Starter solenoid doesn't click, I would check to see if any lights work.
That will tell you if it is a supply (battery) problem, or a problem in the starter circuit.
Common things to check are the starter ground, the starter solenoid, maybe try to hotwire the solenoid, or just jump across it. !!Make sure you are out of gear first.!! Also an ignition switch can cause these symptoms.

My experience with these electrical gremlins is that they always come back, until you find them. Good luck. Also. I like to run my rigs clear out of fuel once, just to see how far I can go when it's almost on E :)

Thanks, very interesting read.

I just woke up from a nice sleep, sometimes the truck is the most comfortable place on earth, other times, well you know. Not too much happened today, I had a short 3 hour trip to the consignee, and it was a pretty decent little place, had me unloaded in a jiffy.

I even got dispatched to another load nice and quick, AND it's over 800 miles, AND they are getting me home even though I said I could work the weekend to make up for missing so much, AND it was a no tarp load, cool. 8)

I have to drive about 150 miles south, almost to the WI, IL state line, and the weather was nothing short of beautiful. I started the day further north where there was still some snow on the ground, and as I went more and more south, the temps kept climbing(it wasn't cold where there was snow left, in the mid 40's) and the snow diminishing to reveal the wonderful land up here. If it weren't for being so darn cold, I could handle living up here, just wonderful stuff.

Anyway, I have this great weather, quick loads, decent miles, and lots of driving with little traffic, cool. 8) I get to my shipper, and find out that the load I am there to pick up isn't ready, and they are saying that it isn't supposed to load till Monday morning, man this will screw me out of a weekend both on miles, and home time, but oh well, it happens, small price to pay for a great day so far. I talked with them, and they said they would try to help me out and get me loaded today, I told them not to worry about it if they wanted to pay me for sitting there(that seemed to get the wheels rolling a little quicker, remember I said SEEMED).

I got there just before 1:30, and finally started getting loaded around 6:20, finished strapping down the load(had to use all 14 straps, and two portable wenches to get it right) and thankfully had just enough to secure the load using everything I had, whew, that was a close one. It took me a little longer than usual because of the way it was loaded, but was finished by 7:30, and unfortunately out of hours as well. I asked to park there, and they said no problem, so I laid down, and just woke up!

That's just about it, sorry nothing more exciting happened, but that's the way it goes, lol. I guess I will get off here, to be honest, I don't know where the wifi signal I am getting is coming from, and don't want to get in trouble for using it, although I think it's the business where I am at judging by the name.

So take it easy everyone, and lets head south toward the volunteer baby! :D

hello novacane
 

hey how are you i been reading your stories im very impressed all those things that has happen to you but your still standing tall im happy for you by the way did you get the bank situation finally solve me im an enginner for the railroad but im planning to go back on the road so if i do it be great when im on the road to meet you ur nickname should be "standing-tall" :wink: im planning to go with central refrigerated service or maybe ffe hey keep up your diaries i really enjoy them bye fornow hope to chat with you some more take care

Well, I took my tank tracks to the consignee first thing this morning, and had no problem getting unloaded, no long lines, weather was good, cool 8)

I waited for them to dispatch me another load about an hour, and finally was told to head to Ellenwood to pick up a relay load that scored me a whopping 200 miles, well, almost. I got there, found the trailer, holy moly!! This thing has to have 300 bungees on it, seriously, this driver just went crazy, but hey, it was totally secure. I think that it was either someone that was new and didn't know better or it was someone that was wanting to get rid of the old inner tube bungees because it seems as though we are getting more and more quality bungees now. I don't know if they are going to quit using the old ones or what, but I sure do hope so, I am so tired of being slapped by one that breaks from being dry rotted, it stings :shock:

I got my paperwork and noticed that if the load doesn't get delivered today that they won't accept it, so I knew I had to move it, and I also knew that they didn't give me enough time to make it considering that I had to make two different drops. So when the qualcomm beeped, I got the address and started to move. I got the rest of the information while I was on my way to get fueled up, but didn't bother to check it since I would have to stop to do so.

I made it to the fuel stop and got the other address, and decided to call both of them and let them know that I was on my way, and would have to deliver early to one, and possibly late to the other. There was just one problem, I didn't pay close enough attention, and just figured that the first qualcom message was the first place I was supposed to go to, but it wasn't.

So even though I called the places to let them know my schedule, I messed up. I told the first place I would be early, but actually that should have been my second drop. I told the second place I would be late, and that should have been the first place I stopped at, get it? :oops:

Even though I called and said I would be late, I actually delivered to the first place early(which should have been my second drop) which made the people there happy. But the place I called and said I would be early to, called(at this point I still didn't realize my mistake) and asked where I was, I told him and he got mad, then told me to be there by 4 or they would be gone, uh oh.

I don't even take the time to fold the tarp right, I just do it quickly and strap it down good to the trailer and head out. I actually make it there, to see that the parking lot I am supposed to pull into is full of cars, and I mean full. I was carrying fiberglass material, and this looked like a custom car shop.

There was just no where to put the truck, nobody could have done it, there just was no room whatsoever. I have to sit in the street and wait for them to move these cars(mostly limo's) some that were just bare bodies that had to moved with a forklift. They finally made enough room for me to back in there up a double "s" route, with high dollar cars on both sides.

I would not have been able to do this last year, but thankfully, I have had so much practice that it was not that big of a deal, I was just nervous because everything was expensive(I am parked next to a stretched hummer that would knock you're socks off as we speak). 8)

So I finally get unloaded, and ask to sleep in the parking lot for the night, and they said no problem, they were pretty cool and understood that I was out of hours. So I shut down here, and have to go down the road a little ways to get to a steel plant, pick up a load of steel, and take it to Virginia, not great miles at a little over 500, but better than today. Plus I have to come back, so round trip it will be a thousand.

Another cool thing was that I asked to be back by the 17th because I had to meet with the detective on my theft case, plus that is the day I am supposed to find out if I get my money back or not, and I would like to be there in person to throw a fit if they try to screw me out of it. I was told today that they are shooting to get me home by 3 pm on Thursday, and I thought that was awesome, especially with such short notice.

I am beginning to feel good about the decision to stay with Roehl through thick and thin, they do surprise me every now and then. Plus they are going to practical miles(if they don't keep putting it off) and there is a rumor going around that the qualcom is going, and that all trucks will get laptops with a new program that pretty much does away with dispatchers, and supposedly lets the driver be his own dispatcher and choose loads and hometime.

Now, this doesn't sound right, but maybe there is SOME truth to it, time will tell. The only thing that makes me want to believe it, is that I have heard it from several reliable sources. I don't know how a driver could pick his or her own loads and hometime, the good loads would go instantly and no one would want to take the short runs. But there is supposed to be some companies out there now using a similar system, and I was wondering if anyone has heard of such a thing?

Well, lets go to Virginia!

Not such a good day..........

I got up and arrived at my shipper early this morning, but as soon as I started getting loaded, I knew that I wasn't going to be happy. I was getting a load of steel, and that's no big deal, but this was a load of different size and shape metal, and that's not good for securement.

They finished up, and after throwing 4 straps, something had to give. The straps were only touching the corners of the load, because the middle was shorter than the sides, so in other words, nothing was keeping all the pieces in the middle from sliding forward or backward besides the friction of the pieces themselves.

My first thought is to build a bulkhead, front and rear, but the load was too high for that to work. So I thought I might use some dunage on top of the shorter stuff, but that would only work on so much of it, still leaving many places unsecure. I saw no way of making the load as safe as I would want, so I reluctantly called dispatch to see what I needed to do.

I don't want to mention specifics, but was told more or less that this has been an on going problem, and that I should talk with safety. This was a much better reaction than I anticipated since I figured they would be angry at me for making a "stink" about a load. I was told the main safety person was in a meeting, but a message would get to him, and he would get back with me. Happy with not being chewed out, and hopeful they wouldn't make me pull a unsafe load(in my opinion) I gladly waited even though I needed a full 10 hours of driving to make it to the consignee.

I wait from 9 in the morning till 1 pm for an answer of some kind, and finally got it, seems as though the safety person doesn't even know of my situation, and tells me to let him know whats specifically happening. I tell him, and he says to just build a bulkhead and it should be fine. I have waited all day(and didn't finish covering the load since I just knew they wouldn't make me pull it since they say they are so safety conscious) to find out that I have to pull it anyway, and there is no way I can make it on time. I was literally seeing red, I could have been tarped as good as possible, and halfway there if they told me they weren't going to do anything to help me out. Safety said he called the company, and they said once it's loaded, they won't touch it again, so I am stuck.

It takes me twice the normal time to tarp because I have to use every single piece of dunage I have trying to make the load as safe as possible. I also added extra pieces of tarp on the front and back of the load, hoping that would help a little. I finally got it to the point that the company would call it safe, but I still didn't feel 100% about it, but of course I have a higher standard when it comes to doing my job. I just have no wish to die, nor kill an innocent person because the load isn't perfect. I don't want to pull something that "should be safe" I pull things I KNOW are safe.

It was a work of art really, and a lot of hard work, but after driving all day(what was left of it) the load still sets where it was, so I guess I did something right. I am just really disappointed that I tell them I don't feel safe with the load, and they don't do anything with all the safety they preach. I snapped some pics of it to prove what it looked like before I strapped it down, and some pics of how I secured the load in the end for future reference if needed.

I finally got on my way, and was headed for a truckstop to fuel up, and to grab something to eat to try and put the worst part of the day behind me. I get out to fuel, and there is diesel everywhere on the ground, and what do you know, I slip, and take a small tumble, no big deal, but I got covered in fuel, my pant leg was totally soaked, man this day just keeps getting better and better.

I finish up, and go inside to pay, and tell the people that fuel was every where and it was slick. They gave me a free shower(besides the one I got for fueling) and free washer and dryer to clean my clothes. So even though I should have got back to the road, I figured the rest of my day has been a waste, why not take advantage and clean up instead of getting fuel every where in the truck, and still not being able to make it.

So I hurried and and took a shower while my clothes were washing, then got a bite to eat waiting for them to dry I finished my meal before the dryer was finished, so I decided to go ahead, pull them out and hit the road since I had been there over an hour counting fueling time. I got in the truck, hung up the almost dry clothes, and realized just how much better my day was, wow a shower is a miracle worker every once and a while, and even though I felt bad about wasting time, I was very glad I did, and the rest of the day was better because of it.

Anyway, I am just glad the day is over, and will be even more happy when I can deliver this load. Nothing much to mention today other than that load, so maybe something better to report tomorrow.

Now, lets go to Virginia!(and actually make it this time)

WOW :shock::shock::shock::shock::shock: this stuff you cant make up.

I am so impressed about your concern for safety. To me that has to be
job 1 in all regards to whatever we do.
Do you have pictures of your final piece of artwork. Id sure like to see what you came up with to secure your load.

Everything I do comes back to bite me in the rear.........

I got up this morning and hit the road after checking my load(many many times and having to rearrange 3 or 4 times). I made my first mistake by trusting Roehls directions, I was in a hurry since I was cut 4 hours short yesterday, and didn't make my own, big mistake.

45 minutes after getting lost due to faulty directions, I arrive at the consignee anxious to see the end of this load. I got there around 10:30 and finally got finished up by a quarter past 12 because it was taking them a long time since there were so many different sizes and so on, it just wasn't you're typical load.

Now my arrival time was 10 am, and I arrived half an hour late, which wasn't too bad considering I figured on being around 2 hours late. If I would have just put up with the diesel on me yesterday, I would have made it, everything I do comes back to bite me in the rear. If I had got my own directions(which I do every other time) like I should have, I would have made it.

Aw, don't get down on yourself novacane you might say, it was only 30 minutes, and you would have probably waited in line for that long anyway! But dispatch didn't see it that way and wrote me up for not being on time, and gave me a sound tongue lashing along with it(I almost totally lost it, if it weren't for the fact that I could have prevented it, I would have).

Look, I know that I didn't make it on time, and I know that the time was there, BUT, if they would have just told me to take the load and they weren't going to help me out in the first place yesterday, I would have easily made it.(yes this was the same dispatch that I talked with yesterday about the load)

It was just the start of another bad day. I had to drive about 2 hours to make it to my next shipper, and made it there no problem since I made my own directions to get there. I am there for the next 3 hours, first got loaded, scaled out, and I am over gross, go back, take some off, scale, and too light, go back load again, scale out, and it was ok.(I am hauling mulch)

I get tarped and hit the road, and I get a call from dispatch, seems as though they don't want to get me home by Friday morning for my meeting with the bank, lawyer and detective, even though they told me that they were going to make sure and get me home Thursday evening(I even bragged about it in a earlier post). And get this, they want me to call everyone and see if I can be there in the afternoon instead, yep, lawyers, cops, and bank investigators usually have free schedules all day long, they just set up appointments weeks ahead of time for the heck of it.

I tell him I will call him back with an answer(even though I don't think what I want matters). I just concentrate on the load, it's due in Ohio, and I want to be able to get some miles under my belt. I get a message about 6:30 and since I didn't want to stop to check it, I called to ask what the message was just in case it was important. I call, get put on hold waiting for someone to pick up, have to hang up. Few minutes later, I try again, with the same results. Wait a few more minutes, and again only manage to waste minutes on my cell phone, so screw them, I have had it, they can just wait like I do.

I drive until around 8pm, and shut down at a pilot since I was going to have to take a state hwy that probably wouldn't have any place to stop. I check the message, and it says to call dispatch!! THEY TELL ME TO CALL, AND WHEN I DO, THEY WON'T ANSWER!!!! I have now wasted more than half an hour of my minutes, and have had it, I write them a message, tell them I won't stay on hold any more, if dispatch wants me, they know my number, and in case they didn't, here it is.

I get a call about half an hour later, it was dispatch asking me what the problem was, I said I don't know, they are the ones trying to get a hold of me! She puts me on hold yet again, and comes back saying that they were wanting to know the answer about getting home. Normally I would have felt bad, but they have been jacking me around so much today, that it almost felt good to stiff them, especially since I KNOW my answer won't affect the outcome, it never has before, don't know why it would start now.

I just don't know how much more I can take, JB Hunt can't be any worse than this, and it would be drop and hook most of the time. I have been tempted with other places, but it's hard to get a job as a flat bed driver when you are a woman, and all the smaller locally owned places around here require 2 years experience, so it looks like if I do decide to make a switch, it will be to another large company where things may or may not be any better. Plus, I don't know what Roehl may put on my DAC, I know I don't deserve anything, but have heard all kinds of horror stories, though none from the horses mouth, so I don't know about the credibility of them.

I am starting to doubt myself, maybe I am not as good as I think I am. I just keep getting the short end of the stick, maybe I deserve it. I have always thought that some people wanted me to quit driving flatbed because I am a woman, but maybe I am just not good enough, or too safety conscious for my own good. I just don't' get it, I can drive, I can load, and I don't mind work, if I did, I wouldn't have started driving flatbed. Yet I get wrote up, yelled at, don't get home for important appointments(even with notice) and don't get good miles to boot most of the time.

I think I am just going to start fresh, with a clear head, put the past behind me, and try to have a perfect couple weeks to make up for all this, I will just have to work harder, try to drive more efficiently(don't know how) load faster and stay out longer, everything by the book. Maybe that will put me back on track, but I don't know, you can only be wrote up so many times, and this is my second one, the first was for going over 67 too many times. I don't even want to know how hard it will be to find a job if they put this stuff on my DAC cause the technical terms for my write ups sound horrible. Something like unsafe speeds or something that make me sound like I speed all the time or am unsafe in some way, which is totally opposite of the way I really drive, but no matter how much I explain it wouldn't matter.

All it would take is a decent offer from a good company at this point, this is my last hoorah for Roehl, I have put up with enough. If things don't work out this time, I fear I will be searching for other employment. I just want to drive! This is my dream job, it really is, but I can't take all these setbacks. Granted I have had some bad luck lately, and have required a lot from Roehl like staying home last week, and a late arrival this week, but I don't feel like I am being treated fairly, but maybe it is just me. Take care everyone, and wish me good luck, I really need it.

Sorry, but I don't think you can blame dispatch entirely for your load yesterday. You said you didn't like the way it looked so you called them, which is a good idea, keep them informed. But, you sat there and lost 4 hrs staring at a load to be tarped? You sometimes have to be creative in flatbedding as to securing and tarping some loads. I know from personal experience with irregular steel, lumber, and machinery loads. You're the one out there doing the job, not the dispatcher. Sometimes you have to make a decision on your own and if you're not comfortable doing that, maybe you should find another job other than driving.
As for faulty directions, how long does it really take to pick up a phone and call the consingee and double check? I don't know you, but from what I've read on here, you're time management skills come up quite lacking. When I was driving, if I wanted a load, I was on the phone with dispatch or qualcomm till I got one. Not send them one message then take a nap and wait for them to contact me. The whole diesel fuel thing, why not wash it off your leg, change pants, and get on down the road? Wash your clothes, shower, and eat when you shut down for the night. There used to be a saying "If they ain't turnin, you ain't earnin". If your truck's not going down the highway, you're not making money for you or the company. Maybe that's why you're not getting the loads or miles you think you should. You may just be a number there, but people in the office will remember that number, for the good or bad. I'm not by any means saying scarific safety for a delivery time, that would be just plain stupid, but come on...
Do you really think it'd be any different with a drop and hook company? The first time you hook a trailer in the middle of a rainy night in a mud field that supposed be a drop yard and has to have the taillights rewired to work, you gonna figure the rest of your day is a waste and just sit there? That'll go over well, I'm sure. This is the life you chose and things don't always go as planned. You have to the best you can with what you have.

One thing to remember on directions, more often then not, they are directions put in by one of your fellow drivers!
After finding these mistakes are you sending in corrected directions?
If not why?
Very simple to do!!
The same goes for the "directions not found!"
When you call to get them and they work, send them back in for the next driver!!
....and it never fails, if you don't call they won't be right! :wink: :lol: :lol:

Good point freebird, I know in the cable business there were times that I would get an address for a new connect or disconnect of service, but when I would go out to the supposed address either it was wrong or not the correct spellung of the street. I would call to get updated directions which they would look up on Google but those wouldn't help either. Notes in the computer given by previous tech was the best because there were in some cases that someone had been out there and now we had turn by turn directions to the address.

I know, that's what I said.

Yes, that is what I was told to do, in fact they told me NOT to touch the load till they could figure something out.

If you would have seen my load yesterday as I was un-tarping, you wouldn't have even said this, lol.

I made a decision on my own, I knew it wasn't safe, so I made the call, from there I simply done what my employer TOLD me to do. If it were my choice, and I had any power of my own, I wouldn't have pulled it, no doubt, but I didn't really have a choice, my family needs to eat, and I am broke.

Not too long even with the long waits on hold, and automated systems, but when you leave at 4am, and they aren't even open, and you have to drive solid to try and make it on time, and you're driving in the mountains in Virginia with a horrible signal, well you know.

Well, you can call and qualcomm all you want with Roehl, but all you will do is waste your time, and cell minutes. Do you really think that while I am sitting there for 3 or 4 hours that I am not calling raising cane wanting to get on the road?

I have been to many drop yards like this, and no I won't sit there all night, I will fix the tail lights, it's very simple to do, this would be an easy problem to deal with.(did I mention that Chris has a degree in electronics engineering technology, and I was with him and helped him study through school, so wiring is about as simple as it gets) Even with a problem I know little about, I can figure it out, but when dispatch tells me not to mess with it, then I do what I am told.

Absolutely!! I even write my name and truck number in hopes that one day a driver will come up and thank me for helping them out. I usually spend an hour a night correcting and updating the qualcomm directions where needed.

I have to admit, you seem to go through more grief than anyone on this board.
I'm sort of to the point of saying..... take a different job, we don't want to hear about it anymore! Luckily we choose what we read though.

In all seriousness.... why do you deal with all this? Flatbedding with Rhoel doesn't seem to be working for you. Try hauling groceries or something.

My day
 

Novacane,

I have enjoyed reading your posts.

Don't let these naysayers get to you. You seem to be doing the best you can and don't forget you are new to this, I wonder how many of these people who are giving you a hard time did their first couple of months. Hang in there and don't be afraid of changing companies if you feel you need to. BOL

Re: My day
 

First off, wasn't being a 'naysayer', shes been writing for months about being unhappy and has nothing but problems, anyone would be inconsiderate to not offer advice to go try something else.

I also think its unfortunate that since the daily posts seem to be of a negative nature, that we find it in a 'new driver' forum. Many that come here have never driven, and reading day after day of problems is not very encouraging, there are blog communities for this type of thing.

Sorry Novacane, I honestly don't mean to pick on you. lol Just my sincere opinion and I do wish you could find something you would be happier doing.

As for this....
Let's get at it, I'd love to discuss this outside of Novacanes thread.

Re: My day
 

Sir, she is past a couple of months....she had her 1 year in March.

I haven't figure out if it's the equipment or the driver. Novacane has perimeters and Roehl has been gracious enough to oblige. This is basically you can't have your cake & eat it too.

Novacane how about some on the happy side for a while instead of "how bad your day has been".....let's have the glass half full. :lol: :lol:

Wow, I get one bad load that spans over 2 days and people don't like hearing so many bad things about it, sorry, maybe I will quit being SO honest, and keep some of the things to myself, I was just trying to be totally, and brutally honest, didn't mean to offend anyone or make bad reading, I will try and be a little less honest without lying(does that make sense? lol) or leaving anything major out.

Mad dog, I will fill the glass halfway at least today, lol. I actually had a decent day today, seeing some things I did when I first started, with the only bad thing being I felt like I was running in slow motion from all the mountains.

I started early as usual, on my way to a drop yard in Ohio, but I-77 and all the mountains it winds through really put a hurting on my anticipated arrival time, big difference between cruising at 60mph and 35mph. I got to climb "sandstone pass" again, which if you remember was my first big hill to climb and descend while working for the nursery. It was odd tackling it again as a more experienced driver, it intimidated me back then, but was kinda tame this time. This is the first time I have used this stretch of 77 since then, so it was a reminder of where I started, and all that I have accomplished since, good stuff 8)

Once I got out of the mountains, I started making good time again, ah, that's a good feeling knowing the miles are just dropping off the trip. I make it to the drop yard, and unhook, look around and the trailer I am supposed to pick up isn't there, oh man, lets not put a bad ending on a decent little day. I am just about to qualcomm in and let them know it isn't here, when anther truck pulls in, and guess what, yep it's my load. Great driver too, we knocked the whole inventory deal out in no time, we worked good together and thought the same way. Transferred equipment, and it started sleeting, so I decided to cut out and head south before it had a chance to get crazy.

I wasn't able to get very far, I was out of hours, though I felt great, and had to stop for the night around 6pm, and that was a weird feeling, if the HOS rules didn't exist I would have been able to put most of the miles I have to travel behind me, with no sleep issues, but you know how that goes.

This load is heading to a place in TN about 90 miles from the house, I am supposed to deliver around 9am, then head for the house, take care of my personal business with the bank and so on, then they will get me a load out of KY, I will pick it up Friday night, and hopefully be back by Saturday morning to finish out the weekend at home, don't know anything about the next load, but I am not too worried about it.

But here I sit in Cincinnati, and should be home in time for the meetings that are scheduled if everything goes as planned, we will see. Sorry for all the negative stuff, like I said, I was just trying to be totally honest. I will seriously try and make better writing from here on out, take it easy everyone!

Re: My day
 

I have quite a few friends who drive for Roehl and I know their equipment is well maintained and even though they're going through some changes they try to be as above board and legal as possible.

I don't think it's equipment or the driver, just some bad luck. If I hadn't been robbed, then I wouldn't have to be home at a certain time, this is a problem only because of bad luck at home. I can understand that they can't get me home, but I wish they wouldn't tell me all week that they are going to, and it shouldn't be a problem, but as the time nears, they change their mind, just say it may not be possible upfront, don't sugar coat it.

I understand that it's hard to find loads that get me home when I need it, and that doesn't bother me, just them saying they will get me home, and then not doing it. The equipment is fine, when I have a problem with the truck it gets fixed, it may take a little time, but it gets fixed. I haven't had a bad trailer thus far, so I am not complaining about equipment.

The miles here lately are my fault, but I had to take care of things that are not typical(never been robbed in my life before this). I got chewed out, but again that was my fault, I stopped when I didn't have to, and it got me, live and learn, won't happen again.

I didn't realize how much negative stuff I have been adding here lately, I have little time on the internet to write, and don't pay attention to what I write, I just update the day as it happened, again, live and learn, I will try to pay a little more attention to the way my words are being written. I seem to have forgotten to write about the good stuff that I go through each day and have been concentrating on the negative.

Yoopr, you are correct, we are going through some major changes. It's an exciting time. Have you heard anything about what I said concerning doing away with dispatch for the most part? I know something is in the works with laptops, but we just here things through the grapevine and don't know how much is true, and how much people just want to be true. It should be interesting seeing how it all turns out. I have heard a lot of things from good sources but was asked not to say anything about it, at least for now.

Only rumors I've heard are a possible buyout but that's probably all it is as usual for trucking-Just a rumor

Re: My day
 

So what is the point of having cake if you can't eat it?? :roll: :lol: :lol:

Sandstone Mtn, otherwise known as Widowmaker on 64 in WV. Fun as heck to go across in a car but not a truck with it's off camber turns and 8% grade. I usually rocket down the east side at around 90-95 mph in my little pickup if the weather is good. The only real good thing about it is that it's only one sided. There is no west side to the mountian.

77 between Beckley and Charleston isn't much fun either in any vehicle. Nice and windy with ups and downs but the WV speed bumps you go across while in the middle of the turns could be done without. I've never driven on a road that causes my front wheels to hop across the pavement like they do there after hitting a bump.

[quote="Novacane"]
The night they tried to make me take the load, as soon as I saw what it was, I was telling dispatch I didn't want it. I told them via qualcom on 3 separate occasions that I would not tarp. Each time they came up with a reason for me to go, even saying that the company would tarp it for me! I had the feeling like they were going to get me up there and then pressure me into taking it, and that is what they did.


I also told him that I would not haul wool in the future as well, and if that meant them firing me to let me know cause there are other companies waiting to come pick me up. He said that none of the other drivers had a problem with it, and didn't understand why I was making such a big deal over it. I told him plain and simple, I don't feel safe on top of that load, so if I get in trouble by putting safety first, then Roehl shouldn't brag about safety.


:dung: You still turn down the load after the company will tarp it for you? I don't get it. And telling a higher-up to go ahead and fire you because there's other companies "waiting to pick you up"? Probably not the best of ideas especially to the people who give you loads and miles you think you deserve. I'm not saying kiss their asses, but it's not a bad thing to be on the dispatchers good side.



Anyway, I get done at 8:30 and have to wait till noon before finding all the right flags and such, I was so excited to pull out of that lot, man this sounds stupid I am sure but whatever. I drove until around 3 and realized that in all the excitement of the moment, I had done something stupid. I left all the paperwork and permits at the yard, I was anxious to get going, man this sucks. Just goes to show you how easy it is screw up. I contact dispatch, and they tell me to stop by a fax somewhere and I they will fax it to me, cool.

[quote="Novacane"]
Today I had a hard time getting started. It started when I left with this permitted load, they didn't have the paperwork I needed, and they didn't have my route planned either, but since they did have enough for me to get home, I didn't care. Well that came into play today. I got up early to head out since of the day time only driving thing, but when I called dispatch to give them the number to fax my paperwork to me, they didn't have it ready.



So when you left with the load, did THEY not have your paperwork or did YOU leave it? And why wait 3 days to get it? Roehl doesn't have a weekend dispatch the could have faxed it? You said over and over that you refuse to run "illegal", how did you get that load back to the house, across a scale, without paperwork and permits? Or does "illegal" not pertain to you when getting home for the 3 day weekend?





And get this, they want me to call everyone and see if I can be there in the afternoon instead, yep, lawyers, cops, and bank investigators usually have free schedules all day long, they just set up appointments weeks ahead of time for the heck of it.


You mean kinda like a consignee when they have pre-scheduled delivery appts and drivers don't make them? I was taught that the driver is a direct reflection on the company. When the driver looks bad, the company looks bad and can possibly loose the company a contract.


[quote="Novacane"]
I am starting to doubt myself, maybe I am not as good as I think I am. I just keep getting the short end of the stick, maybe I deserve it. I have always thought that some people wanted me to quit driving flatbed because I am a woman, but maybe I am just not good enough, or too safety conscious for my own good. I just don't' get it, I can drive, I can load, and I don't mind work, if I did, I wouldn't have started driving flatbed. Yet I get wrote up, yelled at, don't get home for important appointments(even with notice) and don't get good miles to boot most of the time.


That's a good assessment. You're never as good as you THINK you are. I don't know if getting wrote up for speeding is very safety conscious or riding around with a broken stack. 99% of everything you've been blaming on "bad luck" for the past month and a half, you could've easily avoided with maybe even an inkling of forethought on your part. You said Chris has an electronic degree but can't or don't go out in public? Can't he do something at home to help out financially? That ought to pay more than a driving job anyday.

When I was deployed to WV last year I made the trip from Hurricane to Lugoff SC twice a month. Your right the winds between well the last tunnel going into WV all the way up until you get Charleston, WV was horriable, even in my 4 wheeler. Ya just didn't know when there would be a heavy wind slinging ya from side to side on that part of the interstate. I heard what their govener said while I was there that they plan to fix the roadway, but which ones, the roads all tore up through there. :roll: :moose:

:lol: :oops: My bad, meant the road winds around the mountains and valleys on 77. Yes, there is also a lot of wind too, but that is to be expected with Beckley being on top of a mountain.

No way to really fix the roads because of the weather they get there. With so much traffic on 77 and the harsh winters they get along it, they will be fixing the road year round. The main troubles with the bumps are coming onto or going off a bridge that is in a turn.

Well, I for one LIKE your posts Novacane. I think they offer a very good look as to what a driver goes through. I feel that you are more than fair when dishing out blame. You admit your mistakes and faults and that means a lot in my eyes. All the things that you post about add up to one thing: EXPERENCE!!!

Good luck and keep the posts comming.


Ridge

If I went through all that on a daily basis... I'd still be a dental assistant.

Yes I turned down the load, and no the company wouldn't tarp it, they lied to me. I asked the place I went to if they would tarp like Roehl said, he laughed. They knew from my training that I didn't want these loads, and they told me that it wouldn't be a problem and that they wouldn't dispatch me to one, but they did. So like I said, they made me go down there hoping to force me to take it. And as far as dispatchers go, I am on very good terms with mine, he is on vacation this week though and I am dealing with someone else.

Just like I wrote it the first time. When I left, I forgot the paperwork they had for me, even though it wasn't complete. They had only figured out the route, and got permits for me to get home. They were supposed to figure out the rest of the route later and fax them to me while I was home, since they didn't want me wasting any daylight sitting there waiting on it. Yes they have weekend dispatch, but just because they have them doesn't mean they do what they are supposed to do, since they didn't fax the paperwork I needed like they said they would.

Again, read what I wrote, they had enough paperwork and permits ready for me to get home, therefore there was nothing illegal about it. As far as it not pertaining to me on the way home, for one, if that were the case, I wouldn't have been stuck less than 2 hours from home and still not being able to make it, for two, Roehl asks you to send in via qualcomm when you start and end your day, so there is no way to cheat the 14 hour rule, they know how many hours you have left. Like I said, I won't run illegal, even if I am on my way home, even if there is an emergency, even if........well SURELY you understand now.

All my delivery times are windows, not set times, I have a window of usually 2 hours, and a consignee has never been waiting for me. Even though I was half an hour late, there were still 5 trucks in front of me, some of which had been there for a few hours, so even if I did make it "on time" the consignee wouldn't have got their product, any sooner, or if I had been early for that matter. If my normal dispatcher had been here instead of on vacation, it never would have happened.

Doing 67 in a 70 isn't unsafe or considered speeding, and you are in no position to judge how safe I am on the road. As far as the stack goes, I have wrote before about how many people I talked with, and how every single one of them(including company safety) told me it would be perfectly safe to drive, and it was. Maybe I should have ignored what every professional told me, and paid for the stack repair out of my own pocket since Roehl didn't want to fix it right then and there, maybe it would have been a little more safe than perfectly safe. Do you think they would let me drive an unsafe truck for almost 3 weeks and risk some kind of lawsuit?

It's easy to sit here and read my posts and say well you should have done this, or this was simple, no problem, make the company do this, tell yourself to do that, that was a stupid thing to do, I would have done it this way............... Yes I said Chris has a degree, I have also mentioned that he is disabled. It isn't possible for him to work, if he could then of course he would, but when you're in his position, it's harder than you can imagine. We have looked into work at home jobs for the past 9 years, and they don't exist, at least that we have found, if you or anyone personally knows of a decent program, let us know, it would help us out a lot.

Thanls for taking all the time to write this thread.
Gotta love your attitude. !

You're right, doing 67 in a 70 isn't unsafe or speeding, unless you drive for Roehl apparently. How dare that dispatcher go on vacation and make one of his drivers 30 mins late for an appt. (due to bad directions :wink: ). How can the company get away with lying about how one shipper would tarp a load to get it out the door when another shipper just laughed at the idea. I don't understand how a company like Roehl can wait to compile and fax paperwork to a driver 3 days later when the driver finally calls for it. How can all these companies stay in business when they ask so much of their drivers, like relaying loads, that they'll get paid for, on the weekends? That's like working overtime in a factory. I mean, I know when I'm at home, I hate to get called back in to work even though I get a set amount from the Navy every two weeks and not paid by the mile anymore. Why in the world would anyone want to be a truck driver with all this going on? Of course, I know that I'm just being sarcastic.

Never said dispatch had anything to do with me being late, just that if I didn't have to wait 4 hours(as they told me to) I would have made it easily, and would have had the time to call and make my own directions like usual. I admitted that if I hadn't stopped to shower the day before I would have had the time as well.(which is why I said everything I do comes back to bite me in the rear)

They can't, they tried to, but I still refused. But they did tell me everything I said they did.

Because they didn't have all the permits ready, yet the load was due. I was only able to drive during daylight hours, and they wanted me to get on the road. They gave me enough paperwork to get from Wisconsin to where I live in Tn. The load was due on Tuesday, so I spent Saturday and Sunday at home, got the rest of my permits and assigned route Monday morning. Whats so hard to understand? Maybe I should have sat in Wisconsin refusing to move until I had my paperwork, making no money, and going against what THEY wanted me to do.

Maybe because it's what I have always wanted to do, and even with all the drama I go through now and then, it's still the best job I have ever had. You must not have worked in factories(at least the ones I have worked in my entire life) that much. Plus, even with the low miles lately, I STILL make more money than any other job(besides my first driving job) I have ever had.

On another note, I got home today to find out the local truckstop where I park my truck is starting to charge a daily amount to park there. That's kind of a bummer, but I have my eye on a spot that is walking distance from my home, and is where another flatbed driver parks his truck. I just don't know who owns the land. I was thinking of leaving a note on his truck with my phone number, but thought he might get angry to have someone around his truck, what would everyone here do if you got a polite letter asking who to contact about parking there?

The trip home today was wonderful, the weather was mostly sunny until I got into the volunteer. I made my delivery around 8:45am, and was unloaded, and ready to roll by the time my actual delivery time rolled around. Plus I got a call from dispatch, and my usual dispatcher is back! We talked about how the vacation was and told him I was happy to have him back. He said about 50 people have told him that so far and he has only been back a couple hours, lol.

I got home with no major hiccups, and got my permit for parking when I noticed what time it was. I only had 10 minutes to get to the local Pilot(this is a small one with almost no parking which is why I don't park there) to scan in my paperwork. Made it by the hair of my chinny chin chin, lmao. The last paper had a time of 11:59:22! I wouldn't have been that big a deal if I hadn't made it, so I wasn't too worried, but that should make my check next week a little better.

Now I have to go to the meeting at the bank, so wish me luck. Take care everyone!

Wouldn't bother me any.

I'd call you back and let you know who I talked to.....wouldn't be any biggie to me.

Gee Novacane if the guy/gal gets bent I wouldn't want to park my rig next to theirs.

Novacane: Most truckers won't mind you approaching their truck to leave a note. They'll be glad if it's not a complaint about their parking.

I hope you find a nearby parking spot. Now.... it's late on the 17th. What's the verdict from the bank?

I would make sure the note is very clear that you are looking for a place to park your truck.

If you left a note that said "call me I want to talk to you about parking" it might send the wrong message and that Driver could be on the defensive when returning the call.

Just my thoughts as I HATE notes about parking.

this is ALSO good advice, but I must ask... why do you get notes about your parking? :lol:

Just got back home. After the huge amount of nothing that went on at the bank, we decided to go and see Mom and Dad. We used to go out there every weekend, but since I have started trucking, I haven't been able to get out there, well I guess since Christmas, wow, didn't realize that. I will have to try and get out there more often.

My meeting with the bank went as I thought it would. First I talked with the local branch manager, and all she could tell me was that she got an email saying that the case was finally under review. I said what! You mean to tell me that they are just now getting to it, after I was told I would have a answer today?!!! I said screw this, give me the number to the investigator, and after a huge hassle, I finally got it(more on my own, very little help, just a point in the right direction).

I called and finally got to talk person to person with whomever it is that's doing the actual investigation. She didn't have half the information I gave the bank. She told me that she was trying to get a picture from the ATM, I said I already have it, and she more or less called me a liar. Then she says it's funny how they knew the pin number, and I again explained that I had proof that they tried different numbers cause I got the print outs from the atm's showing it was denied on 5 separate occasions(none in a row though, which would have saved me).

She said she would call the person I had been dealing with at the local branch next, but low and behold, she was gone for the day by that time, convenient huh? I told her that my electric bill was due on Monday, and if my lights got turned off, I would be upset and have no other choice but to get legal with it all. She also said that she didn't even get the case until the 15th! Finally, she said she would personally handle it(should she not have done this from day one?) and get me a definite answer by Monday. And I think that was as truthful as them getting my money back by today.

Now, I need some personal advice, when I mention talking with my attorney, I am really bluffing, I was hoping to get my money back with no hassle, but them finding out the pin number has really screwed me, even with the proof I have. How far and how much can I bluff with a "fake" attorney? I have to leave out in the morning to pick up a load in KY, to take up to marshfield, so I don' t have the time to actually get one, and I certainly don't' have the money. Should I keep bluffing, or put it off until I can finally get a lawyer(which will be a long time no matter what the cost is) I thought the attorney I am buying my house from would help, but she doesn't' seem interested.

I don't know what to do, the bank is giving off a definite vibe that I won't get my money back, there were too many mistakes on my part, we left the stuff in a car, and it was unlocked, and they figured out the pin from the other information they took. I had high hopes until today when they made it clear they didn't care a bit. If I do hire a lawyer, I will wind up spending any money I may get back on fee's, I just don't know how all this works, and now I am getting desperate. Any more advice you guys can come up with would be appreciated, sorry for the sob story again everyone, maybe my trip up north will perk my posts back up again.

Well, lets head north toward Wisconsin!

You need to find a lawyer that will take the case pro bono, every law firm does so many cases pro bono but you need to find a lawyer that banking or fraud is their speciality. Come on, you go to have some ambulance chasers.

I really don't know where these lawyers are, I called just about everyone in my local phone directory, and nobody would help without a fee. This is the first time I have ever had to even consider getting a lawyer for something.

I don't know where you live but if it's a small town try the a bigger city or call the bar association they sometimes can find you someone before you can. :wink:

as long as you told them with in a certain amount of days you will get your money bac, one thing you cannot do is however, threaten to get legal and then not actually sue them,
if they wont put the money bac into yur account or r delaying you can always file complaints with ftc other various agencys to speed the process up. on the other hand it is odd they figured out your pin after 5 seperate occasions.