IL-IN-OH

Remember when I said not to take a Ford load?? I didn't take my own advice and let greed get the best of me.

I took off this morning from Whiteland around 0400 since my restart ended at 0315. When I started the engine, the QC starts beeping like crazy and there were 4 messages starting at 0000 wanting to know if I was heading to my delivery yet. I know that those messages originate from T/S customer service and not dispatch but come on, who would believe that it takes 7 hours to drive 191 miles?I hadn't gone 300 yards before it beeps again with the same message. I answered them saying yes, I was on my way. They came back with "The customer is calling, there is a production line down waiting for your load, and they are tracking you on our website." I simply said that I was on my way.

Arrived at the plant at 0615 instead of the 0700 appointment time. Guard tells me that the plant is shut down today and there is no production, and they are not aware of any scheduled deliveries. Why was I not surprised. They had me go to a holding lot about 1/4 mile away on the side of the plant.

Sent a QC message to dispatch and it wasn't 2 minutes before they called. When are you going to arrive at the plant? We show you 20 miles away. I told her what was going on, and she said again that they show me 20 miles away. I said I didn't care what the QC said, I was 1/4 mile away from the gate looking at the employee entrance to the plant. 45 minutes later I get another QC message saying please sit tight. I answered "OK, President, Ford Purgatory Assoc. Chicago Branch"

They finally get it straighted out and I hit the dock at 0730. Think it's over?? Ha, you don't know Ford.

I walk into the plant and they won't let you cross a painted line to go to your truck. I figured, ok you open the door and remove the load bars, fine with me. Nope, all of a sudden it's ok for me to cross the line. Opened the door and removed the bars and the forklift driver says to get back behind the line and proceeds to start to go into the truck. I told him that his forklift was too tall to clear my door, but would he listen, nope. I let loose with my best Gunnery Sergeant yell before he hit my door and he stopped and looked. Hey, you're right, glad you yelled he says. Not as glad as I was. Sooo, does he use the smaller forklift parked right there??? Noooo, we get in a locker and pull out a cable with a hook at either end and drag the cages out. What can I say, it's Ford.

So remember boys and girls if you have a load to a Ford plant, remember the following and plan ahead.

F Fustercluck
O On
R Receiving
D Deliveries

Thus endeth the lesson.

I'm picking up a load later this morning at South Bend, IN and taking it to Warrensville Heights, OH.