Week 20 - Christmas

Week Ending 12/30/06

Loads Delivered: 1

Total Miles: 1054
* Loaded: 851
* Empty: 203

Gross Pay: $411.06
* Mileage Pay: $411.06
* Accessorial:

Hours Logged: 30.25
* Driving: 23.25
* On-Duty: 7

$/Hour $13.59

Off-Duty - Not Logged: 11.25
* @ Customer: 2.25
* In Laurinburg: 8.5
* Waiting Assignment: 0.5

All Hours: 41.5

Actual $/Hour: $9.91


Deadhead: Roanoke, VA Thursday, December 20, 2007
Shipper: Laurinburg, NC Thursday, December 21, 2006
Consignee: Warrenton, MO Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Commodity: glass

Arrived in LRBG on the 20th at 2:00 PM. Work Assignment said load would be ready 12/21 between 15:30 - 11:00. Since loads had never been ready early, I went to Walmart to pick up last minute Christmas items, and didn't check on load until the morning of the 21st. It had actually been ready the afternoon before. Either the wrong date was given on the work assignment, or no one bothered to tell me it was ready early. Spent 20 hours in LRBG for a load that could have been pulled out the moment I arrived.

Only 36.75 hours logged before going home for holiday.

Arrive LRBG: Wednesday, December 20, 2:00 PM
Leave LRBG: Thursday, December 21, 2006, 10:00 AM
Hours LRBG: 20.0

Arrive Home: Thursday, December 21, 2006, 6:30 PM
Leave Home: Tuesday, December 26, 2006, 5:00 AM
Hours Home: 107.00
Days Home: 4.46

Week 19 – The Holiday Spirit

Week Ending 12/23/06

Loads Delivered: 2

Total Miles: 1203
* Loaded: 572
* Empty: 631

Gross Pay: $469.17
* Mileage Pay: $469.17
* Accessorial:

Hours Logged: 34
* Driving: 26.75
* On-Duty: 7.25

$/Hour $13.80

Off-Duty - Not Logged: 10
* @ Customer: 1.5
* In Laurinburg: 8.5
* Waiting Assignment:

All Hours: 44

Actual $/Hour: $10.66

_________________________________
Load #1:

Deadhead: Charlotte, NC Thursday, December 14, 2006
Shipper: Laurinburg, NC Friday, December 15, 2006
Consignee: Indianapolis, IN Monday, December 18, 2006
Commodity: Glass

On 12/13 a macro had been sent advising all drivers to pick up snow chains in LRBG. Since I had already inquired there long before the macro came out, I placed a call to Brett (Safety Manager), who told me I should be able to find them in LRBG. Asked again at shop, this time found someone who knew where they were kept.

Was in LRBG over 20 hours, waiting for assignment. First load offered had an open window of pickup in LRBG anywhere from 15:30 (same day) until 7:00 the next morning, with a delivery in Cuyahoga Falls, OH 12/18 at 7:00 am. My experience with LRBG is that they push the load until the last possible minute. If I had to wait until the next morning, there would not have been time to go through home. I had already been out 10 days and taken one reset away from home. I asked if delivery could be changed to 12/19 to accommodate time at home. Instead load was pulled. The next load assignment I received had a closer delivery point, and later schedule, but I had to wait in LRBG until the next day to pick up load - arriving at home 11:00 EST.
During long wait, checked again on repairs to truck. LRBG still did not have parts.

Since I had taken Reset on Tuesday, only 33.75 hours logged when I arrived home for this Reset.

Arrive LRBG: Thursday, December 14, 2006, 5:45 PM
Leave LRBG: Friday, December 15, 2006, 2:30 PM
Hours LRBG: 20.75

Arrive Home: Friday, December 15, 2006, 11:00 PM
Leave Home: Monday, December 18, 2006, 8:30 AM
Hours Home: 59.50
Days Home: 2.48

_________________________________
Load #2:

Relay: Harvey, IL Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Consignee: Roanoke, VA Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Commodity: railroad machinery

Uneventful trip. Deadhead to LRBG after unload in Roanoke.

Week 18 - The Cost of Fuel in Canada

Week Ending 12/16/06

Loads Delivered: 2

Total Miles: 1595
* Loaded: 1396
* Empty: 199

Gross Pay: $662.05
* Mileage Pay: $622.05
* Accessorial: $40.00

Hours Logged: 46
* Driving: 36.75
* On-Duty: 9.25

$/Hour $14.39

Off-Duty - Not Logged: 2
* @ Customer: 2
* In Laurinburg:
* Waiting Assignment:

All Hours: 48

Actual $/Hour: $13.79
__________________________________
Load #1

Deadhead: Riviere du Loup, QC Friday, December 08, 2006
Shipper: Riviere du Loup, QC Friday, December 08, 2006
Consignee: Bedford, PA Monday, December 11, 2006
Commodity: Peat Moss

This was my first trip into Quebec. I fueled in Albany before heading in, but did not have enough fuel to get out. I was issued a ComData check, but couldn't find a place in Quebec that would take it. I lost several hours, stopping to inquire about acceptance of ComData checks, and the language barrier only slowed down the process. Since I didn’t relish the idea of being out of fuel in Canada, at night, with -15 degree temperatures, in a snow storm, I finally paid for the fuel myself - $360.

__________________________________
Load #2

Deadhead: Bedford, PA Monday, December 11, 2006
Shipper: Towanda, PA Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Consignee: charlotte, NC Thursday, December 14, 2006
Commodity: fiberboard

Uneventful load.

After dropping load in Bedford, I took reset in Breezewood, PA with 67.75 HOS logged.

Week 17 - The Search for Snow Chains

Week Ending 12/9/06

Loads Delivered: 1

Total Miles: 1779
* Loaded: 1162
* Empty: 617

Gross Pay: $733.81
* Mileage Pay: $693.81
* Accessorial: $40.00

Hours Logged: 49.5
* Driving: 36.25
* On-Duty: 13.25

$/Hour $14.82

Off-Duty - Not Logged: 5
* @ Customer: 2.75
* In Laurinburg:
* Waiting Assignment: 2.25

All Hours: 54.5

Actual $/Hour: $13.46

Deadhead: Milford, OH Saturday, December 02, 2006
Shipper: Laurinburg, NC Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Consignee: Riviere du Loup, QC Friday, December 08, 2006
Commodity: Glass

While in Laurinburg, I asked about snow chains, since I was heading into Canada, and bad weather was predicted. Was told they didn't have any. I looked anyway, and finally found these:




I stopped at the Maverick terminal in Jarrett, VA, and they had no snow chains either. Shirley told me to pick up at truck stop and I would be reimbursed, but couldn't find a truck stop that carried snow chains for the super single tires.

The Jarrett mechanics expressed their surprise that I would be allowed to drive my truck with the bumper missing. Note it has now been a month since my first request for repairs, and I am still driving with tape holding on the turn signal and left third of bumper missing.

Week 16 – The Snowball Effect

Week Ending 12/2/06

Loads Delivered: 2

Total Miles: 1736
* Loaded: 1175
* Empty: 561

Gross Pay: $917.04
* Mileage Pay: $677.04
* Accessorial: $240.00

Hours Logged: 56.75
* Driving: 42.25
* On-Duty: 14.5

$/Hour $16.16

Off-Duty - Not Logged: 20
* @ Customer: 10
* In Laurinburg: 10
* Waiting Assignment:

All Hours: 76.75

Actual $/Hour: $11.95
________________________________
Load #1

Deadhead: Church Hill, TN Monday, November 27, 2006
Shipper: Laurinburg, NC Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Consignee: bridgeport, NJ Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Commodity: glass

This load was 6 hours late out of Laurinburg and started a snowball effect continuing with late deliveries through the week.

Again, while in Laurinburg and waiting on load, asked about repairs to truck. Told parts were still on order. (There is a Freightliner dealer in Charlotte 90 miles away).

I waited 5 hours for unload at Consignee. Sent Extended new ETA at next shipper.
________________________________
Load #2

Deadhead: bridgeport, NJ Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Shipper: Mt Holly Springs, PA Thursday, November 30, 2006
Consignee: Milford, OH Friday, December 01, 2006
Commodity: glass

When I arrived at Mt. Holly Springs, they had not received notice that ETA had changed. As a result, I had to wait 15 hours before they could load me. I took 10 hours in sleeper berth and was at Consignee a total of 18 hours. On 11/30, I received instructions to Deadhead home after delivery in Milford. However, after I sent in Empty macro, I received a macro from Extended that I would be “left on ice” overnight since they had no loads. Why did they not have a record that I was given a deadhead home?

I made delivery in Ohio, and had logged 50.75 hours by the time I reached home. Since freight was slow, I had 3 days at home before I received load assignment.

Arrive Home: Saturday, December 02, 2006, 7:00 AM
Leave Home: Tuesday, December 05, 2006, 6:30 AM
Hours Home: 71.50
Days Home: 2.98