Amusing factual stories - real life experiences in trucking

[Spin359]

lots of funny stuff in this thread, glad i read it all, keep it comin doc

[Doctor Who]

You want me to do what?????

The phone rang one Friday night and the voice in my ear asked me if I could run a load of air freight to Dayton, Ohio. The first reaction was "Are you insane???"
The second question: "Who are you????
The mystery voice told me that he had called my boss and asked if I could run the load since he could not find anyone else. Of course I'm not one to refuse a load I agreed.

I bob tailed to the Raleigh Durham Airport, found my way around to the air freight terminals to the address given to me. Emery Airfreight, what a coincidence, the same folks, who, bought Purolator Courier and ran it in to the ground but I digress...

The roller-bed trailer was loaded and ready to go as I hooked to it. I went to the dispatch office for the manifest and asked why would anyone want to ship air freight by truck. Didn't get an answer but it made for some great "evil" stares.
As I wandered back to the truck I noticed an Emery plane sitting on the tarmac and an odd feeling overcame me, I had a sneaking suspicion I would see the plane again...
I left the airport, pointed the truck towards Ohio and rolled on into the night.

Ah Dayton, Ohio what a fun place to be on a Saturday, a passing thought I had as I pulled on to the airport tarmac and lined myself up with a few other trucks. The Emery employee told us the plane was late but didn't say by how much so, I layed down in the sleeper and caught about an hour nap or so when a load rumbling sound awakened me.
Sure enough the plane had arrived I climbed out of the truck, opened the rear doors and took a glance at the plane, you guessed it, it was the same plane from Raleigh...

I asked the unloader person what the deal was but was quickly told it was none of my business which was fine, no wonder Emery was in deep ****!
The trailer was reloaded with empty containers, affectionately called "igloos" and I rolled back to Raleigh. Once I arrived back home I called the boss and asked him if he had lost his mind. Never did another "air freight by truck" load again...

Two little side notes:
I picked up a load in Elmwood Park, NJ drove to Gary, Indiana where the trailer was unloaded, I thought that was it but was immediately informed that I had to wait to be reloaded. "Great" I thought to myself, another fun trip to Gary with nothing to do...
Two hours later the trailer was reloaded and I was on my way back to Elmwood Park with the exact same freight I brought to Gary. I couldn't say too much about it, I did get paid both ways.

The same type deal only this time with a tanker load of chemicals loaded in Delaware, unloaded in Circleville, Ohio. The trailer was reloaded with the same load I had brought in and sent back to Delaware. I didn't bother asking any questions, I really didn't want to know the answers but someone some where must get paid an awful lot of money to plan loads that will drive a trucker crazy.....

[Doctor Who]

Hey, who moved the ORANGE barrels and why is the chic in the Escalade looking so PISSED???

A few months back, before I was grounded permanently, I hauled a few loads of asphalt to a paving job site on US 301 in Smithfield, NC. This was not an easy task due to the fact the project was right in the middle of "Shopping" heaven.

On the third trip to the site I found to my dismay that I was granted the privilege of working a HUGE intersection which contained an entrance to a Wal-Mart, which, was a great opportunity to piss off Wal-Mart patrons. As I pulled up to the site I noticed some of the orange barrels were either run over or destroyed.
"How odd!" I thought as I started to line up with the paver.
I popped the "Automatic" into reverse when I heard a lot of yelling and horn honking. At first I thought I opened the tailgate by accident but one of the paving crew ran up to the truck yelling that a SUV was just about under the rear wheels.
This I had to see.
Setting all the proper equipment to keep the truck from rolling I stepped out and sure enough there was a Cadillac Escalade just about touching the rear tandem.

The woman driving this over priced piece of **** rolled her window down and cussed me a big one as I asked her what she thought she was going to do. I was told, in no uncertain terms, that she was in a hurry to get to the Wal-Mart center. The paving foreman told her to back up and find another place to turn, she absolutely refused to budge demanding that the "loser" of a truck driver move his vehicle before she calls the law. I told her to go right ahead I needed some entertainment plus, I asked her if I could raise the dump bed to see if Cadillacs claim about their SUV was true. She immediately called the law. Not the brightest move as it turned out. The law arrived assessed the situation told the woman to leave, she refused. The LEO then checked the registration and found it was invalid and the Chic's license was revoked.

Just have to love road construction a new source of "Amusing Factual Stories"

[arkansas road hazard]

HI all I'm back up and running on the old iMac G-3. Loads to nowhere about 10 years ago my wife and I loaded a helicopter rotor blade for the U.S. Marine at Camp Penelton,Calif. The GBL(Government Bill of Lading) had a base in Florida on it so off we went. Dual driver, satellite protected all the good stuff we made lots of money on. The trip to Florida was uneventful, but when we got to the base they said they didn't order the rotor blade and didn't want it. We sat there for 3 days while making calls to everyone we could think of finally someone at DoD (Department of Defense) decided that they would cut us another GBL to Washington D.C. Maybe the Air Force needed the blade? Got to Washington, no luck nobody there ordered it and they didn't want it. After 4 days at their base DoD decided that the blade belonged to the Marines and we should take it to Michigan. Got there,same story we didn't order it and we don't want it. Now we are making big bucks if we can ever get this blade delivered somewhere. 3 days later DoD sends us back to California the same place we loaded this blade 2 weeks before. When we got there we were told they had been looking for that blade that it went to Seal Beach, California about 100 miles up the coast and that a helo had been grounded for 2 weeks waiting on it. How our Government spends our money.

[yoopr]

HI all I'm back up and running on the old iMac G-3. Loads to nowhere about 10 years ago my wife and I loaded a helicopter rotor blade for the U.S. Marine at Camp Penelton,Calif. The GBL(Government Bill of Lading) had a base in Florida on it so off we went. Dual driver, satellite protected all the good stuff we made lots of money on. The trip to Florida was uneventful, but when we got to the base they said they didn't order the rotor blade and didn't want it. We sat there for 3 days while making calls to everyone we could think of finally someone at DoD (Department of Defense) decided that they would cut us another GBL to Washington D.C. Maybe the Air Force needed the blade? Got to Washington, no luck nobody there ordered it and they didn't want it. After 4 days at their base DoD decided that the blade belonged to the Marines and we should take it to Michigan. Got there,same story we didn't order it and we don't want it. Now we are making big bucks if we can ever get this blade delivered somewhere. 3 days later DoD sends us back to California the same place we loaded this blade 2 weeks before. When we got there we were told they had been looking for that blade that it went to Seal Beach, California about 100 miles up the coast and that a helo had been grounded for 2 weeks waiting on it. How our Government spends our money.

:P :P
That's funny but too true about the Military
Curious on how much you made lugging that blade around

[ZeSweetTart]

Well, this isn't a road story. Just thought I would touch base. I am totally flooded out. My vehicle is completly under water and the water is halfway up the walls inside the house. At least as far as I could see from 2 block up the road.

Hey doc, so you have any idea if disaster relief will help you replace a car? I need to work. This is when being an I/C sorta sucks. No work no money. Red cross was so busy they had no way of helping. Cops in this town said they didn't have any boats so he told me to get out what I could and stay with a friend.

Got a suitcase, a laundry basket and my laptop. Thats all I own right now.

Kinda down and in shock still I believe.

They say the water will crest by Wednesday. Guess I'll know better when the water goes down if I can save anything in the house.

SweetTart

[ZeSweetTart]

Well its official. Haven't been inside yet, have to wait for Shirley to get off work and take me over there. She went over at lunch time to see if we could get into the house yet. The walls are buckled the floor is buckled the fridge is sitting upside down. All the furniture floated, all tvs, desktop computer, anything electronic gone. All the books..well almost everything I owned is gone including 2 vehicles, Toyota Camry and Pontiac TransSport Mini Van trashed.

But there is good news. The water didn't reach to the ceiling so all the family pictures from Great Great Grandparents thru my parents and the flag from the Navy from Daddy's funeral are safe! Damp but not wet.
I did lose the birth and death certificates and my dad's discharge papers from WWII and award papers.

Figure I can wash all the clothes and bedding and I may be able to save the frame from the daybed because its all metal. All the wood and covered furniture is a total loss as are all my books.

But the bird is safe! Sitting on top of her cage scared outta her birdbrain but alive!

If any of you might know of someplace that donates vehicle so people can work I sure would appreciate hearing about it. I can replace everything if I can work.

All in all, I am lucky. Am alive, have family pix from 4 generations and Daddy's flag, my clothes, a pair of shoes and my bird. I have a place to stay with friends as long as I need to be here.

Talked to the landlord and he is refunding my rent for this month as well as my deposit so will have a bit of cash to help pay for the laundrymat to wash what I can save and find storage for anything else.

Am going to take pictures of everything before I move anything out of the house.

Am just praying I can get it all out before the house collapses.

Lucky :shock:
SweetTart

[Doctor Who]

Hey doc, so you have any idea if disaster relief will help you replace a car?

I made a couple of phone calls to the National headquarters of the Red Cross and was told, no, cars are not included in the disaster relief emergency plan. The best I can tell you is talk to your insurance company and work out something with them regarding transportation. Wish I had better news for you...



After a long hiatus more road tales will be coming soon!!!

[yoopr]

Wish I could help but I can help with one thing.
ALL Military records can be replaced by going, or calling, The Veterans Administration Hospital that is closest to you-Each VA Hospital has Service officers-VFW, Vietnam Veterans of America, DAV, AmVets-American Legion-etc.
It DOESN'T matter if your Dad belonged to any of those organizations or Not-they WILL help-They'll replace any Military Papers you want replacing INCLUDING any Medals that he had that might have been lost.
Any Problems let me know

[stillsmiling]

***

[yoopr]

I said the Service Representatives AT the VA-not the VA
Each VA Hospital has Reps there

[stillsmiling]

***

[yoopr]

My intent was not to correct your post but rather to give additional information that might be useful. In my case the State Reps office was a stones throw from where my Uncle lived so that is the option we chose.

I know that-just meant the easiest, and most efficient way, was through a Service officer at the VA Hospital.
I HATE dealing with freakin politicians when it comes to Veterans Affairs.

[stillsmiling]

***

[Doctor Who]

I think it's about time to get this topic back on course before it tumbles in to chaos....

AGATA or, GAS PAINS!!!

A few days ago I met up with a guy who, drives for the petro hauler I worked for a few years back. He was not in a very happy mood as he explained that he had to divert the entire load of gas due to a dispatch error.
I asked him why was it such a bother since he got paid for the load plus the diversion. The look he gave me answered the question quite well* (more on this later)

As the mist dissipates, back in the late 90's I had a five load night not to bad until I got to my first stop and found the tanks were full. The store was closed, couldn't ask if a truck had already delivered. I wandered over to the pay-phone, paged the dispatcher on call and told her of my dilemma. After a 20 minute discussion the load was diverted. The five load night was going to be a long one at best.

After loading the second load at Exxon an uneasy feeling overcame me as I pulled out of the terminal. After the 45 minute ride to yet, another, closed store I found to my dismay that the tanks were also full.
"This is getting old!!" I thought to myself as I, once again, paged the dispatcher.
This conversation was a bit more intense when I asked her if there was a possibility that the loads were double dispatched. The "flame" from the expletives was quite bright as the dispatch lady came unglued. The only real understandable words were something like, "I don't make mistakes!"
RIGHT!!!!!!!

As I pulled out of the store on my way to the diverted stop I came to realize that there wasn't a ticket left in the door at either stop but the anger level kept me from saying anything to the very pissed dispatcher.

The second diversion was only a few miles from my third stop so, after making sure the load would fit in the tanks I drove over to stop number three which, was open, I walked in and asked the clerk if a truck had made a delivery yet and was told no.
I walked back to my truck debating whether or, not, to page the dispatcher again when, another truck pulled into the lot. I asked the driver to see his load tickets and, sure enough, he had the exact loads I had.

After he unloaded we both took a ride to the yard to find a very "HUMBLED" dispatcher making all kinds of apologies. The night was already a waste with the exception of the two diversions so, I loaded my fifth load and went on my way leaving the other driver with the number 4 load which, was one, I really didn't want to do anyway!!!

*The driver who, I had talked to in the beginning of this tale told me that the diversions were not being paid out. He also said a lot has changed since the company bought out another tank line and quite a few of the drivers have resigned.....

[yoopr]

Moral to this story is that in trucking if you think it's going to be a Great run stand by because something is coming that's gonna bite you in the Butt :P
I know this VERY well :P

[DD]

Haven't read all of the posts yet but I want to hear some of yooprs stories from going to North West Territories.

[yoopr]

Not much of a story but it was some of the greatest trucking I have done-I loved running through Canada back then-80's- and once past the BS of customs and running through Calgary and Edmonton(which at the time was a Pain in the butt because of the Oil Boom and those 2 towns were exploding in population) it was free running to Hay River Area--I hauled some Monsanto(Wild wheat killer I believe) products and I delivered to this French farmer who couldn't speak to much English but he and his wife was Super-He had me back up to this dock at his Barn and then he told his wife to "Draw me a Bath" and after Taking a bath she washed my clothes and then I sat down to dinner with them and slept in their home.
Then on my way back to the US.
Had a lot of fun running up there with Flat bedders from Hunt Transportation(Don't even know if they're still in business) who were hauling Pipe up to the NWT. There was a truck stop around Slave Lake that had the Cutest and Friendliest waitresses around and that was where I got my fondness for Vinegar with my Fries :P

[DD]

Oh and great stories Doc.

[Doctor Who]

More will follow as soon as the dust clears....

Picture if you will, a complaining trucker (nothing new), a medical waste incinerator and breakfast at the "J"

Makes one wonder just where does the food come from......