Don't have a choice. Bite the bullet now or later. Thank God for a large tax return. Sitting in Weatherton, Tx. waiting to deliver in the am. They stacked another load on me to Ok. Heard they are issuing new tarps to the needy (me). There are only 2 50lb tarps issued now. Might be worth going in for. This load from Boeing in Long Beach, Ca was great. 5000lbs total. This shipper is great. First trucks in get the smaller and easier loads. He loves drivers. If you go there you will see C.B. and don't ask what channel as another driver did repeatedly. That was funny.

 

Well the nice runs from LA to AZ seem to have stopped. I guess some drivers have been complaining that only 3-4 guys are doing this run. The others are having to run the rest of the west region. The only thing that I can reply is that we were knocking out the frieght and were never late to a customer.

We have had some Line Haul guys and some other Regional guys running the loads and have been late to the drop. This has pissed off the customer and we have lost the loads.

I loaded in Riverside, CA to Vegas, NV on Wednesday afternoon. I dropped Thursday at 6:30 and was reloaded and on running back to CA around 9-10 AZ time. Dispatch had me delivering at 8pm tonight and I had to remind them about HOS. I made to the drop (North Hollywood, CA at 4:45pm for my 5pm appointment. I was empty and running to Ontario, TA west by 5:30pm and made it by my 14th hr.

I was given a load to head to Parachute, CO with a load of pipe this morning. So I loaded here in Fontana and headed home for the night.

 

Parachute! There is so much more there now, than there was in 1979!! You can actually get restaurant food there now.

 

Never made it up to Parachute. I took exit 62 Debuque and headed east on the frontage rd for 5 miles to the drop.

 

Allright... Made it to my drop up in Co. I was to make 330 for this run. from Fontana to Parachute, CO.

Coming out was not fun. since I'm regional I'm paid by percentage and at times will make money on a good paying laods. The load that I was given I figured paid me 20cents a mile from Montrose, CO to Industry, CA.

Ontop of that I kept hearing that a storm would be hitting the area late afternoon early evening. I DH to my drop about 120 miles and made my appointment of 130pm. I had to wait for 4 other trucks to get loaded before me but was out in about 2hrs. I looked to the northwest and just had the strange feeling I would be hitting something but I just might get lucky and miss it.

After grabbing some fuel for just incase I get stuck in the mountians and scaled. I started west on the 70. around mm25 of Utah I knew I was in for it. Clouds to the north was black and low on the mountians. Traffic was pretty much gone. I did see a truck stop with trucks stopped for the night.

I figured heck if I keep going I can miss this storm.... I got to mm70 and only had about 1hr left of my 14. When I finally got to mm80 I heard that there were trucks spining out and stopped on the hwy. When I got to mm82 I found out why. Snow started dropping and by the time I got to 85 There was snow all over. Figured I can make the rest stop at 86.

NOPE......

I got to mm85.5 and trucks were stopped everywhere. I pulled up behind a truck and asked if I could maybe get up the ramp to the rest area. The cb came back... couple guys were stuck there to.

I tried to move and only spun my tires... At this point I started to CUSS at the breakdown people who only ok'd 2 All Position tires (trailer?) onto the drives... SO here I am never thrown chains and look under my bunk. Hmmm cables.... hmmm... only 3 bundles which means I can only chain three tires????

So after trying to undo one bundle and it was tangled I tossed the rest into the tarp box and figured I'd just wait... for I dont know what... Morning?

I watched as a few guys spun tires and finally got moving... so I tried and I would move forward and then spin out. A couple of times I would either slide backwards or towards the edge of the road and closer to a long drop down.

this is turning out to be too long... got stuck in snow, stayed in rest area and ran motor all night. blew my fuel mpg%. got off mountian in the morning and made my drop today. the end....whew....:surrender::zzz::zzz:

 

For now I'm still at Arrow.

I have Jury Duty this week. I didn't have to report today but I must report in tommorrow.

It was a huge challange to get me home and at one point considered quiting. After being hung up on and a few comments over the phone I have now been jaded....... Being detained at the shipper for 4hrs on thursday didn't help me for the turn to get me back either.

I will continue to do my work and be positive but I do have a bad taste over this... Lets see how my request for home time pans out next month.

I can only say it was a rough friday the 13th.

 

I hope things get better for you. I stayed with them for about 2.5 years and things just got worse and worse. A lot of drivers looking for a job right now (including me), but it doesn't make being treated less than human an easy thing to take.

 

A rumour has surfaced that the AZ terminal or the regional drivers will be eliminated. I have spoken to my boss. I have been told that this is not true. Just wanted to quash that rumour now.

 

I hear you dewercs2, I'm still waiting for my truck repairs. Supposedly Mon or Tues. That will be 2 weeks waiting. Ridiculous. Luckily I did that recovery while waiting even if it was a disaster. Made about 300 more than sitting in the shop. Next time I will "breakdown" on the road under a load. Arrow seems to make and change the rules as they go along and the drivers suffer. If this company doesn't get some management that knows what to do we will all be forced to look for another company. Recent runs have been from Terrell, Tx to Broken Arrow, Ok. (300 mi) and a run with a recovered truck from Cartersville, Ga. to Laredo, Tx. (1200 mi). Then from Laredo to Garland, Tx. (420 mi). I then took a double drop trailer from the Dallas yard to the Tulsa yard (300 mi). I get back and they had completed the PM at least on my truck. I then find out it's the last day for my DM at Arrow. He quit to become an O/O. I kind of laughed at your plan sort of coming back to bite you in the butt. That was what that truck recovery was. Don't volunteer is my new motto for Arrow. I'll give 100% still which is more than we get from management. Hometime for me was supposed to be this week. As it looks now, It won't even be next week. I can't complain too much though. It's usually within a week of my request. Drive and be safe

 

Thanks Married. I have been hearing that some companies are hiring but its like for 2 or 3 drivers and then when you speak to someone it's the we arent hiring anymore speach.