Sunday, September 30, 2007

Project Complete

Finally completed the project I've been working on. Bought another Sprinter and added it to my lease with Tri-State.

This one is a used 2005 that's set up exactly like mine complete with the Idlebuster. The truck and driver go up to oreintation on Monday. This is the second phase of my retirement plan. Two more trucks to go and I can sit in my recliner and watch them run.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

VA-Almost OH-VA-PA

Almost got a load to Lima, OH, but it was cancelled a few minutes before I moved from Carmel Church. Had already done my route planning and filled out my paperwork. Oh well, that's how it goes.

The Lima load offer came at 1215. The next load offer came at 1500. Hampton, VA to Erie, PA direct. Hampton is 101 miles from Carmel Church so I got paid bonus miles for the deadhead. Arrived in Hampton at 1700 and it took the shipper 15 minutes to find the freight and decide that Erie wasn't in Canada. Don't ask.

Left Hampton at 1730 arrived in Erie at 0315. 653 odometer miles. Started to see a light show going on over Lake Erie about 40 miles south of Erie on 79. Big bolts of lightning that lit up the sky. Poured rain for about 20 minutes and stopped. Sort of anti-climatic actually. Now at a truck stop waiting for the next load.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

I Goofed!!!!!

I made a mistake this morning that cost me a load. Usually dispatch calls when the Qualcomm is in quiet mode, but today they sent the load offer over the QC. It woke me up when it beeped, and when I read it I was half asleep. I mistook the pick up time to be 0700 9/25 when it was actually the delivery time. I refused it thinking that I didn't want to hang around here until 0700 the next morning. You can refuse a load that has a pick up time more than 10 hours from the time the load is offered without any penalty.

Imagine my surprise when a mac message comes across saying that I am on 8 hour delay for refusal of a legitimate load. I read the load offer again and realized my mistake. You have to list a reason you're refusing a load and I had listed the 10 hour rule so the dispatcher knew I was mistaken, but did not say anything about it. I called the dispatch supervisor and was told that it was not the dispatcher's job to point out my mistakes. Since all calls in and out are digitally recorded I said thank you very much and hung up. I didn't want a verbal explosion on tape. I did send a QC message back to the dispatcher saying "I wish you had told me I was making a mistake." Maybe it will make her feel guilty, but I doubt it.

Lessons learned:
1. Don't read messages while half asleep.
2. Dispatchers don't have your back.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Richmond for the Weekend

Still near Richmond, still #3 on the board. I expected to be here for the weekend so no big deal. It's not bad with the Idlebuster doing its job.

I don't really like sitting around inside the truck stop, so I spent the weekend watching DVD's and messing around on the computer.

I decided against going to the campground as they wanted $41 for one night. I could have gotten a motel room for that, and besides it's free to sit where I am.

I did order some A/V cables off of E-Bay for my Playstation so I can bring that along on the next trip and sit here and blow things up. Very relaxing stuff.

Hopefully, I'll get a load tomorrow as I'm well rested and ready to go.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

IN-OH-OH-VA

Got a load from Indy to Chillicothe, OH early on 9/18. Went to the Kenworth plant. Two large transmissions bolted to a steel pallet 1800 lbs. total.

Went home from Chillicothe (50 Miles). Next load picked up at 09:00 on 9/20 in Springfield, OH going to Bluffton, OH. 1000 lbs of steel dies. Sat on the Lima board all day even though I was #5. Dispatch requested I stay since the 1 and 2 trucks only wanted to go north. Didn't know you could do that. I'll have to check that out. Did not get anything and was still #4 at the end of the day. Had I gone home like I wanted to, I would have gotten something as the Columbus board cleared out. Left Lima at 17:00 for home. Next time, I'll use my own judgement.

Was #3 on the Columbus board when I got home, and was #2 by morning. Next load came at 11:00 on 9/21 from Columbus to Mineral, VA. One 4 lb. box containing a printed circuit board for the North Anna nuke plant south of Mineral. It was a direct load, so they must have needed it quick.

Left Columbus at 12:15 arrived at the plant at 21:58. This place was out in the middle of nowhere. No large cooling towers, just two large ominous ball shaped structures with loads of rods sticking out the top. Both were off by themselves. It was actually pretty spooky in the dark. The truck was searched at the security gate from front to back. Even had to open the hood so they could look at the engine compartment. Drove back to receiving, and the guy came outside to the truck to get the box. Guess they really did need that circuit board!!!!

Left the plant and drove 27 miles of VA backroads to get to a truck stop in Carmel Church, VA where I am now. #3 on the Richmond board, so I'm probably stuck here for the weekend. Idlebuster's running and I'm cool in the 88 degree heat. May go to a campground that is 15 miles south for tomorrow and run the a/c on their electric rather than my diesel fuel.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Back at Whiteland

Back at the Flying J in Whiteland, IN. Been here quite a bit as I dropped another load in Columbus, IN.

Idlebuster running smoothly as we speak. I'm #1 on the Indy board, so I should get out early so I better hit the sack.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

All Dressed Up - Nowhere to Go

Idlebuster is repaired and works like a champ. Chafed wire was repaired, coolant leak was due to factory overfill, and the fuel leak was a bad fitting that cracked.

Truck has fresh oil and filter. Fresh transmission fluid and filter. Food, water, and other essentials restocked, clothes laundered and packed. In short, ready to roll.

Now all I need is some freight.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Idlebuster

Well, the Idlebuster has been installed but problems have developed. First a pinched wire in the control box chafed through the insulation and created a dead short that would not allow the generator to start. A call to the installer pointed me to the fuse that was blowing, and I traced it back to the damaged wire. That being fixed, the generator started and ran perfectly. However, there is a coolant leak from the unit, and a small fuel leak in one of the connections that comes from the fuel tank through the roof of the truck. Since the unit was built in Florida, the coolant leak wasn't caught by the installer since it did not show up at the shop. It's possible that a hose connection vibrated loose on the trip home. The fuel leak is just a drip but it's in the cargo bay and the connector looks damaged by the installer.

So, back to Monroe I go on Monday to have the problems corrected. I am going to complain to the head office in FL to try and get back the day's lost revenue and the fuel it takes to make the trip.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

OH-OH-IA-IL

Two load days continued. First load from Euclid, OH to Defiance, OH. So sooner pulled into the drop in Defiance, before they sent the next load offer: Van Wert, OH to Davenport, IA for a 06:00 drop Friday.

Couldn't pick up the Van Wert load until 19:30, so I stopped and grabbed a bite to eat. Arrived in Van Wert at 19:20. Drove as far as La Salle, IL before stopping to grab some sleep. Made the drop at o5:35 Friday in Davenport. Stopped for breakfast and went to the Flying J in Davenport to sleep.

Got the next load offer around 13:00. Dubuque, IA to Champaign, IL. Made the drop in Champaign at 20:35, drove to the Pilot in Covington, IN to eat and sleep.

Left at 05:00 Saturday morning and arrived home at 09:30. 6 loads in 4 days is not bad and I hate to go out of service when the freight is good but I didn't want to miss my daughter's visit. Also, the Idlebuster is being installed Thursday and I couldn't change it because they are flying someone up from the main office to supervise the install. Plus the truck needs serviced. I'll just have to hope the freight holds steady.