Well, got to my shipper first thing, and actually got loaded in a timely fashion, cool. The load was wood I-beam material(not put together yet) that was already wrapped in plastic, and required NO TARPING!! cool.

I hit the road headed toward home, and after around 15 minutes on the interstate, I noticed that some of my straps were looking a little loose, huh, I always tighten everything down, what the heck? Now the load was totally secure, no problems, but me being so anal, I had to pull over to tighten the straps down again. I got back on the road, and around a hour later, I look back and the straps look loose again! So I pull over to tighten yet again, and realize the reason that they are coming loose is because they are sticking to the plastic wrap, and as the vibration of the truck going down the road was letting them settle. Whew, I was hoping that there wasn't anything wrong.

I keep going and when I go to refuel, I tighten everything again, and it has remained nice and tight since, cool. The trip went so slow in the beginning, just seemed like I was running 45 most of the time, which is ok, but I wish I could have got more miles under my belt today. I make my way through Atlanta's rush hour traffic, and just when I am coming out of it all, and start to get some speed up, everything comes to a screeching halt, what is it this time!

I creep along and watch the temp gauge rise higher and higher. Now it's no where near over heating, but paranoia was setting in, I was thinking that maybe the leak got worse, oh man, what am I gonna do now, bumper to bumper, 3 lanes wide, and I am in the middle of the all, I just hope the truck will limp onto the shoulder before shutting down, so I play it safe and start fighting for the right lane.

It wasn't too difficult to get over, even with all the traffic people were nice enough to cut me a break and let me over, cool. I keep a close eye on the dash, and finally find out what the hold up is. Weirdest thing I have ever seen, there is a werner truck on the right shoulder, and all trailer tires were flat, on the rim flat. I wasn't able to see the truck tires, because I was having to keep an eye on the traffic trying to see what was going on.

Now if that isn't bad enough, there are 2 cars parked in front of him, and ALL their tires are flat as well, and then, about a quarter mile up, sitting on the left side, was yet another car with 4 flat tires. The cb is going crazy, drivers have on their bright lights trying to see what was in the road causing the problems, but there wasn't anything there that I or anyone else could see. I would love to know what caused all the mayhem, but I most likely never will, oh well.

Having to run slow most of the day, and then the whole multiple flat tire incident left me about 2 hours behind schedule, and I had to shut down 150 miles short of where I wanted to. I was hoping to come all the way into Tn. and cross Monteagle mountain taking advantage of the cooler night air since the truck was running warmer than usual. But I couldn't do it, so that is ok, and the funny thing is that the coolant level was ok, and has been since I topped it off the yesterday, I don't get it, I just drive it, lol :wink:


So I guess I will just get an early start, and cross Monteagle taking advantage of the cool MORNING air, we will see. If they send me home after this load, and I doubt they will deadhead me home, I will get there early tomorrow, and that is super cool. But if I had to guess, I will probably pick up a load there in Murfreesboro, or they will send me to Jackson Tn to pick up some steel, time will tell, but either way, I should be home tomorrow, cool.

 

most truckstops have jumpercables available to you all you have to do is leave your drivers license.
With all your problems with the truck and some bs meeting in marshfield, and all your other drama/ problems turning down loads,short hauls etc..
from one roehl driver to the next, im continually amazed you havent quit roehl yet... .
your journal is in intresting read though the daily life of one flatbed roehl driver.
just dont forget roehl aint the only show in town.

 

:shock:

 

I appreciate your determination for sticking with this company and toughing it out...but to much is just to much. I i guess if you are ok with the money you are taking home that is fine and your opinion of it is the only one that really matters, but is just getting by and pulling in the bare minimum to just make it while being away from home so much all you really want? You can go to so many other companies and actualy really get almost every single weekend at home and take home a ton more money. i just dont see putting up with that much crap just because you say you like the company. Seems to me you would be doing a great service to yourself by bailing out and joining up with a company like TMC....big pretty trucks, weekends home and way better money than you are getting now....if i was a flatbed driver i would be there and not running relay loads and all that crap you are doing everyday. i cant believe you are content with average mileage of well under 2000 miles every week......Go get some percentage pay if you are set on being flatbed.

 

I agree! I did $4350 @ 26% this week. My goal every week is $4000. Been driving 11 mos and I've been making this kind of money for about the last 8 mos. :wink:

 

Well, my day ends a lot better than it began, and that is always a good thing! I made it to Plainfield with no problems, and even got unloaded promptly. 30 minutes later I was finished folding tarps and winding up the straps, and 15 minutes after that, I had a dispatch to head about 40 miles to Green Castle to pick up a lumber load. It's only around 400 miles, to the consignee in Reedsburg WI. but I didn't have to tarp the load, so that helped the sting of low miles.

I make my way to the shipper, and am shocked when I have to turn onto a old logging road, only one lane, and even though it wasn't dirt, it looked like it was paved 30 years ago, and not maintained since. It actually wasn't that bad, but it was a little scary thinking that I might meet another truck coming the other way, but thankfully that didn't happen.

Now keep in mind that I have been in rainy weather all day, and I thought that the no tarp load was gonna be easy, but I was wrong. I spent the next 3 hours in the rain getting loaded and strapped. Since it was a no tarp load(raw unfinished planks) they made me get loaded outside. Well, I have coveralls, but they aren't waterproof, and would have been a bigger hassle than just getting wet. I also have a poncho, but it got hung on the load 2 or 3 times, and almost made me fall, so that had to go as well. I am just thankful that it wasn't too cold, that would have been horrible.

I finally finish up, and head to the truck to dry out a little, and change clothes. I get in the back, shut the curtain, get out of my wet clothes, and crank up the heater, ahhhh, little things like this are awesome. I am more or less taking my time, wringing clothes out as I take them off, and just when I get down completely naked, knock knock knock!

I shuffle to get dressed and see who is knocking on the door. It's one of the workers, and they are telling me that I have to drive around the building, and that it was muddy. He told me to get going, and don't stop, duh, but I thanked him and appreciated the fact that he would try to help me out. Anyway, I get in the back again, and now the truck is warming up pretty good, and the heat is feeling great, back in my own little heaven again, lol.

I finish up and start to head out, and then I see why he was warning me. There were ruts cut around that building that you could park a car in, and it was almost completely standing in water, oh well, they have a huge front end loader, and they told me to go that way, so I lay the hammer down around the building. I had to "dukes of hazzard" the truck around there, it was much fun, the truck sliding sideways, mud slinging everywhere, turbo whistling, and black smoke pouring, woo hoo baby! Shoot I was looking for a ramp so I could give out a rebel yell, lmao.

Anyway, driving through mud is something I do have experience at, so it was no big deal, it was fun being able to cut loose a little in a nice wide area, and actually having a good excuse to do so. Really made a bad day better.

I was happy to get off the logging road, and was anxious to hit the interstate. But I was stuck on a little 2 lane highway, that cars just love to pass on, I probably got passed more today on that little road than I have all month last month. Add to that the fact it is coming a downpour, and things can get dangerous, and they did.

I came through 2 or 3 little towns with red lights and such, and on the last little leg of the route before the interstate, there was an accident in front of me, and I had to cram on the brakes to get stopped. Thankfully, I am pretty strict on myself about following distances, and that saved me. The only reason I came so close is because I was being passed by an over anxious 4 wheeler driver who didn't see the wreck until he came around me, and that made me be another car length closer all of a sudden. But I still had enough room, you see it's times like this, just when you are starting to get comfortable, and you don't pay attention as much because you are used to it, that you can get in trouble. It's also another reason drivers have a lot of wrecks, you need to concentrate, and maintain what you are doing, you can't just drive, you have to work.

So that little adventure just reminded me of why I am so strict with my personal driving rules, and I am thankful that I was overly safe, it really saved me. Well, I finally got on the interstate, and was heading north to the yard in Gary to fuel up. I get there, fuel up, check the boards, and quickly hit the road again. I didn't make it as far as I wanted to, because I ran out of hours, but I can easily make it in the morning. I am just south of the WI. state line on 90/94/39 and still have a 3 hour trip ahead of me in the morning, so I am going to get some shut eye.

 

Novacane
Thank you for the updates on your adventures. as a newbee I will use your experiences as part of my schooling. Im glad you finally got some miles in this week.

 

Novacane, you have the patience of a saint and I hereby nominate you for sainthood...... :P

In all seriousness though, get a different job, one where your truck is safe, runs good, and where you don't have to put up with all the BS of Rhoel. There are tens of thousand of trucking outfits, a lot of which are tons better than the one you are with.

Stop letting them jerk you around and listen to all of us giving you our two cents about this company. This is not how you should get treated and your equipment is crap. You deserve better than this.

 

well novacane this week at roehl i grossed almost 1400 with 3500/3600 miles the last seven days. best of all my van didnt have to be tarped or strapped at all. the most i had to do was slide the tandems to the rear.

 

Those are some good miles there Ken! I have some other friends that drive for Roehl, and one of them had over 3 thousand miles last week, while my flatbed trainer got less than 2 thousand. I don't have any complaints with miles here lately, I am not getting as many as you, but not too shabby when I am able to work all week.

I am staying out this weekend to make up for missing earlier this week, although I don't know if it's going to do any good or not considering that I have been sitting here at my shipper since before 1:30 and they still haven't got to loading me. They originally told me that I wasn't supposed to pick the load up till Monday morning, but then said they would try to help me out by getting to me today, but no luck so far. Don't know if they are putting me off, or if they just don't have the stuff to ship, since they have been accepting all kinds of loads while I have been here.

I wouldn't mind it so bad, but every time I have been out like this and had to wait all weekend with no miles, I have been screwed out of my layover pay, matter of fact, last time I got paid a whopping $60 for the whole weekend, so I hope I don't get screwed again, we will see I guess.

I was figuring on being through Chicago and in Gary by now, since it was another no tarp load(tank tracks, cool flatbed load 8) ) but I wasn't planning on waiting such a long time. Will try to update tonight.