Glad to hear things are finally going well for you =)

 

good luck

 

Now don't you wish you had listened to some of us and made a move months ago :wink:

 

Yes and no. I must admit that it is much easier, not even comparable really, at least at this point. But I miss the flatbed in a lot of ways, mostly just preference type things, but at this point, if I ever made the decision to go back to flatbed, I would hook up with a no tarp or all drop and hook type company. There are a few of those around here where I live, but you have to have 5 years experience to get them, maybe one day I will return, but I am not gonna tarp 2 or more times a day ever again that is for sure.

 

Wanted to give an update on the home time situation since I said I would and I am bored out of my mind sitting here in the truck stop. If I didn't have my laptop, new truck to arrange perfectly, and a cell phone which miraculously started working again, whoo hoo! I would go out of my mind. I hate sitting and doing nothing(unless I am at home, lmao!)

Plus they don't have internet access here, so I have to send everything through the cell phone to Chris so he can post, but I do that most of the time anyway so it's not a big deal. At least if I had internet I could look up maps, or something, but oh well, man I need a air card from verizon, and after I get my bills in order and the school loans paid off I will probably get one. Chris uses google earth to look up where I am going, streets and trips won't tell you what side of the road the place is on, and things like that, but with google earth, you can zoom in and see actual streets, and it has helped many times when the shipper or consignee is closed and can't give directions.

Man I just ramble on, but I can't help it, lol. So since I am at the truck stop, you probably guessed that I didn't make it home today. Well, I called dispatch(weekend dispatch actually HELPS with this company, now THAT is a weird feeling, Roehls weekend dispatch could never help me) to see what was going on since my phone decided to work today.

He said that there just isn't any freight coming out right now, but he had me a load that I could pick up tomorrow at midnight that I could bring home, so I will be home early Monday. Not too bad really, I didn't realize I actually did control when to go home, so since I didn't ask, my first request was taken Friday, and I will be home Monday, so that ain't bad in my book, certainly better than I am used to.

Plus, since I am waiting on a load, at least I will get paid for being here doing nothing, or at least I am supposed to, I will of course let everyone know if I was paid or not when I find out.

This leads me to another question about pay. We use a thing called "trip pack" to send in our paperwork. This is more or less an envelope you put your paperwork in and it's mailed back to the company. Does anyone know how reliable this process is? I only ask because you have to turn in all you're papers, so technically, when I send it off, I will have no proof in hand about the loads I should be paid for.

Should I make copies of everything before sending it off? That would get pretty expensive, but I would do it if I needed to. I am sure it has to be reliable or they couldn't use it at so many places, but I am just weary, anyone have any experience good or bad about using trip pack?

 

I enjoyed the educational aspect here. Thanks for an interesting post.

 

novacane, you were'nt by chance in Sioux City, Iowa on Friday the 21st were you. I saw a Barr-Nunn truck with female driver going into Bekins distibuting and thought of you. Just wondering. BOL.

 

Nope, wasn't me. I was on my way from Ohio down to North Carolina. But keep your eye out, red hair in a white truck!

 

I dropped a lot of loads using trip pak and none were ever lost.

 

Novacane,
If you want copies of your bills, you can buy an inexpensive scanner.(I have a Canon-cost about $40-VERY small footprint) for the truck. It is powered by USB. This one allows me to save my bills in PDF format. You can save them by the week prior to sending them off. Might take 10-15 min, but easier than keeping up with copies. Just my $.02.