I deliver to Cherokee, IA monday, so I stopped at the Super 8 here. I need a trailer tire replaced anyway, and there's a Sapp Bros. here.
Last night at the bar I met an Expeditor. He showed me his little van, which had a microwave, fridge, and sleeper like mine. He gets over 16 mpg's, pays 1/10th of my maintenance, and makes similar gross moneys.
I had heard truckers bitching about these guys, but never did the research I should have.
Sure, all these (for him one or two pallets--there's a larger one-pice truck that makes more) loads are hot, but wow--they're based on 57 mph!!! I mean, I have been under-the-gun, and based on what this guy said, this aint it.
And he gets longer runs, too! I'd thought they were all shorties.
I'm obviously sick of being nearly broke, and my truck has 825,000 miles on it. I'm at the stage in it's life where I need to accumulate more savings than ever to rebuild or replace the engine. Factoring in other stuff that'll come due such as the other leaf spring, my unfinished steering shaft replacement, etc., that could take 20k.
Or, I could sell this truck and get another one. A used one that I don't know.
I don't think so. I think I'm going to downsize and be an expeditor. Park anywhere. No logs. No weigh stations.
I'll want the bigger diesel box-truck so that more loads would be available to me. I also think that the longer runs are proabably multi-stops, which would require more space for more freight. Plus, diesels last ten times longer than gassers.
Right now, I've got to keep running as hard as I can. This load is light but doesn't pay much, but Korena has preplanned me two trips in advance and is moving me to higher paying loads. I'll be coming back to Wisconsin and from there maybe Chicago--I forget. Hate the cold, oce, tolls, and short distance, but that's why these loads pay more. I get it. She's helping me dig out of the hole I'm in.
And she's great. A little later after I've done more homework on expiditing, I'll talk to her about my probable downsizing plans. If I give her some notice, I'm hoping that she can sort of stick with me and make a similar deal with an expidited carrier to the one we now have with this company, and get my loads for me.
It might not work out, because she might have exclusive contracts, and her current connections are probably all for full loads.
I'd hate to leave her. Once you get somebody like her in your corner, any move away from her you make is down.
But jeez--I always wanted one of those huge sleepers, and as an expidor I could probably have one. These things are like campers!
Well, it's down the road apiece. Either way, I've got to save up a tion of money, so I'll be running as hard as she wants.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
OMFG
It's monday, and now Freightliner says my part has sort of like disappeared and is not available. I mean I agreed to pay extra for overnight on THURSDAY and here I am finding out it's now gone up in smoke!
I'll wait til they get an anwer to their query (no doubt a lie. The part probably went to somebody else who ordered AFTER I did). If they can't get me tomorrow I'll pay what I owe and have to get that done next week.
Meanwhile this morning I get an email purporting to be from Hotmail asking for "confirmation" of my info inc. password because they were shutting down idle accounts. Fell for it.
Next thing I know I got mugged in Cyprus and am asking everybody on my contact list for money, my password has been changed, all my outgoing emails are being forewarded.
YOU GUYS ARE ASSHOLES. GET A JOB, YOU SUBHUMAN PILE OF SHIT.
I'll wait til they get an anwer to their query (no doubt a lie. The part probably went to somebody else who ordered AFTER I did). If they can't get me tomorrow I'll pay what I owe and have to get that done next week.
Meanwhile this morning I get an email purporting to be from Hotmail asking for "confirmation" of my info inc. password because they were shutting down idle accounts. Fell for it.
Next thing I know I got mugged in Cyprus and am asking everybody on my contact list for money, my password has been changed, all my outgoing emails are being forewarded.
YOU GUYS ARE ASSHOLES. GET A JOB, YOU SUBHUMAN PILE OF SHIT.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Still Stuck
I haven't bothered proofing my earlier posts because I'm too bummed to look at them again.
yeah, it's Superbowl Sunday and I'm still stuck here because my "intermediate steering column" never got there friday, ergo won't be there til...I hope...monday.
I told them to keep it down and alert me if my bill was to exceed 4 grand. (That's right. That's in addition to 2450 I already paid for all the other stuff.)
I think they're wrong about my windshield not meeting DOT specs, too. I think the rule is that it's not supposed to impair my vision, and the crack is clearly above my sight-line. I'll just have to see about that and my remaining alignment monday. I may need to take it back to the tire/alignment guy. he's a second opinion, anyway. Crap the windshield is another 300-plus bucks (and that's cheap).
It's maddening. I want to just get the hell out of here, and could put off the windshield (if I do need it) and the inspection. I mean, I'll be taking air freight near Philly, then korena manuevers me back here for another one of those. In other words, I'll be back here within a week, and could call ahead to make appointments and stuff. might well have to lay over a day or possibly two, as well.
But NOOOO! Oh hell no, because I don't dare delay the drive-tire alignment!
It sucks. Freightliner can't pick me up or drop me off. I'll owe them money and will ask them to take it right next door to Sumerel's (the alignment place), but I bet they're not allowed to let the truck leave their property til the bill is paid.
I might just throw up my hands and have Freightliner align it. It'll cost me an extra hundred bucks, but I can get the hell out of there. If I can't persuade them on the windshield, then I'll just put that and the inspection off and spend an extra 15 on the cab.
Meanwhile, if my (I paid 100 bucks extra for overnight--hahaha)--gets there it won't be til after 1100 and maybe early afternoon--then I don 't know how long it takes to get it back inside to get replaced.
Ah! Writing is good for clearing up my thinking--even though it no doubt confuses and bores any readers I ever get. That's what I'll do: Skip the windshield (and inspection of neccessary) and just make sure it's aligned.
I was turning myself inside out trying to save a hudred bucks!
IF the part gets there tomorrow, maybe I can get the hell out of here. IF it gets there, my worst case is staying here one more night.
Damn I hope I remember how to drive, ya know?
OK I feel better now. I bet a ten buck parlay on Green Bay -3 and over 45 1/2. I'll go to Margaritaville next door and watch some of it, and get my laundry done.
Go Pack!
yeah, it's Superbowl Sunday and I'm still stuck here because my "intermediate steering column" never got there friday, ergo won't be there til...I hope...monday.
I told them to keep it down and alert me if my bill was to exceed 4 grand. (That's right. That's in addition to 2450 I already paid for all the other stuff.)
I think they're wrong about my windshield not meeting DOT specs, too. I think the rule is that it's not supposed to impair my vision, and the crack is clearly above my sight-line. I'll just have to see about that and my remaining alignment monday. I may need to take it back to the tire/alignment guy. he's a second opinion, anyway. Crap the windshield is another 300-plus bucks (and that's cheap).
It's maddening. I want to just get the hell out of here, and could put off the windshield (if I do need it) and the inspection. I mean, I'll be taking air freight near Philly, then korena manuevers me back here for another one of those. In other words, I'll be back here within a week, and could call ahead to make appointments and stuff. might well have to lay over a day or possibly two, as well.
But NOOOO! Oh hell no, because I don't dare delay the drive-tire alignment!
It sucks. Freightliner can't pick me up or drop me off. I'll owe them money and will ask them to take it right next door to Sumerel's (the alignment place), but I bet they're not allowed to let the truck leave their property til the bill is paid.
I might just throw up my hands and have Freightliner align it. It'll cost me an extra hundred bucks, but I can get the hell out of there. If I can't persuade them on the windshield, then I'll just put that and the inspection off and spend an extra 15 on the cab.
Meanwhile, if my (I paid 100 bucks extra for overnight--hahaha)--gets there it won't be til after 1100 and maybe early afternoon--then I don 't know how long it takes to get it back inside to get replaced.
Ah! Writing is good for clearing up my thinking--even though it no doubt confuses and bores any readers I ever get. That's what I'll do: Skip the windshield (and inspection of neccessary) and just make sure it's aligned.
I was turning myself inside out trying to save a hudred bucks!
IF the part gets there tomorrow, maybe I can get the hell out of here. IF it gets there, my worst case is staying here one more night.
Damn I hope I remember how to drive, ya know?
OK I feel better now. I bet a ten buck parlay on Green Bay -3 and over 45 1/2. I'll go to Margaritaville next door and watch some of it, and get my laundry done.
Go Pack!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
It Just Keeps Getting Better
Background: I've had this issue with my tranny for years. It's an automatic ten-speed. Like all commercial diesels, it has a high and low range. Fifth gear is the top of low range, and sixth is the bottom of high.
When it's cold, sometimes my tranny fails to get into sixth gear. It tries and "misses", tries/misses again, and then gears down while disengaged, and remains disengaged--stranding me wherever I rolled to a stop.
Twice I took it to a Freightliner, and they repeated the same steps the second time, including charging me every penny of what I paid the first time. And the problem came right back.
I learned to live with it. I warmed it up longer. I shifted and rolled a little between reverse and foreward several times. I made sure to have a safe spot in case it screwed me again. When it did strand me, I shut down and let it sit for ten minutes. The computer--which had me now in "failure" mode--would refuse to even let me start, until I did this.
OK second background issue: My old steer tires had worn unevenly. When that happens, it gets worse over time, until the vibrations and pulling threaten to shake everything apart and make you lose control.
So a few months ago, I got new steers.
More recently, I almost lost a wheel bearing. I got that fixed, but now the NEW tires had worn unevenly, and now, already, have reached the dangerous stage. So I pulled in here to Cinci to get that fixed: Replace the steers, get an alignment, knock out a DOT inspection--take care of any other issues they found.
Oh yeah. And found issues they did. I needed both bushings on the springs. One of the bushings was shot so I needed a whole new leaf spring. I needed a drive tire. A wheel seal was leaking. Some brake drums were cracked. I needed some shoes.
Almost forgot: Robert the boss called me at 6:30 am to tell me that my tranny was in failure mode and he couldn't get it off his rack, and he had work backing up. I told him to try the reset thing, then realized that it was above freezing, it had sat in a heated shop overnight, and there was no way they'd got it anywhere near high range. It had simply failed while sitting there.
They dragged it outside with a towmotor, and I fiddled around sith it, including disconnecting the battery for ten minutes. Nothing worked. moreover, I was out of air. Robert was kind enough to have his road service guy pump air into my tank. I have two air tanks. The primary fills first, then the secondary fills. Except it didn't. The seconday tank remained empty.
I had to once again call Korena and tell her that after being stuck over the weekend getting repaired, I was out of commission again. Fortunately, I hadn't been committed to a load, and the broker had plenty of time to get the air freight covered.
Robert got me a two truck to two me the 200 feet to the Freighliner (another lucky thing) for 100 bucks (believe it or not that's a good deal). And another lucky thing is that unlike most Freightliners, they said they could get me in to look at it last night or this morning.
I'd left my suitcase and (more importantly) my trailer here at Days Inn. So this time I had to call a cab to get back here.
Today is wednesday and I've been here since friday. The bill for the suspension repairs and three tires was 2450. I still need the rest of the alignment, and Freightliner is too backed up to do that--and will only do the full alignment. But they'll do my DOT while they're doing the other stuff, and I'm hoping Robert can get me in/out quick...
Oh no--I can't skip that! New bushing and spring and no alignment? That's a great way to wear out my drives at light-speed like I did the steers!!! I get 100,000 mile tires and they last 35,000--no more of that crap!
I can hear Korena's frustration, though she works har to hide it. Might be fear, too: She just got this lucrative air-freight gig for me (and her), and now I may miss an available run. While I haven't compromised any loads, still somebody else could get in there and nail it down--acing us out.
I swear, it challenges my rationality. It's hard for me not to conclude that I'm cursed.
And I'm scared about the Freightliner bill, and just how bad this problem is.
Korena asked me if I thought I'd be cack on the road today. I really doubt that.
It's 0940 so I'll check on it...
they won't get it in til this afternoon...
When it's cold, sometimes my tranny fails to get into sixth gear. It tries and "misses", tries/misses again, and then gears down while disengaged, and remains disengaged--stranding me wherever I rolled to a stop.
Twice I took it to a Freightliner, and they repeated the same steps the second time, including charging me every penny of what I paid the first time. And the problem came right back.
I learned to live with it. I warmed it up longer. I shifted and rolled a little between reverse and foreward several times. I made sure to have a safe spot in case it screwed me again. When it did strand me, I shut down and let it sit for ten minutes. The computer--which had me now in "failure" mode--would refuse to even let me start, until I did this.
OK second background issue: My old steer tires had worn unevenly. When that happens, it gets worse over time, until the vibrations and pulling threaten to shake everything apart and make you lose control.
So a few months ago, I got new steers.
More recently, I almost lost a wheel bearing. I got that fixed, but now the NEW tires had worn unevenly, and now, already, have reached the dangerous stage. So I pulled in here to Cinci to get that fixed: Replace the steers, get an alignment, knock out a DOT inspection--take care of any other issues they found.
Oh yeah. And found issues they did. I needed both bushings on the springs. One of the bushings was shot so I needed a whole new leaf spring. I needed a drive tire. A wheel seal was leaking. Some brake drums were cracked. I needed some shoes.
Almost forgot: Robert the boss called me at 6:30 am to tell me that my tranny was in failure mode and he couldn't get it off his rack, and he had work backing up. I told him to try the reset thing, then realized that it was above freezing, it had sat in a heated shop overnight, and there was no way they'd got it anywhere near high range. It had simply failed while sitting there.
They dragged it outside with a towmotor, and I fiddled around sith it, including disconnecting the battery for ten minutes. Nothing worked. moreover, I was out of air. Robert was kind enough to have his road service guy pump air into my tank. I have two air tanks. The primary fills first, then the secondary fills. Except it didn't. The seconday tank remained empty.
I had to once again call Korena and tell her that after being stuck over the weekend getting repaired, I was out of commission again. Fortunately, I hadn't been committed to a load, and the broker had plenty of time to get the air freight covered.
Robert got me a two truck to two me the 200 feet to the Freighliner (another lucky thing) for 100 bucks (believe it or not that's a good deal). And another lucky thing is that unlike most Freightliners, they said they could get me in to look at it last night or this morning.
I'd left my suitcase and (more importantly) my trailer here at Days Inn. So this time I had to call a cab to get back here.
Today is wednesday and I've been here since friday. The bill for the suspension repairs and three tires was 2450. I still need the rest of the alignment, and Freightliner is too backed up to do that--and will only do the full alignment. But they'll do my DOT while they're doing the other stuff, and I'm hoping Robert can get me in/out quick...
Oh no--I can't skip that! New bushing and spring and no alignment? That's a great way to wear out my drives at light-speed like I did the steers!!! I get 100,000 mile tires and they last 35,000--no more of that crap!
I can hear Korena's frustration, though she works har to hide it. Might be fear, too: She just got this lucrative air-freight gig for me (and her), and now I may miss an available run. While I haven't compromised any loads, still somebody else could get in there and nail it down--acing us out.
I swear, it challenges my rationality. It's hard for me not to conclude that I'm cursed.
And I'm scared about the Freightliner bill, and just how bad this problem is.
Korena asked me if I thought I'd be cack on the road today. I really doubt that.
It's 0940 so I'll check on it...
they won't get it in til this afternoon...
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