driving hours left in her 70-hour/8-day limit.
So... The plan is for Lori's brother and his wife (Curtis and Candy) to swing by Denver to pick her up in their truck Wednesday and take her (and their load) to Southern California by Thursday afternoon. Then, Curtis and Candy will pick Lori AND Mike up on Friday evening and take them back to Denver, where Lori and Mike will get on Lori's truck, head to Kansas to pick up a load of fresh beef, and get it to the Prime facility in Springfield by late Monday. Another truck will take the beef to its destination and Mike and Lori will begin their training on Tuesday. Whew!
Everybody is keeping their fingers crossed...
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Incommunicado
incommunicado \in-kuh-myoo-nih-KAH-doh\, adverb or adjective: Without the means or right to communicate.
Well, Lori wasn't completely without the ability to communicate (her CB and Qualcomm were still working) but her cell phone was "dead" most of the day Sunday. That's because her portable 12-volt cooler short-circuited the fuses to the various power outlets inside the truck, leaving her without the ability to recharge her cell phone battery.
After a series of messages back and forth to Prime's "Road Assist" staff, she was able to isolate the problem and get some new fuses installed. She also found out (from her trainer, Tamara) that she'll need to have a heavy-duty 12-volt power outlet installed for the cooler. Otherwise, the outlet will continue to get too hot and "melt" the cooler's power plug, which caused the short circuit. One more thing to add to the "fix it" list when Mike and Lori are at Prime's headquarters next week for training.
Well, Lori wasn't completely without the ability to communicate (her CB and Qualcomm were still working) but her cell phone was "dead" most of the day Sunday. That's because her portable 12-volt cooler short-circuited the fuses to the various power outlets inside the truck, leaving her without the ability to recharge her cell phone battery.
After a series of messages back and forth to Prime's "Road Assist" staff, she was able to isolate the problem and get some new fuses installed. She also found out (from her trainer, Tamara) that she'll need to have a heavy-duty 12-volt power outlet installed for the cooler. Otherwise, the outlet will continue to get too hot and "melt" the cooler's power plug, which caused the short circuit. One more thing to add to the "fix it" list when Mike and Lori are at Prime's headquarters next week for training.
Monday, July 21, 2008
It's all relative
You would think that a severe thunderstorm with 100-mile-per-hour winds would be considered a “bad storm” by just about everybody. Well, not in Des Moines.
Lori was awakened last night about 4 a.m. local time as a wind storm rocked her truck and trailer while she was parked at a truck stop near West Des Moines. She looked out the front window and figured she’d better turn on the TV and radio to find out what was going on. Not that she’s a “weather expert” but she was seeing two of three “indicators” she has figured out usually accompany a tornado; frequent, high energy lighting, and wind and rain going in different directions. The only thing she didn’t see was hail (at least not right where she was).
She knew it must be bad when she found out all of the local TV stations were off the air. The radio announcer was giving a constant rundown of active weather warnings and listing the towns where damaged had been reported. Reports at that time said that a number of buildings had been damaged, numerous trees were blown down, and about 45,000 people were without power. (Read today's coverage here.) That’s when she called Mike so he could go on-line and look at the weather radar to tell her if she was in the path of any big storms.
Fortunately, the worst of the storm was north and east of her location but she decided she was going to stay right there until daylight. Once the sun was up, she sent a message to Cheryl, her dispatcher, to tell her what was going on and to find out if the Coke facility was open and accepting deliveries. The word came back that they were open and to go on ahead.
Once she got there, Lori started talking to the guys on the dock (workers and other truck drivers) and mentioned something about the “rough night.” They looked at her and asked what she was talking about. When she said the thunderstorm, they said “Oh, that…” like it was no big deal. What they couldn’t understand was why anyone would want to live in California with all those earthquakes and wildfires.
Seems like it just depends on what you’re used to…
Lori was awakened last night about 4 a.m. local time as a wind storm rocked her truck and trailer while she was parked at a truck stop near West Des Moines. She looked out the front window and figured she’d better turn on the TV and radio to find out what was going on. Not that she’s a “weather expert” but she was seeing two of three “indicators” she has figured out usually accompany a tornado; frequent, high energy lighting, and wind and rain going in different directions. The only thing she didn’t see was hail (at least not right where she was).
She knew it must be bad when she found out all of the local TV stations were off the air. The radio announcer was giving a constant rundown of active weather warnings and listing the towns where damaged had been reported. Reports at that time said that a number of buildings had been damaged, numerous trees were blown down, and about 45,000 people were without power. (Read today's coverage here.) That’s when she called Mike so he could go on-line and look at the weather radar to tell her if she was in the path of any big storms.
Fortunately, the worst of the storm was north and east of her location but she decided she was going to stay right there until daylight. Once the sun was up, she sent a message to Cheryl, her dispatcher, to tell her what was going on and to find out if the Coke facility was open and accepting deliveries. The word came back that they were open and to go on ahead.
Once she got there, Lori started talking to the guys on the dock (workers and other truck drivers) and mentioned something about the “rough night.” They looked at her and asked what she was talking about. When she said the thunderstorm, they said “Oh, that…” like it was no big deal. What they couldn’t understand was why anyone would want to live in California with all those earthquakes and wildfires.
Seems like it just depends on what you’re used to…
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Hot, hot, hot!
Sorry we haven't posted for a few days; it was a hectic weekend!
Anyway, Lori got her load of fresh produce to Corinne, UT on Saturday evening. On the way up, she got a phone call from her brother and sister-in-law, (Curtis and Candy, the ones who introduced her to trucking.) They asked where she was and where she was headed. "North on I-15 towards Salt Lake," she said.
"Really, we're headed south on I-15 towards Salt Lake!" So they decided to meet at the Prime drop yard in Salt Lake after they finished their deliveries and have some dinner. After dinner, they checked in with their respective fleet managers and found out they both had pick-ups at the same location; Nestle's in Springville, UT to get frozen Stouffer's/Lean Cusine pizzas. And, they were both headed for Southern California; Curtis and Candy to the Vons distribution center in Mira Loma and Lori to Albertson's in Brea.
This is where the "hot, hot, hot" title will begin to make sense. Lori's auxiliary power unit (APU -which allows her to run the air conditioner and electrical items without idling the truck engine) was giving her trouble - in fact, it smelled like it was burning when she turned it on! She shut it off, took a look, and noticed the coolant level was low. She filled it up and then checked it again a little later before trying to start it. That's when she noticed the puddle of coolant. She told headquarters and they said she could get it fixed Monday morning before her afternoon delivery in Brea.
Her and her brother then started south toward California. That's when things really started to warm up. Summer in the desert can be blistering; the temperatures were 108º as they drove toward Las Vegas. The trailer needs to be kept at -10º with frozen loads, a real feat even in normal weather.
Well, the heat took its toll - on both trailers! Lori's refrigerator kept running but couldn't maintain -10º and her brother's refrigerator unit just quit completely. Calls to headquarters got them appointments at the repair shop in Fontana Monday morning. They took Lori's brother as soon as he got there (since his unit was completely shut off) and got to Lori about 8:30 a.m.
A few new parts later, Lori was on her way to Brea - where she spent six hours waiting to get unloaded. Unfortunately, that meant no repair work on the APU that day, so it was over to the truck stop in Fontana for the night. Mike was able to swing by with dinner and spend the night. Curtis and Candy also stopped by for a few minutes before driving up to North Las Vegas with a load of Arizona tea for Tuesday morning delivery.
Tuesday morning Mike headed off to work and Lori went to get the APU fixed.
That should be it for trucking until after Lizzie's wedding on Thursday and then the Fourth of July on Friday.
Anyway, Lori got her load of fresh produce to Corinne, UT on Saturday evening. On the way up, she got a phone call from her brother and sister-in-law, (Curtis and Candy, the ones who introduced her to trucking.) They asked where she was and where she was headed. "North on I-15 towards Salt Lake," she said.
"Really, we're headed south on I-15 towards Salt Lake!" So they decided to meet at the Prime drop yard in Salt Lake after they finished their deliveries and have some dinner. After dinner, they checked in with their respective fleet managers and found out they both had pick-ups at the same location; Nestle's in Springville, UT to get frozen Stouffer's/Lean Cusine pizzas. And, they were both headed for Southern California; Curtis and Candy to the Vons distribution center in Mira Loma and Lori to Albertson's in Brea.
This is where the "hot, hot, hot" title will begin to make sense. Lori's auxiliary power unit (APU -which allows her to run the air conditioner and electrical items without idling the truck engine) was giving her trouble - in fact, it smelled like it was burning when she turned it on! She shut it off, took a look, and noticed the coolant level was low. She filled it up and then checked it again a little later before trying to start it. That's when she noticed the puddle of coolant. She told headquarters and they said she could get it fixed Monday morning before her afternoon delivery in Brea.
Her and her brother then started south toward California. That's when things really started to warm up. Summer in the desert can be blistering; the temperatures were 108º as they drove toward Las Vegas. The trailer needs to be kept at -10º with frozen loads, a real feat even in normal weather.
Well, the heat took its toll - on both trailers! Lori's refrigerator kept running but couldn't maintain -10º and her brother's refrigerator unit just quit completely. Calls to headquarters got them appointments at the repair shop in Fontana Monday morning. They took Lori's brother as soon as he got there (since his unit was completely shut off) and got to Lori about 8:30 a.m.
A few new parts later, Lori was on her way to Brea - where she spent six hours waiting to get unloaded. Unfortunately, that meant no repair work on the APU that day, so it was over to the truck stop in Fontana for the night. Mike was able to swing by with dinner and spend the night. Curtis and Candy also stopped by for a few minutes before driving up to North Las Vegas with a load of Arizona tea for Tuesday morning delivery.
Tuesday morning Mike headed off to work and Lori went to get the APU fixed.
That should be it for trucking until after Lizzie's wedding on Thursday and then the Fourth of July on Friday.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Still running Naked
It looked for awhile that Lori might give her trailer of Naked Juice to another driver. Bad weather in Oklahoma and Missouri slowed her down quite a bit; so much so that there was no way she could make the scheduled delivery time. She informed headquarters of her situation and they told her to come on into headquarters in Springfield (where she was already planning to fuel, get some more load locks and locking fuel caps, and spend Sunday night) and they would try to find someone else to take over the load right away. [NOTE: There were no load locks or locking fuel caps available!]
Unfortunately, there was nobody willing or able to take it so Lori headed out this morning while her fleet manager worked to get the delivery time pushed back. Lori, her fleet manager, and the sales staff have been trying to reach the first customer all day but no one has answered the phone. Lori is spending tonight in Zanesville, Ohio with another 225 miles to get to Claysburg, PA for the first delivery tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m. She'll do the best she can to be on time but she doesn't want to violate the federal "hours of service" regulations on how much time she has to be off-duty before she can drive again.
Unfortunately, there was nobody willing or able to take it so Lori headed out this morning while her fleet manager worked to get the delivery time pushed back. Lori, her fleet manager, and the sales staff have been trying to reach the first customer all day but no one has answered the phone. Lori is spending tonight in Zanesville, Ohio with another 225 miles to get to Claysburg, PA for the first delivery tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m. She'll do the best she can to be on time but she doesn't want to violate the federal "hours of service" regulations on how much time she has to be off-duty before she can drive again.
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