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...My Life as 'Drive away' driver
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NOTES - NEED TO BE WRITEN UP This page was written from notes, about a month after the trip Sometime last week dispatch said a run to PHX was a possibility, by Friday everything but the dispatch time was a done deal. "Sometime Monday …" I was in no rush, had told dispatch I had things to do for a ½ a day, so I couldn't leave until noon … Not sure who held things up, but Monday turned into Tuesday AM. TUESDAY 8 AM … Send out last minute emails, and find out that I-40 has some nasty headwinds. But on this trip I have no choice … had I been heading to LA, I may have re-routed my trip. Then I spend time printing out the 'Cheep Sleep' list for my trip which gets me running late … then ended up leaving the list at home, and am running too late to go back for it. Once at the office I find out I'm not running solo, and that my ride is not full of fuel so it's going to be a while. 9 AM … Leaving … filling a 100+ gallon propane tank at the hardware store takes a few minutes, gives me to time to go get some cash for the trip, and fuel my car so I'm ready go if I get back in the middle of the night … cars been on 'E' for the last 20 miles. Lots of time for chat on the four hour ride down … boss was right on top of the fact fuel prices are going down (somewhere in the country), should check my prices against fuel paid two weeks ago, same route for the first 1,400 miles … fuel prices look up to me. Did I say FILLING a 100 gallon tank? … I would have, but for the driver the price was too high (even though we get the money back on payday), so we had to stop again a ½ hour later in Albert Lee at the TA. Not my favorite, but McD's will have to do, also spend a buck on a 2nd clip for my placards, cheaper than the $50 fine if I get caught without the placards. Do see two mixers leaving, drum isn't turning on one of them … ouch. 1 PM … we arrive at the customer, our ride leaves, the other two of us wait … an hour later we are still waiting, somebody is in no rush to get us rolling. Trucks are supposed to be done, supposed to have BEEN done. The trucks should have been built days ago and just waiting for an OK … these are the first trucks to roll off the lot after an 100% inspection was done. 2 PM … Mine is the first one to roll out, the other second one is right behind. Pre-trip time … First thing I check is the guages and … Nnnnnn-oooo !!! … my 'Stop Engine' warning light is on … and some of the gauges aren't working … 100% inspection ??? was done on these trucks ??? Time to call dispatch … find out it's our problem … MY problem, I'm to go ahead and sign for the truck … then call the shop. Dispatch can't find the local dealer, so I end up finding it in the local phone book and call them myself … my only question for dispatch was if I should sign for the truck, the rest I can take care of myself. Shop says as long as the fluids check ok that the truck is ok to drive the 10 miles to the shop … the fluids had checked ok so I go. Was some good news, my truck has a ½ a tank of fuel, very unusual for this customer, drivers have run out in the two miles between the customer and the station. 2:30 … Shop had told me there will be a four hour wait, they tell me the same thing again when I check in … they do ask one question I don't know the answer too … so I ask them if I should find out the answer to their question … 'No, we'll find out when we get to the truck' … With a couple of hours to kill, I walk across the street to the restraunt at the Citco truckstop. Buffet is an option, I settle on a … I can't remember … but I do remember the whole time I was there I was listening to the following story, told by a truck driver on the phone, in a booth behind me … and I eat slow … and he was still talking when I left. An over the road driver, thinking he was done for the week he called his dispatch who had two quick / short runs, on his way home. Things at the first pickup went OK … but got a flat tire on his trailer. The drop was supposed to be a trailer swap, but … no empties …there is always supposed to be four empties in this lot. Finally the yard driver says there is a trailer empty at the door, but they are going to start filling it in minutes … 'grab it and run.' Now with trailer he gets to his next pick-up with strict loading hours … only to have to wait three hours past his appointment. Once loaded and rolling, he blows a power steering hose … which was not a major problem, until his truck died. Didn't catch why the truck died … but in addition to buying a power steering hose, he had to buy a filter … the previous filter was falling apart in the fluid. Rolling again he blow's another trailer tire but doesn't stop … then hits only one out of a herd of deer. While unhooking the trailer one of the air hoses falls apart in his hand. Once out of his semi, his pickup runs out of fuel at the gas station … the station is closed, but the pumps are 24 hour … somehow jams the computer on the first gas pump … so he has to push his pickup to the second pump. As soon he pulls out of the station he gets pulled over by the local cop … for driving without his headlights at 2 AM … finally at home he hops in the shower before crashing, only to find there is NO hot water … There was more, but that was as much as I could remember of this guy's wonderful day. 4:30 PM … Back at the shop I get talking to a OTR driver who's CB handle is 'Murphy's Law' … time to check on my truck … "When we got to writing up your truck we saw it has a Cummins engine … we are not an approved dealer. Sorry." Great … (that was their question I didn't know the answer too … 'What kind of engine is in the truck?") … Ouch, now I have wasted two hours and have gained nothing. This time I will leave it to dispatch on where to send me next … the closest dealer is Cedar Rapids, but they can not look at me for 24 hours. Des Moines is farther, but heading the correct direction and can look at me first thing in the AM. Finally rolling, I can log a full 100 miles for my first day. 2/3's of the way to Des Moines … 50 miles to go … and the warning lights on my gauges quit working and my fuel gauge doesn't seem to drop after that. Have been getting 300 miles per tank on these trucks, should be able to get 100 on a ½ tank … should. 6:30 PM … I'm dropping the truck, they still can't work on it until tomorrow AM but I don't want to get out of bed that early. Our 'fire truck,' the one that burnt up in Des Moines is still in the shop in a bunch of pieces … it may be ready by Saturday … maybe I can get a flight from PHX to DSM and do back to back runs. Or maybe the truck has to go back to the customer for a new paint job … find out at some point that they have been 'borrowing' parts off of it for the other trucks that have been breaking down … always good to have a spare. Asked at the shop for a cheap motel … motels are north, food is south … no suggestions. Motel's are a mile away, a good walk … closest is the Ramada … $67, they use the same desk for the Travelodge … $44. Sorry, not when the sign at the Best Western is $39 and the Motel 6 is $35, they are just a longer walk. With a AAA/AARP/CDL discount, price after tax was about $35. Room checks OK, now I have a few hours to kill before I eat again … stuffed myself at the Citgo this afternoon so the plan is to wait until 8:30 … Bonanza Buffet is open until 9 PM … end up leaving the motel at 8:30 and not getting to the place until 8:45, but a group of 12 is ahead of me so I know they won't be closing the place down. Three more couples come in after me, the last one at 8:58, and they still seat them. Today is Tuesday and Tuesday is 'Steak night,' for the usual price of $7.99 you get a six ounce steak with the buffet. More than enough for me … food was good, salad bar was fresh, also had soups, Mex, Italian and American sections. I don't stop eating until I hurt, and am far from the last one to leave. Back at the motel, lights out. WEDS 7:15 AM … I'm calling the shop, they re-opened at 6:30 but haven't started on my truck yet … 8:30 AM … I'm at the shop, were I a pesimist, I would have stayed at the motel for the day … but instead I got up when the shop opened and have walked the mile to the shop. Forcast for last night and this morning was storms, I managed to miss them all. Had a good downpour at 9 AM, glad I didn't wait until they called to walk down to the shop. 9:30 AM … The shop say I'm good to go. They tell me about a loose wire that caused the 'Stop Engine' light to come on, so I ask them how that wire effected the gauges … "Gauges???" Seems someone forgot to transfer that problem for the write-up ticket to the computer … They pull the truck back in the shop. And I had my hopes up, I could have still caught my plane on Thursday AM. Did have lots of time to look at my paperwork … we now have to write the complete name of our company on each log page, so I did a books worth … and about every 15 minutes I ran up and down the stairs to see if my truck was ready. But after a few hours of this, I am getting bored … TV choices are weather, court TV and … things even less interesting. News had a story about the TV show 'America's Most Wanted' … some people have a much better memory than me, some guy had been watching that TV show, then a few days later saw the wanted man in the Bangcok, Thiland airport … aaaaaah, not me … I couldn't pick out the help down stairs out of a lineup and I've seen AND talked to them a dozen times already today. Did get to see another (un)happy Sterling driver … he was running a stack of new trucks and had to pull in to get a oil hose replaced … it was leaking. He was in and out in less than an hour, but it's still a pain you shouldn't have to expect with a new truck. Didn't talk to that driver, but did talk a little to one that was dropping part of a stack at the dealer … he too knows the problems they are having, said one of the places they pick up has rows of chassis without any rear axles, guess the truck company is having a disagreement with the bearing supplier … maybe because the trucks are starting on fire ??? Maybe. Made it a point to talk to this guy, just in case we were both going to be heading to the airport. No such luck, he has to drop the last chassis about a half hour north of town and will cab it back from there. 12 Noon … they find the problem, but do not have the parts to fix it … no one close has the parts either. Parts will take 3-4 days unless someone wants to pay for airfreight … parts need to be ordered by 4 PM … I start leaving messages for dispatch. 2 PM … After leaving messages for two hours, I finally get a call back … 'someone' is going to OK running without the gauges. I know this shop is not going to … they do try other 'options' to try and get me going, no luck. Sounds like they have been stealing parts off the 'fire truck' to keep our other trucks from getting delayed, doesn't work today. Hadn't eaten breakfast, didn't have any change for the vending machines, didn't dare take the chance of walking anywhere and them getting the truck ready when I was gone … some time in the afternoon I finally remember … I've got food in a bag in my truck … duh. 3:30 PM … I get the OK to run without gauges so that's when the shop started putting my truck back together … took about 20 minutes. I do my pre-trip and my log … guess I should have done a better pre-trip, now the oil pressure gauge isn't working … I do notice before I leave the lot, but not before I do my log book, shouldn't have done my log book first. Shop tells me that it quit the same time as the fuel gauge, locked right where it was until they unplugged all power. So now I need to get an OK to run with out an oil pressure gauge … 3:58 PM … I dial the office … re-dial about 20 times in the next 10 minutes before someone picks up … I keep getting dumped into voice mail (which I think they listen to once a day / once a week … something like that) by now it is after 4 PM, too late to order parts. Dispatch tries to get ahold of our customer, but failing to do so decides that their written OK applies to ALL gauges not working … 4:30 PM … I'm free to roll, but up until now I was still thinking I would be heading back home instead. One mile down the road I stop and fuel … 59 gallons in a 60 gallon tank, sure glad the shop didn't let the truck sit and idle … also grab something from Burger King, don't want to be doing any extra stopping. From here on, the rest of the trip is most of a blur … no new problems, same old road. The QT in KC is cheaper on fuel again today than the AmBest … but fuel is no longer cheap in MO, on these trucks it has been an extra stop to stop here and get cheep fuel, pretty sure we could make it all the way from pickup to Emporia, KS without stopping. It's been a long day and I need sugar … my prefered way is donut sticks, but should have eaten them earlier. Emporia is where I stop again tonight … had spent the day adjusting where I would stop as the day dragged on. Up until noon I could have still gotten in a full days driving, instead I log about six hours. On one of these trips I want to find a cheaper motel in Emporia, the M6 is usually about $35 … the University Inn looks to be still closed, never did stay there for $29, but with them gone the M6 price went up. Just as I'm about to pull off the Interstate, I'm passed by two cement trucks who then exit in front of me … they head east, I go west. By this time of the night I need food, Burger King is already closed so I've headed to the Wendy's at the truckstop … am tired of eating at the convince store. By the time I get my food and get to the Motel 6, the cement truck drivers have parked and are walking to the door. But they are still at the desk when I walk in. And as expected they are Interstate drivers, but not the same ones I saw yesterday … should have known, I forgot I lost a day sitting in Des Moines. These two trucks are going to either OK or TX, but then the drivers are heading out again with two trucks for PHX. Somehow they have gotten the clerk confused and it is taking a while … they are getting separate rooms, but she needs one with two beds … 'cuz she uses the pillows off both beds. Not sure what his needs were. And there was another person ahead of me … I was starving so I was eating my Wendy's double with bacon while I waited for those ahead of me. Gal ahead of me finally asked how far she'd have to go to get one (Wendy's). Room checks good, I finish my sandwich and crash. Too stuffed, shouldn't have gotten that size of sandwich, sure didn't need it. THURS Should have been dropping my truck tonight, but instead I only have 400 out of my 1,500 miles behind me … I've got two long days to go. Would have liked to have gotten going earlier this AM, but by the time I get to Flying J and fuel I'm legal. Interstate drivers should be running legal too, no sight of movement by them when I was leaving. US 50 is not too bad, only two spots of road construction where the traffic is down to one lane, stoplight controlled. Not much for farming yet, have only seen one person planting yet and that was back in IA … little early for there, last map I saw said people in OK should be planting. Without a fuel gauge, I am running a little gun shy … stop in Pratt for fuel, less than 150 miles behind me. But I had gotten a call from dispatch and they wanted me to fax a log of the times / miles I had stopped and checked the fluids … didn't want to waste a stop so I fueled and grabbed something to eat, should have walked across to McD's, but instead got a hot dog on a stick at the truck stop. … then … another 100 miles later I stop and find a fuel stick … should have done this day one. I have all kinds of fuel, no reason to stop again in Liberal, nor in Hooker. Not much reason to stop in Guymon, OK anymore either. Fuel is not a lot cheaper than either KS or TX … not enough to justify the extra stops. With a gauge (or a stick) I wouldn't have had to stop in Pratt either, oh well. The Guymon Shell doesn't have much for food so I pass on eating again. Have mentioned 1070 AM radio before, but haven't listened before in the AM … old time radio all right, like back when they played a couple of songs an hour if they ran out of things to talk about. And then at ?? 11:30 they go to all news for an hour … so it didn't help pass the day like I thought it would. On one of the stations I do hear a re-make of 'Six days on the road' … back in the late 60's and into the 70's there was a lot of 'trucking songs' … but it's been years since I've heard a new one (none that I can remember right now) Traffic has been pretty light on the two lane, but people still can't wait a ¼ mile for a passing lane or the four lane … used to think that the solid yellow line / no passing signs ment … DO NOT PASS. Fuel in Tucumcarri and Santa Rosa … $2.39 … fuel is now as cheap, cheaper in ABQ. When it comes to comparing fuel prices, what was true yesterday does not mean its true today. Not sure what I was thinking, I was under some illusion about making it to Holbrook today … but that must have been before I got started out of Des Moines so late. But my whole calendar must not have gotten adjusted … then I thought I could make it to … Gallup, then Grant … finally realized it would be a push just to get to ABQ for the night. Had thought maybe Mont ??? but no signs for cheap motels. Had I realized the price's of the motels in ABQ I would have planned on this … and it's an even 650 miles from Emporia. Thought I had remembered a billboard coming in to ABQ for a Motel 6 for $29 … so I was watching closely and found it so I knew what exit I was looking for. Once at the motel I forgot to ask if this was a rough section of town, lot next door has a 15 foot fence with rolled barbwire … other than that it looks like an OK area. Days Inn $30, Motel 6 $29, Travelodge and Econo Lodge $28 … but the M6 was the only one advertising truck parking so that's where I went. And I asked about the slogan "… lowest price of any national chain" … and they dropped the price a couple of $$'s. Only nearby food was the Waffle House at the front of the motel, not my first choice … and it was even worse than I expected. They have removed all the pictures from the back of their menu, now how am I supposed to know what I ordered last time? I don't. Whatever breakfast I ordered I couldn't finish all the hashbrowns. Empty place … was a couple of couples in there when I got there, but by the time I got my food it was only me, the waitress and the cook … until the cook left for Starbucks to get some coffee. Do call on an airline ticket but don't buy … flights are up to $190 … Lights out. FRIDAY 5:30 … 6 AM … don't remember, but whatever it was was legal. Found two more Motel 6's in ABQ this AM, picked the right one, cheapest one … Running well under the speed limit, so there should be NO questions when I get to the AZ scale … NM scale was closed yesterday … at 4:30 in the afternoon ?? 'Should be' no questions at the AZ scale, but no one is getting the by-pass today, don't even have the sign turned on. Never had anyone be so precis when weighing me … I'm empty, and she's motioning me an inch at a time until I'm just right, thought maybe I was overweight with my tag axle up, but no … I show the gal at the window my AZ plate and IFTA but she wave's me to stop anyhow … with these right hand drives, I'm on the wrong side to hand them anything. Inside they ask … 'Transport?' … yes … 'Plate?' … 'IFTA (sticker)?' … 'Insurance (page in handbook)? … IFTA (page in handbook)? … '(AZ) plate saved you $63 today.' I'm free to go … no questions on my NM permit from this person. Don't usually yawn this much in the AM … go, go, go. So much for a layed-back, 500 mile a day trip … sure seems like a long time until sun-up. It was cold last night and this AM … but as soon as I turn on the heater it starts to stink … like melting plastic … I don't need a fire in my truck so I zip my jacket up tight and sit on my hands when needed … one at a time, of course. There is a couple more 'clasic country' stations that comes through on this run, one is out of CO or UT and I can pick it up for a few hours in NM and / or AZ. The music is good, but nothing close to the station in Witchita. The second station plays great classic country, but the DJ's only speak Navajo ?? … something that is not Spanish or English … most of the time. As long as I understand nothing my mind drifts off, but they were playing one commercial that was about half in Navajo and half in English … I could understand enough to know that it was for an upcoming rodeo. They are still working on cleaning up the derailed coal train (somewhere in NM or AZ). Had thought I'd be running slow enough to swing through towns like Grant and Gallup in search of cheap motels on this trip, didn't happen. Have already had to call the customer looking for a backup plan if I can't make their 4:30 close time on Friday … but they don't have one … looks like I may have about 2 hours to spare thanks to daylight savings time. Fuel at my usual spot, the Love's in Gallup … had planned on stopping for fuel about 20 miles back, or more … if the fuel gauge had been working … as it is I will be bring in this truck flat on 'E' … have too … gauge doesn't work. Am doing OK … for these trucks, about 6.5 mpg and nothing I do seems to be able to get any more from a tankful … haven't asked to see what anyone else is getting. Always end up talking about how far they got before they broke down. Did get a call from the other driver, he had delivered last night and had a motel come and pick him up and they would be taking him to the airport … the E-Z 8 for $40. Before we picked up our trucks he was guessing we would spend $700 on fuel, then yesterday he's complaining that he's spent almost $500 on fuel and one tankful to go … which will be close to what I will be spending, about $540. That wind that someone emailed me about … and the weather channel said had closed I-40 at times … and had taken its toll on the other drivers fuel … is today at 5-10 mph. Yeah! … but doesn't make a lot of difference to me, just that much more fuel I'll be leaving in the tank. No reason to stop in Flagstaff … but do stop at the first open rest area south, stick my tank and give the stick a fling. Lots of fuel. Down hill from Flagstaff, not sure but I think Flagstaff is about 7,000 feet … guessing … PHX might be about 2,000 … nice drop, no 'hair pin' curves. 65 sure seems fast going down hill with the cruse set at 55. Talked to dispatch a few times over the last couple of days, no runs (which will turn out to be a VERY good thing) … I can only run Saturday thru Tuesday, nothing heading out on the weekend I guess. Have a trucking expo I want to go to, don't need to, but some day I may be looking for a 'real job' again … 1:45 PM … No problem getting to the drop, but by now the odds are against me on catching one of the early flights, the last good flight leaves at 3:10 … the rest either go through LAS or are red-eye flights. By the time the customer checks me in it's 2 PM, not bad … when I left Des Moines 1,500 miles and three days ago, I said I'd deliver about 2 PM was only off by 15 minutes. The other drivers had told me that we can no longer get a free ride from the customer, but they offer and I accept. 2:15 … I'm at the airport. I check in with my 'conformation number' for my red-eye flight, first they suggest a flight through LAS which I am not interested in … but with some prodding they find and get me on the 3:10 direct flight home, with any other truck I would have bought a ticket before I left … and I'd now have $70+ more in my pocket. Ticket has gone up $60, and because I bought it at the counter, there is a $10 handling charge … And, I would have saved about $40 / at least $10 a night by sharing a room if my truck hadn't broke down. But here and now, I just have to get through security. Line is short but they go through everything … think this is the airport with the new 'puffer,' you stand in a little box while it blows little puffs of air on you … instead of the pat down. Still go through the carry bag though. 2:30 … I'm waiting in line at BK, would have liked a pizza but knew I wouldn't have time to wait for them to cook that. Instead got a chicken sandwich, should have had them add extra mayo but thought there would be some on the counter … there wasn't and now I'm out of time. By now its time to walk right on. Buying a ticket with less than an hour to go and I still got a window seat … not sure what was going on … I did shower this AM, but still the other two people in my row moved elsewhere as soon as they closed the door on the plane. (could have been because NO ONE was sitting in the row across, or either of the two rows behind us). Think this is the first all male steward flight I have been on. Good thing I got a sandwich … or maybe not, don't remember how much I paid for my sandwich, but sandwiches on the flight are $5, cookies are $2 … at least they offer food. AmWest has found a new way to earn money … they now have paid ad's on the tray's … captive audience. Had I gotten here on time this AM, I could have been on the same flight as a couple of my in-laws … but that was a Sun Country flight and they don't have enough backup options if I missed the flight, which I did. I'm on the phone until the last minute trying to find out news at home, so I know we end up lifting off late. Once moving, we go … no line on the runway … don't even slow down as much as usual for the corners, but they do stop … for a second … before full speed ahead. Spending way too much time in the air … am able to ID where I dropped my truck and the interstates as we leave PHX. Then I got to doing something else, but later I look out the window and we are flying over the Denver airport, later we are following I-86 for a while … sure would make it easier if I could see those state lines they show on the maps … Then we are going over Ogallala, NE … the main reason I new it was Ogallala was last year I got talking to a local and he was saying how their water resivor was so low … just north of this town I see is a dam and a resivor … can't think of the name of the next town, but I know it has a Harley dealer in a building that looks like some of the old 'outlet malls.' Later we cross what has to be I-29 in SD. Once we hit the MN line we were above the clouds, makes it hard to get one's barring … is a great visual effect as we drop into the clouds, looks like we are landing on water, then skimming over the top for a minute or so before we drop in. As we start to drop below the clouds it took a while to realize where I was, at first there was one quick break in the clouds. I could see a farmhouse and about a five mile area … not enough. Later it's the local refinery that gives our location away … but we have never come in this way before, and with all the short right / lefts the pilot was doing, I wasn't sure if they knew where they were … does happen. I've been on planes where they have done a huge 'S' turn in order to get lined up with the runway. The fact that it is still light out means I should be getting a full nights sleep in my own bed tonight. Was able to get the trip done in less than four days, should have been in 2-1/2 days, but I should be getting paid for all my down time. The other driver did the same run and was home about four / five hours before me and will get paid no down time. And I don't think either of us worked Monday … so far the week I should make about $600, he will make $500 or less, sounded like he was burning more fuel than I. I've got to get in the habit of putting airline tickets on hold if I can, would have saved about $70 on this trip. Even if I had kept one on 'rolling hold' I could have saved $40. A 'rolling hold' is what I call it when a driver will put a ticket on a 24 hour hold, and then if plans are changing, he puts a new ticket on hold every 24 hours until he is 'sure' the truck is going to be rolling. Tickets seem to go up the most the last 3-4 days before the flight, so the time it takes to make the extra phone call should be worth it … putting the ticket on hold is free, but purchasing them via phone cost $10 but you're still money ahead. |