Short Run

Ran a short one today to get dispatch out of a jam. Started the day at #3 on the Columbus load board which usually means getting a load out between 13:00 and 15:00. Dispatch called at 10:00. Run from Mansfield, OH to Sydney, OH. 118 paid miles, 60 mile deadhead.

Some quick math tells me that I'll still make money so I tell them I'll take it. They ended up paying me for the whole 60 mile deadhead. Would have been only 10 since the first 50 is free, so I made a little more. Every little bit counts.

I've learned that in expedite, you don't turn anything down as long as you make a profit on the load. There are no guarantees that a longer run will be available, and there were two vans ahead of me on the board anyway.

Up side is that I'll sleep in my own bed in the A/C so I won't be idleing to keep cool. It was 95 here today. Also, the Idlebuster install was approved today so hopefully I'll be able to get it installed ASAP and my idleing days will be over.

Back on the Road

So here I am running the road again after losing my lease. I saw it coming for the last couple of weeks I ran with them so I wasn't too surprised when the driver coordinator called me in for a "meeting".

He started spouting about the current economic climate making it necessary to make changes, etc, etc. I told him to cut to the chase as I had better things to do than talk to him. (He's a total jerk) He said that I should look for another carrier to lease with since they had to downsize their O/O fleet due to some lost accounts.

It's a lie, but there was no sense arguing with the likes of him. I've seen this many times before. A carrier will terminate the leases of O/O's with a higher CPM and replace them with others at a cheaper rate and junk equipment. I had recently seen some of their new "contractors". One had a 1985 truck held together with bondo. This "driver coordinator" has only been with the company for two months and has already got the reputation of being a hatchet man.

I had come to this meeting prepared and even though I wanted to rip his lungs out, I stayed with my plan. I produced a letter of resignation that I typed up the night before and said: "I had already decided to sign on with another carrier since I have not been comfortable with the way you have been running operations since you came with the company, and you just saved me the two weeks notice I included in the letter."

After taking an immense sense of satisfaction from the dumfounded look on his face, I turned in my ID badge and radio, demanded a receipt for same, and left. The terminal manager told me when I stopped by to pick up my final check that the jerk was still upset that he didn't get the last word.

I had set up a lease with Tri-State Expedited several days before that only needed signed before I could start running with them, so I'll have less time at home but the money will not stop coming in.

They say that when one door closes, another opens so we'll see how it goes.

Global Warming??????????

That was the big question on I-80 eastbound from the Hoosier last Wednesday. Hit snow on US30 out of Fort Wayne on my way to South Bend. No big deal as it happens all the time up there. Kept getting worse, roads beginning to get slushy, but traffic still moving. I felt the rear end slide some, so I slowed down to where I felt safe. Unfortunately, I was one of the few that did so.

In the 20 mile stretch of US30 between Warsaw and US31 there were 10 or so cars in ditches and one big truck on it's side just east of the Pilot on 30 at 31. Headed north on 31 and just about a mile south of 6 on the southbound side of 31 sits a jackknifed big truck totally blocking southbound US31. Traffic was backed up almost to Lakeville.

Make it to South Bend Post Office, drop my load and head up to I80 to go to Perrysburg, OH. Snow is now very heavy and the wind is blowing 30 to 35 MPH. Blizzard conditions. Had to stop at a travel plaza halfway to Perrysburg to knock off the slush from the nose of the truck as the engine was starting to run warmer than normal. Thirty miles from Perrysburg, the snow turned to rain, and the temp warmed up and it was over except the wind didn't die down. I can't remember a time when winter hung on through mid April. I'll be glad when this winter finally ends.

Second truck doing well. Revenue for the first three days was $900. Not bad.

Ready to Rock

New truck has its signs on and son-in-law completed his orientation. He has been assigned his first load, a pick up in Leetsdale, PA. It's a short haul, 400 miles and change, but a good initiation for him.

I will be on my regular run tonight. Drops at Muncie, Kokomo, Fort Wayne, and South Bend, IN and pick ups at Perrysburg and Elyria, OH. an 800 mile run. Long but profitable.

If anyone on PD.com is reading this blog, add a comment or at least say you're reading this. I get the feeling I'm talking to myself.

New Truck

Been busy getting all the details finalized on the new unit going into service this week and making my scheduled runs.

Took my son-in-law along on Sunday as his final training run. He's good to go, and he and the truck will make their first revenue run tomorrow. He goes to company orientation today and the truck goes to the sign shop. Wasn't much of an Easter for us, but we needed to get this done.

We were both surprised at all the snow and cold temperatures, 19 Degrees, we experienced in Indiana and Ohio yesterday. It was Easter and it was colder than Christmas was. Must be the global warming I keep hearing about. Yeah, right.

Headed off to bed after another long day.

Day Off - Sort Of

Day off just means I'm not driving anywhere. Chores around the house, laundry, etc., all have to be done. Truck has to be cleaned as well.

Managed to get everything done in time to watch 24 and the rest of the NCAA championship game. I knew Ohio State would choke. Congrats Gators!!! Now Florida can take credit for knocking Ohio State off in two sports. Now you know why I hate Ohio State.

Due out tonight at 23:00 for Indiana route. Weather supposed to turn cold, wet, and windy. My favorites.

Headed off to bed.

The Great Northern Indiana Frog and Worm Migration

Thursday night run fairly uneventful for a change but I can't say that for Saturday night. There is a section of US 35 that runs from I-70 at Richmond to Muncie's back door which is near the post office I deliver to. The distance is 35 miles, the road is newer, but it is alive with critters. The usual stuff, Racoons, Opossum, Deer, Rabbits, Dogs, Cats, I've even seen a Coyote in there. Speed limit is 55, and I usually set the cruise for 58.

I thought I had seen pretty much everything but Sunday morning proved me wrong. I pulled onto 35 at 02:15. It had rained and was still doing so off and on. I was about 10 miles from I-70 when I started to see worms crossing the road. I'm not talking one or two here, we're talking herd. OK, all the rain has forced them out of the ground. No big deal right? Wrong. Next I start to see frogs of various sizes hopping around all over the place as well as just sitting in the middle of the road. I'm not about to swerve around trying to miss them, but I slowed down because they were bouncing off the front of the truck and I don't want a broken plastic grill. This went on for 5 or 6 miles and then they were pretty much gone.

Lessons learned:

• Frogs make a funny "popping" noise when you run over them
• They bounce when hit
• I think the frogs were herding the worms but I can't confirm that
• I now know where the bait store in one of the small towns there gets his stock
• Front brush guards are no protection from Kamikaze frogs

I asked a few of the locals at the Pilot at the junction of 67 and 69 about all this and they said they knew about the worms but the frogs were something new. All I know is that the frogs have most likely put a bounty on my head as a mass murderer. Reward: 500 bugs.