I know this doesn't exactly make me any kind of seer, but I'm pretty sure we're in for a long and boring winter in the old truckin' bidness. We're getting the PR spin from the company now about how, starting in January, they'll be using more ConWay and Menlo freight to keep us moving. You know, like they said they would be doing starting last January. You know, like they said they would be doing starting last May. You know... whatever. I guess things were rolling along pretty well so we didn't need any extra freight at the time. Now they're saying again that they're gonna get us more of that freight, so we'll see what happens there. I guess you can count me among the skeptics.
Today was another sweet one. Nobody kicked me out of my last customer's parking lot, so at least I had that going for me. Otherwise there wasn't much. I sat around all morning and most of the afternoon before being assigned to a 112 mile deadhead. The load that I pick up tomorrow delivers in Niles, Michigan... on Monday. For those of you keeping score at home, Monday will be day #6 and I'll be 185 miles from my house when I get unloaded. According to the "rules" I should be deadheaded home, with pay, at that time. Anybody wanna lay odds on whether or not that happens? Of course, Monday morning is exactly late enough for me to miss the entire weekend that Mom put together for the family. So now I'll be going home simply to get next year's permits for my truck and do my laundry. Then I'll be right back out on the road. You win some, you lose some, I guess.
Adding insult to injury, the run that ruined my weekend and failed to get me home is a whopping 756 miles. For those of you keeping score at home, this will give me a total of 1,769 miles for the week. As of yet, the chickenheads in Joplin haven't sent me the message indicating that the layover pay for my truck being in the shop has been processed. Without that I'll fall below $700 for the week. It's a good thing I had a damn busy nine months to start this year. We're sure as hell limping to the finish here. I'm told that everything will be great when all the hopenchange arrives next month though. I still haven't been told exactly how but, you know, I can't wait to see.
Wouldn't this be the time to open those lines of communication and find out if something could be done to get you home for the weekend? It never hurts to ask.
ReplyDeleteI was on the board for 16 hours waiting to get a load. I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that this was the best they could do. If there was something better I'm sure I would have gotten it. Given that half my loads lately have come from outside brokers, it just seems to be a sign of the times.
ReplyDeleteThis weekend wasn't an emergency or anything, so I'm more inclined to keep my powder dry. You never know when something really important might come up. I've heard stories from people with medical situations and whatnot. They can get you home empty if they have to, but I'm not exactly making a ton of money these days as it is. Just time to ride out the streak. I'll catch up with everyone back home another time.