They lifted the ban again. This is silly. Anyway things still going all right. I got a good load going into central Florida from NC. It was good cause I got together for a few hours with my brother who lives in NC. Couldn't do that with the company. It was around $2.00 a mile. I'm loving this CH Robinson Quick Pay. Very fast the money in in my checking account.
I ended up getting 5 hours of detention time for that load too which came to $125.00. Better than the $10 I use to get with the company.
Then I got ripped off from the Freightliner dealer in Pompano Beach. I took the thing in cause I wanted the coolant flushed. Also wanted the dessicant air dryer filter changed and a couple of other things as well as the fifth wheel needed to be adjusted. Well to make a long story short they tell me I need a new fifth wheel for $1300. What do I know about this stuff so I called my friend who told me that that was too high. He told me where to get it and told me he'd help me put it on. So I call the dealer back and tell them to forget it. He tells me that it's taken apart and I will be charged two hours.
So back to calling my friend who wanted to know why it was taken apart. I called back again and he starts giving me this whole mechanical breakdown and then asks me if I know what he means. Well no I don't know; I'm not a mechanic. I did get a $100 off the bill but the whole trip was expensive. I'm embarrased to even mention the amount. But it's not over, I faxed the invoice down to the Miami branch and I'm going to get this sorted out. Apparently they are in rip-off mode as during the construction boom or near the end of it, someone got a bright idea of bringing in like 50 dump trucks which they now can't get rid of and are losing their shirts with the interest payments.
The mechanic by the way said I don't need the air dryer filter changed and then charged me $27 for giving me that info. The book says change it at 300,000 miles. I've been told twice now to pull the air release cords in the morning and I don't understand why not at night?
So I am now at 3 weeks as an O/O. In these 3 weeks I've acquired a Pavlovian response to fueling up. I lift the nozzle and the sick feeling comes on. If it wasn't for fuel... well we all know that. I pretty much stay with Flying J as I can just fuel at the pump and I know I'll be getting my cash rebate. I understand the fuel tax thing now and try and plan accordingly. But I guess you can't always go by that either. I'm on the same load as I had in the first place. Miami to Oklahoma with 2 other stops. According to the fuel charts it's cheaper in Texas than Louisiana but I remembered from the first trip that the Flying J in LA. was quite a bit cheaper than the TA in Terrel, Tx. Same fuel tax too.
I need to find a solution to the food issue. I spend like $150 a week and never have food. I don't even eat at the truck stops except for Subway. I'ts like at home I can go to the store and spend a $100 and come home with juice, water and cereal.
I read somewhere that after a while they will start calling you, the brokers that is. They already started, at first I thought it was spam phone calls. Someone called and I didn't hear what company they were from and they asked if I had trucks in the Atlanta area. Then another guy called and asked for dispatch.
I recently read that GMAN said we need to get back to dealing directly with shippers. The guy I work with won't deal with shippers as he says he has problems with them paying.
I'm still trying to decide where in this industry I'd like to go. Where's LoadIt? He said one time to think big. Get a truck and get a warehouse.