That's Just Trucking

Well, I thought I was going to be home for Christmas. Got my text from dispatch yesterday that I was going to be picking up hay from Stratton, CO, the day after Christmas and delivering it to GA. I told my wife and family and we were all pretty excited that I was going to be home for Christmas. Then this morning, another text came in saying I was to pick up cans in Golden, CO, on Christmas Eve and deliver them to GA the day after Christmas. I called dispatch and they said that since I hadn't officially requested time off, when the loads came in they had to give me one of them since I was one of the only ones available. Turns out the load doesn't have to be there til Wednesday though, so I will be leaving out on Christmas morning.

I'm not upset--I intentionally didn't request Christmas off because I could use the money if the work was available. I'm a little bummed because I'd already told my wife I was going to be home, but...well, that's just trucking. I just thought it might be helpful to share this for those new to the industry or looking in from the outside. Plans change regularly in trucking--if you want to last in this industry you'd better get used to it.

At least you have a great attitude about it. Good on ya.

Wow P, sorry to hear that. I thought you were hauling furniture. Hay?

Man, that's a bummer. Sorry to hear that.

Sorry to hear that, Pianoman. Yup thats the way it rolls sometimes.

I was all set up with a run down to Georgia delivering Thursday. But the customer called to change the appointment time to Friday morning, which would put me in jeopardy of not making it home to upstate NY by Christmas Eve as planned. I'd scheduled the whole week off.

So my dispatcher scrambled to find me a driver to swap out with, then turned me around and pointed me towards a pickup in Chicago. He then says to me "I know you plan the week off Rich, but can you drop this Tuesday by 1500 or do you need to drop it at our yard in Pittston?"

Well the 90 is only 4 hrs from home, so being the team player I am, I told him of course I'll make the delivery, then turn and burn right back to the house. So now I'll technically be under a load through Christmas, and can enjoy a few guilt-free days off that won't count as home time.

Give and take, that's trucking.

Thanks for the kind words! I'm not looking for any sympathy--I made my own bed lol. I could've requested Christmas off but I didn't. Even without requesting any time off at all, I was still given about 4.5 days off this week before Christmas, so I'm happy and impressed with dispatch. Just thought my story might be helpful to new or prospective drivers who don't understand how the whole 24/7 trucking operation works.

@G Town: We have contracts with local shippers in Colorado to haul their freight out east, whatever it may be. Our biggest contractor here is Miller Coors. They love us and we love them lol--easy loads, good miles, hassle free. After we unload in GA, FL, TN, or wherever our load is going, then we go pick up our furniture and head home. Most of our furniture vendors are in MS and we just drop and hook

@Turtle: So will you actually be home on Christmas, just under a load? Good on ya for working with your dispatcher. I'm sure he appreciates you helping him out like that. I totally agree about the give and take, man. One of the things I like about working here is that the reliable, flexible, "go-to" drivers are recognized and rewarded. We just had a luncheon for the drivers and the owner Jake, and several drivers were called out and rewarded for their flexibility and "get 'er done" attitude.

Yes I'll make it home sometime tomorrow, and won't have to deliver this load until the day after Christmas. So technically my home time won't officially start until Wednesday now. But it's not like my dispatcher and I ever actually tally up the number of days off I have coming. I just take off and tell him when I want to come back. That's part of the give-and-take I guess. Believe me, I earn that privilege! Lol

Yes I'll make it home sometime tomorrow, and won't have to deliver this load until the day after Christmas. So technically my home time won't officially start until Wednesday now. But it's not like my dispatcher and I ever actually tally up the number of days off I have coming. I just take off and tell him when I want to come back. That's part of the give-and-take I guess. Believe me, I earn that privilege! Lol

Right on man! That's awesome! Yeah that's how it's always been for me. I never kept track of how many days I'd earned or anything like that lol. Enjoy your time off.

I gotta get off here now and enjoy some family time. Until next time...

Merry Christmas all!