PackRat's 2020 Daily Driving Diary
Topic 27353 | Page 23
I left my February numbers off that post!
Driving Days: 23
Days Home: 5
Paid Miles: 7981
Hours Driving: 144.7
Daily Miles Driving Average: 347
Fuel Purchased: 1290 Gallons
MPH Average: 55.1
Total Loads: 12
Days In Shop: 1 day at Joplin terminal
Coldest Temperature: Minus 11 F. (Green Bay, WI on Valentine's Day) YIKES!
Warmest Temperature: 72 F.
Net Pay: $2711.13
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
PackRat, I'm glad things are looking up for you...I LOVE following along! (Wish I could do a ride'along, but I hear you don't like Ohio?!?) ;) Still planning on staying w/CFI then?!? I hope your new FM and your #'s and stars~!!!... keep working in your favor, for sure! (Maybe I'll play your numbers, haha!)
Here's Tom's rig that he PC'd home...we have TRUCK parking, and Italian food, (mine!) ya know!!! In case you ever venture thisaway..just saying!
Anne, I will be training in OH, most likely starting 3/9. A few days in Willard then out OTR (and possibly back for some backing practice).
My (soon-to-be) new Co. is based there. Thinking of moving my "bus" there (38' Class-A motorhome).
I LOVE italian food!
Annie has PLENTY of room there for your motorhome, Marc!
Thanks PackRat. Actually she mentioned that! (Needs to discuss it with hubby). Power not an issue. Septic and water could be but my bus has separate grey and blackwater tanks. EPA approves greywater fields readily. Could swap to a composting or cassette toilet. Gasket needs to be replaced anyway so I need to pull it. Also it had carpet around it so post-new floor... again, it needs to be pulled even if rebuilt and put back.
She also mentioned a year-round RV park nearby!
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
1 March 2020
I got up this morning at about 0315, after sleeping in some. I couldn't fall asleep, nor stay asleep last night for some reason. Probably because I have too much of the energy-rich liverwurst and cod livers for my meal yesterday. I've got to cut back on the liverwurst, because this is what happens if I have it more than once per week.
After my waking up, pre trip inspection, checking the weather radar, etc., we roll out of Oak Grove, heading towards Kansas sometime just around 0400.
My next fuel stop was in South Hutchinson, KS on US-50, 247 miles distant. Stopped there for fuel around 0815, then departed. Hindsight shows I should have taken my 30 minute break there....
After the first 50 miles of Interstate highway, the rest of today has been all 2-lane roads through small, mostly empty hamlets. I was on US Routes 50, 52, 54, and 400. I keep driving, and driving, watching my 8 hour drive clock wind down. Nowhere safe to stop, just some muddy lots, small gas stations, and two picnic areas for cars. After I was below the "one hour remaining" point, I finally spotted a Cenex station with some trucks parked. I pulled in there to thankfully take my required mandatory break.
Muddy lot! Deep potholes!
After that, naturally, I began to encounter lots of truck-suitable lots, truck stops, and two rest areas. Never fails. I had looked up a Love's in Texhoma, so that's where I called it a day. 72 degrees here when I parked at 1315. Warmest temperature for this month already!
For today, I drove 490 miles in 8.4 hours, using 0.5 hours On Duty, totaling 8.9 hours.
Delivery tomorrow morning in Albuquerque....
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
I had looked up a Love's in Texhoma
That little restaurant next door on the other side of the corrals had a pretty k/a steak when I last stayed there.
Hey Packrat I'm getting closer, about a week and a half, to sending out applications. Is CFI still doing a CDL school? I'm hoping to apply there, they are at the top of my list!!
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Hey Packrat I'm getting closer, about a week and a half, to sending out applications. Is CFI still doing a CDL school? I'm hoping to apply there, they are at the top of my list!!
As far as I know, yes for school.
I can give you my recruiter's number if you'd like? She would have an accurate answer.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
2 through 4 March 2020
Sorry I got behind again, so this a brief of each of the days.
Monday: Delivered the batteries in Albuquerque, NM at 0826 Arrive and 0904 Depart. FAST unload with no issues. Drove from there across town to a TA truck shop to get the license plate light fixed. 6 hour wait! Dispatch tells me to get it repaired, then call in to go on the board. I got out the tools and spare parts and fix it myself. Ended up being more in-depth, but much quicker than six hours. I'm on the ready board by 1100. Then I wait. At around 1745, my clock runs out with no dispatch, so I guess I'll be staying overnight....
For today I drove 320 miles in 5.8 hours, using 0.5 hours On Duty, totaling 6.3 hours.
Tuesday: Actually got a message after 2000 to deadhead to our drop yard in El Paso, Texas to pick up a relay. So I drive 267 paid miles (287 actual miles), grab the new load, then take it 379 miles to our drop lot in Nogales, AZ. Just a hair too far, so I stop at a Pilot truck stop in Lordsburg, NM for my break. Wish I hadn't.....
For the day, I drove 435 miles in 7.6 hours, using 0.5 hours On Duty, totaling 8.1 hours.
Wednesday: Hump Day, or really "Bump Day". I was up and awake at 0030, getting awake, dressing, and getting my paperwork together to scan on the truck stop Transflo machine. Just as I was stepping towards my seat, the truck lurches. What was that? It's not windy, and no storms.....Did I get run into?
I throw my boots on, grab my light, and open the curtains. There's a trailer in front of my left side, way too close to my hood. DAMMIT! I jump out, and start flashing my light in the other guy's mirror. Once he puts on his brakes and gets out, I then inspect my new fender pinstripes....
It could have been worse, but with about zero traffic and two full truck and trailer lengths in front of this idiot, it could have been better. "Brother, did you need something?" Why yes, you %@&$ I most definitely do! You ran into me with your trailer, Idiot! "Are you sure? I don't think so.".....It progressively went downhill from there dealing with my newest Pakistani acquaintance. Eventually, I blocked him in, called the police, and forcibly gained his info. What should have been about 10 minutes turned into more than two hours. I am thankful that I drove away afterwards, because it could have been much worse.
I drove to the drop lot, getting there about two hours behind my plan, but still made it. After being there for about 12 hours, I was dispatched to deadhead back to the El Paso lot. Departed and arrived back in EP around 0100 on 5 March.
For the day, I drove 579 miles in 9.3 hours, using 0.5 hours On Duty, totaling 9.8 hours.
More exciting tales tomorrow....
Deadhead:
To drive with an empty trailer. After delivering your load you will deadhead to a shipper to pick up your next load.
Ouch!!! Thankfully it wasn’t worse. I hate parking at truck stops espically out that way.
I’m sitting at the house, truck needed some TLC with my mechanic. Hopefully this morning he gets it ready.
Should I resurrect my long-neglected thread here or not?
Replies for Yay or Nay? Let me know, please.
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
This topic has the following tags:
CFI - Contract Freighters Inc Crete Carrier Choosing A Trucking Company Hours Of Service Older truck drivers Photos Truck Driving Orientation TT Website
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
Annie has PLENTY of room there for your motorhome, Marc!
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated