Let It Snow, Let It Snow...

Yesterday (Monday) I had an appointment in Chicago for 14:00 to get loaded with some square tubing bound for Rochester NY with an 08:00 Wednesday delivery. Well, twelve hours later they tell me to pull in the warehouse at 02:00 to get loaded. So, at about 04:00 I'm finished securing and tarping my load in 5 degree Chicago weather! That kind of morning makes a man think twice about why he thought it was such a great idea to be a flat-bedder!

I drove all the way over to Rochester NY to day, and man Brett, let me tell you - these New Yorkers really know how to make it snow. I passed by the exit for Attica on I-90, and seriously considered taking it in hopes I could find a safe haven out there behind your chicken coop! Geez, for an old timer from Texas this day was challenging to say the least.

The only good thing about it is that my DM will be so pleased when he gets in tomorrow morning and realizes I'm here. He was pretty upset about how long it took me to get loaded, and he really never has understood all the little nuances about how I manage my clock. He's so accustomed to babysitting a bunch of nimrods that he really gets a kick out of it when you manage to "get er done". I told him today to get me another load ready, and he just sort of said Yeah, like he didn't believe I could handle it.

I love this stuff, it's overcoming the everyday challenges that make this career so rewarding.

Old School, at 15:00 I was driving from Chicago Heights to Midlothian and back to get a preloaded Tanker, nothing like driving in city traffic in the winter with a 45,000lb load in a smoth bore tanker in rush hour. It was for another driver for tonight but he was running behind coming from WV, so I got pushed up a day and I'll be running it up to Williston tonight (wed 0300).. If you see a Z Force tanker, then a one in four chance it's me

New Yorkers really know how to make it snow

Yeah, you ain't kiddin! Word of warning to anyone thinking of moving - never live on the East side of a major lake or the West side of a mountain range unless you love tons of precipitation. And if you're up North that most certainly means tons of snow!

Lake Erie is why we get mountains of snow in Western New York. The warmer lake waters hit the cold winter air which causes condensation, forming clouds, which then move East and DUMP snow as soon as they get over land.

Now to make it worse, I live in a mountainous region and we get way more snow than the city and low-lying areas. For instance, my house is 1000 feet in elevation above the village of Attica three miles away. It's quite common to have two feet of snow on the ground at my house and hardly a dusting in the village.

Fortunately I love the snow and the winter.

he really never has understood all the little nuances about how I manage my clock. He's so accustomed to babysitting a bunch of nimrods that he really gets a kick out of it when you manage to "get er done"

Nothing in the world means more to a driver-dispatcher relationship than trust. It takes time, but once your dispatcher knows you're that rare driver that they can count on to get the job done safely and make smart decisions day in and day out you've got it made. Probably 5% of the drivers out there really fit into that category and they're worth their weight in gold to dispatch.

And ya know, that's where the special favors come in also. You keep coming through for the company time and time again they're certainly going to be more willing to listen when you ask for something that's a little above and beyond what they'll do for most drivers. Maybe an extra day off at home? Maybe a new truck before yours is actually due to be turned in? Maybe a gravy run to Phoenix in the winter instead of Chicago? Oh those special favors can make all the difference in the world!

I hear ya old school bout the dm bud i had one that ddnt unddrstand bow i can drive nonstop so i asked her do ya know what a bottle is? she said yea so i proceeded on and asked do ya know what a willy is? she sounded stunned and said yes i do for ur information.so i asked her do ya think i cant aim for a hole or what?.

she then understood how i could do it.see most these new breeds now days think its a 9 - 5 job they start at 9 and end at 5 when thier lights need to come on and they feel they need a 1hr nap at 10 a 2 hr nap at noon. And another 1 hr nap at 2 -3 then done again at 5. thats what truckin has become anymore so when a dm gets a hard runner it surprises them.

I hear ya Crazy Rebel! If some of these DMs had a clue about this lifestyle they'd understand us a little better. But I kinda enjoy keeping em wondering "how the heck did he get there today? This computer says he can't make it until tomorrow! "

I hear ya Crazy Rebel! If some of these DMs had a clue about this lifestyle they'd understand us a little better. But I kinda enjoy keeping em wondering "how the heck did he get there today? This computer says he can't make it until tomorrow! "

Yep...you said it. Last week ran from Conover, North Carolina to Helena, Montana in three days ... dispatch didn't expect me for another day. My 'Empty and Available' message took them by surprise. Just missed an ice storm in Missouri on the way up, too.