PackRat's 2020 Daily Driving Diary

17 January 2020

Yesterday, I got up early to drive the remainder to the 0600 delivery in Seagoville, TX. Got there, checked in , called to dock, unloaded, etc with no problems. Complete at 0704and waiting for the instructions for the next one.

The next trip was to drive 20 miles through Dallas Friday morning traffic in the rain to get to the next shipper for a live load. Fun times, especially when construction zones are added in. Arrived at 0828 and departed at 1038 with a heavy load of Alfalfa horse food pellets, bound for a Tractor Supply DC in Waco, TX (one of our biggest corporate customers). This drive was just under 100 Mike's south, with an open time window. Got there and was told to "drop it anywhere you you can find an empty slot in the lot". There were at least 200 trailer spots there, but only two that were open, so I used one. Very tight backing here, with minimal room to the front, so lots of pull ups and small movements -- a real geometry puzzle for some of the spots.

Dropped that successfully, then sent in all the required messages on the PeopleNet. I knew my next trip was originating from this same DC before arriving, so no need to find an empty trailer. The information came through eventually, and I went to the opposite side of the building to find my preloaded trailer. After hooking to it, and doing a trailer pre trip, we go inside to get our paperwork. Normally the only humans we interact with here is the guard at the gate. I could not locate my paperwork inside after looking through every box with the BOLs TWICE, so I walked back to the trailer to check the nose box. Maybe it's in there? Nope! Back I go inside to see if I can locate somebody. After more than an hour, I finally got somebody, then he told someone, that then found a supervisor. After another 90 minutes, I was on my way out the gate. This load goes to another Tractor Supply DC, 1406 miles away, in Hagerstown, MD to be dropped off on Monday.

Since my clock was running down, and it still being a rainy Friday afternoon, I decided to park about five miles away at a truck stop I spotted on my way in. Best part is there is a Harley Davidson dealer next door, and I can never have too many tshirts. After buying only two, I returned to the truck for food and sleep.

For Friday, I used 4.5 hours Driving 235 miles, and 0.7 hours On Duty, for a total of 5.2 hours.

Continued.....

Good for you that TS in Hagerstown isn't that busy this time of year and about a 1/2 mile south is a Pilot or AC&T travel center. If you'd rather a Love's they are about 4 or 5 miles north on I81

Hopefully, I get the next load there at the DC.

I'm up and down -81 a lot. Home is only three hours southwest in VA.

19 January 2020

Got up at the TA, pro-trump, then rolling around 2315. Rolled about a half mile to get fuel across the freeway at the Love's. So 140 gallons later, onto I-40 and really rolling and no rain for the first time in five days, but it was much colder and breezy with 9nly 15,000 lbs in the trailer.

Not much excitement to report. I drove to another truck stop west of Knoxville, TN for my break. 475 miles in 7.8 hours, using 0.4 On Duty for 8.2 hours total.

That's all for Sunday....

20 January 2020--MLK Day

Got up this morning and noticed that I was not getting the ABS amber light to illuminate on the trailer when I was doing my pre trip inspection. Not good, and also an Out Of Service defect if I were to get checked on by LEO. I sent in a message to both dispatch and our breakdown folks and waited. Finally was directed that it will need to go to a dealer for repairs. Nearest dealer is in Kingsport, TN. Also directed that the load will need to be relayed.

I drove to the Davey Crockett TA on I-81 in Greeneville,TN to wait for the relay driver. After nine hours, the relay is complete (plus I got a full 10 hour break in). The other driver did not get his time back until after 1000 this morning, then had a brake canister fail on the way here! Bad luck all around for us both. So now I'm off to the KW dealership to see what happens.

Today was an epic 1.5 hours drive of 89 miles, with 0.4 hours On Duty time, totalling 1.9 hours for recaps next week.

More of the saga tomorrow....

20 January 2020 Update

Drove the 30 miles to the KW dealership in Blountville, TN to have the ABS problem checked out. The night shift manager took down all the info and I described the problem to him in detail. So he said, "Let me grab a couple things and maybe it's something easy and quick?" I'm all for that, so after about five minutes, we have the fuse box under the hood open. Ended up replacing two, 25 amp fuses, and everything now works as advertised. YAY! Did not even submit any paperwork to charge the company for the repairs, either. How many dealers do that nowadays? This is now my favorite Kenworth dealership.

PackRat, sounds like a good outcome on an otherwise pretty lousy day!

Always wondered how to actually check the ABS light on a trailer. My bad for not raising it sooner BUT...

Approximately 385 hours in CDL school, multiple driving instructors in class, training a total of 11 weeks with 3 companies and several trainers...

It was the very last trainer in my last week with my last company who actually showed me how to check for it by switching on the system power (by turning the key) while standing outside the truck and looking at the tail of the trailer!

Yes, the key to the "ON" position, look for the amber light to illuminate for three to five seconds, then go off.

Also listen around the cab for air and valves/switches cycling at least seven times as the ABS cycles through several self-tests.

If all of these do not happen, or if the ABS watning light is showing, and staying ON, in the instrument panel, there is a problem that needs to be checked out.

I'm loving this journey. How many miles are you averaging since switching over to CFI?

Yes, the key to the "ON" position, look for the amber light to illuminate for three to five seconds, then go off.

Also listen around the cab for air and valves/switches cycling at least seven times as the ABS cycles through several self-tests.

If all of these do not happen, or if the ABS watning light is showing, and staying ON, in the instrument panel, there is a problem that needs to be checked out.

I'm loving this journey. How many miles are you averaging since switching over to CFI?

I am so happy to read that somebody is following my rambles! Man, it has been slow, in my opinion. Here's my numbers:

November: 3,073 miles in 10 days driving.

December: 9,890 miles in 26 days driving.

January: 4,944 miles in 19 days driving (so far this month.

Totals are 17,907 miles in 55 days driving, for an average of just over 325 miles per day. I try to shoot for an average every day I'm out of 420 miles. I've been out this time since December 1st.

They keep me moving most days, baring mechanical problems, weather delays, or me being sick. I always am greedy and want more, though.