Arrow Trucking

[dewercs2]

There may be a Mexican restaurant there, up by the freeway on the south side.

I can't remember-Love's has Arby's & the Pilot has Wendy's? What a gastronomical choice!

Enjoy your meal!

Yep, Stopped at Loves and had Arbys... then bounced over to Pilot to stay the night and use there Wi-Fi. Was up late writting on here and putting in Applications.

[dewercs2]

It's been a mess of things that has finally led to this.

While sitting in Lost Hills I was in the Pilot and shooting out Applications online tuesday night. Wednesday morning at 730am I received a call from a recruiter from JB Hunt. He offered me a Controlled Regional Fleet at 37 cpm. He answered all my questions and was interested as to why I kept asking about breakdowns and how long it took to pay for items or wait for approval to pay.

When I told him about Arrow how things have been going He said man you need to get out of there before you get nailed in a DOT inspection or they close down. If you decide not to go with us or go with someone else take it. When He asked about any accidents I started to tell him about the rollover. He stopped me and said everyone ruled it Non Preventable right. I told him yes, he said okay, then I don't want to hear anymore about it, it's done and not on your record. I thought about what he said and figured my CDL is still in good shape. I thought about the move and decided to jump. I was conferenced with another gentleman and he went back over with my info. He then asked if I could get to a fax machine today to start the ball rolling with the checks. Not a problem I'm at a Pilot and I'll call back with the fax number. After hanging up with him I contact the boss lady and informed her what I was doing.

A few minutes later I was in Pilot receiving/sending the fax. While in the restroom I received a call from my Driver Manager. Since I was in a stall I told her I would call her back. While I was walking back to the truck I called her and she asked if I had enough hrs to get from Lost Hills to Adelanto and to Paso Robles. I told her it wasn't the lack of hours it was the HOS issue from yesterday. I was going to bump 14th hr on the drive back and not be able to make the delivery time of 7am. She said she understood, which I doubt, and asked if I could make it today. I said not a problem.

As I was running to Adelanto I kept trying to figure out a way to give notice and not get screwed in the process... get shut down and made to wait till friday to come to phoenix.

So as I'm driving I get this QC after you deliver go to Lathrop and load for a run... Boise, ID and finals in Seattle, WA....

Uhhhhh...... I came back with can't take run, need to come to phoenix.

10min's later.... I get a ?

I replied to be honest I need to turn in truck, friday or saturday will be my final day with Arrow.

no response....

I get to Adelanto and hook to a trailer. As I'm doing so another driver shows up. He says I'm suppose to take that trailer. I start laughing because the the load is on an aluminum. I told him sorry... he then went on to say that he was on home time in Pasadena and that he received a call from his DM that a loaded trailer was sitting in Adelanto and that he needed to come off HomeTime and come get it. He said that he would get back in the truck and make some calls.... I checked my QC nothing was on it. I finished securing and he came back up. There's something going on. PHX and Tulsa are fighting it out, your suppose to still take and I get to go back home. He jumped into truck and left.

When I got to the gate to check out. The shipper told me that this was the last load for Arrow, that he had cancelled all future loads and that he would not be doing business with Arrow any longer. He told me that this was a load that was suppose to be picked up yesterday and delivered this morning at 7am.

I kinda felt bad and told him that I had delivered tuesday but sat 5.25 to get unloaded and was suppose to grab this trailer but couldn't due to HOS. Since we had spoken in the past about him being a driver I knew he would understand about HOS. He told me that Arrow had told him that there were 3 different drivers assigned to this trailer but nobody showed. He said that this was the last screw up that Arrow was doing, the contract was cancelled and that it wasn't my fault he had given Arrow too many chances. I told him this was probably my last load with Arrow and he said I would have jumped ship a long time ago.

I ran the trailer to the Pilot at 395/58 and grabbed 2 round DOT lights. After spending a little bit of time rewiring/splicing a connection and trying to get a light back into the hole I was on my way.

I shut down in front of the access gate to the military base at 830pm.

It was nice, quiet and dark. After I finished updating my log book I shut the cab light off. I was sitting there destressing and looking at the stars....

I'm looking out the windshield and see these lights moving figuring they are planes or helicopters? nope.... damn things start moving like nothing I have ever seen.... Okay maybe reflection on my windshield from inside or outside... look around, nothing, get out.. walk around.... nothing.... look back up into the sky... watch as one makes a 180and dips below trees... hmm figure Lightening bugs? Keep loking around.... watch as one shoots across sky, reminds me of a satalite or meteor... it stops and does a 180... rub my eyes... shake the head... look back up and it hauls butt north...., look to the west and 2 are like dog fighting... then they shoot off to the north.... allright... get back in truck, look at cell phone no service... hmmm can't check in with the wife.... better get to bed and hide under the covers before I get abducted...

Woke up the next morning and was offloaded by 9am. received a QC to DH to Orange, CA. Load at 10am. I QC back.... I'm quick but not that quick. got no response... at 1pm recieved a phone call, Are you loading yet? told her nope.... on I-5 and passing the City of Burbank. Was told that I would be receiving a QC then with different load number. 5 minutes later QC comes in.

Arrived at shipper at 315pm and was loaded with 22 pallets of tile. weight 46768. QC said load had to be tarped. After loading a port truck tried to pass me while at shipper. He almost took off my driver side westcoast mirror. I told him to stop and threw the remaining loose straps onto the trailer and pulled forward and to the right. Driver went by me and I looked back nobody behind, I started to back up and felt like I ran into something.

I set the brakes and got out. A strap had fallen off the trailer and I had ran it over. BUT since it was over the pallet of tile it had broken a box. great!! My last load, my first damaged freight!! I finished strapping down and drove over to the shippers office and told him what happen, he looked at case and saw a couple tile were broken, He said shouldn't be a problem, I wouldn't worry about it.. I tarped the load and went over to use there scale. Normally I wont tarp then scale but my air guage was reading ok, I just wanted to look at the axle weights. 40010 on trailer tandems... whew that was close... glad I'm pulling a spread.

I ran out east on the 91fwy at 530pm thursday rush hour traffic. Earlier I had made arrangements with the wife to bring my pickup and meet me on the 60 just before the 10 meets up with it. There we took my ladder and anything else that I didn't need for the trip to Phoenix. About 20 minutes later I was rolling again. Since I only had a lilbit of time remaining I shut down at the Coachella TA. My offload appointment was to be at 7am tommorow. Another QC not going to make 7am appointment have already spoken to consignee come in anytime no appointment needed.

LAST DAY:

woke up and ran to Phoenix, followed directions on QC.. take 10east to 19th ave go north... K. Ran 10 east... no exit for 19th ave used the loop and came onto hwy 17 from south and found 19th exit... S. 300 19th ave.... k run north.... about 45 minutes of busy surface street running I get to drop. this is not a place for big truck. no way to pull in. Set brakes.... 4ways go on.... blocking a north bound 3 lane road. I'm getting honked at and as I get out of truck a forklift driver pulls up to sidewalk. Take the next street and make a right... the next street make a right and then another right... I'll wait for you to pull up in the street. I asked where do I take the tarps off? He looked at me and said I don't know. He then started up the lift and drove off.

So I followed his directions and went down a residential street and saw him in the street on the lift. I pulled up and and left the truck running with AC on high.... I grabbed my spare set of keys and locked the doors. I proceeded to untarp on top of the trailer. After rolling up the tarps I left them on the trailer and jumped into the cab. I drank a gatorade and sat there for couple minutes. It was 109 and I had jeans on. normally when It's hot I'm in shorts...
Jumped back out, unstrapped and put everything away. Driver looked at the pallet that had the case with damage. He said not a problem, looks ok. He signed the paperwork and I was out of there.... I QC'd that I was going to Danny's truck stop on 59th Ave to use vaccum and then I would be into yard. I met the wife at Danny's and I emptied the rest of my stuff from the truck. I cleaned truck up and then ran it to the yard. I saw the yard guy and told him I was emptying out of the truck. He told me I was the 8th or 9th driver to turn in a truck in a week an half.

I finsihed my paperwork, walked into the terminal and handed in the keys. I asked if they wanted to look at the truck and was told no. I assumed they would say that so I pulled out a peice of paperwork and had them sign that they had declined to look at the truck at time of termaination. The DM looked at it and said she wasn't going to look at it and gave it to the terminal manager who looked at it and signed it. I asked if there was any paperwork that I needed to sign and she said nope, nice working with you... Walked around the office and shook everyones hand, only 4 people in the office.

I walked out the door and am free of Arrow.

A few thoughts on Arrow....

Until they figure out the maintaince issue, repair issues and lack of funds to cover please do yourself a favor and stay away. I suggest that the plan that they do come up with should be in effect for a little while to iron out the bugs before siging on with them.

The reputation that Arrow has gained is not the total fault of the company I think many of the drivers are also to blame. I have seen numorous loads that were suppose to be tarped not tarped that resulted in damage to freight. A QC came out thursday or friday about a driver with an 4 drop Alcoa load, the last drop he left uncovered, it had rained over night and had damaged the load.

Like it has been discussed before either on this thread or another Arrow one.... The left hand doesn't communicate with the right one. There are too many people there that will say yea, yea, yea.... just to shut you up and then say, just do it this one time. Or... And I like this........ Just take the load and we'll get you in the shop afterwards.... Oh.... just one more time then you can go in, but be aware... you might sit for a few days... Code for you go in.... i'm going to punish you. .......But the best one I have heard.... You can't have home time... Theres not enough revenue on the truck..... Well, then keep the truck running and you'll have revenue.

I start orientation on monday at 7am with JB Hunt in Southgate, CA. What should my next thread title be named? suggestions??

[dewercs2]

Has anyone noticed.....

Maybe me....???

seems like I'm seeing more hispanics running flatbed. Was wondering if this has anything to do with the ports requiring TWIC cards and they aren't able to pass????

Ummm.... and I'm half mexican too so not a racial thing either..... geeezzz...

[freebirdrfd]

good luck at J.B.... i would tell ya to keep us posted, but i know you already plan on it.

[ronjon619]

Has anyone noticed.....

Maybe me....???

seems like I'm seeing more hispanics running flatbed. Was wondering if this has anything to do with the ports requiring TWIC cards and they aren't able to pass????

Ummm.... and I'm half mexican too so not a racial thing either..... geeezzz...

There are Mexican carhaulers from the Toyota plant in Tecate, MX with TWIC cards. They shuttle the Toyota Tacoma pickup truck from the plant in Tecate to the port in San Diego. Like GMAN has written before it's all a money making scam.

[broncrider1]

dewercs

good luck with ole jb.....name the next one....and i ride again!...LOL
seriously man, good luck

and pat asks me that same question everytime i call to chat with someone else (im not a big fan of her's...shes a nice lady and all.....)

[Orangetxguy]

It's been a mess of things that has finally led to this.

I start orientation (@JB) on monday at 7am. What should my next thread title be named? suggestions??

Fixed it so folks know what you is talking about.

Good luck Paul. At least Arrow allowed you to get back on the road. Run with JB as long as you can...but keep your eyes open to better possibilities.

Make what ever title you use....interesting.

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

Has anyone noticed.....

Maybe me....???

seems like I'm seeing more hispanics running flatbed. Was wondering if this has anything to do with the ports requiring TWIC cards and they aren't able to pass????

Ummm.... and I'm half mexican too so not a racial thing either..... geeezzz...

Absolutely true. They are everywhere hauling lumber in Nor Cal. I've got more than a couple of anecdotes.

My theory is that when the emissions laws kick in for port trucks ALL of those guys will buy cheap flatbeds & come out to make some real money.

Good luck with JB

[jvnd1953]

Sorry to see you leave Arrow Paul. But, it was necessary. I might follow your lead. Keep up the posts. Right now Arrow is running me pretty good. 3 loads in 1 week totalling 2800 mi. I also got my safety bonus this week. I meant to call you this week but was pretty busy. Does Hunt have flatbed? Keep us up to date on Hunt and orientation. Call me when you can or I'll call you when you finish orientation. Good luck

[dewercs2]

There are Mexican carhaulers from the Toyota plant in Tecate, MX with TWIC cards. They shuttle the Toyota Tacoma pickup truck from the plant in Tecate to the port in San Diego. Like GMAN has written before it's all a money making scam.

Where do you find these pictures..? The other girl was kinda hot in a dark way...

I'm from South Dago, born and raised... moved up here in 2000. Miss the life but not the hustle/traffic. Now live in a nice quiet town.

I agree with you and GMAN, it's about the money. Give it another couple years and you'll hear that the card is useless because it has been compromised... someone in the Gov was getting a payoff to look the other way so people who shouldn't have the card now do. Someone will always find away around it...

[dewercs2]

good luck at J.B.... i would tell ya to keep us posted, but i know you already plan on it.

Your Avatar photo looks like you were on a cruise.

Thanks..

[dewercs2]

dewercs

good luck with ole jb.....name the next one....and i ride again!...LOL
seriously man, good luck

and pat asks me that same question everytime i call to chat with someone else (im not a big fan of her's...shes a nice lady and all.....)

Thanks Broncrider. I don't often speak with her but I agree she's is nice. Who else in the office is left? My ol truck boss went to Watkins & Shepherd down the street. At one point I almost called Sammons to see what they had as a lease purchase program but then thought better of it.

[dewercs2]

Fixed it so folks know what you is talking about.

Good luck Paul. At least Arrow allowed you to get back on the road. Run with JB as long as you can...but keep your eyes open to better possibilities.

Make what ever title you use....interesting.

Thanks Orangetxguy,

I edited it.....

I will keep an eye out but have to rememeber not to just jump ship, to much of that and I screw myself.

Plans are to still move into Tankers just have to keep my record clean and make time between that rollover and now.

[dewercs2]

Sorry to see you leave Arrow Paul. But, it was necessary. I might follow your lead. Keep up the posts. Right now Arrow is running me pretty good. 3 loads in 1 week totalling 2800 mi. I also got my safety bonus this week. I meant to call you this week but was pretty busy. Does Hunt have flatbed? Keep us up to date on Hunt and orientation. Call me when you can or I'll call you when you finish orientation. Good luck

Hey JVND, I do believe JB Hunt has flat and curtian side. Hunt is part of Crete... I use to confuse them....

On tuesday I called about my safety bonus as well, told them I haven't seen it the last 2 qtrs.

Becareful with Arrow, Watch your CDL, don't take a hit. I was really worried about this summer and running the 15 or 10 through the desert. Figure people should start blowing tires soon. I just didn't want to be stuck somewhere waiting for arrow to pay for the tire that should take a few minutes to pay for not 18hrs or more.... My right front was wearing bad on the outside I had told them it was bad and that I needed a front end alignment but told to keep running we'll do it later this load is needed....

I'll post more from when I reach the hotel tonight or after the first day of orientation tomorrow.

[devildice]

I ran out east on the 91fwy at 530pm thursday rush hour traffic. Earlier I had made arrangements with the wife to bring my pickup and meet me on the 60 just before the 10 meets up with it. There we took my ladder and anything else that I didn't need for the trip to Phoenix. About 20 minutes later I was rolling again. Since I only had a lilbit of time remaining I shut down at the Coachella TA. My offload appointment was to be at 7am tommorow. Another QC not going to make 7am appointment have already spoken to consignee come in anytime no appointment needed.

I am laughing because I went right past you!!! I just left LA and was heading to Coachella for a refreshing shower and shut her down for the night. On my way, I see an Arrow truck sitting on a dirt pull out with a dark colored p/u next to it. I thought that it was just another broke down Arrow truck. If i had known it was you I would have stopped.

I think you leaving is a good decision, I personally wouldn't have waited this long. Good luck at JB. Funny you should say orientation is in South gate, that is where I was born and raised for half my life. Out of curiosity, where are they located over there?

Oh, and I am happy to hear the aliens didn't abduct you!

[devildice]

Has anyone noticed.....

Maybe me....???

seems like I'm seeing more hispanics running flatbed. Was wondering if this has anything to do with the ports requiring TWIC cards and they aren't able to pass????

Ummm.... and I'm half mexican too so not a racial thing either..... geeezzz...

Well geeze homer, you live in Mexico! By the way, i pull plenty of flatbed freight in and out of the ports and yeah I have a TWIC card.

[freebirdrfd]

Your Avatar photo looks like you were on a cruise.

Thanks..

i could have lived on that ship for a long time.

[ronjon619]

I'm from South Dago, born and raised... moved up here in 2000. Miss the life but not the hustle/traffic. Now live in a nice quiet town.

What part of the south bay are you from? I'm from Imperial Beach....I went to Southwest High down by the border.

[jvnd1953]

Any opinions about Melton?

[Jay B]

Any opinions about Melton?

All flatbed companies are the same. It just depends on what color truck you prefer.
Only thing I ever heard Melton drivers complain about was the home time. And the color of the trucks.