Back to Week#4
Some more details, notes, and confession;
Ok, Week#4 included:
a load from Ft. Smith, Ar- Topeka, Ks
now this above load-- I turned down/ did not accept the preplan-- not once but twice-- and they still "forced' it on me-- so I loaded it( just did have the hours remaining on my 14 to reach the Shipper-- of course, I ran out of hours(hit 14) while at the dock-- so I ended up spending the night on their property. Now, this was after starting my Sunday at Wal-Mart( Paul's Valley, Ok with a 7am Live Unload(2hours) 160 mile deadhead to Tulsa for a pickup-- shipper had to stay late to load it( and lost track of some of the product(almost canceled the load entirely)-- 118 miles then to Ft. Smith--
Oh, and I started the morning with only 7- hours remaining on my 70.
And they wanted that Topeka delivered at 8am sharp Monday.
So the next load-- was Independence, Mo to Cedar Rapids, Ia--
Welcome to the Caves( Space Center )
In the past 10 years these caves have came a long way--- I remember when there was little to NO- light--- the air was full of CO2 and CO(monoxide) from all the trucks.. you'd pass trucks down under here (200 feet below the surface) and the driver's would be "white nuckled" and look pale as ghosts--- many would get nervous and tare open their trailers -- rip em open like sardine cans on these walls-- which weren't painted white at that time. They've really improved greatly.
Still the below shot-- is of the scrap marks that are present along the walls - in front of every dock--- both high( where people have damaged the passenger top corner of their trailers backing into the docks) as seen below. As well as where they rip off their fenders & front bumpers down low( not pictured ).
Anyway, it was on this load-- that I made my first real mistake here at Heartland. A rookie Mistake--- not not driving related or related in any way to above pictures....
I was assigned to pick up a load of corn starch-- bound for Cedar Rapids, Ia.
The shipper loaded the trailer with a load going to --- Tulsa, Ok.
The lighting in the above pictures is from digital processing/flash on the camera---- when the loader brought the Bills out to the truck for me to sign-- I could barely see where he was pointing his finger for me to sign.
Mistake#1: Don't sign without reading WHERE the load is going-- it might not be YOUR load!.
Then, because-- I only had 2 hours left on my 14hour clock-- and I did read-- 45,6xx lbs--- Instead of stopping when I emerged from under-ground and sending my Loaded Call--- I was more concerned about getting to a truckstop and scaling out the load-- and getting some Dinner before I ran out of time. So, I hit 291 north, then cut west on 210-- hoping to scale out at the 210 Texaco -- as to avoid back tracking to the Flying J on Front St.---- Well, guess what--- the 210 Texaco is out-of-business--- wonder how long now? So, I hit 435North to 35 North--
Still watching my 2 remaining hours tick away-----
Mistake#2: The MDOT weigh station is south of the Kearny ex26 Pilot--
forgot about that------ but Luck was with me--- THE BIG WORD WAS OUT!
I whipped her in on the scale-- then parked.
It was perfect-- without having to slide any more--- I congradulated myself on being so "skilled/experienced" that I can usually just "feel" when I slide em up or back-- when the weight balances----- so, now I was parked- weight all legal--- and hungry---- and here at Heartland got to watch my idle time-- so why head back to a hot truck--- so I walked across the street to find some Dinner---- If you stop here--- try the Stallion Bar & Grill across the street-- real good Stakes.
Anyway, hours later when I returned to the truck--- to do that "loaded call"-- imagine my surprise when I read Bama Pie Company-- Tulsa, OK!
The lesson here is-- reguardless of how many years you've been trucking-- certain basic procedures must be followed-- religiously.
Read before you Sign! Even If you need a flashlight!
Send your loaded call--- from the Shipper! Even if you suspect/ think you might have to return for an adjustment- and don't want to have to send another one over again.
In my case, it worked out anyway-- I was out of hours at Kearney-- having to inform the Shipper they screwed up -- then returning the next morning to re-load--- I really didn't get more than 3 hours behind.
But the mistake should have/ could have been caught sooner!
