Experiences like that made alot of us swear off of food/produce/groceries long ago. I remember a long time ago you considered trying dry van to see if you liked it, around the time that your sister moved to Florida. I think you found your answer, crap like that is common in the van/reefer world. Usually the larger the facility, the worse it is.

 

Yup, I was going to rent a van to help move my sister until we realized it was cheaper to hire a moving company then it was to rent a van and the fuel. Yet another wake up call to inflated moving prices from people on this board. They all seemed to give up their multiple 100 thousand dollar jobs for something else. Like I say, only believe a little of what you read here and take head to what a handful of us say, we are actually doing it.

My recommendations for lots of people right now in this business is to GET SMALL. The storm is happening right now with fuel and the holidays. I fear that many will not survive until spring.

I keep saving my money just in case except for that killer CB I'm having put in today.

As a side note. The load I held hostage from C.H. Robinson because of a hold up in my contract had no effect on my status with them. They keep calling me to haul loads. I spoke to the woman who last called and told her about my last experience with them and the hostage crisis. She said there was no note at all on my file and I have a 100% rating with them.

ICCI who I filed a complaint with The Internet Truckstop also is still calling me with nothing on file also.

Bottom line, you gotta truck? You gotta load!

I have to laugh at all the slogans on trucks. We strive for excellence. Quality is our middle name and so on. What a crock. Actually, if a customer asked the shipping company they would say. Well, we really don't know what kind of truck he has, we don't know about his track record or safety record. We have no idea if he can speak English or is here in the country legally. Does he have a criminal record? Hell, we don't know but we can tell you this, he has a truck.

 

Steve, you have a choice of whether to sign a contract with a broker or not. Only yesterday I received a contract from a broker. They seemed extremely concerned about damage and anyone soliciting their customers. I didn't like all of the language so I wrote in that any damage needed to be noted on the bills at the time of delivery. Under their non-soliciting section, they had language which even forbids talking to anyone about their customers or rates. The way it was worded, if I had taken the load and gone in with another broker at a later date, I could have been liable for 25% of the rate. I made a note that any loads coming from any broker were excluded. Apparently one person in their management had a problem with me adding these two clauses. They would not give me the load without sending the agreement back without any changes. I refused since it could have left me open to a lawsuit and additional costs had I gone back to that shipper with a different broker. I won't sign ANY contract which is totally one sided. This broker was too paranoid about their shippers. The language sent up red flags to me. There was even something in the contract about damages being unmeasurable. Give me a break! Some people sign these contract without even reading them. I don't. I found another load which paid more within the hour. If you want to put something about detention or anything else and the broker refuses to accept the changes, then move on to the next broker or shipper. It is YOUR business. You run it the way YOU want.

 

Sorry to hear you had such a hard time with that load. Lesson learned though. Thanks for the info on how dirty the produce warehouse was. Made me think twice about biting into an apple without washing it!

I'm still sore all over from the tree deal but gotta keep moving. Had a friend go pick up a load of those trees and he says his are supposed to be unloaded for him. I hope that's true.

Told my wife that I don't even want a Christmas tree in the house this year. I may change my mind - but doubt it. I can't even figure out what kind of stand someone would put one of those monster trees in to keep it upright.

Brings to mind one year right after I first got married. Wife sends me to get a tree and tells me to get a really full one. Got home, untie it and put it in the stand and then can't get it in the front door. You asked for a full one right? Have to tie it back up to get it through the door. Finally get it in the house and we have to move about 1/2 the furniture out of the living room to accomodate it. Then the wife starts to put on the lights and uses what normally covers the entire tree about a third of the way up. Off to the store for more lights. She ends up only decorating the front of the tree because that's all the ornaments we had. They still refer to it as the Chevy Chase Christmas tree.

 

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Ha ha ha, that's funny.


Gman, I know I have a choice to sign or not sign a contract but it just stinks that the brokers have the upper hand most of the time. It's like, do you want the load or not. TQL is the only broker that hasn't given me any crap about modifying a rate agreement with particulars. I hauled a load for them that I already haul for this shipper directly so I did make a note on the contract before sending it back.

Everyone else uses the standard answer that it will take days to get approval for the modification so you don't get this load.

I just got back from the CB shop and I swear I can talk and listen to Canada now!!! The radio is so powerful I have to turn the squelch up real high because I hear tons of people all at once. I talked to one guy waiting to unload at a Mall and made it all the way home and could still hear and talk to him. It was about 10 to 12 miles. The CB shop did mention that I better not reveal anything about the radio to anyone and to just answer that it's a Cobra 29 or something like it. It came with a notice that the FCC requires me to have a license. :shock:

I also had the radio shop wire up my Sirius radio output directly to my stereo. It's AWESOME now. No more having to switch frequency because your near a radio station on the same channel. The quality is also 10 times better. My stereo has 2 auxiliary input jacks so it worked out great.

I also bought a 21" set of stairs to install on the side of my truck. I'm taking the box off that's there. It holds all my chains and binders. I never did like the box because it's installed crooked and the steps on it are only like 4" wide. I'm going to put all the chains and stuff in my trailer box. I seem to have too much weight on my drives and this will save me a ton.

 

Sorry I like my artifical trees that way they are easy to put up and take down plus I can also get them into the hose without having to worry about if they will fit called measure first and then buy the one that will fit the area.

 

When I was growing up my mother bought a fake tree and decorated it once. When Xmas was over she covered it with a big plastic bag then brought it out every year for like 15 years.

 

I never understood hauling onions on a flatbed. Seems like such a chance for a liability issue.
Guess you times it right with the weather cause it's been
below freezing here in WI. Must have had good weather on your route.
Seems like if you had a breakdown or unexpected delay you could be stuck with a load of perishables. You seemed like you were happy with your regular routine. Valuable lesson learned it sounds like.
And that produce yard. WOW, gives new meaning to washing your fruit and veggies first!
And that "stalk you" across the US dispatcher sounded weird.
You definitely got out of your routine.
Glad you told the guy about the lumper fees to stick it. Too much corruption in this industry.

 

The weather was pretty good the whole way. Never did get to freezing. Just a huge pain in the butt.

Back to my regular routine without that lady leading me around. I'll still haul for them if they have a load in my area but it will be on my terms, my time and ONE at a time.

OK....I just got 4 emails from that lady in the time it took me to type this!!!!

At least they pay their bills quick!