9/19/07

As far as ConWay relays go, I think today's was the easiest I've pulled so far. I was scheduled for 4am so I woke up at 3am. The load was ready. I checked over the trailer, balanced the weight, and headed down the road. Two minutes later I was on the turnpike and four hours after that my relay was made. That Petro (where I made the relay) resembles a CFI terminal most days. Today there weren't a ton of CFI relays going on, but definitely enough to be noticeable.

As I dropped the landing gear and unhooked my loaded trailer, I received my next plan summary. Hey, actually another load, sweet! I've been expecting the old 'drive home for free' routine for the last couple of days. Instead I was to pick up a load in the Cleveland suburbs and head for Taylor (home). The load will go from there to Canada tomorrow.

I was scheduled for a 2pm pickup, so I took a little break at the Petro. I was talking with another CFI driver about some of the rumors people have heard about changes that we will see in the near future. Since the merger, everyone has his own idea of what will go on. "I heard this, they're saying that," you know how it goes. While I sat there, I signed on and looked at today's paycheck. I sat around with my thumb up my ass for a pretty good portion of the pay period, yet still grossed over $2,000 and took home a little under $1,500. I don't quite understand the things I read about people making $400-500 a week out here. I'd quit tomorrow if that kind of shit were going on.

I headed over to the customer, arriving at noon. My directions said "the building next to the one with the horse on it." I saw the building with the horse on it, saw the name of my customer on that building, and didn't see another building next to it. So I turned into the lot "with the horse." As soon as I turned in, I knew that getting back out was going to be an adventure. But hey, I'm a truck driver, right? That's what I do. Anyhow, the lady inside informed me that the building across the street also belonged to the same company and was most likely where I was picking up. She called to confirm as much and then sent me over. I had to block the street for a minute while I backed out of the first lot, then blocked the street for another minute as I backed into the second lot. The street was in an industrial park and didn't have a ton of traffic, except while I was blocking the street. Suddenly then it was 44th and Broadway.

Loaded and heading toward home, I made a wrong turn. I forgot that I had crossed under the turnpike. In order to get back to it, I needed to go north on 71. I went south. Oops. I took a quick look at my atlas and saw that I could take highway 3 down to 18 and then run west, pretty much parallel to the turnpike. I guess it cost me a few extra minutes going that way, but it wasn't so bad. Plus I saved my company a few bucks by not paying tolls. Maybe they'll give me a silver star or something. Yeah, maybe.

Shortly after receiving my dispatch for Taylor, I got 'next planned load info' on my communications system. Um, what next planned load? I'm supposed to be going home. They planned me on the back half of this run, ninety miles into Canada. I actually have some prior engagements to attend tomorrow afternoon, so I wasn't too pleased with this. I called the terminal, explained that tomorrow will be my fifth day highlighted for home, and asked if they could take me off the back end of the run. It would be pretty shitty to stick another driver with a ninety mile run but hey, they've done it to me before. I was told that he doesn't have any trucks to whom he could give that load. Trying to be a reasonable fella (unlike those truck drivers you always hear about) I told him that taking the run to Canada won't be a problem, as long as I can get a planned deadhead back out. He said they'll deadhead me right back home, so we'll put them to the truth test tomorrow.

After I got to Taylor I went back out to the truck and laid down. I felt like resting, ostensibly for a few minutes, before heading home for the night. When I woke up and looked at my watch, it was midnight. I guess I really was getting tired. Now I imagine I'll just hang out here instead of going home tonight. I'm planning to get going around 6am in hopes that the customer will unload me early. That way, assuming I was told the truth and I'll be headed right back out, I won't have to reschedule anything for later in the day. Oh the drama...