Good deal Pete!!

I had no complaints. They did an overhaul on the engine about 13 months ago right before I got into it. Has close to 740,000 miles on it. It had some suspension issues when I first got it. The springs have been replaced down the entire right side. It leaned to the right when I got it. Don't know what caused that initially. Only repairs I had were:

coolant leaks various hoses
windshield washer motor
broken u bolt and spring right drive axle
air conditioner compressor

The last 2 happened in the last 6 weeks. You looking to go OO again? They will probably put Pete C in that truck.

Hey Slick! I saw a group of FLD's sitting at Morrow terminal on thursday that actually looked in pretty decent shape. They were about half way decommisioned, from the looks. Was only there 30 minutes, so did not look closer.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyybeeeeeeeeeeee :lol: Just waiting to find out about several different options I'm working on actually. Depends on what is available once Dave gets back with me in a few. Hell, Markham has an FLD that if I heard correctly, has under 500k miles on it! :eek2: But knowing my good luck LOL it probably won't be on the trade list yet.

Geologic and Logs
 

Beginning real soon logs are audited 100% against the GeoLogic. Combine that with disappearing company motels, the Blue Beacon Ban and snipping at accessorial pay - and it has been a year of CHANGE! Can prescribed routing and mandatory fuel stops be far behind? We are becoming eerily like the other companies we once felt superior to!

FWIW, we are about 6-months late to the party. In December the FMCSA ruled they will use GPS records as supporting documentation for HOS audits.

Under the new policy, effective immediately, if a company uses GPS, the FMCSA has authority to request the
records and use them during the normal course of an investigation. The FMCSA considers the records as
supporting documents as they record the time, date, and location of vehicles and drivers. All supporting
documents, including records from
GPS and other advance technology
systems, must now be kept for a
period of six months under 49 CFR
395.8.

I haven't heard anything about this. Just last week I stayed in the company hotel in Pasadena. Dispatch there suggested it. Got my truck washed at blue beacon before heading into California a couple of days before that. Has a memo come down to that effect? Terminal specific maybe?

I log it as I do it so qualcom isn't a big deal.

Well, my desire to go back to work at SPCR through High Point has been turned down by Oak Brook.

Had a good chat with Mac yesterday and he said they made the decision based solely on the basis of how far I lived away from the terminal and, if the decision was his alone, I'd be there next week no problem. I was disappointed, yes, but not too surprised, because as anyone who has dealt with Oak Brook before knows, there can sometimes be a pretty severe disconnect with how the head honchos perceive things and what actually goes on where the rubber meets the road.:argue: Mac, firmly tongue-in-cheek, suggested getting an address just a little closer, wink, wink if you know what I mean:smokin: but I want to keep things simple in regards to how I live.

Many, many thanks to wysrob again for the tip and I would still positively recommend SPCR to any driver who is interested in the liquid tanker business. Driver want ads are OK but it's really the networking and 'personal' contacts like this that help a driver find the best, right slot for himself (or her) in this business.

So...it's not quite back to square-one for me as I've an interview on Fri for a spot coming open in May (tanker, yes!) working for a smaller Co than SPCR out of one of their terminal down in GA. I'll let you'all know who it is and how it turns out (no big deal, I'm a just a little superstitious) as soon as I know anything.

Thanks again guys for all the support.:patriot:

Pete C

Yea, things are changing and theyre changing quick. :( I know its all for "the good" but like previously stated, its starting to feel like every other company. Also they better not cut our accessorial pay too much, im having a hard enough time living off less then a thousand miles a week.

Wish I had more experiance, Id be flooding the local fuel carriers.

Hey PeteC, I know what ya mean there and sorry to hear that you wont be going back. I have been trying to get hired on in Atlanta but it is still to slow. Gonna shoot you a PM see if it helps you out.

Well I was finally laid off today. Im 1 out of 5 getting the ax...

Sorry to hear that man. Hope something comes your way soon. Good luck to you.

Sorry to hear that. Might have to start a sub-forum section for laid-off SPCR drivers...call it 'Sent to the Orpanage' or something...:tears: Just Kidding!

No great advice from this quarter except to say try to stay busy and keep yourself on some kind of normal schedule. Nows the time to catch up on all those little jobs around the house that require only time and not much money; at least you'll have the 'benefit' of having some decent weather to putz around in! Just don't let the present situation overwhelm you and then mentally start beating up on yourself; if your used to working, and being a productive adult, being unemployed is a bit of culture shock to say the least.

Good luck and let us know how things go with everything.

Pete C

Sorry it didn't work out in High Point Pete C. Good luck with the interview today. That's good advice to DDCavi.

Hang in there DDCavi. The way things have been going at your terminal it might be a blessing. At least you have a little experience under your belt now.

Y'all know I keep meticulous records of every trip I do concerning miles, hours delayed, etc. If anyone else does this as well, start paying close attention to your paid mileages... It's dropped in the last couple of weeks. The company has changed routing programs to one that is now paying us shorter miles.

:pissedoff:

I'm willing to bet the next phase of "trimming the fat" will be to demand all drivers to have valid TWIC card possession, followed closely by a passport, regardless if you ever go into a TWIC facility and/or Canada. I'm sure we all know drivers who've said they refuse to get either or both of those credentials. Wonder how many's attitude will change if it comes down to being mandatory in order to drive here, or even at our competitors! Myself, no worries since TWIC's on the way and I'm getting the paperwork together for the passport.

DDCavi, that sucks man! I wish you the best of luck and that things will work in your favor. I'm doing my best to keep busy, but even things have slowed in Kankakee/Westville. Getting harder and harder to run through the weekend. Hope it changes for the better soon. Like I said before, I don't know about anyone else, but I've definitely got coals in the fire so to speak just in case...

:thumbsup:

At Dana we need both, or atleast TWIC, I'm not sure about passport I know they asked if I had one which I did already.

Time to ask for the suggested/paid routing and run it. When you're late, oh well, I did the best I could but golly gee sure was a lot of red lights.

Sorry to here that DD. You still have the coolest avatar on CAD:clap: Go sell lobsters at Bar Harbor for the summer, beats truckin!

Thats already in effect in Maine. I have my TWIC, and we were required to have a passport by June.

Thanks guys, Ill still stick my nose in this thread as ill always be interested. I ran into one of the vet drivers tonight and I guess they let another mechanic go. (Bob will know him, it was Roland.) So now theyre down to one mechanic and the foreman. I guess mechanics arent needed when the trucks are nothing but parking lot queens.

And hell yea geargrinder :)

Superior cost saving idea's'
 

Would it be cheaper to give everyone a tracfone and shatcan the geologics?

Maybe we could get rid of the safety department by having the tracfones equiped with some randonm ringtones:

Baby, your once, twice, roll over and be three points of contact;
Don't roll-over beethoven;
I bungy jump, but not at the fuel pump;
I don't want to sleep tonight;
Don't go to the truckwash.
Baby, I would slip, trip, and fall for you - but I got non-skid boots;

just a thought....

LOL. 99% of the time I worked I was wearing sneakers, so much more comfortable to drive. And I have the bad habit of exiting the cab forward.

I dont know how many will know him, but theres a safety specialist from the Springfield terminal. His name is Abner (sp?), IMO hes a nazi. His license plate on his PERSONAL car says SBL SAFT. He came up and gave us alittle safety audit on our trucks. I was riddled with problems... 1. I had placards in my truck (from pervious owner), 2. Floor had to much dirt on it for his taste, 3. Hoses are no longer allowed on the back usless coiled into one level, 4. Apparently my gear wasnt put away neat enough in the work box, had to fold them nicely. 5. Hes concerned with the wire hanging from the mic on the CB. 6. Had bungees UNDER the steps (previous owner).

The Maine terminal has a Hooooooooorrible safety record right now. So I guess that was a start for the nit picking.

I have worked with CIH's and CSP's. I seriously doubt that these "Trucker Safety Guy's" have any formal education in the field.

Good day yesterday. Went down to Winder, Ga for an interview with Groendyke Transport and got hired. Only knew about the position thanks to a tip from an ex-Superior driver who has been there for about 6 months now. Should start around the 15th of this month when the driver I'm replacing gets transferred to another terminal...go back down the 11th or 12th for a physical, pee test, etc.

Paywise, some things better, some things less, but, overall, should even out to what I made at Superior; the friend who works there has made 19K to the end of april and has been home every weekend lately as things are so slow. I didn't ask about insurance as I'm on my wife's full-coverage policy from where she works and I know we can't get what we have any cheaper through anyone else.

Heavy traffic lanes out of Winder to the upper Midwest and straight back down South again which is what I like to do anyway; when things are running normal 7-10 days out is the norm with more if you want it. One way commute of 148 miles which is only about 30 miles more than going to Kingsport was and, as long as there's no snow or ice, I'll be on my bike so gas is a non-issue for me.

I'll keep you guys posted on how things go.

Pete C

Way to go Pete. One thing I always notice about Groendyke is the condition of their trailers. They are simply immaculate.

Congratulations - Your May Day was answered:clap:

Congrats on the new job Pete. I like the idea of riding your bike and I am going to do the same on my drive to Chattanooga. Glad to hear you got something. Good luck to ya.:clap:

Congrats Pete, Goodluck to ya!

So I went to a somewhat local (about 35mins away) concrete company looking for a driver or two for mixers. Luckily my mom had caught the brand new listing on a Maine classifieds site. I went in, filled out my app. Brought it upstairs and ran into the whole family. Owned and operated by family, VERY nice people. Met the father, after a few minutes of reviewing my app he asked if I had time for a road test. Took me by surprise, definately wasnt prepared but I wasnt going to say no. So he grabbed his son and he checked my app and next thing you know were in a truck. Sterling with a 380 Benz and I think its an 8 speed, Eaton Fuller. I get super nervous when people drive with me, but I drove that sucker like a champ. Up and down gears like ive driven it before, think he was pretty happy about that (I impressed myself also). So we get back, I park the truck and we go back into the office. He runs in and talks with his dad for a few minutes, comes out and says "Wed like to offer you a job." I bout **** myself. Im stoked to say the least.

So I gotta go take my pee test tomorrow and they want me to start monday w00t! I guess being laid off from Superior was a blessing in diguise. I originally went to school for my B because I wanted to do this kind of work. I ended up getting my A to cover my bases and tractor-trailers were all I could get into at the time, but this is really my kind of work.

Cool. Hope they are busier than Superior up there in Main.

Good news man glad to hear it worked out for you. I just left a concrete company here where I live just no work right now. Concrete trucks are a cool job just be careful in turns and watch how sideling you go and you will be cool. A low slump load and a slight lean to the left and over you go so watch out for that. also right turns are worse then left when you are loaded due to concrete riding up left side of drum as it is rotating. All this info is for a rear discharge unit, front discharge is a little differant. Mine was out the back. Good luck to you.

Cool man, thanks for the heads up. Yea these are rear unloads. I guess last year was the first year they had to lay off over the winter, but they dont lay off on seniority. They base it on productivity. So ill bust balls and see what happens.

Pete and DDCavi

Congrats to both of you finding other stuff so quickly! Good luck with your new ventures and don't be a stranger.

As I told Geargrinder in another post.....

I'll admit that we're keeping steady at Kankakee but nothing near as good as it could be or rather was a few months ago. Though lately here they've been keeping me busy doing local deliveries next door at Cognis if nothing else is available. But it would be nice to get back out to the open road again soon on a consistent basis. Though allow me to say this, if things keep going downhill I'll be back to the old routine quickly. Believe me when I say I don't want to, but if that's what it takes then I will do what I must. I love time off and all, but I love making $$$ too! And then add in that I do have family to take care of....

It really sucks when I personally know of three individuals (two are very close friends) who are all still plugging away, business as usual with one particular cheap, Florida-based company (and yes, one of the options I have open to me). All are averaging consistent 3,000+ miles a week. Two run primarily short to medium length Midwest milk loads while the third runs the long-distance stuff just as I did at Aartman years ago. Also, all three are very seasoned, experienced drivers who take the bad with the good, they go where the freight goes, and don't b**** and moan when something doesn't go their way, with the exception of ensuring that they get theirdue time off at home.

Now in regards to that aspect of the "game" in food-grade (concerning complaining over what loads you get and where they go), it's a chitty thing to do, but the whiners and complainers always end up getting forced out the door. Usually it's after either getting the worst loads available and/or, going somewhere and then sitting a few days with "no freight available". The f***ed up thing about it, though sometimes in a strange funny way, is that is that will happen in a place where the driver is generally aware there's loads at. And then worse, to see your company's and other food-grade companies trucks rolling in and out like clockwork! :eek2: And then knowing that getting deadheaded 1,000+ miles for a load is common doing that stuff and it doesn't take long to figure out that you have made someone mad! Saw that happen to several drivers back when I was with Indian River, but strangely enough not with Aartman (CA).

Anyway, back to the land of Superior Carriers... What's funny is that with as many drivers we seem to have on the verge of leaving here because of little to no work, I still run across knuckleheads that will complain about getting a load all because it's going to a less-than-desirable destination! Hell I say give it to the guy who will be thankful to get it and not gripe!!! If someone doesn't wanna take a load somewhere because of the destination then fine, send their sorry azz home and stay put a few days and see how much stuff gets paid then. There's too many drivers who would be more than happy to cover that load I'm sure...

:roll3:

I have never turned anything down and believe me I have been to the not so desirable places of NYC, CHI, PHL, LA and remote places fit neither for man or truck.

I wonder how the new logging is going to effect our drivers. I generally keep mine kosher, and generally will become always. We have all had to stretch it a bit to make a PU/DEL - I guess those days are gone. But I know, and every company has them, a percentage of drivers that fill out their logs once or twice a week - whether they need to or not.

It is a quantum leap to go from matching a fuel receipt (some drivers have a hard time with that!) to 100% accuracy. It'll be interesting to how it shakes out.

Will this apply to the owner operators as well? I have seen guys do things on dedicated runs that can't be done legally. I bet if they are real strict we will see some driver turnover. It sucks to shut down 60 miles from home but you do what you have to do. I wonder how deep they will go into the geoLogic data. Just where you are in relation to logs or flag anytime your speed exceeds 65 mph.

Geargrinder, sorry I wasn't inferring you as one of those individuals. My sincere apologies. As to logging, I've wondered that myself. Especially since I know other drivers (myself included) who will drive to the destination the night before and sleep there. I'm sure you follow how the rest of this story goes.... Guess a lot of us will simply be screwing up our ten hour break and trying to do split-logging if we don't arrive early enough to get a full ten break before unloading. Either that or, we'll be getting up much earlier to make on-time pick-up/delivery and also cutting into our 14-hour rule, possibly affecting our subsequent reload. Oh well, they want to trim the fat and make sure we're all playing by the rules. Fine by me, but I do see this causing more drivers to depart, especially as what we've discussed about how certain aspects of accessory pay is getting toyed with. All about saving that $$$!

Rob, yes it will apply to every driver here. They're covering everyone with this. It looks like those tight runs will have to be rescheduled to a more reasonable dispatch. Thankfully I can say that all of the runs I do out of Westville are easily done by the book, and damn how I hope to be running those again soon! But you are very correct in saying that you'll see driver turnover, and I am willing to bet A LOT! As for shutting down sixty miles from home... Yep, it sucks bad but I've always made it a point to bring that up that it screwed me out of starting time off when I supposed to, and I simply get an extra day to account for my trouble. Then again I always stay calm and professional with dispatch when dealing with touchy situations, though we've probably all seen cases where it was completely opposite :argue:

You're going to find that **** is going to come to a stop real quick.....unless that O/O does not have a OBC on board....as of May 11, 2009 the DOT is going to use the OBC data in auditing drivers logs......so anyone stupid enough to play games will end up burnt to the ground if they play "junior-chicken-hauler"...... This information is posted on bulletin boards in the terminals I have been in lately.....

Do it legal.....of forget it!

For those of you who pay attention to this thread:

1. The DOT can access PrePass info, they can access EasyPass info, the can access Comdata info.....and they can run your logbook against a program like PC Miler.....so don't waste your time "bull****ting" yourself about how "stupid" the DOT is......one helluva a lot of them are "former" professional drivers"..... and believe it or not...they don't wear tinfoil hats....

DO IT RIGHT, OR DON'T DO IT AT ALL!!

EXACTLY!!! :clap:

:smokin: We be hangin' at duh motel fo' Karns City....did y'all get my reply fo' duh voice mail vis a vis Balto?

Whoooop, duh, whoooop.............whooooop?

DOT can access PrePass records, but PrePass doesn't timestamp - it just records the date. Which really doesn't matter becuz the "Eye in the Sky" tells them EVERYTHING. I'm not sure a 12-gauge shot gun to the "bubble" will kill the thing.

It's a whole new BALLGAME.

I have been in this racket less than 5-years. So I kind of cut my gears doing it legal.

But to paraphrase Otter, "The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our female party guests (log books) - we did. ....

Karns Motel? What did they open up the bunks downstairs, or let you pitch a tent out back? KC could stand to upgrade a bit. To their credit, they are about the only terminal that has towel service.

No if they had a water source besides the sink next to the urinal. Kind of yucky.

Actually they do time stamp. When I was running my own personal PrePass at Aartman and again here as an I/C there were several times I had to call PrePass to straighten issues out and ask questions, and they were able to confirm with me exactly when I had rolled over the road sensors and/or passed by the pole-mounted transponder by time and date. Same applies to my Norpass. :roll3:

If they (D.O.T.) want to obtain the info bad enough for whatever reason they will get it. 'Nuff said!

Speaking of good old Karns City, PA, I'll be up there myself later tonight to grab a load in the a.m. since Baltimore has nothing. And as usual, Grandpa is running away since he left out earlier today. Getting scared of those 3" hose overhead presses aren't ya! We can always just grab a wheel like back at Garden City in the early days and do that since it's a lot lighter... :crossbones: :moon: :rofl:

Unless PrePass changed their invoice format....it not only shows the date, but the hour and minute as well. When I paid for my own....each and every use of the transponder was shown on the invoice, as well as the location.

Yep it is....

Actually...the motel is down in Butler...about 13 miles away. Not a bad motel either!

Towels are nice.....but I wish the freakin' satellite TV was working....and the wi-fi router seems to linked to a phone line that is slower than dry concrete.....

That is true....

Just remember....don't go after anything moving around the yard in the dark.....it could be a bear, as in the "four legged kind"....:eek1: