Beginning New Career With PTL. (A Diary)

Arrived at receiving in Atlanta at 0600. I made sure I got here before rush hour but I kinda forgot about the 100 mph OMG I have to get to 285/75/85/20 before 6:58 am traffic which I caught full force. Receiver doesn't unload til 0800 and I already have a new load picking up this evening bound for Philly. I've already done this exact run before so I know for fact the shipper won't give me the load until around 2030 so I'm gonna go visit my CDL school and show off my 2013 pro star then go to the house and surprise the old lady. So Jody, if you're reading this it's time to make tracks.

Forgot to mention, 5367 miles this week. Not gonna t- call any loads today because the mileage would be negligible and I'm satisfied with this weeks progress.

Forgot to mention, 5367 miles this week. Not gonna t- call any loads today because the mileage would be negligible and I'm satisfied with this weeks progress.

5367 miles!?

5367 to the truck.

Ah

that I don't build one more iota of character in the next 15 years

You may not need more character but you have a blockbuster of a book about trucking "experiences" in the making . . . I love to read funny stuff and you've put down some of the funniest . . . you still have a little ways to go to catch Anchorman in just sheer volume, though . . .

Jopa

Locust Grove, Ga. Home Depot Direct. Where good weeks go to die. Instead of going home like id planned, I got a message over QC that trailer was due for inspection. On way to get inspection , it develops an ABS issue. So i call back maintenance and they get me appt. to have trailer ABS looked at. On way to trailer shop, dispatch asks me to get the trailer to HDD ASAP. Tell them it has issue with ABS. They actually sent me a message to drop the trailer ASAP and then go get ABS looked at. Still scratching my head over that one. Get to HDD and the guard actually shows me the email he sent out last week to PTL telling them they were not allowed to drop empties until 2100. So as I'm leaving the guard comes sprinting after me. I need a little relief at this point so I pretend not to see him for a quarter mile or so. So when I finally stop this out of breath guard tells me they desperately need this trailer now. Without asking the 7 million smart alek questions that entered my mind, I entered and dropped the MT. While dropping i see my preloaded. Ask outbound can I take it ( I already know they won't let me but decide to play dumb) and sure enough this strict 2100 policy rears it's head again. Just FYI, if you're ever sent here and have to deal with this 2100 policy, show up at 1900. They will try to run you off. Develop a mechanical problem, get stuck, play deaf and dumb etc. If you come back at 2100 there will be a line of about 50 trucks you will have to wait behind. I'm currently first at the gate and my truck will not start ( because I won't push the clutch in lol). As far as guard is concerned, a mechanic is on his way. I've got the hood up and everything. When the time comes ill miraculously find the problem and save the day.

Scott, you are a natural born trucker! That's how you make money at this stuff folks, you've go to be creative and witty to outsmart the ridiculous obstacles that keep rearing their heads. Anytime you can outsmart the system, do it. I can't even begin to tell you how many times a week I have to get creative like this - if you can be on top of your game like this everyday you will make substantially more money than the folks who just get sucker punched day after day.

Worked like a charm. One thing my trainer taught me was play stupid. People will naturally assume that you really are stupid because you drive a truck. (And they work in a guard shack lol) Nothing is more tedious than dealing with someone took dumb to take basic direction so they will let you do what you will rathan try to fight the power of stupidity. Once they let you have your load and you're gone, that is the time to briefly tell him the difference between Special and General Relativity and point out the flaws of the cosmological constant. Thanks for the compliments Old School. From now on, whenever I'm playing stupid I'll think of you.

Worked like a charm. One thing my trainer taught me was play stupid. People will naturally assume that you really are stupid because you drive a truck. (And they work in a guard shack lol) Nothing is more tedious than dealing with someone took dumb to take basic direction so they will let you do what you will rathan try to fight the power of stupidity. Once they let you have your load and you're gone, that is the time to briefly tell him the difference between Special and General Relativity and point out the flaws of the cosmological constant. Thanks for the compliments Old School. From now on, whenever I'm playing stupid I'll think of you.

I do that all the time! I also crunch my back while walking to indicate old age. Just playin' Old School.