 |
|
|
|
|
...My Life as 'Drive away' driver
|
Trip 39 - New GMC - Refer ... to Liberal, KS 3/29/04 - I had wanted to leave yesterday, but my 'other job' said they needed me today so I had stayed in town ... then this AM they say things haven't gone as planned and there was no need for me to come in today ... When you try to get a trip at the last minute on a Monday AM you can't be too picky ... I pretty much said I'd go anywhere ... and that's where they sent me ... First it was going to be TX to MT to ID ... but by the time I got to the office it had changed to KS ... Liberal, KS ... why not? A nice two day run ... (that was wishful thinking) This was going to be a team effort ... the second time in a year that I've been with the same driver twice. By the time we've gotten our paperwork and are checking our trucks, dispatch comes out to find us to tell us that there isn't rental car within 200 miles of our drop ... let the fun began ... Our first drop is Washington, IA ... almost no Interstate on this leg ... we didn't get started until after 3 PM (vs 8 AM) ... problem's this leg. Once we drop the other guy's he gets to ride with me for four hours to KC ... we get as far as Bethany, MO before we shut down for the night ... a Family Budget motel for $38 single ... costs us $46 for the two of us. After 9 PM our only choice is a Country Kitchen, we opt for breakfast there instead. 3/30/04 - Up with the sun ... by the time breakfast is over it's time to roll ... breakfast was just so-so, not bad, just food. In KC we pickup a truck that had broken down a few week's back ... now another 400 miles to go. Dispatch is still working on getting us out of Liberal, so far it looks like a two ride back ... on a trip paying under $300 ... not looking good. We make good time this trip and get to our drop a couple of hour earlier than originally thought ... by now we finally have a plan, such as it is ... We have to pay a guy $50 to get us to the next town 60 miles away where we will catch the bus tomorrow AM to Witchita, where we will p |