1/19/10

Early mornings, early mornings, early mornings... This is getting old in a hurry. I suppose that, given today's positive impact on the bottom line here at Fenian Godfather Inc., I shouldn't complain too much. But I still haven't found a way to reverse that annoying correlation between working a lot and making a lot of money. I'm trying though.

This morning's drive over to New Carlisle was quick and easy. I was checked in, unloaded, and sent on my way before my 8am appointment rolled around. I pulled off to the side of the customer's driveway in hopes that a new assignment would come quickly, given that I didn't know which way I was headed next. After a half hour with no sign of a new assignment, the call of nature dictated that I go... somewhere. Okay then, either back eastward to the Pilot in South Bend or westward to the next service plaza on the turnpike. My impression was that more of our shippers were located to the west, but the truck stop in South Bend was closer. It also seemed like a better idea not to get myself stuck heading one way on the toll road, just in case I had to go in a different direction.

So I headed to South bend. Of course my assignment wound up taking me back to the west (as if I had to tell you). Story of life. I was at the truck stop for a half hour or so, then it was time to head to the steel place in Kouts. My load wasn't ready when I arrived at the shipper, so I had a chance to kick back and relax for a couple of hours. Then, armed with my 43,000 pound payload, I was off and running once again.

This run is taking me to Milbridge, Maine for a delivery at 8am on Thursday. In the technical parlance of my profession, this schedule will require what is known as 'balls out' driving on my part. I blasted my way across Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania this evening before the 14 hour rule forced me to seek a place to park. An abandoned truck stop in Ripley, New York will do the trick for tonight, but we're just getting started. After ten hours of down time I'll have to get back on the turnpike for another long day of driving. I have no idea where another eleven hours on the road will take me, but hopefully there will be somewhere to park once I get there. Then one more ten hour break before I'll have to finish off the trip before dawn on Thursday.

Apparently I'm supposed to get an annual inspection on my truck as well, but that sure as hell ain't happening tomorrow. I can't afford to waste any time sitting around and waiting for a mechanic. This schedule is awfully tight as it is. Of course, I'll probably roll into the customer on Thursday and find that I could have arrived any time before 4pm or something. That seems to happen as often as not when I run my ass off to get somewhere. For whatever reason though, we're always dispatched to show up as ealy as legally possible.

The positive side of the deal will be that this week's paycheck should be better than those of recent weeks. I'll be empty on Thursday morning with 2,143 miles and a bunch of northeast pay already on the books. Any kind of mediocre Thursday-Saturday will leave me sitting pretty. I'm burning through hours in a hurry at this pace, so 'mediocre' is about the best that I can do through the weekend within the confines of the 70 hour rule, but that's fine. Maybe I'll get some sleep one of these days.