In a shocking development, I didn't sleep worth a damn last night. I checked in a few minutes before 5am and they had my paperwork ready a few minutes later. So off I went. I wasn't in the mood to take the turnpikes, so I took state highways over toward Cedar Point and then caught up with I-90 before Cleveland. Given the odd (even by my standards) sleep schedule, I was all screwed up today. I drove a few hours and then got tired. So I stopped for a break and couldn't sleep. Then I drove a few more hours and got tired again. So I stopped for a break and couldn't sleep. Then I drove another hour and got tired again. That time I fell asleep for about an hour, then had a crazy dream that woke me up. A few more hours up the road, my 14 hours were up. Good enough.
I think I'm a little less than halfway there. It looks like I have about 500 miles to Manchester from where I'll spend the night on the NY Thruway. I'm not sure exactly how close I'll be able to get tomorrow, given the parking situation, but we'll see how it goes.
I got a message from CTL as I was driving today. It said, "Joseph as long as you stay on the highway you should be ok." I have no idea what that message means. So I sent a reply saying, "I have no idea what that message means." I never got a response, so if anyone has a clue feel free to let me know.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
3/14/08
So I'm laying there at WalMart and reading about the latest shitstorm to hit poor old Obama when my satellite system beeps at me. 90 miles today. Bummer.
I had to stay there until my ten hour break was up, then deadhead to South Bend and stage for a ConWay load to leave early tomorrow morning. I'll be running up to Manchester, New Hampshire and delivering Monday morning at 5am. That will kick the miles a little over 2,000 for the week. Not a great week, but given the way last weekend's run left me hamstrung I guess it could be worse. If we were still on the semi-monthly pay, it would look pretty good for the first half of March. So it helps to keep some perspective.
I dropped my empty at the ConWay yard and then went into town for some dinner. A night without a trailer is a good chance to get out and break up the routine. So, back at the yard, I guess I'll try to sleep tonight (flipping day and night one more time this week).
My directions specifically state that there is no overnight parking at the ConWay yard in Manchester. Yeah, one big happy family, right? Just keep the bastard stepchildren out while you're closed for the weekend. It looks like I'll have to keep my fingers crossed and hope that there is a spot open at a rest area somewhere close for Sunday night. My truck stop guide doesn't appear to have any good suggestions for me. C'est la vie.
I had to stay there until my ten hour break was up, then deadhead to South Bend and stage for a ConWay load to leave early tomorrow morning. I'll be running up to Manchester, New Hampshire and delivering Monday morning at 5am. That will kick the miles a little over 2,000 for the week. Not a great week, but given the way last weekend's run left me hamstrung I guess it could be worse. If we were still on the semi-monthly pay, it would look pretty good for the first half of March. So it helps to keep some perspective.
I dropped my empty at the ConWay yard and then went into town for some dinner. A night without a trailer is a good chance to get out and break up the routine. So, back at the yard, I guess I'll try to sleep tonight (flipping day and night one more time this week).
My directions specifically state that there is no overnight parking at the ConWay yard in Manchester. Yeah, one big happy family, right? Just keep the bastard stepchildren out while you're closed for the weekend. It looks like I'll have to keep my fingers crossed and hope that there is a spot open at a rest area somewhere close for Sunday night. My truck stop guide doesn't appear to have any good suggestions for me. C'est la vie.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
3/13/08
Per usual, the second graveyard shift was a little easier than the first. My assignment said drop/hook, but I actually had a live load in Kansas City so I had to take my break at the shipper. Then I headed up I-35 to US-36 and across. It seemed like it would be a little shorter than dropping down onto I-70 and going across. How did I never find that road before? That was a nice ride. It was pretty straight, pretty flat, well maintained, with almost no traffic to mention. Most of Missouri was 65mph, then it went to 60mph closer to Illinois, then I was on I-72 (at 55mph of course). A little rain and a little fog overnight, but an easy shift nonetheless. I had time for a little break along the way, so all in all I'd say things went well.
My directions to my delivery said to go to the shipping department. Since I was dropping off, I decided to take the receiving entrance. And then they sent me to shipping. I guess that's what I get for thinking. It looks like the WalMart a few miles away will be my best bet for parking once I'm empty in a few minutes, so I'll get on the board and lay down for a bit. Hopefully a big weekend is in store.
Seven paychecks since I unloaded the shit at UPS; Seven paychecks without my $35. Not cool. $35 won't make or break me, but I did the work that the union guys refuse to do, so it's not unreasonable to expect my pay. Otherwise it was a pretty big check, so the $35 drama will have to go on for at least another week I guess.
My directions to my delivery said to go to the shipping department. Since I was dropping off, I decided to take the receiving entrance. And then they sent me to shipping. I guess that's what I get for thinking. It looks like the WalMart a few miles away will be my best bet for parking once I'm empty in a few minutes, so I'll get on the board and lay down for a bit. Hopefully a big weekend is in store.
Seven paychecks since I unloaded the shit at UPS; Seven paychecks without my $35. Not cool. $35 won't make or break me, but I did the work that the union guys refuse to do, so it's not unreasonable to expect my pay. Otherwise it was a pretty big check, so the $35 drama will have to go on for at least another week I guess.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
3/12/08
Some people seem to be intent on blackmailing me, so I'm going to have to face the shame and take away their ammo. It's difficult to admit this, but I was Client #8. I apologize to my family and those others whom I have disappointed.
Anyway, the early part of the morning was nice and easy; wake up, open the doors, go back to bed... wake up again, hook a couple of straps, close the doors, drive six miles, get some breakfast, open the doors, go back to bed... close the doors, find a hiding spot, go back to bed. I was #16 on the board once I was empty, so I figured I would lay down for a while. Ten minutes later, the satellite system chirped at me. My next assignment was to drop and hook in Dallas at 7pm, then run up to Kansas City by tomorrow morning. So it was the old 'try to sleep on command' routine. I think I managed to doze off for an hour or two, but that's about it. Oh well, I had zero miles this week when today started so I'll take what I can get.
When I woke up, I hung around until my ten hours were up and then headed down to Dallas to check in with the next shipper. Then it was northward bound. As with the usual overnight drive, the traffic was decent and there were no major issues. Kansas City's morning rush was starting to kick up a little by the time I got there, but it wasn't bad.
This was one of those runs that... well, it was just one of those runs. I took a ten hour break the night before. I unloaded in the morning. Then I waited all day for an overnight run. The hours work out perfectly legal, the company gave me enough notice so I could try and get some rest, but in the end I'm completely exhausted. I would venture to guess most drivers would be pitching a bitch about the schedule, but like I said it's just one of those runs. I do wonder if the planner types have any idea how bad that kind of schedule screws a driver though. I'm a little nuts in the head so I can manage, but flipping day and night like that is pretty rough on normal people.
I did my drop and hook at the consignee, which was an LTL carrier for whom we contract linehaul loads. I won't say the name, but it was basically a ghetto version of ConWay or UPS. As soon as I pulled around the corner and sent in my empty call, I got my next assignment. I have to pick up a load right here in the same industrial park at 11am Central and then run another 500 miles up to Indiana for tomorrow morning. My 14 hour clock will be up in a couple of hours, so it looks like another overnighter is in store for me. I'm desperately in need of a nap right now though. To quote Carlito Brigante - "Tired baby... tired." I think I'll go try to make my drop/hook ahead of schedule and then start my ten hour break. Good times. Good times.
Anyway, the early part of the morning was nice and easy; wake up, open the doors, go back to bed... wake up again, hook a couple of straps, close the doors, drive six miles, get some breakfast, open the doors, go back to bed... close the doors, find a hiding spot, go back to bed. I was #16 on the board once I was empty, so I figured I would lay down for a while. Ten minutes later, the satellite system chirped at me. My next assignment was to drop and hook in Dallas at 7pm, then run up to Kansas City by tomorrow morning. So it was the old 'try to sleep on command' routine. I think I managed to doze off for an hour or two, but that's about it. Oh well, I had zero miles this week when today started so I'll take what I can get.
When I woke up, I hung around until my ten hours were up and then headed down to Dallas to check in with the next shipper. Then it was northward bound. As with the usual overnight drive, the traffic was decent and there were no major issues. Kansas City's morning rush was starting to kick up a little by the time I got there, but it wasn't bad.
This was one of those runs that... well, it was just one of those runs. I took a ten hour break the night before. I unloaded in the morning. Then I waited all day for an overnight run. The hours work out perfectly legal, the company gave me enough notice so I could try and get some rest, but in the end I'm completely exhausted. I would venture to guess most drivers would be pitching a bitch about the schedule, but like I said it's just one of those runs. I do wonder if the planner types have any idea how bad that kind of schedule screws a driver though. I'm a little nuts in the head so I can manage, but flipping day and night like that is pretty rough on normal people.
I did my drop and hook at the consignee, which was an LTL carrier for whom we contract linehaul loads. I won't say the name, but it was basically a ghetto version of ConWay or UPS. As soon as I pulled around the corner and sent in my empty call, I got my next assignment. I have to pick up a load right here in the same industrial park at 11am Central and then run another 500 miles up to Indiana for tomorrow morning. My 14 hour clock will be up in a couple of hours, so it looks like another overnighter is in store for me. I'm desperately in need of a nap right now though. To quote Carlito Brigante - "Tired baby... tired." I think I'll go try to make my drop/hook ahead of schedule and then start my ten hour break. Good times. Good times.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
3/11/08
So, one more day to lounge around and take it easy... at least I hope this is the last day for a little while. I hung around in Arkansas most of the day, then finished off my run to Plano, Texas. I timed it so that I could get here after the store traffic was gone, but early enough to allow for a ten hour break before my appointment.
Today was nice and easy, as one would expect from a 290 mile drive. The traffic was light, the weather was good, and I actually followed the right route. I cut across on US-380 rather than stay on I-30 all the way into the metro area. That was a sensible enough approach, but I have a tendency to miss a turn here and there. Tonight I did okay. One of the turns I had to make was in a construction zone. Lo and behold, I managed to spot it in time. Beauty.
Once I get unloaded here, I have to head about fifteen miles north to my second drop. That one is okay, according to my recollection. If I remember correctly, the dock area there is easy to access. The first time I had this run, there was a third drop. That third one was a real bitch. Lucky for me I suppose, only two drops this time around.
Today was nice and easy, as one would expect from a 290 mile drive. The traffic was light, the weather was good, and I actually followed the right route. I cut across on US-380 rather than stay on I-30 all the way into the metro area. That was a sensible enough approach, but I have a tendency to miss a turn here and there. Tonight I did okay. One of the turns I had to make was in a construction zone. Lo and behold, I managed to spot it in time. Beauty.
Once I get unloaded here, I have to head about fifteen miles north to my second drop. That one is okay, according to my recollection. If I remember correctly, the dock area there is easy to access. The first time I had this run, there was a third drop. That third one was a real bitch. Lucky for me I suppose, only two drops this time around.
Monday, March 10, 2008
3/10/08
I guess I could act all gung-ho like I prefer to drive more than five hours a day, but you would all know right away that I was full of shit. Five on and nineteen off seems to fit my work ethic just fine. Of course, running five hours a day doesn't pay the bills. Damn, there always seems to be a catch. Hopefully things will line up better for me starting Wednesday morning. Last week has the month off to a good start, so I don't need a huge week to follow it; just a decent one.
I headed west this morning and drove until the sky started to darken. Looks like that rain is moving out of Texas. My experiences in the rain lately have left me screaming obscenities at other motorists, so I figured I might as well stop and spare myself the headache. I only have a few hundred miles to go, with a day and a half to get there. I'll head out tomorrow afternoon and reach the Dallas area after the stores have closed for the night. There are plenty of movies on my hard drive these days, so I guess I'll put up my feet and unwind. Believe it or not, there is presently nobody idling next to me in the sixty degree weather. Yeah, I know... give it some time.
I headed west this morning and drove until the sky started to darken. Looks like that rain is moving out of Texas. My experiences in the rain lately have left me screaming obscenities at other motorists, so I figured I might as well stop and spare myself the headache. I only have a few hundred miles to go, with a day and a half to get there. I'll head out tomorrow afternoon and reach the Dallas area after the stores have closed for the night. There are plenty of movies on my hard drive these days, so I guess I'll put up my feet and unwind. Believe it or not, there is presently nobody idling next to me in the sixty degree weather. Yeah, I know... give it some time.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
3/9/08
Have you ever gone to work and then, a few hours later, realized that you would rather take the day off? Yeah, me too. It was a beautiful day in Tennessee and driving a truck just didn't seem like the best thing to do. I have about six hundred miles to go, so I can do half tomorrow and half Tuesday (did I mention how shitty this dispatch was?) or I can knock it out in one shot and take Tuesday off. I guess it depends on my mood tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)