I've already told dispatch that I didn't think I could make my second pickup in time with NYC in the middle. They completely agreed with me.
Here is the load details.
I'm 45 minutes to an hour away from my first pick up. It picks up at noon in Clinton CT. It is a live load and if Google is right this is a tiny little warehouse with one dock door. I could be here awhile.
2nd pick up is at 3 pm in Elizabeth NJ. It's only about 115 miles away but NYC is smack in the middle of that route. I don't think it's even humanly possible to make those appointments with a drop hook!
Once we get all loaded up its not too bad. We are headed to OK to deliver on the 19th.
Of course there is also the problem of being in New England where there is ZERO truck parking. Except apparently at weigh stations. There was plenty of parking at this little rest area, but you have to drive over the scales to get to it. Big deal, I'm empty! Even if I wasn't, I know my load is legal so why is everyone turning down highly coveted CT parking?!?
With the help of dispatch, Twitter and "Bob" (my Treq unit/GPS guy) I have figured out the 8/2 split. I'm having to use it now to get to my appointment on time. It sucks but it is a good tool to have!
By the way, I've started to develop a pretty large Twitter following! I originally only opened an account to follow Allie Knight, but now I have people following me and my adventures! If y'all are into Twitter look me up! I believe the link is on my profile page here.
Operating While Intoxicated
Yeah, I've only been through there a few times so I'm not an expert, but I'd add at least an hour for having to go over the gw bridge. If you have another driver in the truck that's great, otherwise make sure you don't have to use the bathroom or take a 30 minute break any time soon because you could end up sitting in traffic for 2 hours with no place to even pull over. When new lanes appear on the left start trying to get left, at some point you'll need to be in one of the left two lanes for the gw bridge upper level (which all trucks have to take). I don't think you have to worry about the underpasses labeled 12 feet something, I'm sure they're really at least 13'6".
Well we made it!! To New Haven CT....
Whoops! I got all the way to the shipper and all the doors were locked and no cars in the parking lot.... Hmmm...
So I sat down to send dispatch a message asking what I should do and I happened to think "I better check and make sure I have my dates right."
NOPE!! All of the schedule flip-flopping got me all screwed up I guess. My pickup isn't until TOMORROW at noon! My guess is this load had a 34 built in. But because I moved from the rest area I don't get the reset. But my hours look ok so hopefully I will still make it.
So we are parked at a TA in New Haven so we can do some laundry. This is the first time I've had to back into a spot at a crowded truck stop. I only circled the parking lot 4 times....
Luckily some people were leaving which opened up a ton of space for me to maneuver so I made it in fine. Slowly but surely I got into the spot!
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
Glad to hear yall got out of Hells Kitchen.
Glad to hear yall got out of Hells Kitchen.
Haven't even left yet. Can't pick up my first part of the load until tomorrow. Urgh...
Glad to hear yall got out of Hells Kitchen.
Haven't even left yet. Can't pick up my first part of the load until tomorrow. Urgh...
WELCOME to trucking... can't say how many times I've missed a 34 just by moving and messing up dates... I always make a habbit of looking at my phone for the date (or watch if i have it on) and make sure I read the dates right.... managed to pull off a 34 at my parents last weekend as my load from North Platte, NB didnt deliver tell monday and I could have del the same night.. got layover pay plus a 34 and saw my family. WIN WIN for me.
enjoy a bit of relaxation and clean clothes :)
My nerves are shot already and I haven't even started my clock. I'm worried about having enough hours to make it to both shippers and still find a place to park.
I'm praying that this goes smoothly but preparing for it not to.
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
Well we survived!!
Traffic was bumper to bumper all the way to the GW bridge. It took nearly an hour to make it to the bridge.
As a result, I missed my second pickup appointment in Elizabeth. Dispatch knew I was going to miss it but failed to tell me that shipping and receiving closed at 4 pm. So instead of trying to find parking I wasted nearly an hour finding the shipper and getting all my stuff together to go inside.
Now we are at a service plaza. To say this place is nuts is the understatement of the year. For lack of a better phrase, it's a giant cluster_____. You fill in the blank...
I found a spot that I could fit in, barely. At this point I'm pretty sure that I'm completely blocked in. As it is now, unless someone moves, I will have to blindside out of here. But I had no choice. I'm stuck...
NYC was relatively painless. New Jersey can disappear off the face of the planet for all I care right now.
I'm so mad right now. And dreading the morning. And a little bit nervous about going to sleep in this place...
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
I'm at the Love's just south of Trenton. Several times an hour there's a driver getting honked at. At least once an hour the loudspeaker tell someone to pull ahead and not block the fuel dock. I spent the weekend shuttling trailers around the Hoboken area. Tomorrow should be a live load in Bayonne, them off to Louisiana. And I agree. New Jersey can disappear.
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
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I don't know anything about NYC , but just wanted to say we are all thinking about yall! !!!!! Be Safe do what the other guys said and yall be fine!!!! Let us know what NYC looks like. I'm curious.