Neverending Saga of Home Time

Shhh....it's the wife sneaking in a post again....

One of the recurring themes in our house and on our cell phones is "Home Time." There are many things to consider when planning home time.

What days do I have off?
What big events are happening?
What events would hubby enjoy being home for?

We generally schedule home time for every 4-6 weeks. If we really need him home then he'll come home earlier than that, but it's hard. He needs several days at home so that he can rest, unwind, restock and hit the road. So, 4-6 weeks out with 5-7 days home works for us.

We've had lots of "events" to work around lately... Josh's graduation, Eagle Court of Honor, Doctor's appointments... so we just had to schedule around one event at a time.

Well now, here come the holidays. Thanksgiving is so late this year that if he comes home for Thanksgiving, it will be hard to come home for Christmas. We talked it over and decided to suck it up and schedule him home for Christmas. It means he'll be out closer to 8 weeks and 8 weeks is REALLY hard. We both seem to struggle and be tired of the whole thing around 6 weeks.

I won't bore you with the details but we had this discussion about Thanksgiving and Christmas many times!! The silver lining to waiting until Christmas is that he might actually be home when I'm off work. (The year that I had a ton of time off and he got home the day before I went back to work because of a snow storm....wasn't soooo happy!)

So here was the plan... Request home time for the 24th and hope that it really happens and he's home for Christmas. If he's late, he'll still be home while I'm off. (I go back to work on the 5th).

WE DISCUSSED THIS.... and DISCUSSED this.... and I thought we had a plan....

and then.... hubby called me yesterday and said....

"I called my dispatcher and left her a message so I could find out how much the bonus is this year if we work on Christmas so I could decide whether it was worth it or not."

to which I responded

"Work on Christmas on purpose and you can come home long enough to fill out the divorce papers."

Was I too harsh?

Don't worry, he knew I was joking, but seriously.... I think the man gets bored in his truck and has nothing better to do than re-think about things over and over again just so he has something to do.

I think I made it pretty clear that I don't really care what the Christmas bonus is... It's a bigger bonus to be home. Besides, knowing his track record, he'll be a couple of days late, get the bonus and still be home for my vacation... and he'll still be married.... well maybe that's not such a bonus to him. ;-)

I'm Still Here

Four and a half months since the last post... What can I say? Writers block???
I just haven't been feelin' it lately... But, I do enjoy going back in the archives so to speak and seeing where I was, what I was doing, what I was hauling a few weeks, months or even a year or so ago. So... I thought I should start doing this ole' blog thing again.

On that note. I'm on my way from Georgia to Wisconsin hauling pool chemicals. It's a hazmat load and the wife just loves it when I'm hazmat boy. Or is it just the extra money she loves... Hmmmm.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention... I finally got to take Vermont off the list of states I've never been to. It's down to two. Maine and South Dakota. This run ends In Wisconsin rather near the I-90, which just happens to go right through the middle of South Dakota. Keep your fingers crossed for a run going west.


Until next time...

killing Time

I had a little time on my hands for once so, I thought I'd catch up the ole blog a little.

For those of you that read the previous post and wondered... Yes. I sat all weekend in New Jersey. Oh they were open but, the only contact number we had went to someone who was on vacation so, everyone assumed since the delivery instructions said to deliver Monday through Friday and no one was answering the phone, they must be closed. I hate when that happens.

I made it home for my son's birthday and graduation celebrations but, just barely. I actually made it home on my son's birthday. Good thing I requested to be home four days earlier.

But all good things must end and I'm back at the old grind again. I was on my way to Pennsylvania when my dispatcher contacted me today and told me I needed to swap with another driver.

Now if you've been reading this blog for a while you know how I loathe swaps. I always seem to be the one who gets the short straw in these exchanges. Seldom if ever does a swap benefit me.

So instead of Going to Pennsylvania I'm now heading to Florida. And the real reason for the swap reveals it's self. It's 800 miles from here and four days until it delivers. Looks like I'll be babysitting another one.

I don't know. Maybe I'll hurry down there and ride my bike around a little, Florida is nice and flat. Or we have a drop yard about 60 to 70 miles away from the receiver. Maybe they'll let me drop it off there and I could get one of those cruise ship loads that go from coast to coast, corner to corner. That would be nice!

This May Be A Looooooong Weekend

As the title implies this may be a long weekend. Hours of service restrictions and heavier than usual holiday weekend traffic caused me to not make it all the way to the receiver by the appointed time. A call to dispatch to find a swap was unsuccessful as was a call to the receiver. They had already closed for the day.

Details in the dispatch info on this run state that receiving hours for this particular receiver are Monday through Friday 6a.m. to 2p.m. only. Tomorrow being Saturday I'm not very optimistic at this point that there will be someone there over the holiday weekend.

This happened to me once before and is was a long weekend in a truck stop.

Only time will tell.

Been a while

Wow, I just looked back to see when the last time I posted was and whew. It's been a while.
Well, I could list a thousand excuses, I've been running like a mad man, I've been sick from the never ending cold, yada yada yada... Truth is I killed the Blogger bug! Yep, killed him deader than dead.

But the wife nagging me to just post something is far worse than the bite of that stupid little bug. I've never really been a writer but, if it makes people happy, who am I to deny them that. So I'll try to post a little more often. Try, but no guarantee.

I've been out since April 1st and too, too much has happened to go back and write it all now so, let's just pick it up here.

I delivered pureed strawberries and flavoring extracts to a company that makes it into yogurt for a rather large name brand who then slaps a label on and just lets you think they did all the work themselves. Rather interesting the things I learn about what goes into getting a product from farm or factory to it's eventual end user.

Having completely exhausted my 70 hours in only five days I limped over to a nearby truck stop to camp out for the next day and a half in order to get a fresh 70. Getting from receiver to truck stop was a bit tricky though.

I'm in the northeast and in the northeast they have expressways and parkways. Trucks can go on expressways but, are prohibited on parkways. So, while at the receiver I plot a route that I thought avoided any and all parkways. I was wrong.

I got on a little state route that virtually parallels the Interstate where the truck stop I want to end up at is located. The two roads eventually come together like a V several miles south of the truck stop. Only problem. I'm at the top of one leg of this V and the truck stop is at the top of the other leg. I noticed a state highway that cut across that V right through the middle thus eliminating several miles of unnecessary travel and time .

I checked the maps to see if there were any truck restrictions and couldn't find any so off I go.
I exited the highway and made a left under the overpass. So far so good. No signs saying trucks prohibited. I want to go straight so I get into the only lane that goes straight and pull up to a red light. It's then that while patiently (yeah right) waiting for the light to change I glance across the intersection and notice a sign about the size of a postage stamp. You know the one with a truck silhouette inside a red circle with a slash through it.

About the only thing I could do is really really tic off every one behind me and wait for the six million cars in the left turn lane to clear out and make a left back onto the highway I was just on, only now going in the opposite direction of the one I want to go. But no sooner than I start to roll the light changes and the opposing traffic starts coming straight at me. I don't know if you've ever driven in the northeast but, pretty much everybody has the "not in front of me" attitude I'm half way into their lane and they have to swing wide to go around me. Not one car stopped and let me finish my turn. Not one! A lot of them waved, quite a few honked and a couple wanted to know where I got my license. I'm always amazed how friendly they are up here.

Finally Their light changed and I just went. I'm sure my light was red but, I was so far into the intersection I could no longer see it. I got turned around and start heading in the right direction when I see a sign for another state highway with number rather than a name. The numbered ones are usually truck friendly so I take a chance and again exit. I turn the corner and glaring back at me is a huge sign mounted on one of those pipes that spans from one side of the road to the other "NO COMMERCIAL VEHICLES"

O.K. so I'm not the sharpest knife in the utensil drawer but, even I can take a hint. I again head north when I really, really want to be heading east but, they just won't let me. I got off at the same dreaded intersection I just had so much fun at. Ah deja vu. I turned back around and took the long way. They say the third time is a charm but, I just didn't have it in me to try again.
What should have taken 20 minutes took over an hour and the cookie crumb trail on my GPS looked like a pretzel but, I eventually made to my desired destination.

I thought the fun was over but, nay nay. It was just beginning. It's the middle of the day and usually the shower wait is brief if any. So I gather up all my shower gear and some clean clothes and head inside.

This particular truck stop chain is the last of the last to convert their showers to an automated system with a keypad entry lock rather than the "motel room" key system where you would have to wait in the hour long line at the register counter with all the people making purchases or picking up a fuel receipt to get your key.

The new system has a computer kiosk where you swipe your preferred driver card and it spits out a receipt with a "driver number" and a pin number. There is a monitor near the showers that will display your driver number next to your assigned shower and it also pages on the overhead PA system when one becomes available.

If one becomes available. Like the perfect storm, various elements all came together at the right time to keep that from happening any time soon.
1. The system was just installed and still had a few bugs
2. Half of the showers were being renovated
3. Frustrated drivers were leaving.
4. No one thought to put a time out timer on the system so that when a frustrated driver left or simply wasn't paying attention when their number was called for over an hour it would kick 'em to the curb and reassign their shower to the next person on the wait list.

When the maintenance person that cleans the showers has nothing to do and is in the lobby chit-chatting with the waiting drivers someone finally noticed that driver 121 had been up there for over an hour. a quick check of the showers revealed that all five were empty and waiting but that computer was going to keep calling driver 121 till the cows come home.

An hour and forty five minutes later I finally get to take my shower. This is why I take my showers at the end of the day. I may lose a little sleep but I'll stay on schedule. A delay like this could push an on time delivery into the next day if you arrive at your receiver after everyone has gone home.

Last but not least. I returned to my truck after my three hour shower just in time to witness a parking lot accident happen right across from me. Kinda sucks to see that happen because of a poor parking lot design but it made me think. Maybe my day wasn't so bad after all.

Stealing Pictures Again...

Ok, so hubby is still lagging on the old blogging, so I'm trying to help him out.

Here are a few random updates about life on the road....

1) He has a cold. I could share the list of reasons/possibilities he shared as to how he could have contracted said cold, but well... they were gross. Let's just say that some days he gets pretty disgusted with some of the less hygienic truckers he crosses paths with.

2) Cool thing is that he was pretty much out of hours when he dropped off his load yesterday and he was able to sleep and recuperate. That RARELY happens, so it's worth noting.

3) He encountered a grumpy person at his pick-up today that just had to complain about everything. You know what? It's not the trucker's fault that someone gives him the wrong load number or po number or whatever number he needs today. He's just the sorry sap that gets to be treated like crap by you....when you're annoyed about it.

Loving the Web Cam!!!

Hubby and son have been experimenting with the web cam we bought for Christmas and I am loving it. It is so fun to see where he is. I keep telling the reluctant blogger that his people would love to see a picture a day with a little description. He doesn't even have to tell a story.

And sooo... until he picks up the slack and starts posting more. I'll just pick a picture or two to share. (I stole them right off his webcam page....he doesn't even know I'm doing this...shhh....)

Hopefully he'll share the webcam page once he gets all the bugs work out.

~The Wife

Delivery Delays

The past few days have been a regular old swap fest. What's a swap fest you ask? Out of the past five loads I've had I didn't take one from shipper to receiver. The way it usually works. Instead I would pick up a load, get a message that another driver was running low on hours, and they needed me to rendezvous with the other driver.

Swapping or re-powering a load every once and a while is problematic enough but, five in a row makes it real hard to manage the log book.

When I receive a load it has a pickup date and time and a delivery date and time with approximate miles from shipper to receiver. I calculate how many miles I need to run each day to arrive at the receiver a few hours before the scheduled appointment time. I plan where I'm going to stop for the night, where I'll fuel, etc. etc.

When I receive a request to swap (usually from the other driver's dispatcher) I'm expected to do most if not all if the driving to the swap point (because the other driver is out of hours) and then, somehow, still make that delivery time on time. Making all that meticulous planning worthless.

The best one was they send me over 200 miles out of route to meet another driver to do yet another swap. I drove four hours longer than I intended to that day in order to get to the swap point at the predetermined time. I arrive there around midnight unable to locate the other driver. When I inquire where he is, they send a message that the swap was canceled. The other driver wasn't going to have enough hours to make delivery on time. Well now thanks to this little sideways jaunt out of my route, I won't have enough hours either.

I eventually made to the destination. Late, but I made it. I rather dislike walking in to check in at the receiver late. They don't know all the behind the scenes stuff that caused you to be late. All they know is you're late. They've heard all the excuses too so, I don't offer any. I simply apologize and wait my turn to get worked into the rotation. Fortunately this receiver was a 24 hour facility and I didn't have to wait too long... This time.

I finally got to take one all the way. It was tight getting there on time because all the swapping had my log book just about shot. Well I thought I arrived on time.

From time to time we'll receive a dispatch with an open ended appointment time. They'll put an appointment time of 08:01 which generally means one of two things: My company could not confirm an appointment time because the receiver's office staff had left for the day ( in this case the weekend ) or they operate on a first come first served basis.

I was gambling on the latter. I arrived last night, went to check in only to find out, no appointment, no unload. I notified my dispatch this morning that I needed an appointment time.
They called the receiver and set up a time . Noon tomorrow.

Kind of disappointing to have to wait that long after I hauled butt to make it there on time but, the up side is, I'll get a 34 hour restart and have plenty of hours available when I head home for home time later this week.

Oh by the way for those of you that always want to know what I'm hauling and where I'm going...
This load is Birdseye frozen vegetables from Macon, Ga to Fort Worth, Tx

World's Largest Truck Stop

I'm spending the night at the world's largest truck stop. I'm not quite sure if that is based on the number of parking spaces or just the sheer size of the place. I always make it a point to stop here whenever I come this way.

They have this huge show room with almost anything and everything you could ever want for your truck. I'm like a kid in a candy store. A broke kid in a candy store, but it's still fun to look.

I Was on a run from Ohio to Southern California and normally wouldn't have been routed this way but, another driver was running low on hours and they sent me up here to swap loads with him. My load has more time on it than necessary and he won't have to run so hard to make it on time. Whereas the load I'm getting from him is going to require a small miracle to get it there on time. I love a challenge.

The only downsides; I'll be heading back to the congested east coast and I'm giving up a sweet hazmat run that would have put me within spitting distance of home.

Will That Be Plastic Or More Plastic

I seem to have gotten stuck on running nights lately. Never fun but, has to be expected from time to time. The past three days straight I've had to run all night long to make the delivery appointment time. I'm not a big fan of running at night so I try to avoid it as much as possible. But, some times it just cannot be avoided.

A couple of months ago I hauled empty pill bottles from a plant in Ohio to a phamacutical company in Texas. Todays run...




Haul little plastic pellets used to make pill bottles from Texas to that same plant in Ohio.

The Blog Is Back!

Well, It has been a while. As you know the laptop was out of commission for a few months. I broke it two days out from home time so, seven weeks on the road before I could get home to drop it off to have the necessary repairs made, then another six or seven weeks out on the road without it. Then when I finally did get it back...

It worked out for the best having broke it so early on after I headed out from home time. It gave my genius son just enough time to research what we needed, order the new screen, have it shipped and there waiting for me by the time I got back home.

Well, almost. I have a Dell computer and for some odd reason, Dell does not sell replacement screens. They'll install a new one for you if you ship the computer to them along with an arm and a leg. A bit too pricey for my blood. So my son had done his homework and found out Dell uses Toshiba or Samsung screens which can be ordered from just about any place computers are sold.

Well he tried all the usual places like Best Buy, Fry's, Circuit City and so on and found out they all charged about the same for a replacement screen... TOO MUCH! So a little poking around on the Internet and he found one for about half what all the name brand stores were charging. He ordered the screen and called me with the good news. About two weeks and my new screen will be shipped right to my door. I scheduled home time so I would arrive a day or two after the screen.

Two weeks goes by and no screen. I'm going to be home in a little more than 24 hours and no screen. My son sent an email to the shipper asking where the little bugger was at and no reply. Another and another email and finally they reply with "We no longer carry that model. A full refund has been returned to your credit card" Well that's just dandy! would have been nice if you had told us that when we placed the order!

All is not lost. He had a list of sites that sold my screen so, having learned a valuable lesson, we sent inquiries out to a couple to make sure they had one in stock before we tried that again.

The screen was just a bit more expensive at the other site so, I couldn't really justify paying for the overnight shipping. Yep, you guessed it. another five to six weeks without a computer. I left the computer at home so it would be there when the screen arrived and my son could do the repairs. Wouldn't you know it, the new screen made it from Pennsylvania to San Diego in record time. It arrived less than 48 hours after I pulled out.

I'm happy to report the new screen works perfectly. I've actually had it for some time now but, I kinda fell off the blogging wagon so to speak, I'm going to try to give it another go.

I purchased a laptop stand for the truck so hopefully we won't be doing this again anytime soon.