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...My Life as 'Drive away' driver
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Trip 69 - New GMC - Class B Refer ... to Albuquerque, NM Trip 69b - New IH - Class B Refer ... to Pittsburgh, PA Trip 69c - Used IH - Class B Refer ... from Pittsburgh, PA Trip 69d - New IH - Garbage Truck ... to Philadelphia, PA Trip 69e - New Sterling - New Watertruck ... to Portland, OR Off Monday ... dispatch had said there would be a two legged trip to Albuquerque, NM ... 1/4/04 Change of plans ... the main dispatcher is gone today, the boss is in charge, there's an ice storm hitting the midwest ... and no one is going south today ... Trip canceled. BELOW ARE THE HIGH & LOW LIGHTS OF THIS TRIP Little Black cloud – vs – Lucky Stars + Was offered a great paying run to ABQ … 1,200+ miles - It was canceled because of the coming ice storms in IA/KS + Was offered a run paying less per mile to PIT, but it was a round trip - Got a late start (Three unpaid hours) - When I finally got to my truck, it took an hour to start (-0- degree weather) - Rain & Snow in WI slowed the drive - Chicago toll's have doubled, my pay is unchanged + Still no ice - First time ever at a Motel 6, I was given a dirty room - My return truck is not ready, until next week -- Dispatch KNEW my truck wasn't ready before I left + There is a return trip 200 miles away - Dispatch has a rush truck 10 miles from my drop to move first + Get a free ride to my next truck 20+ miles -- Rush truck pay's $30 and take two days if I take the bus - I will break even if a get a car, but it will save a day + I find a rental car to take instead of the bus + Get a free ride to the train 1 mile, saves 1 hour wait for next train + Without knowing an address, I only have to walk 1 block from train to car + Airport / car drop is less than 10 miles from my drop - Flooding, the town where I pickup my truck is under water + Road to my customer is still OK - Flooding, Sign says I-70 is closed + I'm going Westbound which has just opened, EB still closed + My return trip has changed to a 2,600 mile trip to Portland - Which means my trip will now be 8 days, I've packed for 3 + Truck gets 10 mpg on first tankful - A second dirty Motel 6 - Iowa dozen semi's still in the ditch from ice 3 days ago + Iowa is sunny today - ?? Bad fuel, mpg drops to 8 - 5:45pm Friday night, am calling to get cash in my account - 1-1/2 days into trip, heater fan in truck quits - $75 & 3 hours later, fix lasts 5 miles - Mpg stays low as I try to make up hours - Will now be over my 70 hours before trip ends - 6 hours / 360 miles later realize I left credit card at repair shop - Permit cost $20, because BL says 'Equipment Co' not 'City of Portland' - 30 - 50 mph headwinds in WY, still low mpg + Storm in WY stays <> 10 miles south of me, sunny drive - Don't have enough cash for to keep driving, pay ID permit & motel - Sleeping in truck is not an option, still no heat, temp in 20's - To try stay under 70 HOS, have driven 500+ miles w/o any break + Remember Motel 6 has on-line reservations -- Find out reservations at Motel 6 does not mean payment + It's the weekend, bank hasn't update previous withdrawals - 15 min lost, stopped at truckstop for permit, bad info from dispatch - Roads are snow packed in OR mountains - Thick fog on snow packed OR mountains, speed down to 20 mph - Last year flights from Portland were $100, this year $200 - Have to stay overnight in Portland or pay $300 - $1,000 more - Found out cheap air ticket was N/A for walk-up's, have to buy ahead + 3 days w/o heat and no frost on the windows, or would have shut down + Beat customer close time by 30 minutes, HOS = 70 - Passed within 1 mile of 2 different cousins, but was out of time - Leave $15 extra fuel in my truck - Breakdowns, out of route motels have cost me 60 unpaid miles + Get free ride 2 miles to airport + Find motel with airport shuttle for under $50 - Am woke up at 12:45 AM, neighbors complaining about my noise/wrong!! + Just for saying "Please," was able to get on a 6AM flight instead of 10AM BUT here's all that matters ... I got home safe ... I made money Page 2 - The next leg .... |