thanks, I got lucky and was just in the right places at the right times. :wink:

 

Devildice,

On the O/O forum you mentioned that a 244 wb was too short for your liking. Can you explain this? What wb would you prefer?

 

02/10-12/08
I was at my customers 15 minutes early and once I checked in they started unloading me. I don’t like to mention what I am carrying until it’s off. This load was marble and granite slabs that were stacked against an “A” frame on the front and rear parts of my trailer.

When I loaded in Vancouver they used an overhead crane and it took them forever. The consignee did not have an overhead crane but instead a single forklift with a device that allows them to grab a slab from the top. When I saw this, I just knew I was going to be there all day. And sure enough, some 4 ½ hours later I was empty. I now know why they call these loads “strap cutters” as I “lost” 2 in the process.

I called in my empty status and just as I figured, I would be loading out of Butte, MT going to Langeloth, PA. What I was bummed about was that I can not load unril Wednesday!!

I spoke with “broncrider” and he too would be loading out of Butte but on Tuesday. So he and his family invited me to come on over for the night. His wife made a great dinner and it was refreshing to be out of the truck and in a house for a change. Thanks again broncrider to you and your family for your hospitality.

Tuesday morning I went ahead and bounced over to the Pilot in Rocker which is where I am now. I used the time to fix a couple of minor issues as well as clean the inside of the truck (need to get it washed on the outside one of these days). Tomorrow I will be at the Butte plant as soon as they open to get loaded.

 

With a 244wb it does not leave much room between the nose of the trailer and my headache rack. It makes it a little bit of a challenge to get up on the nose of the trailer from the side step on the frame. Part of the problem for the tight squeeze is the cab fairings. But the real problem with the short wb is one day I had to slide my 5th wheel one notch forward and at some point while making a sharp turn, the trailer rubbed the chain box on my headache rack. It broke the welds on the one side of the box and broke the forward marker light on the trailer.

My next truck will be at least a 260wb.

 

Already thinking about your next truck You barely got the pictures of this one up! Looking forward to your continuing adventures!

Goin Fer It's Wife

 

02/13-14/08
What a freaking day!! I woke up this morning in a decent mood, in fact a great mood because after sitting for 2 days I was going to get back to work. The plant I was going to starts loading at 7am, so I hit the road and get there about 6:50am. I am the first and thus far the only truck there. This is great because the guys are pretty good about getting you loaded quickly and efficiently.

I go check in and the guy tells me that he only has 2 loads scheduled to go out and neither one of them are for Davis. The dispatcher that handles this area comes in at 6:30am every morning so no problem, I’ll give her a call and I am sure this will get straightened out and I’ll be loaded in no time. Well low and behold she is not in (I found out later that she had a sick child and would be coming in later in the day). Even though there may be people in the offices at Davis, they will not answer the phones until 8am. I call and call and call to no avail; no one will answer the damn phone.

I remember that the recruiter is always there early and I have her direct line. Bet you she’ll answer. I give her a call and like I suspected or at least hoped, she answered. I explain to her what has been going on and that I am not the happiest of campers at the moment. She tells me that the “big wigs” are in a meeting and that she’ll pass on the info. About 45 minutes later I get a call from one of them telling me that they are trying to straighten out the issue and to hang tight. It turns out that there is supposed to be 2 other Davis trucks besides myself loading today. About 30 minutes later I get another call saying that everything is straightened out and that they’ll be loading all the Davis trucks today.

Once I am loaded, it takes no time to strap and tarp and hit the road. I need fuel so I head back to Rocker to fill up. I go inside to get my fuel receipt and notice that it says the price is 3.27 gal. I mention to the lady that I thought the price was 3.17 (at least it was last night and this morning). She tells me that the price went up about an hour ago. You’ve got to be kidding me, a 0.10 increase at one whack and I miss the cheaper price by one hour. Of course had there not been any issue at the Butte plant I would have filled up at 3.17 gal. I am now 2 ½ hours behind my person schedule of when I wanted to be on the road. This day is steadily going down hill and fast.

I get rolling down the road and everything seams to be fine. Then I hit the strong head winds. All I can see and I swear hear, is my fuel getting sucked up gallon by gallon with lousy mileage.

If things haven’t gone bad enough for the day, I get a call from “broncrider” who is about a half a day ahead of me telling me to be prepared for some bad weather in North Dakota. He also mentions that if I come across fuel that is 3.30 or cheaper, to fill up as the prices have been going up the farther east he went.

Sure enough, just before hitting ND I get hit by some blowing snow that at times causes white out conditions. I decide that I will shut down in Beach, ND and get a hot shower and a hot meal. I get here and the temps are currently -7 degrees and that is not counting the wind. I imagine if you add in the wind chill it has to be somewhere around -10 to -15 degrees outside.

So in essence, today was a pretty crappy day to say the least. I will cross my fingers that tomorrow and the following days are better.

Thursday was a much better day than Wednesday. I got started a little later than planned just because I was too lazy to get up when I needed to. But all is good as I made up for lost time throughout the day.

The entire state of North Dakota was a freaking ice box. The temp never got up -2 degrees and was as low at -17 degrees in some areas! Minnesota was not much better but the temp did get as high as +4. It felt like a heat wave in Wisconsin where the warmest was a whopping +10 degrees.

The forecast was calling for 30’s and 40’s tomorrow and I sure hope their right.

 

02/15-20/08
I originally started this journal to document my every day life from CDL School to training, to being out on my own. All of this was to help ease any anxiety or curiosities that others who were either starting or thinking of starting in this industry. In addition I know there are some out there that just enjoy reading about the “adventures” people go through. I know I did and still do enjoy reading some of them.

But, I have really neglected updating my journal lately. It’s not because I am so busy but more like lazy. So with that said, I think this journal has run its course and although I will still be around, I will make this my last update.

I made my drop Saturday (16th) and did not have to wait long for another load. In fact, the dispatcher called me Friday and offered me 3 different loads. 2 of them were going to Texas. I took one of them that was headed to Houston and it paid very well. The only bummer about this was that it had a 3am load time on Sunday morning!! This was a 1st for me since 99.99% of all the loads I have picked up or delivered have been what I call ‘bankers hours”, 9-5 M-F type of thing.

I got to the shipper at 2:30am and as soon as I got there they started loading me. I had planned on going back to the TS and taking a hot shower and a “nap”. But since I was motivated to get home, I got the hot shower and hit the road.

I made it to Houston Tuesday morning and made my drop. I had asked the dispatcher in Missoula to try and find me something from the Houston area to San Antonio to at least cover my fuel cost instead of deadheading the 200 miles on my dime. Sure enough she found something that went from Cleveland, TX to San Antonio. It was a 45 mile deadhead and was cheap freight but it would have covered my fuel and put a couple of bucks in my pocket. So I started heading towards Cleveland. Just as I was about to get off I-610 onto Hwy 59, I got a call from her telling me the load fell through. Oh well, that’s the way it goes. So I headed straight home. I am now home and plan of being here until Monday or Tuesday next week.

As I stated before, although I am putting my journal to “rest’, I will still be around if anyone has comments or questions. I do want to go on record as saying that so far my choice to become an O/O has been a good one. I am not getting rich, but after all my expenses (fuel, maintenance, taxes, etc), I am making more than I did as a company driver have zero regrets thus far.

If there is a major change with me, good or bad, I will be sure to post it. It’s been fun and I thank all of you for your questions, comments, advice, and support.

 

Been following you through your training, and tranformation from a company driver to an O/O devildice. It's been very interesting riding along with you. I wish you the best, and many happy and safe miles my friend.

 

Ahhh Man... DD, I hope ya reconsider. I think a few of us get a fix on reading your log. Oh well... I know I'll miss it.

How's the pup? Got a parka for him yet?

Once when I stopped there in Beach I looked out into the field and thought not much there to block the wind, bet it could get real cold here!

Hey meant to ask, What's the name on your door?

See ya when I see ya Greg


Paul

 

DD, I've really enjoyed your journal over the past few months and found it very entertaining as I too flatbed and can identify with your trials and tribulations. All your stuff I considered very well written and in a manor that "puts the reader there".
Good luck to you and your family!
Pleeease, if you can find the time post occasionally about your travels, I'm sure everyone will enjoy it.