Back to Work

I have been very busy since the last entry. I delivered my load on Friday morning in Medford, OR and then was given a load to pick up at Cascade wood products in White City just down the road. It was not ready yet, so I had to set and wait until they were finished. It was around 4pm by the time I got on the road and I returned the same route that I came over by going up and around Crater Lake. Of course I took pictures again which are attached. I have got to get them labeled where they are before I forget them, but no time this morning.

I had to run very hard every day in order to deliver the load in Knoxville, TN on Wednesday the 23rd. There was no time to stop and eat much less stretch my legs. The problem was my hours to work each week and the distance. I pushed hard to get to Grand Island, NE by Sunday afternoon so I could set and restart my hours over 34 hours. That allowed me to start out Tuesday morning at 3am, run hard that day, and then get up at 2am on Wednesday morning and run the last 7 hours to the customer. I had until 2pm to deliver that day. Good thing I pushed hard because I got a message that morning that they would not take the load after 12 noon. I got in there by 10:30am.

Next I was given a hot load just down the street that had to be delivered in Vineland, NJ the next day by noon. I let them know I could not make that time. It was already 2pm and would be 3pm by the time I picked the load up and got going. It was a 630 mile trip which is a good 10 1/2 to 11 hours driving plus had to take a 10 hour break in there. They said go with it anyway. So another hard drive. Only had 3 hours to drive when got load, so I had to drive the last 8 1/2 hours the next morning starting at 3:30am. Other than a drag down going around Washington, DC, I did pretty good and actually got in there by 12:30pm.

I next got a load out of the same plant going to Social Circle, GA. It was not supposed to be ready until Friday morning, but I actually got it that night after I got my 10 hour break in. I drove all night stopping in Duncan, SC Friday morning. The load did not deliver until 1am Sunday morning but I was able to deliver it Saturday morning since it was a drop and hook at General Mills warehouse. I ran a shuttle load for them from their plant down the road back to the warehouse, and then got a load of insulation in Winder, GA going to Olive Branch, MS outside Memphis. The load was supposed to be ready at 6pm Saturday, but I did not get it until Sunday morning at 8am. Then drove all day delivering the load at 3pm Sunday, I had to get it in there before 5pm. It was another drop and hook.

Next load was out of Kelloggs in Memphis going to Garland, TX. They offered me one that had to be there at 3am the next morning and I had to tell them I couldn't do that load in 12 hours since it was a 7 hour drive and I had to have a 10 hour break since I drove all day already. They gave me another load out of same plant to same warehouse but it delivered at 7pm Monday night. That worked better.

All of this late pickup and rush rush has happened because warehouses ran their inventories down. My company quit replacing drivers that quit and had over 500 trucks setting. They kept their customers, but when they started filling up their warehouses again there weren't enough trucks and drivers. Now they are pushing everyone until they get those trucks with drivers in them again. Then what? Another slow down and too many drivers?

I made it over to North Little Rock, AR and spent the night. I am now waiting until about 11am to 12 noon before I leave. That way can drive in, drop the load and have some hours left to move. Which won't be far since I don't pick up any hours at midnight and will only have 4 hours to work over 2 days. Confusing?? Log books are a pain and some people can't get a handle on them. I have been doing them since 1975.