I think your income would go up if you started to put in your macro's as your company wants. Unless you tell them that you have delivered or at least arrived, they won't start looking for another load. Perhaps you could just get in the habit of sending a macro when you first arrive. That way you won't forget to send it. Most of these companies have guidelines which they have found works for them. If you follow their guidelines, you will do much better financially. Good luck.

 

you schouldnt of told them what to check. all you schould of done is told them on the maintaince thing that the truck isnt starting has to be jumped.alot of the time. then let them figure out if its the batteries ,starter, solonoid or alternator, fuel pump etc. if they persist in not rectifiying the problem, tell your dispatcher until its fixed be polite but be affirmitive you want a trk that works. before you jump the truck call breakdown tell them you r attempting to jump the truck, every time you jump the truck let your dispatcher know also. all else fails you can prey to god when you turn the key.

 

How are things going ?? We have not heard from you????

 

To be honest with you, I have just been lazy, and a few computer problems. That combined with nothing special to write about and here we are. I will get back into it next week, if nothing else happens.

Besides that, it would be mostly negative stuff, and most don't like to hear about that, so I haven't been "into it" here lately. Nothing major has happened, but my miles have sucked really bad, I have had 4 sub 300 mile runs, and all of them have taken the better part of the day, so I have been getting around 300 miles a day, while tarping in the Florida sun(I am a red head, with very light skin and burn easily) which is no big deal, I actually prefer it, but I wish I could have a break in between the sun burns instead of putting a fresh one on top of another, lol.

I just hate waiting for hours to get loaded, tarping the same load that all the other flat bed drivers are just strapping and going, just to take it 240 miles away, and then the whole unloading process is almost as painful, just been a bad few days, FULL days using all my 14 and having less than 300 miles to show for each of them.

Then, I got some news this Tuesday that I needed to be home by Saturday before 4pm. Of course they say they will make it happen, but then today I am told that I have to be in GA in the morning, about 7 hours away from where I am, then I have to pick up another load, that will supposedly be a drop and hook, even though I haven't had one yet, that goes to PA due early Tuesday morning.

They weren't willing to work with me on any other load, plus I really need the decent miles that come with the PA load, so I really have no choice but to miss something important(but private) with the family. Even that wouldn't bother me that much considering that I gave less than a weeks notice, IF I was getting some decent miles and had better paychecks to show for it.

On the other hand, I haven't forgot to send a macro yet, and everything has been decent. I have had to tarp a lot here lately, using the dreaded lumber tarps each and every time, but I have that part figured out ok, and am able to get it done a lot better than when I first started, and that makes it a little easier, though it's still a lot of work. Roads have been decent, and the shippers and receivers, although slow, have been pretty nice and all has gone well.

Anyway, that's all for now, I will start with fresh updates next week, take care everyone!

 

wont you just switch to van already. you know you want too.

 

Novacane is not going to switch to van she out to prove something I just don't know what. :roll:

If I only ran 300 miles a day I'd sure be looking for another flat bed company if that's what I wanted to run or another division.

Sorry Novacane but you're right don't really want to hear about how you only got 300 miles a day, current more than me, I've been ground due to medication but I'm not complaining in front of a whole forum. Just waitin' for Tuesday night when I can get back to runnin' hard.

Somewhere on here she stated that getting home every weekend was important to her. Well if that is the case then the miles & paycheck suffer can't have it both ways. :wink:

 

I do agree that if thats all the miles she runs in a day I would change companies but on the other hand I disagree that getting home every weekend causes the miles and paycheck to suffer. I get home every weekend , usually early on friday before 4 oclock , but always on friday and mostly average about 2500 miles a week and I make alot more than 300 bucks a week.As far as tarping goes , yea sometimes its a dirty job but its really no big deal and no reason to switch to vans just to avoid it. It takes me about 30 minutes to tarp a load of lumber and be on the road, I do it everyday, it gets easier every time you do it, so if you want to flatbed just keep working at it and it will get easier.

 

I can't speak for anyone else but I would love to read your complaints and negative posts. I really got into everything you wrote so far and this is the real stuff for someone new.

As far as I was concerned, driving a truck is 3000 miles of corn fields, no traffic, mom and pop truck stops, sunshine and lollipops!

Steve

 

No I don't, lol. It would be easy to make a switch if that's what I wanted to do, in fact I just turned down a local job making more than 10cpm more than I make now, but I like pulling flatbed, and they don't have a flatbed division. The only way I would ever want to pull van would be for a "home every night" job, and even then I wouldn't get the satisfaction I get now pulling what I have always wanted to.

If this was a every week thing, I will, but I have also had really good miles, and good paying loads in the past, and I am pretty sure they will come again, just like the over 700 run I have now.



I know, this is one of the reasons I gave for not posting after I was asked about it.

I have mentioned that being home on weekends was very important to me several times, nothing is more important to me than my son and Chris, no amount of money would pull them away from me for huge lengths of time.

Why can't I have it both ways? I have had weeks where I got 2700, and some even over 3000. Last week I had 2200, and the week before about the same, and that is with all the short length loads I have been having to pull. Just one additional decent run like the one I have now, and I would be up in the "normal" mile range, but I simply don't get them.

It all comes down to what I am dispatched, I pick up and deliver all my loads when they are supposed to be, and in the time frame allowed, and get there early every time I can. I talk with dispatch and have a good relationship with him, what more can I do? I run under "forced dispatch" and have to run what they give me, plain and simple. When they give me good miles, it's cool, and when they give me bad miles it's still cool, cause I know the good miles are coming, and when the good miles stop coming all together , THEN I will seek other employment. I am not complaining, I was asked why I wasn't posting, and I gave my reasons.

Yes, I have something to prove. I like my job and I am doing what I wanted to do since the first day I even thought about getting my cdl. I LIKE pulling flatbed, that's it. I don't do it for any other reason, I like to secure my loads, I like being outside and getting good exercise mixed in with sitting behind the wheel. I like the feeling of seeing a nice tarp job and knowing I done it, I like securing my load and knowing that it's perfect, and I like looking in my mirror and seeing all I have accomplished knowing I am doing what I have wanted to do. The only thing that would make it better would be looking in the mirror and seeing a oversize load with my escort drivers lights blinking away.

Now, I made it to Ellenwood, and for the first time, I really do have a drop and hook, so I am on my way home for the weekend, take care everyone!

 

Well i always wanted to be a tycoon with a harem of women, but i settled for truckdrivin. its all about want and need you want to pull a flat u need to drive a van. you want to strap,tarp,chain&more all u need is to drive a van and shut the door. exercise maybe the first week or so. aftr that i c it as repetitive and another delay. instead of all that repitive stuff just go for a walk.
This yur thread you started it i hope you keep on posting, i myself enjoy reading about your bad days, so keep up the good work or lack their of.