Well got my truck fixed it was not until 11:30 pm on the 28th before it was done. Turned out the guy working on it had to go home in the morning and they had no one available to finish up until later. Turned out to be a leak in the cooling system only $1500.00 glad not my cost.

The company had me pickup in Douglassville, Pa then take it back to Edison, NJ. I arrived at Edison around 2:00 pm eastern and waited until midnight for a load. Got a good load heading home to California via Houston and San Antonio. 2 stops in the morning in Houston and 2 stop in San Antonio on Wednesday then on to California.

The route I was going to take ended up not happening since there was this little storm heading towards New Orleans called Gustav prevented me form going down the 59.

Had a couple of incidents happen in route first was in Mississippi a couple of cars where parked on the shoulder which I normally move over for but there was a car to my left. Well, this two brilliant people decided to pull into the lane right in front of me. Slamming on the brakes, downshifting, blew the Air Horn yelling some choice words which I know they could not hear . By the look in the side view mirror  of the lady in the second SUV if she did not wet her panties I think she learned a lesson. I believe I saw kids in the back seat so I hope she learned her lesson. The second incident happened in Louisiana as I approached a on -ramp a car was entering again I could not move over so since he was a head of me I began to slow down. In my mind common sense tells you when a truck slows down while your getting on the highway to let in you speed up not slow down also? Then that forced me to speed up and he almost ended up in the guard rail and giving me some hand communications. With those 2 incidents I did make it to Houston this afternoon however after fueling up my refer shut off could not get it started. Luckily Thermo King  was only a couple of miles away got it fixed and ready for tomorrows deliveries.

Keep it Safe, I may be next to you, If not me some idiot pulling in front of you from the shoulder.

Tags: Houston Gustav

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Added another State to my list that I have been to, picked up a load in Paw Paw,  Michigan going to Avenal, NJ. I convinced dispatch to let me drop the load at our Edison yard so I might get a load home. I knew if I got there before 6:00 pm I would have a great chance of heading home. However, the road gods had other plans for me. Just after getting into New Jersey about 10 miles from Bloomsbury  had a check engine light go off and an alarm then low water warning. Pulled over found I blew a radiator hose. 2 1/2 hours later I was back on the road and then arrived to the terminal at 9:00 pm and given a load to Ohio? Dispatch said I may get a load to Texas which would get me home (we have a lot of loads going there from there). This morning I did a rookie driver and I mean a 16 year old never having worked on a car mistake. After checking my coolant level I forgot to put the cap back on. After 16 miles I got all the bells and lights discovered what I did and called the terminal (I am sure they are all laughing at that, I know I would be). Got fixed and rolling again but 30 minutes later the same thing pulled over and check reservoir was full? So, I continued and again the alarms and the reservoir was still full. The next time it happen I decide to slow down and watch my gauges temp stayed around 190 degrees and the alarms stopped after 5 minutes, this happened two more time so I decided I better pull into a shop. I stopped at the Petro in Carlisle, Pa around 1:00 pm est after the mechanic checked it he discover oil in the reservoir? Not good , so I got towed to Peterbilt in Lancaster . They said with any luck it will only be a day or two, but with my luck? Also discovered why my truck seemed a bit louder the past couple of days, I lost a piece of the muffler. Goes to show need to do a better job with that pre-trip .

Keep It Safe, On that road

Tags: Lancaster Pennsylvania Pretrip Oppps

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 Well made it to Florida not without issues. My first stop went off OK I was told that my appointment was for 4:00 pm, however, I found out just before I got there that it was an open appointment first come, first served. 4:00 pm was closing time, I did get there an hour before my "appointment" so I was good. My second stop was not until Tuesday at Wal-mart DC in Shelbyville, Tn was told appointment was for 8:00 am and given a confirmation number. I arrived at 7:15 am and was notified that I did not have an appointment and that the confirmation was a confirmation of a pre-schedule? So that did not happen I sat for 3 hours before they decided what they wanted to do with the load. Ended up taking to Nashville and a forwarding company who will deliver it for us. By this time I am 5 hours behind schedule as I planned on being in Jacksonville by 5:00 pm never made it out of Georgia. Jacksonville went of as planned I told customer service that I'd be late I'd be there at 9:30 eastern time and not 6:30 as scheduled she said she'd let them know. That did not happen but they did take their 2 pallets and finally got to my last delivery in Gainesville just to find out I had no appointment, luckily they took it as well. So by  12:00 I was empty notified the terminal and was told to call back in the morning? They had no loads for me, I was told that if your not out of the Georgia terminal it will be hard to get a load out they favor their drivers. I was kind of use to it since Swift had the same problem with the Memphis terminal.

I did get a load out on Thursday picking up in Monroe, Ga and delivering in Grandview, Mo (or so I was told) left Reddick, FL at 3:00 pm  it had be raining a little bit before I left but as soon as I got on I-75 it just let loose this was the leading edges of TS Fay. Arrived at customer Angel Food Ministries http://www.angelfoodministries.com/  at 9:30 pm 30 minutes early, another driver from my terminal was there and another was to show up soon. We all where given the wrong pickup numbers but they where able to determine the other guys loads me not so lucky so I drove 360 miles in a lot of heavy rain (near zero visibility) maybe for naught. However, the right info in the morning CSR inputted wrong. Made it to my delivery to Calvary Chapel in Granger, In on time with a couple of hours to spare even got some sleep before everyone arrived to unload the trailer. Of course being it is a Saturday I get the weekend off, told there will be no loads for me until Monday, so here I sit in Porter, In. The good news I got a shower and was able to do laundry today.

In the three weeks since I have left I've gone from Bakersfield, Ca to North Hatfield, Ma down to Edison, NJ to Fairfield NJ to Minster, Oh to Columbus, Oh back to Edison (This does not include the trip to Florida or up to Indiana). A total of 4400 miles my total pay received $1000.00 including $460.00 in advances (both for personal and company needs) so for two weeks my checking account received $600.00. Needless to say my wife was furious to say the least. Turns out they "Forgot" to input the load to Minster 600 miles and "inputted" the wrong info from the Columbus run 640 miles. Also this is the week that 90% of the office staff in my terminal are now unemployed I am sure there is no connection. Well my next check should be good with the 1240 from last week with the 3020 this week unless of course they forget or input wrong again. We will see next Friday anyway

Keep it Safe, I might be next to you. If not me someones family.  

Tags: Indiana Florida Georgia Pay Safe

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 Last Wednesday as I sat in Ohio my DM told me I would get a load heading south to Georgia. However, things they do change I was dispatched to Columbus to pickup at Abbott Labs Thursday at 6:00 pm and delivering in New Jersey at 8:00 am. I arrived at Abbott 15 minutes early and was put in a door right away. However it took them 6 repeat 6 hours to get me loaded and then t took me another 45 minutes to adjust the weight. As I was waiting to be loaded I told my DM I would never make on time he said he knew it when he gave it to me. After driving till about 2:00 am I decided to heck with it so I parked it and went to sleep. I was falling asleep anyway so I figured it be better if I parked. I got a call at 9:00 am asking where was I and that I was late. I told them what time I got out of Abbott so they diverted me to the NJ terminal. Just before I got to the terminal got hit with a very heavy down pour from a thunder storm that past through (the same one that delayed the Yankee game last night. When I arrived like last week place was full of trucks and was told to check in the morning for any loads.

When I checked in this morning I was told there was nothing to check back incase someone turned down a load (I was 2nd in line). After hanging out and talking with the dispatcher I was given an choice of taking a chance and being stuck in New Jersey till Monday or he'd give me a load to Memphis (2 stops) then on down Florida (also 2 stops). I took the load the only issue is the last 3 stops have not been scheduled so I may be taking them either to a broker or to our Atlanta terminal. We will see I will find out Monday what will be happening my first stop is Monday afternoon. I accepted the load since I have yet to go to Florida well since I was 5 years old. The other states I have yet to go to are Michigan (well I did live here when I was 2 and again when I was 4), Rhode Island, Maine, and Vermont.

One of the things I like about driving OTR is not knowing where your going to be in a day or two. One of the things I dislike about OTR is not knowing where your going to be in a day or two.

Keep It Safe, I might be next to you. If not me that DOT officer who has no sense of Humor.

Tags: Unknown Ohio Georgia Florida

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         Some observations I had this past week….

1. Why is it that when 4 wheelers are getting on the highway just as they are about to get on (with plenty of room ahead of you) they slam on their brakes?
2. Why is it that when 4 wheelers are getting on the highway and a bit behind you at the last minute speed up to get in front of you and almost end up in the ditch or guard rail?
3. Why is it that some 4 wheelers race to get in front of you then once they get in your lane they slow down about 10 mph slower then what you where doing?
4. Not to leave the truckers out of this, Why is it when one trucker is trying to pass another the one being passed wont let they other by? No the one passing was not a Swift truck so don't tell me no one wants to be passed by a Swift truck I learned that when  drove for Swift. I got stuck behind two trucks who where fighting for the lead. The truck passing obviously was governed just a little bit higher then the one being passed. I followed these two trucks for about 10 miles when finely the slightly faster truck got ahead of the slightly slower truck. Then I was able to pass both of them. As a courtesy when a truck is barely passing me but still is passing me I will slow down so he can get in front of me why frustrate the other driver?

These are observations I had this week and it is not the first time I have observed these actions just, I don't know made an impression on me this week I guess.

Keep it safe I might be next to you, you know the rest.

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 Ok I know its been awhile since I have been on been running fairly hard this past week. Was suppose to leave last Tuesday but there was no loads for me so I was ready to go on Wednesday, however my truck was not. Wednesday morning I went to start it up and there was no voltage in the batteries. Ended up all day trying to get the batteries charge finely gave up and called road service to come. He finely made it to my house and determined one of the batteries was dead. He left to get another and about 3 hours later he returned with a battery. I called my dispatch and notified them I was ready they told me to just come in the next morning. About one hour later I get a call they need me to re-power a load in Bakersfield (about 150 miles) going to Hatfield, Ct. So left Wednesday night. Hit a few thunderstorms along the way learned to slow down since the accident I had last October (prior Blog). I know a few drivers where a bit upset with me but I decided that with near 0 visibility and strong winds it is better safe then sorry or dead. I have had enough near misses this past year why chance it.

Completed my load to Ct then deadheaded to Terminal in NJ. Yesterday (Tuesday) was sent to Fairfield, NJ to pickup a load going to Minster, Oh delivered it this afternoon now sitting at the "original" truck stop in Wapakoneta, Ohio (TA). Managed to use up all of my 70 hours will be getting 8 back in the AM, don't think I will do the 34 hr reset the next 5 days I have high numbers coming back.

While at the terminal it was fence to fence trailers and trucks, so many of us where there (about 1/3 of fleet) there was about 30 tractors parked on the street, many thought we where going to be given notice (with all the closing going on) and there was a driver meeting the next morning, there are some changes going on in fact at my home terminal everyone in the office except 3 have been given their 2 weeks notice including my DM. So far I guess drivers are safe hopefully if they decide to get rid of me hope they do it when I am home. Of course I do have one of the few California legal trucks in the fleet so they would need my truck in California.

Keep it Safe , I may be next to you.

Tags: Running Hard

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 Well its has been quite a week, dropped my load last Friday afternoon at the New Jersey yard and was notified I'd have a load heading to Portland with 5 stops later that night. Well in reality they let me sleep when I woke in the morning I went to dispatch got my load to Portland 3 stops, Salem area 2 stops and Central California 3 stops. Had a good run made it to Eaton, Ohio Saturday night, Council Bluff, Iowa Sunday night, Wamsutter,  Wyoming Monday night, and made it to LaGrande, Oregon Tuesday only 260 miles to my first stop. Pretty good weather all the way only a little rain in Iowa and wind in Wyoming and Oregon. Made all my stops a head of schedule or at least the schedule I was given, turned out my third stop in Portland had me scheduled for 8:00 am I arrived at 12:30 they refused delivery told me had to rescheduled. To make this long story short customer service had me take the 3 pallets to a local company in Vancouver, Washington. Made my stops in Salem then headed to California ending in Redding. Made my first 2 stops in Sacramento and Manteca then was notified my last stop was not going to accept the load until Sunday again customer service was going to have me take the 1 pallet to another company to deliver Monday. So I sat for 4 hours waiting for directions finally got the word to bring the pallet to our Adelanto yard. So after 8 days and 4500 miles I made it home. Will be here until Tuesday and will be heading out again to places unknown.

Keep It Safe, I might be next to you, if not me maybe young newlyweds.

Tags: Home Again

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7/23

Well, since my last post I was sent to Salinas , Ca on Thursday to pickup some lettuce, broccoli and other greens  I arrived at my first stop early afternoon got right in the door and out in less then an hour, my second stop was just a mile away so got there around 2:00 pm and was notified they would not get to me until between 10 pm and 1 am? So they recommended I go to my next pickup so I called and they where sending the 1 pallet I was picking up to where I was so ended up sitting at stop 2. It was about midnight when I got into the door and 2 am when I finely departed. The load was heading for West Haven, Ct so I headed east. My DM told me he was going to repower the load but wanted to wait until Monday to see how far I got. As some of you know I made it to Kingman Friday night (very interesting chat we had) By Monday I was in Earle, Ar. Monday morning after driving 5 hours I called my DM to let him know where I was of course he was not in yet (8:30 am). Finely talked to him at 11 am and told him that I was in Sonora , Kentucky and that I was shooting for Jane Lew, WV. He told me he will fine someone to repower the load.

It turned out I took the wrong route the route I took the company never uses and after I did a little calculating I decided I goofed a little (only 65 miles). If I had gone the way the company normally travels (I was not informed of this) my DM could have repowered a lot earlier then what happened.

As I was approaching Lexington, Ky I realized another error on my part. I only had enough hours to get to either Hurricane or Nitro, WV I made it to Nitro. After I arrived to the Pilot in Nitro I realized another error I was really out of hours my 70. If I had paid better attention I would have stopped in Hurricane at the TA and not spend the day at Pilot. I did consider to say the heck with it and drive to Hurricane it is only a few miles away but the way my luck has been DOT would have stopped me for an inspection.  At 5:00 pm my DM told me he found a driver with an empty trailer in Nashville and he was on his way. He arrived at around 10:30 that night.

It turn out to be another entertaining day at a truck stop example 2 yes 2 USA truck drivers I got to watch attempt to back into a slot but they both where in such a hurry they could not get a proper set up. I watched on attempt 3 times and he would always just rush to set up that he could not get a good set up. Then later the other driver would do the exact same thing rush to set up and not getting a good set up he finely gave up. Then I saw I Schneider driver race in the lot and almost hit another driver who was walking across the lot. If any of you have been to the Pilot in Nitro you know it is a rather small place to small to be driving 20 mph in. Though I fault both the Schneider driver and the other driver both should have paid attention.

My advice to anyone who will take it slow down take your time setting up if you do you will get in quicker and not be like those 2 USA drivers and give up or you won't almost hit someone walking in the lot not paying attention.

7/25

Currently I am sitting here at the TA in Greencastle, Pa hoping I can deliver this load today in Morristown, NJ it is scheduled for Monday. If not hoping I can drop it in our yard in NJ. Should find out in about 1 hour.

Keep it Safe, I might be next to you If not me some teenagers not paying attention.

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Well, I have been doing a lot of gripping lately so I thought I'd do a slight change today. Currently (Thursday 7/17) I am sitting at the Flying J in Lodi, Ca waiting to run to Milpitas then to Rohnert Park both here in California wont get into details about this run it would only be another pity me saga. I have discovered that some of the best entertainment is just sitting in your truck and watch other drivers do some interesting things. For example I just watched a driver spend 10 minutes going back and forth between two parking slots both of which where easy backs he had plenty of room to set up one spot right across from me was even a little wider. After the 10 minutes he finely decided to go to a third spot which another truck had just moved from and next to it was an empty spot so he had 2 spots to work with and he still almost hit another truck? Now before any of you think it was another Swift, England or any other training company it was an independent driver the truck he almost hit was a Swift though. Also while I was sitting here enjoying the entertainment watching another driver attempt to back into a slot when I heard this big Bang and the truck next to me moved. Another driver from behind slammed into the back of the other truck another independent (no damage to either trailer). With all this there was a couple of drivers who got out of their trucks to help guide other drivers into slots (after all their trucks where next to the spaces) In fact the other day I was having a difficult time backing into a dock and another driver got out and helped guide me in which I was thankful.

I also need to give a little reminder while driving in California watch your speed remember the not so bright folks in Sacramento (our elected leaders) believe that trucks should only go 55 mph, which being a resident of the far left state you'd think I'd remember that but at last I did not and got clocked doing 67 on the freeway. I now have a ticket to show for it not looking forward to the notice on what I owe. Of course not sure about other states but here in California you can not go to "driving school" to wipe the ticket off your record.

Keep it Safe, I might be next to you. If not me some young family will be.

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