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...My Life as 'Drive away' driver
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Trip 48 - New Kenworth - Cement Truck ... to Phoenix, AZ Hadn't gotten any call back when I called in for a run on Friday, but I needed to work so my wife dropped me off at the office and I would sit and wait … if nothing came up she'd come back and get me at noon. 7/19/04 - I'm the first driver there, a few minutes later another driver who is known to do this every week shows up. The dispatcher is supprised to see us both here, my message from Friday had never been relayed to her and the she hadn't been able to reach the other guy last week … but she did have a couple of runs that needed covering … Some one had called in sick and there was another driver bringing in a semi from FL that needed to go to ID. I said I didn't want, but would cover for the driver who called in sick … the run was going to Denver, which is under my 1,000 mile goal. The prior driver had planned to then drive to IA to pickup a garbage truck going to FL … sounded like it would cut into my weekend so I turned the second half of the run down. Between the two of us driver dispatch came out and asked us a whole lot of questions trying to get all three runs covered … then she comes back out and says she'll send us to AZ with cement trucks … YES … same run as a couple of weeks ago and it paid good. No explanation as to why the change of runs. There would be four drivers running together … catch our shuttle 10 miles to our pickup and we were on our way … somehow it took us two hours from the time I showed up to the time we left … but it still beats the afternoon dispatch of a couple of weeks ago. We stick together with me in the lead and make it as far as Emporia, KS for the first night. On these runs we have a choice of taking a flat per mile rate with fuel paid or pay for our own fuel and get a higher rate … I took paying the fuel again like I did last time, but the milage on this truck is bad … I had told the other driver this morning that last time I made $90 more on this run by taking the option of paying for the fuel, so we all did … the other drivers look like they'll make about that … but bad news, looks I'm hoping not to lose money (make less than the flat per mile). Some where north of Des Moines instead of three cement trucks following me, I realized there were four … the fourth soon pasted us. A nice new Mack driven by another company. It was followed by two semi tractors from the same customer … not sure why a cement tank manufacture is selling semi tractors, maybe they were able to offer a volume discount or something. One of the drivers has a reputaion of never passing a McDonalds so I wasn't surprised when he suggests I stop at the next one … at the time, we were coming up on the I-35 / I-80 commons around Des Moines and the only one I knew of did not look truck friendly … finally an hour south we found one advertising bus and truck parking. It's always fun leading, trying to guess when / where to stop to keep everyone 'happy' … so far so good. New rules, we're not supposed to run after dark with the mixers, can't see the drum turning … we now have to log the 'turns' counter every stop. A couple of the drivers wanted to make it to KC before stopping for fuel, there is a QT that has diesel as cheap as anyone, but about 30 miles out I get a call from another driver … 'stop' … he doesn't like running below ¼ … I pulled off in a few miles at a rest area to let everyone know there was a change of plans … and to pick up some motel coupons … ended up picking up about a dozen and didn't use any. When I got back in the truck my back was killing me, like it had popped out of place … it was only a few miles to the AmBest and I hurt every mile. At the fuel stop, after I call to have the fuel attendent turn on the pump I realize the left hose is in two pieces, there wasn't an empty pump so I waited for someone to come out an look at it … and that's what he did … he looked at it. Did find out that where the hose had come apart there was a valve to stop the fuel from flowing so I was still able to fuel. Then after I do fuel and pay, I'm sitting in my truck doing logging miles and tank turns when the fuel attendent comes out … with my credit card … THANK YOU … I going to need that for the next few days. We guessed we'd be in Emporia, KS about dark, and we were … Motel 6 was the stop … $20 each / two rooms. Two of the drivers I knew were of the AARP age group, so I jokingly asked the other driver for his AARP card … he had one, he's got to be on the low end of that age bracket … also found out when he showed his ID that he lives less than a have a mile from my folks, has for over 20 years … his land used to join our farm on two sides until my Dad started selling off the corners … small world. I had thought there was a Bob Evans or something close … the something was a family restraunt that must close about six or seven. Rather than walk across the Interstate we settled for Burger King … two of us did, the other two settled for a six pack from the local C-store. Ouch … my back is still killing me, there were times this evening when I was basicly standing in the truck trying to ease the bumps … at this point I am thinking the other drivers are going to have to help me into my truck tomorrow morning. I've 'never' bought any tickets ahead of time and with there being four of us, I'm thinking the rental car is our best $$$ option, but these guys don't seem interested in getting out of a truck and driving another 1,800 miles … not sure why … by early … we've checked flights and they are close to $200, but one of the drivers has his son get him one for $119 … for the day after we drop. I'm not really interested in spending an extra day on this run … my math says pay the extra $80, get home and get more work, I'll be <> $45 ahead … except … I'm running with three other drivers that don't want to leave Wednesday night which means I would have to pay about $60 for a solo ride to the airport … which means by the time a split a motel for the night, I would make as much not working as working … I make an exception to my rule and my wife gets one of the cheap tickets online. Cheap … even if I have to pay the $50 re-booking fee to change plans, it's still cheaper than the rest of the tickets. 7/20/04 - 7 AM … we hadn't set a run time, but we were all ready to roll by 7 … first stop, Flying J … then a re-route, 'we' decided to bypassed the toll road and take US 50 across KS. With trucks that only go 65 mph staying on the Interstate had little advantage … except when you hit road construction, the Interstate goes to one lane, US 50 went to a ½ a lane … where you have to wait for the on coming traffic and follow the shuttle car. Think we hit about three of those … I used the excuse of another driver having been this route before to get him to lead … same driver that 'always' stops at Mc D's is also rumored never to lead … not a problem … am finding a lot of rumors about driver to be just that … wonder what the one's are about me ;) ? …must be some reason there is only 1 or 2 drivers I have teamed with more than once … one of these drivers will be the only driver I have been on three trips with … the other two have been at this company longer than I, and I've never run with them. By now I'm not a happy camper, on one of the last fills I put in seven gallons / almost $14 more than the other drivers for the same miles. I had hoped by not being lead driver that my milage would incease … not the case. I had thought we'd stop in Pratt, but I wasn't the one in the lead any more … ended up pushing to almost 240 miles and stopped at the same place I had stopped going to Liberal, KS … got some fuel, tried to take some pictures and bought some ice cream. One of the drivers couldn't get his pump to work, they wouldn't turn it on … to us other drivers it was obvious, he was trying to pump 'off road' fuel … We stop in OK for a break and then decide to fuel … $1.66 … decided it wasn't' going to get any cheaper (and it didn't). When we try to fuel, none of the pumps would come on, finally one of the attendants remembered … you have to pump at least a penny of fuel on the left side to get the right hand pump to turn on, so they gave us all cups (we only have one tank, and it's on the right side of the truck so what we usually have to do is lay the left hose on the ground so that we can turn on the pump, this one needed more.) One of the drivers took that option, the other three turned our trucks around … luckily the place was quite or with trucks waiting, that wouldn't have been an option. It probably looked like a Chinease fire drill, three trucks trying to turn around at the same time in a limited amount of spaces. By now one of the other drivers has been saying he's been getting 6 mph plus … not me, not being in the lead has not improved my milage any. Another fuel stop in Tucomtarry … no, we only tried to fuel, it was packed so we went on to Santa Rosa and a Pilot there. For at least the thrird time this trip, I have managed to miss my gears … and every time was when the other three were right on my bumper … proffesional driver … Ya, sure … Once stopped, we decided to call it a day / night … and packed in at the local Motel 6. Supper was the (something) Moon … claimed to have been here since the hey days of Route 66 … food was not bad, just different … had a Philly Melt that I thought would be like a Philly CheeseSteak, not really. On the way back to the motel two of us stopped at the DQ … I had my usual blizzard … tasted like ice cream that had been in my freezer a few months too long, too much of that box taste. Not sure what happened, but my back has been only a little sore and the road hasn't been bothering it … which is great news … I did spend quite a bit of time last night stretching and turning trying to get some relief, must have worked. Should still see the chiro when I get back, it's been a few moths. Good news on the air fare also, tickets went up last night, now all tickets for Thursday are $200 … same as last week, the tickets go up the day after I pickup my truck … 7/21/04 - 4 AM wake up call … 5 our time, that's what we get for shutting down at 7 last night. Opps … it's still dark, forgot about that, guess we'll just have to watch the drum extra close … thought it would be light enough … oh well, just wait until this winter when we can only run for six or eight hours a day because that's all the sun light we have. We have just under 600 miles left to run today, should be no problem. One of the drivers suggested Enterprise Rent-a-car instead of a cab … because not only do they have more 'local' locations, they also advertiset they will pick you up, so I had called last night and found out the basics … yes, there was one in the suburb of Pheinox we were dropping in and what the hours and cost would be, plus the local number. Great news … this truck is finally making some good milage … they all are ??? the weather, the fact they now have over 1,500 miles, who knows but on my last full thankful I made 6.2 compared to my worste tank full of 4.5 … ouch. We are all sort of wondering what is going on … we've driven for three hours / over 200 miles and we all have over a ½ of tank of fuel, the prior two days even the other drivers were down to a ¼ after 200 miles. Scales? What scales, we have gone over 1,000 miles and not crossed a single scale … until AZ … with the road construction everyone exits. All they ask for is to look at our AZ plates and our IFTA sticker … but when I pull off the scale, one of the inspectors motions for me to stop than motions to the inspection lane, but I don't see how to get over there. He walks behind a building so I slowly creep along … until I realize that he has a semi ahead backing into that lane … thank you … We stop at Little America in Flagstaff to see if we need fuel, we had talked about running the trucks down to ¼ before fueling … don't want to leave a half a tank in each truck like last time. We decide to put in 10 gallons just to be safe … one driver gets nervious and decides to put in 15 … we'll see. Time to call Enterprise … yes they will pick us up, otherwise I was ready to leave on truck in their lot and pickup the car and then get the last truck down there … only thing we do have to watch is their 'non airport' locations are only open until 5 PM. 'Shouldn't' be a problem we only have about 100 miles to go in 4 hours … I'm back I the lead as I've recently done this exact run … this time I also know which exit to take … still have no good reason I didn't know that last time … had left someone else in charge of that trip I guess. Flagstaff to Pheonix … almost all down hill … almost … on one climb, I'm holding my speed until I have to let a sqad go past as I'm coming up on a camper … after the sqad passes, I try to pass but my momentum is gone … too late, I'm in the passing lane along side … barely gaining … with dozens of cars behind me. Oh well … I'm barely doing 45 and decide to stay there past a couple of semi's as long as I was at it … finally get past them as I crest the hill … lost driver four on that hill, I could not see him anywhere after that so I slowed to 60 … then 55, finally (he'd gotten behind the ones in the slow lane, couldn't get over and lost enough monentum that he had to stay right there). Did let these trucks wind out a little … on those hills where is says 'trucks us low gear' … we topped out a little over 75 … think one of the guys let his hit 80. I don't mind doing that on the straight aways … but on curves … with these cement trucks … it's 5 mph under. Chicken … I chickened out, I decided to stop and add another 5 gallons … we had 50 miles to go and had dropped to ¼ … and … it is HOT … I hadn't run my air conditioning the first two days except when I had to make phone calls. (oh, someone finally told me how to open the right window on these things … it's electric while the left is a crank ?) … even the other drivers had shut their air off around Flagsaff, but now … we are in the AZ every thinks of … HOT … think the forcast was for 116 … but it's 'dry heat' … remember? Once the three of us fuel, the guy who planned ahead didn't have too … I head back to the Interstate … opps … no entrance … OK, found it … it's the other direction past the gas station … Oh, yeah … this fuel was $2.10 a gallon … up from the $1.66 we paid for a couple of tankfuls. Once I realize where we have to go, we are on a stretch of road where the guardrail is tight against the roadway. So again we have three trucks trying to turn around in a very limited space … the other driver decides to back down a hill a few blocks and turn around there. As we are pulling back on the highway I realize this little stop plus the few hills we climbed have cost us some time … we are not going to drop until about 4:30 and Enterprise closes at 5 … so far this has been a good trip, hope this isn't the one wrench in the plan. One of the drivers had his truck jump out of gear the same place as mine did too weeks ago .. another drivers had jumped out of gear earlier. We sort of over looked one little detail … we were getting into Pheniox at 4 PM … rush hour … we hit the beltway / 101 at a … dead stop … four lanes going no where. Being up against the clock it seemed like forever but in a few miles we were back at 65 mph … As soon as it was 4, I called Enterprise to let them know our status … they had wanted us to call when we arrived, but I wasn't taking any chances of them going home before picking us up … "not a problem, actually we may be a little late, we have a couple of cars ahead of you … and we WILL pick you up before we close" Had to do a double take again today … I look back and again see not three but four cement trucks following me in formaton … this one bailed off before catching up to me so it must have been a local. Did find the drop without any problems … was a ways … about 5 miles … off the Interstate even when you go the most direct route. First guy I see is the guy who gave us a ride last time … "Guess you can sign for these trucks again … seeing the boss didn't fire you for signing last time." We had plenty of time to park the trucks and get them signed for, before our ride showed up … the second time I called Enterprise I had told them there were four of us so they wouldn't show up in a spec or an S10 … he did show up in a pickup, but it did seat five … said he wanted too make sure there was enough room for luggage. On the way back to his office he tried to talk us into renting this instead of a full sized car for 'just a few dollars more.' We didn't take it … these guys were talking about going to a steakhouse about an hour away and we didn't want to pay for the extra fuel. By the time week leave Enterpise it is after 5:30 and all three employees are still there working … I think they said that Enterpise has 9,000 rentals daily just in Pheonix … wow … plus all the other rental agencies in town … Even though we look at the motel coupons we still stop at the first Motel 6 we find … 'Always a clean comfortable room' … guess that's why we pay the extra couple of bucks over the ma and pa place's. As soon as we have our rooms and before we go to them the guys 'need' a six pack … I'm the only driver on this car and they won't be driving for 48 hours so not a problem. Sometimes advertising does pay … our motel keys said 10% off at the Texas Roadhouse so that's where we went, about three miles away … a very hospitable bunch … even the manger stopped by our table … because she had 'heard' it was our first time to a Roadhouse. The other three had ribs and said they were great … I had the end cut of a prime rib … not bad, but nothing o brag about. By the time we were done eating it was almost 10 PM, the sun was down but the wind still felt like it was coming out of a blast furnes. 7/22/04 - The prior two nights I had only slept only about 5 hours before laying awake until it was time to get up … last night I got closer to 8 … and still had plenty of time to lay around, not going anywhere anytime soon. Everyone was up by 6 and finally around 9 we decided to do something … anything … after throwing a number of things out there we ended up going to the Waffel House to eat and then to an air museum … at one point a showed them a brocher on the best shopping places in Pheonix and told them … 'you'd better decide on something …' The museum was mostly WWII stuff, they were more interested than I as they had lived thru it … sobering to remember those who gave all … Took my share of wrong turns getting to the car rental return, knew it wasn't at the airport … first turn took us into the airport, then we ended up on a side street for a few miles, when we got back to the Interstate it split and I took the wrong highway … good thing we left lots of time … they gave us our ride to the airport, we got our tickets, cleared customs and we waited. SunCountry doesn't have a desk here so we had to go thru Delta … not much for food on our wing, ended up spending $2.50 on a bottle of juice … and sat there and wrote this log. Right before we boarded we got talking to a gal from Germany who's husband was in the US for medical reasons … couple of hundred people on this plane and everyone has a story. Evening flight … tonights 'meal' is a hot turkey sandwich, they had extra so I had two … someone was also handing out chips, but my the time they got back to me, all they had left was the spicy ones so I passed … not bad for airline food, or maybe I was just hungry, all we ate today was breakfast. Oh, the forcast was for 114 today. Today I don't have a window seat and for once the pilot says all the major points and directions we will be flying … those things I like to know when I'm watching the ground. back Plane trickets |