My Prime Upgrade / First Month Solo Experience

Dennis not sure where you are (Michigan was last known location) or where you are headed, but many states do not have kingpin laws; meaning you can set the tandems where they need to be to scale legal. I have posted a chart of all the states kingpin law numerous times. Search on “kingpin law” and you’re likely to find it.

Dennis not sure where you are (Michigan was last known location) or where you are headed, but many states do not have kingpin laws; meaning you can set the tandems where they need to be to scale legal. I have posted a chart of all the states kingpin law numerous times. Search on “kingpin law” and you’re likely to find it.

G'Town, I save EVERY chart you post, haha! In this instance, I recall the whole thread.

Here ya go, Dennis! Yes, this is HUGELY useful. My driver/hubby has learned from this, as well!

Kingpin Laws

Best always, Dennis!

~ Anne ~

Thanks Anne! 😉🤙

I feel like I am riding along. Love it! Hammer down!

Thanks Anne! 😉🤙

Certainly!

Email in my profile, so I can send you Steakhouse GC's.. mean that!

~ Anne ~

Dennis, sorry to hijack!

Another one of G'Town's gems:

I feel like I am riding along. Love it! Hammer down!

IKR?? I literally have a pen/mechanical pencil and a small tablet in hand when Dennis does the diary. I flipping LIVE ALONG as well!

Can we say, Verisimilitude ?!?!??

Yeppers!

~ Anne too ~

"Verisimilitude"? Is that like Verklempt? Coffee talk!

5/26/22 - Day 14 Solo

Thank you G-Town and Momma Anne for the charts again. I have them from a similar discussion in my TNT diary. I’ll share some of my own later.

I started driving at 04:02 CDT back the 32 miles to my shipper’s trailer D&H yard arriving at 04:45 CDT. I was sent from there to the yogurt plant about 5 miles away in Reed City right on Main Street. No wonder they don’t want a lot of truck traffic to the plant.

I arrived to the plant at 05:02 CDT. I was docked about 05:15 and the unloading of two pallets was done by 05:40 CDT. The estimated weight removed was 2,477 lbs. The Right Weigh now showed 32.5k lbs, so good to go.

The shipper noted the load changes on the BOL along with a new seal number.

It took me awhile to get everything ready, update my macros and make a “live load” call to dispatch. Took a good 15 minutes to get the call answered.

I started driving towards my fuel stop at 06:19 CDT. A full 2h 17m of time off my 14h clock plus 49m off my 11h clock.

I arrived at my fuel stop in South Bend, IN at 09:35 CDT. I departed at 10:21 CDT and did not stop again until 16:49 CDT, when I parked for the night at my targeted rest area on I-65S mm60 near Horse Cave, KY. I had been racing my 11h clock and bladder to get parked with 27m remaining.

I’m parked 134 miles from my Loc 90 D&H for anytime on 5/27/22.

Summary Stats for 5/26:

Miles = 561 Driving = 10h 33m On Duty = 10h 59m Avg MPH = 53.1 70 Avail = 7h 35m + 8h 14m recap = 15h 49m for 5/27/22

During my last hour driving my next pre-plan trip came in. I’m glad it was sent early so I can trip plan it out before bed tonight to determine when I should start my 14h clock tomorrow.

My delivery tomorrow is flexible. I’ll need ~2.5 hrs to drive in plus 1-2 hrs to complete the D&H. My next Loc 01 shipper is 43 miles away in Goodlettesville, TN for a D&H from 14:00-15:02 EDT. So I’ll need to allow time for a trailer washout and reefer fuel prior to arrival.

There are two deliveries for this load. The Loc 02 is 332 miles (~6.6 hrs drive) in Springfield, OH for a live unload by 02:00 EDT 5/28. The Loc 90 delivery is 155 miles away in Hinckley, OH by 23:59 EDT 5/28/22.

A total of 530 dispatched miles. This will be an interesting trip plan challenge to meet the appointment times and fit in my breaks.

So, back to the topic of king pin laws,etc. I understand why the king pin law tables are in feet. 53’ trailers are not all manufactured the same. Prime tends to use Wabash trailers. I’ve seen a few Utility brand trailers.

The Wabash trailers all have a sticker by the tandems indicating which states have restrictions and which tandem pin hole is the maximum back counting from the front. The holes are spaced 6” Center to Center so can shift ~400lbs per hole (I’m sure to be corrected if I guessed wrong). My route was in Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Someone kindly marked this trailer with chalk so don’t have to count holes.

Dennis I commend you for doing the right thing and having the shipper rework your load. The devil is in the details. Nice job.

400lbs per hole for 6” on-center spacing is a good rule of thumb.

05/27/22 - Day 15 Solo

This was a rough day, I’m very tired tonight.

I made my delivery at Murfreesboro and grabbed an empty trailer. Got it washed out and reefer filled.

Arrived at my next Loc 01 at 13:30 CDT (appt 14:00-15:02 CDT) for a D&H. My trailer was still being loaded with ground beef. I dropped the empty and bobtailed outside of plant to wait.

Finally ready about 14:45. I picked up the loaded trailer and left the plant about 15:35 CDT. Parked nearby to complete paperwork.

Departed about 16:00 towards Springfield, OH. The traffic on I-65N from Goodlettesville was stop and go bumper to bumper due to construction for about 1.5 hours.

My FM messaged me to swap trailers with another driver at the Shepardsville Love’s at I-65 Exit 116.

I arrived there at 17:30 CDT with 30 minutes left on my 14h clock to drive. The other driver arrived by 20:00 CDT. We did the swap. I’m lucky to be parked here.

Now it appears that my electric power cord may be bad. I wasn’t getting left turn signal thru to the trailer. Road Assit had me to swap the cord ends around.

Then didn’t have any turn signals. I swapped the cord back around. Now no lights on left side of trailer.

The Love’s repair shop reopens at 07:00 tomorrow.

This trailer is another load of yogurt going to Murfreesboro by 12:00 tomorrow.

Hopefully can get the power cord issue resolved quickly so can make the 3+ hours drive in time. The road construction was bad both directions today on I-65. Maybe will be shutdown for the holiday weekend.

Correction I arrived here to stop at 19:30 not 17:30. My break ends at 05:30 CDT. The repair shop opens at 06:00 CDT.