Week 24 – The Injury

Week Ending 1/27/07

Loads Delivered: 2

Total Miles: 2474
* Loaded: 1044
* Empty: 1430

Gross Pay: $1,049.60
* Mileage Pay: $989.60
* Accessorial: $60.00

Hours Logged: 68.75
* Driving: 49.5
* On-Duty: 19.25

$/Hour $15.27

Off-Duty - Not Logged: 7.25
* @ Customer: 1
* In Laurinburg: 6.25
* Waiting Assignment:

All Hours: 76

Actual $/Hour: $13.81
___________________________
Load 1:

Deadhead: Clayton, NC Thursday, January 18, 2007
Shipper: Laurinburg, NC Friday, January 19, 2007
Consignee: Owatonna, MN Monday, January 22, 2007
Commodity: glass

Uneventful trip.
___________________________
Load 2:

Deadhead: Owatonna, MN Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Shipper: Dewitt, IA Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Consignee: Laurinburg, NC Thursday, January 25, 2007
Commodity: Decked Trailers

My injury occurred on January 24th, when I was instructed to pick up 2 trailers in DeWitt, IA and take to Laurinburg. When I arrived, both trailers were in the A-frame position and had to be broken down, as well as the trailer I had with me. I was very fortunate to have another Driver help me. Both trailers at DeWitt had problems, and we worked for 4 hours on the 3 trailers, but finally had to stop, when one of the trailers had a bad actuator rod that was bent and wouldn't come down.

The Driver that helped me had a pigtail transformer lead that my truck didn't have. I was told there was a truck available at the yard with the lead I needed, so I called for a mechanic to meet me there the next morning to repair the hydraulic, but he never showed. In addition, the truck I was told I could use to bring down the transformer wouldn't start, and since my truck was not set up for pigtail transformer leads, I had to switch trailers and bring back a converter instead. It was also in the A-frame position, and it was the pneumatic rods that support the wings on that trailer that failed, causing my back injury. This is something I couldn’t have known until I was under the wing, but the person who put it into the A-frame position would have known, but ignored it.

Week 23: The 4th DM

Week Ending 1/20/07

Loads Delivered: 2

Total Miles: 1421
* Loaded: 898
* Empty: 523

Gross Pay: $648.40
* Mileage Pay: $568.40
* Accessorial: $80.00

Hours Logged: 43.75
* Driving: 30.25
* On-Duty: 13.5

$/Hour $14.82

Off-Duty - Not Logged: 4.25
* @ Customer: 0.5
* In Laurinburg:
* Waiting Assignment: 3.75

All Hours: 48

Actual $/Hour: $13.51
__________________________
Load #1

Deadhead: Conover, NC Thursday, January 11, 2007
Shipper: Church Hill, TN Monday, January 15, 2007
Consignee: Springfield, VA Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Commodity: glass

Since I had not received a call with any assignments, I went to my truck early Monday morning, only to find that a load had been assigned on Friday and I had received no phone call. If I had not had a flat tire, I still could have made it to Church Hill on time, but when I sent ETA update, received a macro from Tina questioning the late ETA. That is when I learned John was no longer with company, and Tina was my new DM. Tina was short in her macro, and I admit to being sarcastic in my response. I was already upset that no one had notified me about the work assignment, I had to start week running late, I had to deal with a flat tire, and I find out I have yet another DM.

Side note: John was laid off because of staff cuts and he was low-man on the totem pole. The prior week was the best I had in terms of scheduling. I was very disappointed to hear that Maverick would lay-off based on time with company, rather than by competence. I firmly believe that John should still be with the company, and Dave should have been let go.
__________________________
Load #2

Deadhead: Springfield, VA Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Shipper: Towanda, PA Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Consignee: Clayton, NC Thursday, January 18, 2007
Commodity: Fiberboard

Here is an example of giving the DM’s too much credit for understanding delivery times: When I received this assignment, it left me with about 8 hours to spare. So, I asked if the delivery time could be moved up. When I made the request, I didn’t give an ETA, as it was only a question at the time. No ETA was asked for, but instead I was given a new delivery appointment that didn’t give me enough time to make on-time delivery. When I reported that was impossible and asked for a happy medium, I got back a snappy retort from Tina. That is when I realized she didn’t understand scheduling at all. With one exception, I did not ask to have a delivery time moved up again. If I was given more time, I just took advantage of it by taking the back roads through the countryside.

From Clayton deadheaded to LRBG for load to take through home for reset. Waited in LRBG over 18 hours. While there, finally had repairs made to truck from accident November 2nd.

Arrive LRBG: Thursday, January 18, 2007, 2:45 PM
Leave LRBG: Friday, January 19, 2007, 9:00 AM
Hours LRBG: 18.25

Arrive Home: Friday, January 19, 2007, 6:30 PM
Leave Home: Sunday, January 21, 2007, 10:15 AM
Hours Home: 41.75
Days Home: 1.74

Week 22: The 3rd DM

Week Ending 1/13/07

Loads Delivered: 3

Total Miles: 2080
* Loaded: 1908
* Empty: 172

Gross Pay: $871.20
* Mileage Pay: $811.20
* Accessorial: $60.00

Hours Logged: 59.5
* Driving: 44.25
* On-Duty: 15.25

$/Hour $14.64

Off-Duty - Not Logged: 0
* @ Customer:
* In Laurinburg:
* Waiting Assignment:

All Hours: 59.5

Actual $/Hour: $14.64
__________________________
Load #1

Deadhead: Denton, NC Friday, January 05, 2007
Shipper: Laurinburg, NC Friday, January 05, 2007
Consignee: Etobicoke, ON Monday, January 08, 2007
Commodity: Glass


Given several assignments during the day that would not allow me time for a reset, including this load to Canada. When I advised that I would not have enough hours remaining on 70 to bring out a backhaul, Shirley responded with "are they asking you to bring something back?" Why would I think different since every load, except one, into Canada involved a backhaul. I was asked to take reset in Laurinburg before going into Canada.

I used this time to put truck in shop for PM. They still have not received parts to replace bumper. I can’t understand why they couldn’t just use a part from one of the many empty trucks sitting in the yard.

I checked into a motel while truck was in shop, and did not receive reimbursement until June.

__________________________
Load #2

Deadhead: Etobicoke, ON Monday, January 08, 2007
Shipper: Cambridge, ON Monday, January 08, 2007
Consignee: lemont, IL Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Commodity: cement stone

This load was first with new DM, John.

I did pick up backhaul.

Inadvertently blocked sniffers at border, so was forced through gamma ray. Took passport inside, and finally was allowed to leave after checking. Lost 2 hours at the border.
__________________________
Load #3

Deadhead: Lemont, IL Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Shipper: E. Chicago, IN Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Consignee: Conover, NC Thursday, January 11, 2007
Commodity: Steel Plates

Lost 30 minutes in Gary trying to get fuel. Maverick system failed. Made 2 attempts at phone calls, but Extended never answered. I went on to shipper to meet delivery time. Was out of hours, so spent night on street. Next morning, tried fuel again. Kept getting message HUB number was wrong. Finally had to call Little Rock to straighten out fuel problem. Lost 1 hour and 15 minutes.

From Conover was sent Deadhead home for Reset, since there were no loads available. Told John that I would not be at my truck, so to call me if a job assignment came in Friday.

Other than the problems with fuel, this was one of the best weeks I had in terms of scheduling. There was no wait time, and only 172 empty miles. Logged 60 HOS before taking reset at home.

Arrive Home: Thursday, January 11, 2007, 6:00 PM
Leave Home: Monday, January 15, 2007, 7:30 AM
Hours Home: 85.50
Days Home: 3.56

Week 21: The Wrong Load

Week Ending 1/6/07

Loads Delivered: 2

Total Miles: 2140
* Loaded: 1736
* Empty: 404

Gross Pay: $854.60
* Mileage Pay: $834.60
* Accessorial: $20.00

Hours Logged: 58.75
* Driving: 44.25
* On-Duty: 14.5

$/Hour $14.55

Off-Duty - Not Logged: 4.25
* @ Customer: 4.25
* In Laurinburg:
* Waiting Assignment:

All Hours: 63

Actual $/Hour: $13.57
_________________________
Load #1:

Deadhead: Warrenton, MO Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Shipper: Ottawa, IL Thursday, December 27, 2007
Consignee: sarasota, FL Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Commodity: glass

As I was getting ready to leave Ottawa, they realized they had put the wrong load on the trailer. Had to go back to dock, untarp and wait for un- and re-load.

Arrived at consignee early, but they could not accommodate me. Waited 8 hours at Walmart for 11 pm unload. Had to unload front stoce to clear drop in cargo ramp to unload optimizers - even with a single drop. Whole set up not designed for single drop spread axle.

Logged 37.75 HOS before going home for New Year Holiday

Arrive Home: Friday, December 29, 2006, 1:00 PM
Leave Home: Tuesday, January 02, 2007, 10:15 AM
Hours Home: 93.25
Days Home: 3.89

_________________________
Load #2:

Deadhead: Sarasota, FL Thursday, January 04, 2007
Shipper: Orlando, fl Thursday, January 04, 2007
Consignee: Denton, NC Friday, January 05, 2007
Commodity: bobcat

Uneventful load