[Jay B]

Hey shipmate,
Fellow retired Chief here. I retired back in 2003 and sandcrabbed for a few years against my better judgement. Now the contracts have dried up and I am glad I am forced to do something else.
I start school at the local community college next Monday for 6 weeks and then it's the open hiways for me too. Or maybe local stuff, who knows?
After 23 years of living in metal rooms with 75 to 150 room mates and travelling to all kinds of exotic places like Bahrain, Marseilles, Mombasa, and Turkey I think driving the truck will be a relaxing change.

See ya on the road Chief.

Jay

[devildice]

09/11/07
I called back and was assigned a load to pick up right here in San Antonio headed to Cleveland, OH. Not the longest of runs, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Just hope I don’t get sent to the North East after that.

I got to the shipper and was loaded in no time. This load looks a lot heavier than it actually is. It is only taking up half my deck space and weighs in at just a touch over 21,000lbs. This was the first time since I have been “solo” that I needed to use my chains.

I called in my loaded status and was asked how far from my home is the customer. I replied “10, maybe 15 miles, why?” Dispatch said “head home and call me first thing in the morning as we are looking for something to fill the remainder of your deck space”. Normally, sitting and waiting for something like this, (LTL freight) would not set so well with me especially since I was all geared up and in the frame of mind to run. But since it sent me home for one more night, what the hell do I have to complain about?? So off I went to spend yet another comfortable night in my bed, not to mention I won’t miss Monday Night Football.

As instructed, I called first thing in the morning, unfortunately there was no LTL freight at the moment and I was told to call back in an hour. I call back and again, no LTL freight and I was to call back in another hour. After the 3rd attempt to fill the remaining space on my deck, I was given the green light to go ahead and start heading north, north east towards Cleveland and before I get to Dallas I was to once again call in for LTL freight. So just south of Dallas I call in and yet again there is nothing. The dispatcher that handles the LTL side of the house is sharp and usually has no problems finding loads, but apparently Davis is having a hard time getting anything LTL wise out of Texas that is at least headed in the general direction I am going. So I am to once again call first thing in the morning to see if they can fill my deck.

I figured since this was my first day out of the “chute” after 6 days off, things would be a little slow and or rough going. But much to my surprise it felt good to be back on the road. Once I got off I-35 and onto I-30, it was smooth sailing and despite the fact that I was feeling good, I decided I would not push myself too hard so I decided to shut it down in Prescott, AR which is where I am at the moment hooked up to IdleAir.

[devildice]

Originally Posted by dewercs2

Hey Greg, you rollin yet?

I dropped in Seattle at the terminal called in empty and was given a p/up in Everette, WA. I was loaded with lumber bound for North Carolina. 2800 miles!
When I was loaded I figured I better check the weight so I came to Donna's Truck Stop. in Marysville. Real nice place and the amenities are so nice! :roll:
Any way, My weight is 75540. I have 34100 on my trailer axles but I'm going to leave it alone and not slide. I slid my 5th about 3 or 4 notches a few weeks ago and never moved it back. Maybe that's why my ride is a little rough...
On my way out to Washington I was past by a white KW with Davis on the door, he wavied and kept on going. I didn't dare try to catch up with the container on the trailer and I was talking with my son about high school sports, so no chance to chat on the CB.
Earlier I saw a Davis truck like ours parked here in the same row as me. I haven't seen anyone in it yet though... I spoke to our truck boss and was told that it belongs to an owner-op.
Well, I leave for Missoula with my load around 4am tuesday so I can try and beat the WA morning traffic. I'm hoping to get in before 3pm so I can drop off 2 trip packs to payroll. It would be nice to get a paycheck this friday. I just have to remember we can't drive more then 11 hrs straight...
Hmmmm.... I wonder if they would just give me a new KW condo and send me on my way? Now that would be real nice! It would be a headache having to clean up the interior so only my germs are in it..lol...

hopefully your rollin tonight.....I gotta get to sleep......


PS... Hmmmmm.... I wonder if I can see the infamous mile marker with a bag of chocolate chip cookies hanging from it.....from GFIW...lol...

See ya when I see ya....

pb

yep I'm rollin and just updated the thread.....good luck in getting your sick baby to the docs :wink:

[dewercs2]

Hey Danske,

Give Pat a heads up on what's going on. Bet she gets you in sooner.

I rolled through CDA around noon. I wanted to hit the grades before it got to hot. I also wanted to get my 2 trip packs in before the deadline, Which I was informed was noon...

As soon as I rolled in I saw my old trainer rick, was good to see him again. He has a nice new truck and is on the lease purchase program, good for him.... In fact I think Im parked next to him behind the Days-Inn hotel but don't remember his truck #.

When I rolled in the shop foreman came out and looked at my truck. He told me that I had purchased the wrong radiator cap. I had a 10# cap and the truck requires a higher pressure cap. I pulled out the old one and he said this is the wrong one too.... He stuck a new one in, filled the radiator up and sent me to cat to have them fix the fill tube. Cat threaded the tube and put the cap back on.... BUT Theres more!

While the foreman was looking at the leaks he saw that my AC line was leaking, so he said that needed to be fixed.

Our yard guy gave me my snow/tire chains. I was being funny and asked where the instruction booklet for installing the chains correctly was located. He laughed and told me they are your trucks earrings.

So looks like I won't be getting a different truck after all.... Well, at this moment atleast. The shop still needs to look at a couple other things and I want them to look at the black stuff that is running down the exhaust stacks. Somebody told me that could mean I have coolant getting into the engine.

Well off to sleeper land I go....

DevilDice you moving yet?? :?:

[devildice]

Originally Posted by Coach

You got that right. Life certainly changes after we take off the anchors.

even though we get pushed to the back of all the lines and the anchors are not visible on the collars any more, you know the old saying...... "Once a Chief, Always a Chief" and that's something NO ONE can EVER take away from us!!!!!!!!!!

[devildice]

Originally Posted by danske

To let everyone know, I made it to Sage in Coeur d'Alene on Monday. Officially school starts today for me, but I got there early yesterday and Kelly, the Admin, stuck me in a class right away on trip planning. I thought this will be easy, but it was not as I was an hour behind the other students and the problem was to trip plan a 3 load, 9 day trip which bumps up against the 70 hour rule. I did finish the problem, but it was a real challenge.

After class that evening I had to take a require drug test for the school at a local clinic. I get to the clinic "ready to go" :roll: and was told "you may have to wait awhile as we are busy and understaffed" :shock: . Of course, if I can't wait and then can't produce a sample later, it would be failure(or so I am told)! So, I sit down wondering how long I can hold my precious sample! :x Needless to say, I only had to wait 10 minutes, get called in, and get out of there in another 20 minutes. That was a relief, really!!

I thought I was going to here in CDA until Sept 21 for my refresher course, but I may finish up by the 19 Sept. This is a problem because I suppose to report to Davis Transport in Missoula on October 1. If I had known that I would have been finishing early, I would have ask for a week earlier. Now, I will have some extra days up here to find something to do. That is not to bad, but I don't want to many days to pass from my behind the wheel training to first road test Davis will be giving me. I will have to see what I can work out.

Okay, DD, I hijacked your thread, but I thought it would be a good place for all who care to know what's up with me. Got a class to get to this morning, so I give you the thread back.

Oh, I see that dewercs2 maybe coming thru the area today. Would be nice to meet him, but I guess his priority is to get to Missoula with his sick truck. BOL to him.

Got to go.

Congrats on getting started. Dis you talk to Davis about getting in an earlier orientation class? They are usually pretty small, maybe 1/2 dozen at the most and plenty of room for more.

Oh, and DON'T EVER highjack my thread again!!! :evil: :evil: Just kidding...... :lol: :lol: :lol: feel free to post here anytime you want, I for one would love to hear how your refresher training and then onto Davis goes.

[devildice]

Originally Posted by Jay B

Hey shipmate,
Fellow retired Chief here. I retired back in 2003 and sandcrabbed for a few years against my better judgement. Now the contracts have dried up and I am glad I am forced to do something else.
I start school at the local community college next Monday for 6 weeks and then it's the open hiways for me too. Or maybe local stuff, who knows?
After 23 years of living in metal rooms with 75 to 150 room mates and travelling to all kinds of exotic places like Bahrain, Marseilles, Mombasa, and Turkey I think driving the truck will be a relaxing change.

See ya on the road Chief.

Jay

Chief,

that was and still are my exact thoughts about this industry and what we used to do.....it's a PERFECT match for us. So where are you from and where are you planning on going to school? Any companies in mind yet?

[Goin Fer It]

Devildice

Whew! I am glad that you got a load out of Texas. I was not sure how much they have going out of Texas so glad you are moving!



dewercs2, danske

In order not to high jack this thread with my stuff I will post to you guys on my thread!

Goin Fer It's Wife

[danske]

Originally Posted by dewercs2

Hey Danske,

Give Pat a heads up on what's going on. Bet she gets you in sooner.

Dewercs2/Devildice,

I talked to Sage today about my driving schedule and they changed it so I will be doing my 20 hours(This is for the refresher course; Regular course is 47 hours of one-on-one driving) all next week. This week I will spent it in the classroom. This solve the issue for me and I can still start orientation in Missoula on October 1st.

Boy, DD, are you complaining about ONLY getting a 1450 mile load from home to Cleveland? Davis is spoiling you quick with all those LONG runs!!! I don't know if I should feel sorry for that you spent another night at home while the dispatcher d*cked around trying to find a LTL load to fill out your deck. Hopefully, this load to Cleveland will put you in a lane for another great run to the Left Coast!

Chief, was that a threat about hijacking your thread coming from a taxi driver to this seagoing bellhop?!? :evil: :evil: I may have been in the Air Wing all my years in the Corps, but I don't remember ever taking any lip from a squid!! :twisted: I am looking forward to working with you, but I plan to be the Captain of my own boat this time!!

DW2, I hope Davis gets to the bottom of your problem with your truck while you are there this time. I have this fear that they won't, give you a different truck, and pass this weak sister off on some newbie(I wonder who that may be? :shock: ). No, really, I hope they fix it and make you happy as I know you have been struggling from the first day with this truck. I guess you will find out real quick if it is right on Homestake Pass.

I am waiting to hear from GFIW. I PM her my phone number, but she hasn't called yet. Maybe I can find her place by following my nose to the smell of cookies! :lol:

Night all!

[devildice]

Originally Posted by danske

Dewercs2/Devildice,

I talked to Sage today about my driving schedule and they changed it so I will be doing my 20 hours(This is for the refresher course; Regular course is 47 hours of one-on-one driving) all next week. This week I will spent it in the classroom. This solve the issue for me and I can still start orientation in Missoula on October 1st.

Well I am glad things are going to work out the way you wanted.

Originally Posted by danske

Boy, DD, are you complaining about ONLY getting a 1450 mile load from home to Cleveland? Davis is spoiling you quick with all those LONG runs!!! I don't know if I should feel sorry for that you spent another night at home while the dispatcher d*cked around trying to find a LTL load to fill out your deck. Hopefully, this load to Cleveland will put you in a lane for another great run to the Left Coast!

um, yeah I guess I have gotten a little spoiled with those long runs. ops:

Originally Posted by danske

Chief, was that a threat about hijacking your thread coming from a taxi driver to this seagoing bellhop?!? :evil: :evil: I may have been in the Air Wing all my years in the Corps, but I don't remember ever taking any lip from a squid!! :twisted: I am looking forward to working with you, but I plan to be the Captain of my own boat this time!!

Just want to make note of that last sentence.......... I knew you always wanted to be a squid as SAILORS run the boats........NOT fly-boys!!!!!! :lol: :lol:

have fun in school and STOP being a "teachers pet" and leave the apple in your room :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: