Comments By Farmerbob1

I am currently overnighting at my second Bronx delivery, and will be rolling out of NCY to my Somerset final tomorrow in the very early AM.

Here's an example of a pretty annoying few days, just to offer an example of the sort of thing that might happen on the road.

01/08/17 Made delivery to Wal-Mart DC in Ochelata. Typical Wal-Mart rural area DC, no legal parking within miles.

Managed to barely squeak in legally the morning after I arrived. The load wasn't preplanned. If it had been preplanned, I would have had zero issues being timely without needing to bust my ass. Having to start flat-footed when the Qualcomm message came in cost me at least 30 minutes, closer to an hour.

01/08/17 After sitting at DC for a couple hours, trying to get a load, I was chased out. I drove to Tulsa, to where there was a QuickTrip next to a truck wash.

The truck wash was quite possibly the slowest truck wash in the known universe. Two trucks in front of me took nearly two hours to be washed. My trailer washout took 20 minutes. And when I looked inside, it wasn't really a good job, though it was good enough.

While I was waiting in line at the world's slowest truck wash, and waiting for a load, I threatened my DM with bad poetry if I didn't get a load or at least deadhead instructions before I was done with the trailer washout.

I started composing Trucking Limerick #5, and finished it and sent it right as I rolled into the shed.

When I came out of the shed, I had deadhead instructions for Garden City, KS, so I stopped at the QT, got food and drinks, and rolled.

More wasted miles here. Tulsa is on the wrong side of Ochelata from Garden City.

A couple hours later, while I was en route to Garden City, I got a load assignment at 1255 PM.

I pulled into a Phillips 66 truck stop and accepted the load, and stared critical paperwork (for me - my load bible) and qualcomm entries (for the company.) I also took a few minutes to answer the call of nature.

After 20 minutes later I was rolling again, redirected from Garden City to Dodge City, National Beef.

The load was... a problem. I never refuse loads, but I made certain that my DM and the meat department were aware of the issues the load had.

Firstly, the load was supposed to have been rolling four hours before I was assigned to it, and it took me nearly six hours to arrive, drop my trailer, find the loaded trailer, and go to the Loves across the street and scale, answer the call of nature, and et some chicken tenders, which are one of few things I will eat when rolling.

So, I stared the load rolling slightly more than 10 hours after the load deadline when it should have been rolling. Worse, I only had 3.75 hours drive time on my clock.

I burned those drive hours, but only managed about 190 miles, because of how the truck stops were spaced on I-70.

When I stopped, I did the math.

The first drop of four drops was Schodak Landing, NY. Then I had two drops in the Bronx, and finally a last drop in Somerset, NJ

On 01/08 I shut down with 1519 miles to roll to first stop.

On the second day, the 9th, I would have around 900 miles to roll. On the third day, the tenth, I would have around 250 left.

That meant I would start on 01/11 @ around 0630 with 250 miles to drive, and three deliveries to make. The first stop wouldn't happen much before noon (cautious estimate) and the two Bronx deliveries would be SCARY. Rush hour NYC Bronx traffic entering the city.

I advised my DM and meat planner about y best cautious timetable. Appointment times had not yet been set.

On the morning of the 10th, the delivery appointments were pushed back a day, and set sanely. Schodack Landing on 01/12 @ 0700, and the two Bronx deliveries at 1200 and 1500. A bit tight but not terrible. The last Bronx stop has onsite parking.

All's good with the world now. I drive, knowing I'm no loner saddled with an ugly schedule.

Then I get repowered....

A guy doesn't have enough hours to finish a load going to Vineland NJ, then to Schenectady, NY.

Again, I do not turn down loads, and the miles weren't bad, and hey, I get to avoid two deliveries in the Bronx!

I take the load, run it, and make both deliveries on time, but I have to do an 2-8 split to make the second delivery on time.

At my final, at 0900 I am trying to score a deadhead or a short load, to use 11 hours on my clock before I shut down for a 34. I have 6.5 hours on my 11 and 8 on my 14. I have this much time because my 2-8 split from the other night rolled into a 2-8-2 double-split, giving me an extra hour back. that I had driven between my first 2 and my 8 of the night before.

Guess what. They want me to grab a repower from Schodack Landing. I advise that I have 6.5 hours on my clock, and ask where the load is going.

"Oh, two drops in the Bronx, then one in Somerset, NJ."

... ... ...

"Wasn't the driver I repowered to supposed to do a 34 and finish that load?" "Yes, but he's new, and screwed up his 34 with drive time. He couldn't recap enough time to finish the load."

((This is code for "The driver intentionally borked his 34 so he wouldn't be able to go into NYC."))

So, I rescued the first load, that had been abandoned by a driver that probably mysteriously got sick after seeing he was routed to NYC, picking it up late, and making sure the team knew exactly what the status of the trip was, so it could be fixed.

THEN I rescued a second load from a driver who ran out of hours, so he could do a 34 and finish my load on time.

THEN I bust my ass and get both Bronx deliveries to the receivers, rescuing the first load, a SECOND TIME.

Rick, I think he is saying his prior company provided per diem pay above and beyond wages, not automatically deducting per diem from taxable wages like I think most major carriers do.

That would make a big difference in how his taxes were handled. Especially if his current company completely ignores per diem and makes it the responsibility of the driver to calculate it.

Per Diem made completely the responsibility of the driver to calculate would make a very large difference in tax deducted from pay, but at the end of the year it might mean a very fat paycheck from Uncle Sam, if he didn't overclaim deductions to compensate.

I just accidentally found out rolling 8/2 split is possible. I had an early delivery this morning where I couldn't do a 10 hr. I decided to do an 8/2 split. When I went to start my day I had a lot more time available then I should have. I was trying to figure out why. While looking thru I had over 2 hrs at my receiver yesterday. So the Qualcomm automatically did an 2/8 split. After I ran out of hours today I shutdown to do my 10. After sitting for a couple hours off duty I checked my hours summary for giggles. It has already computed my available hours if I decided to roll out. I am still going to do my full 10, but I see where it could be very feasible to just keep a rolling 8/2 split going. Just go back and forth between 8 in the sleeper and 2 off duty. The way it worked out accidentally for me (if I chose to do it) would be getting 4-6 hrs back after each break.

I ended up needing to do a 2-8-2 instead of just a 2-8 like I mentioned above. It's been a fun last few days. I am starting a thread about what's happened, to give an example of the sort of crap drivers see every now and then.

I have noticed is that it's soooo much easier to back in next to a truck at night if they have their marker lights on. I want it to be easy to see my truck and trailer - so people are less likely to hit me!

So, I never turn off my marker lights unless on home time or if I am required to by a service facility. I even leave them on when I'm in the Stevens home yard.

I understand, im sure ill see worse on the road with people trying to get around me.

Yes. Yes, you will. Two days ago, I had a 25 foot unibody truck pass me on the right, barely skimming between me and another truck I was passing.

I watched the moron continue driving at a very high rate of speed, passing other cars and trucks like they were a NASCAR driver.

I'm definitely investing in a dash cam soon.

Scary moment!

Glad it's not as serious as it might have been, but it still sucks.

Did you know there is chicken in Slim Jims?

If you can't make fun of yourself, then you're missing something in life.

So at my previous job CRST, I was on per diem and never really noticed this but has anyone noticed a certain mileage that once you pass taxes really beat you down?

I get my settlement statements every Wednesday so today I noticed I really got taxed pretty hard and made less than I had when I ran less miles.. Just wanted to know if it's like that for others.

Not enough info to be sure what's going on, but I'll toss out two things that seem possible.

Sounds like you might have jumped into a new tax bracket.

OR

If you aren't having per diem expenses removed pre-tax from your income total, that will definitely make a big difference in taxes paid.

Making a living can be real hard.

When you're stuck in Tulsa on a yard.

It's also quite safe to say,

there is no possible way,

I can make a living as a bard