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...My Life as 'Drive away' driver
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Trip 74 - Used Ford - Semi Tractor
w/sleeper ... to Dallas, TX Trip 74b - Used Ford - Semi Tractor wo/sleeper ... from Dallas, TX Not sure what the rush is, but dispatch has been bugging me to leave Tuesday, I had told them Tuesday PM at the earliest ... 'What time? what time?' ... once I found out what the run was I didn't see the reason to leave Tues, this would be a good three day run, why split it over four days? I even asked them what the rush was ... no answer ... just 'We'll leave the paperwork so you can leave before the office opens Wednesday.' They also said they would be throwing in an extra transport plate ... 'Just in case you have to more the trailer that is attached to the tractor ...' (Just in case? Sounds more like 'we know you may not take the run if you know for sure you have to more a trailer.') Should have picked up my paperwork Tuesday night ... then I could have planned my route between my drop in Dallas and my next pickup in Grand Prairie... as it was I was only guessing. 2/9/05 When I haven't picked up my paperwork by 8 AM, I get a call from dispatch checking to see if everything is OK ... it is, I'm on my way. This truck I will be picking up at the customer, second truck is coming back to the same locations so I can leave my car in their lot ... if I can find a spot. Truck is still in the shop when I get there, I'm told that the fuel gauge doesn't work and they didn't have time to get the part in, but there is about 3/4 a tank of fuel in it. By the time they give me the keys, a single spot has opened up for me to park my car. Trucks just been run so it starts right off, all vitals check good ... and I find a stick to stick the fuel tank. Sort of, I break one off a tree ... a little too green but it will do the job ... tank isn't 3/4 full, maybe 1/4 ... but that will be enough to get me to the closest truck-stop. As I'm trying to find a stick and loading my stuff in the truck ... it is snowing ... hard. If I am going to be moving a trailer this trip, I had better bring some tools. Found two screw drivers and a vise-grip ... by the time I had found these I had a good coating of snow in my trunk of my car. Could have been rolling ... early ... instead it is almost 9 AM. The plus is the traffic has thinned. 40 miles later I'm to a truck stop and the gauge is still on 'E.' I've got a 1,000 miles to go ... I start with 50 gallons ... interesting, the fuel gauge does work, there just needs to be fuel in the tank. Gauge now shows 1/2 tank. Well either the gauge doesn't work, or I am getting really bad milage ... in 60 miles the gauge has gone from 1/2 back to 'E.' I stop and stick the tank ... still has fuel, I stop and stick the tank a couple of more times and up getting 300 plus more miles once the tank reached 'E.' I've done a one way trip to Dallas a couple of times and had remembered it only taking 1 plus day ... in a class C vehicle. Never looked at the miles last night, now I realize that I will need to drive more than 50 mph if I'm going to make this trip in three days. And if I don't, I will have to delivery the second truck Monday morning ... and if I have to move the trailer around, I will be doing it during Fort Worth rush hour ... not a good plan. Better plan will be, drive 65 mph and make the delivery before noon and with any luck I could be back home by 3 PM on Friday. Had thought this was going to be a lazy trip and I could spend the night in Emporia, KS and still do the trip in three days, not likely ... will need to max out 700+ miles daily which will put me in OK the first day. Have done it before, and tonight I don't even need to find a cheap motel ... going to sleep in my truck ... legally. Another good reason for running 65 this trip ... lately the trucks I've had run at about 17 - 19 rpms at about 50 mph. At 50 mph this one is only running at about 12 rpms which will make it choke on the hills, or I could down shift but that defeats the purpose ... even at 65 mph its only turning 15 rpms. Last trip I did to Dayton I did not pass one open scale, down or back ... not so today. The MN scale wasn't open on I-35, never has been ... portable scales are used ??? when? But in IA two of the three are open ... the MO scale is open ... the KS scale is open ... and "come in please." "What are you doing driving around in an unmarked truck" I was asked as I walked in the door. I showed them my plate and IFTA sticker ... "Oh, was that in the window?" Yes, it had been ... and I was free to go. Earlier, back at Kearney, MO I decided it was time to take on more fuel ... (something I will regret not putting more thought into later). I have put on 300 miles since the gauge went back to 'E' and while there was still fuel on the stick, I have not yet put that measurement into gallons. I did not mark the stick when I started, or after I fueled ... but it seems that I may have used the 50 gallons I put in ... meaning <> 6+ miles per gallon. Should be getting twice that. As long as I'm stopped I call my drop, and tomorrows pickup ... surprise ... my pickup is a little hyper ... "I've already told 15 people that that truck has not been released. Don't wasn't your time coming down here." So I call dispatch ... (trust me??) ... not a problem, we've been talking to the customer / purchaser of the truck has taken care of the problem and it should be released yet today ... something else to worry about ... oh well I can always take the bus home ... ... now that I've made it to OK, its time to find a place to park for the night ... I know there are a few truck stops right as you enter the state and there should be a rest area ... I've stayed in Blackwell before so I pull off there. No luck, truck-stop doesn't have any parking. Only parking is for 'motel and restaurant customers only.' Back on the interstate at Tonkawa I'm right at 700 miles. This should be as good as place as any ... I'm past the OK scale, it was closed ... there is a motel, restaurant and vacant gas station with truck parking. It wasn't only that I wanted to get 700 miles behind me, I was also trying to get south of the cold weather ... not such luck, it would be down in the 20's well into OK tonight. Which created a problem for me ... how much fuel does a truck use idling? It was warm in the truck so I shut it off, in a couple of hours it was cold ... so I started it again ... and off ... and on. 2/10/05 - If I hadn't been able to remember my dreams, I would have been sure that I hadn't slept at all last night. Not well rested that is for sure ... should have gotten a motel? Now to find a place to wash up ... do stop later in OK but it was a very small and very busy Rest Area, so I move on to the TX welcome area. Did see some good news back in OKC ... fuel as low as $1.67. Sure beats the $1.97 I paid for my first 50 gallons. Now at the TX welcome center I stick my fuel tank again ... do I have enough fuel to get the last 100 miles. And I finally do what I should have done when I picked up the truck ... I did the math. I have over 9 inches of fuel ... and the fuel tank is 27 high. I still have over 1/3 of a tank of fuel. The two tanks hold 150 gallons ... I still have 50 gallons of fuel left ... that should get me 100 miles. Looks like I could have safely left the customer with only 20 gallons in the tank ... saving me 30 gallons <> $60. Ouch. My delivery map shows I-35 and the exit number so finding the customer shouldn't be a problem ... shouldn't. My street doesn't have a stop light and I miss it. Then turn on a major street and miss my cross street so I have to re-trace my tracks ... and miss the customer so I have to back up and turn around again. Like often happens, the last 10 miles are the hardest. Getting a signature is not a problem, the gal at the front desk offers to do it, 'just leave the truck where it is.' Page 2 - The next leg .... |