Comments By Larry T.

Walco. 2 failing batteries. On my second call to the trailer shop they had looked up the records. They weren't holding a charge and should have been red tagged by previous driver. 3 weeks back a trailer was brought to me in Jamestown ND. Sat there for 12 hours in -25. Got to my first store and it crapped out right away. Used handwarmers and a hairdryer to no avail. On my 3rd call to TMF they had 4 drivers in the Dakotas with liftgate issues. On my 4th call the issue was a mesh. It crystallizes in those temps and has to be removed. I was with a trailer that hadn't had that removed yet.

The past 7 weeks they've been relaying me everything. So I'm only averaging 3 loads a week, so I guess its sort of a break. lol. I guess it probably would make more sense to travel the 300 miles to Janesville to start my week and get/demand more miles but I don't care at this point.

Looking into McLane. Or maybe some local linehaul jobs.

What were the liftgate issues? Walco or one of the max pro? It wasn’t always possible but I did my best to learn how to fix as much liftgate stuff as I could on the fly because road breakdown didn’t seem to know crap or Sunday Evenings when we didn’t have anyone in the trailer shop

I was looking into transferring into another division within Schneider. It's just been a super rough time since Thanksgiving. Had 2 liftgate issues that cost me each over half a day. Got caught in 2 storms in the Dakotas that cost me 3 days. And then you add dealing with all the crap DG stores and employees. Just to much.

Managed to bring in $103k last year. That's with a 11 day, 7 day, and 8 day of unpaid unexcused absences.

Got away with that because I'm a runner. However with my old boss leaving without notice last month, and doing it to my new boss last week. Probably at my last straw.

Of course I'm starting back tomorrow heading from the Twin Cities to Dell Rapids SD in the storm, lol.

What about other driving options besides the DG account for you? There's a lot easier stuff out here for you.

Been trucking for about 17 month's. Pretty much at my ropes end with Dollar General. How long of a hiatus can I take from trucking before I'm listed as needing a refresher course or extra training?

I do consider myself a delivery driver. So not really sure what I want to go to.

Got my relay sent to me Monday night in Minneapolis to start my week. Going to Minot. Looks pretty nasty there. Could have made it to Fargo this morning. However with it being DG store deliveries I'd have to bring my light trailer back to Jamestown in the snow/ice and wind. Guess I'll head out tomorrow morning and see what happens.

Last night coming home in my 4 wheeler and it was an actual ice skating rink. It was below freezing but it was raining. By my house there is a sugar beet processing plant and there are trucks that hall from piles to the plant. One of the trucks towing a full length beet trailer plus a pup beet trailer jackknifed trying to take the normal exit they take. His pup trailer blocked the exit ramp and the tractor and other trailer took up both southbound lanes of I29. Sitting there in the car watching my rearview mirror with trucks stacked up in front of me and seeing more approaching was a little scary knowing the road conditions. After a little while someone attempted to make it around the tractor and was able to make it around, soon all the most of the vehicles followed and cleared the jam. I felt bad for the driver of the truck but without a heavy duty wrecker there was nothing anyone could do. The visibility was good, otherwise it could have been chain reaction crash as I was passed by a few semis and I was probably going to fast for conditions doing 35-40 mph.

Hey Papa Pig. It's in the middle of nowhere North Dakota. No trailer restriction or FD delivery. I slid my tandems forward all the time in the beginning but stopped due to gaining backing experience. I was overloaded and didn't even think of that.

A couple weeks back Schneider started a new pay structure. $100 a trailer. .48 cents a mile and $12.00 on duty pay. Got rid of the $100 3+ load a week bonus ,stop off pay, and $85 load pickup. They're doing a lot of 5 store runs and Pickups now of COURSE!!! I used to do a crap ton of off duty unload, thus allowing me to recap or get an extra load a week. I'm looking at earning around 103k this year. With this new pay structure I'd be lucky to hit 90k next year.

Is that store a mandatory and does it have a restriction size on it. To me that should be a 45 or 48 foot restricted trailer. It should say on the stop line of your paperwork. From looking at the overhead and then Seeing street view they either remodeled that store and changed the parking lot because I bet that they designed it originally to be driven around. I would not be surprised to see if that store wasn’t supposed a front door delivery at one point due to the safety reasons and that the dms weezled their way out of it. There isn’t FD anywhere on the paperwork is there?

Definitely the previous gentlemen have the correct advice for how I would approach it. But I would definitely bring it up to safety. That stop should be a front door mandatory delivery.They put those boulders there because trucks were having. I choice but to pull up in that area. I wouldn’t be surprised if many drivers hadnt ripped off a bumper there.

I had flatted out when my tandem s were at the store curb, then I pulled forward to get more straight and then began turning my tractor. Probably should have done several pull ups when I entered to store to get my trailer closer to the store for my setup.

This is where I ended up doing that the second time. Rocks were 2 inches from my passenger side tractor panel.

That curb is tempting to ride. Manager said fresh was there earlier and I saw his tandem marks on the curb. Wasn't taking the chance because with my luck I would have blown a tire.

I looked at google earth and I agree. That main entrance is nice and wide. Pull in turn right at the store and get the trailer started at an angle to get around the corner. If you don’t start the angle early you may not have enough front swing room for your tractor. Always always ask people to move vehicles that may be in the way. If they are parked in a manner as the white pickup back there, it is usually an employee.

Thank you for your great advice. My downfall is I get overloaded and forget things. Never thought of going straight in and then trying to create a better angle. I guess that's why you're the vet and I'm the rookie. lol

The first time there was an employee car in that first spot and another to the left of the white pickup. Second time it was all clear. It's like they knew I was coming or something? LOL.

First. There’s be no pickup parked there and if there were I’d ask them to move.

Then I think I’d straight back all the. Way in (staying close to the corner of the building….but not to close) and try to create a better angle to get around the building.

That eliminates the two rocks and if done correctly should get you closer to the doors.

The only other option is one of those “bendable” trailers…lol.

I had a back at a Target in Stamford CT. Early 6 am delivery so traffic wasn’t an issue.

I backed in off the street. Stopped. Got out and surveyed the dock area, the area around my tractor. We do double drop and hooks so I came up with a plan on where to drop everything while I switched trailers.

Then I proceeded to back in. It’s an underground parking/access road to the mall so there are curbs and pillars. I GOALED 4 times to make sure I was online with what I picture.

All this to say. 1. Develop a plan. 2. Execute said plan 3. Don’t do it fast, do it safely.

P.S. the landlord is a idiot to put those rocks there.

Yes, Off of main. . fiddled with getting it angled and close to the curb. Was already nervous because of the first time so I didnt want to jump the curb.

Your coming in off S Main, not Prospect correct? And backing around the back of the store where the white truck in your pic is?

DG in Velva North Dakota

What’s the address?

Those 2 rocks are now on the edge of pavement, fyi. lol

This has been my most difficult back while on the DG account for 14 months. I don't say that simply because this has been my only accident while on the account. Went back to store 2 weeks later and it still baffled me and I ended 150 feet from back door. So what would be your setup and thought process?