Thus Goes The Best Laid Plans Of Mice And Men

So I'm currently sitting at the Pilot truck stop just south of Morgantown West Virginia. My company let me loose out on the road this week. I tried to deliver to the Novelis Re-Roll Mill in Fairmont got to the mill a little after 07:00 A.M. and found out that the crain is down and maybe it will be operational by 3:00 P.M. so now I'm in a holding pattern. I still have to pick up a load of sheet rock at the Certaineed plant in Captina WV. Lucky my reload has an open pick up window so if I can get loaded sometime tonight I'll drive through the night and make my morning delivery in Syracuse and be done for the week.

I delivered to that Fairmont Novellis many times myself. Thankfully the crane was always operational. Rob D recently had similar delay as you. FWIW, that little mom and pop diner/restaurant down the road has some good eats, if covid hasn't shut them down.

Yes, Chris, welcome to the club. More than once I've arrived at the pick-up only to be told to come back in two hours - the load was not ready. However the total wait came to a whole 24 hours. I got no extra compensation. ("Detention" is only for time you are at a dock and if the guard shack doesn't give you a dock assignment, that clock doesn't start.)

That is a pain for sure. I’ve gotten held up a few times because the customer couldn’t hold the load. 2 weeks ago in st paul mn I got hung up 2 days plus everything was locked down. However unlike errol’s situation we get paid after 2 hours if we are on time, and that clock doesn’t stop till we are empty and leave.

Just make the best of it.

I called my FM and offered a solution. We have two yards within a 100 miles from where I'm now. I suggested that they re-route me to one of the yards drop this coil trailer off pick up an empty flat and I would go down to Captina WV and pick up my load and get on the road back to Syracuse I would be able to make it to the receiver tonight and still unload in the morning. The receiver allows over night parking. Hopefully the FM will take my suggestion into consideration. Got to admit I'm digging being back on the road and seeing different scenery than my regular dedicated run.

Chris, I love the way you handled that. It sounds like a great solution. Whether your manager agrees to it or not, you showed some initiative and some problem solving. That is one of the hallmarks of Top Tier Drivers. They can come up with solutions to the same difficulties that halt other drivers' progress.

I like seeing those qualities in a driver. It is far better than sitting and complaining. Being a part of the solution is commendable in this industry. There are always going to be difficulties and issues that arise to delay us. Being able to deal with them in a way that makes progress is always helpful.

Shoot, I'm at the first stop of a two stop load. Scheduled appointment of 0130, so I arrived at 0110.

"We don't have any forklift operators until maybe 0600."

I finally finished unloading 10 pallets at 0835.

Delays suck, but they're inevitable, especially with this ScamDemic for more than a year.

Turtle wrote:

I delivered to that Fairmont Novellis many times myself. Thankfully the crane was always operational. Rob D recently had similar delay as you. FWIW, that little mom and pop diner/restaurant down the road has some good eats, if covid hasn't shut them down.

The K&T Truck stop? I went by there this morning it was open at least the fuel pumps and parking I don't know if the restaurant is but it was busy at 07:00 A.M. If I ever get to come down this way again I'll make it a point to stop and check it out.

Yup, the K&T. Decent little place if you don't mind the old school atmosphere.

Still in a holding pattern. Checked in with my FM he wants me to stay put and deliver the coil today. So here I sit I actually called down to the mill and talked to the security guard at the gate the crain is still down so he took my phone number and will call me when the crain comes back up. One positive note I was able to finally get my external CB antenna mounted and calibrated. The internal CB antenna on the Freightliner's leave allot to be desired.