Profile For TCB

Thank you Miss Anne. And, may you have a wonderful day also.

Hi everyone,

I made it to Lexington Park, Md. to visit our daughter and son-in-law for a few days with my wife. Great visit but weather is not co-operating very much with a lot of rain. We will be heading back to Max Meadows, Va. on Tuesday stopping in Powhattan, Va. to check out another RV park that we might be interested in for next year. We'll be in the Wytheville, Va. area until the end of the month of June if anyone passes thru I-81 exits 77-80 for a meet and greet if anyone wants to.

I finally got to change my avatar with my son-in-laws help from the one given at sign up here on TT to my Ram and 5th wheel. It's better looking than me anyway. Stay safe y'all and hope to meet more members from TT on our summer journey.

Even on vacation, you have to be doing something 5th wheel involved.

I’ve been to Laredo several times. No issue. I’ve done a 34 at the Love’s on the west side and parked on a side street on the industrial side of town. No issues!!! The biggest issue in Laredo is nearly everything is cross docked. So if the Mexican trailer isn’t there, you are stuck sitting. Also, if you are with a company that sends it trailers across the border, you WILL be missing the glad hand seals on any trailer coming back from Mexico. Mexican drivers hoard them for some unknown reason.

I was going to mention the glad hand seal thing, lol. I always make sure I have extras if going to Laredo. Another thing that some companies require if you are dropping off a trailer to go across the border, is a trailer inspection report form. Basically, the companies want to make sure that the trailers comming back from Mexico are returned in the same condition, especially that the tires are in the same condition, and that newer tires are not changed out for older tires while down there. Ask you company if that is a requirement for you.

Google review link:

https://www.google.com/search?q=amazon+fulfillment+center+ftw1&source=hp&ei=8Fi6YK_YJemq0PEPzciS4AM&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYLpnAIg9VJh44D27kIsgsM2uBzAFTQAH&gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0TCovTDfOsUgxYLRSMaiwMDNJTUqxNDAzSUwxT0pOsTKoME9KNTIyMTNPtDQzsLCw9JJLzE2sys9TSCvNScvMyclNzStRSAYSqUUKaSXlhgAzehqo&oq=Amazon+Fulfillment+Center+FTW1&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADILCC4QxwEQrwEQkwIyBggAEBYQHjIFCAAQhgNQjxJYjxJg6C9oAHAAeACAAXGIAXGSAQMwLjGYAQCgAQKgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=gws-wiz#lrd=0x864ebd9064ad7bcd:0x7be22467a960889,1,,,

I have passed this facility several times, and have noticed a line of trucks outside of the gate around 1/2 mile long, waiting to get in. Out of curiosity, I decided to look at Google reviews for this location. It doesn't look good. Drivers are reporting waiting for 20 hours or more to get unloaded. They can't sleep, because they have to be ready to move one truck at a time. They are having to violate HOS because they have to be ready to inch their trucks up at any given time. Their are no facilities until you get to the gate, and there appears to be just one porta potty. If you are dispatched here, it might be a thing to consider. The address is, 33333 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Dallas, TX. I hope this info is helpful.

Sometimes, if you accept dispatch for a live load or unload that is already late, you might miss your appt. time and have to wait. I had to wait five hours once, before they started loading me, because I accepted a live load that was running late, and I missed the appt time. Also, some shippers and receivers are on a first come first serve basis. So, even if you have an appt. time, you might want to check. Also, check google reviews of shippers and receivers. Sometimes, that information is in the reviews.

My personal record for a dry van unload was at a Meijer DC some place in Michigan: 14 hours in the dock!

Longest time at a shipper for a scheduled appointment was 28 hours. I picked up a trailer that was a full day behind being loaded.

For me pulling dry vans, anything having to do with a grocer warehouse/DC makes me cringe.

PackRat, is that's the one in Lansing, the one with the many angled parking slots in front of the gate, most of them filled with trucks waiting their turn? I've been to that one. The wait to get in through the gait was about an hour. Fortunately, mine was a d&h, and I was in and out quickly once through the gate.

Moe,

I know how it is when money gets tight... If you will tell me how to get in touch with you I will send you a used truck gps..Rand Mcanally OD8PRO you will just need to get a mount for it, works good for me. I know how hard you have tried to get this going and will be glad to help, no strings attached! I purchased it for myself, then found another one for a good price, so now I have two, and only need one, it has the FM transmitter mount and charging cord just needs the suction cup. Has been updated as well. I was going to keep it for a backup but its yours if you can use it and will help you out! Itndoesmhave the built in cameras and sd card as well.

87Wrangler, that is very generous of you.

Always remember spacing and speed in city driving. I have been driving in So Cal traffic for 30 years, two of them CMV. It still makes me nervous. But, I guess nervousness keeps me alert, and I never let my guard down. I am usually the slowest on the roads in cities. Even the other truckers are passing me. Just keep your spacing far and speed down. Like Andrey said, study the route beforehand, so that you will know which lanes to be in and when. Let your intentions be known early via flashers and turn signals.

If you haven't gone solo or team yet, it's a good idea to sign up for the rewards programs from the major truck stops. That way, when you are asigned a truck, you will start collecting reward points with your first fueling. Even some mentors will allow you to use your rewards card when fueling their truck. These reward points can add up, and help you purchase items for your truck. It would take a very long time to save up enough points for a gps, but not too long for other items, such as a cb (another recommendation). The money saved for those items could be applied toward a gps.

Yes, you really should invest in a gps. Your company might advance you the money for purchase. A trucker specific gps can save you a lot of time and grief. Check with your company. Maybe they will be upgrading from a Qualcom to a tablet platform like many companies are. Maybe then, they will provide navigation. Even if they do, it is good to have a back up. If you are going to be driving back roads frequently, it will be very hard without a gps. If trying to save money, avoid eating out as much as possible. Hopefully, your truck will have a frig and inverter. You will save a lot of money preparing your own food. The amount of money that you save in one month of not eating out will help much in purchasing a gps.

Wishing you the best. I looked up Mayer, AZ on the map. It seems like a nice place, with it's 1,900 population and higher altitude. I am sure that you will enjoy. Like the others said, never hesitate about joining in a discussion here. Heck, it would be nice just to hear from you from time to time, even if it's not anything to do with trucking.

I have a dispatch from Bay Town TX. to Hurricane UT. Dispatch miles are 1361, but the route given to my by my Qualcomm is 1515 miles, which also includes pre determined fuel stops. My Garmin gave me a route of about 1620 miles. Google maps, car route is about 1396 miles. That's a difference of about 150 miles. My Atlas does show an alternative hwy., saving about 70 miles, but would take me off of my fuel route, and entail driving two lane back roads for about 380 miles with no fuel stops. It looks more treacherous, and according to google maps, would only save about 20 minutes driving by car. There must be a reason that my quallcomm and Garmin avoid that hwy. Should I expect to be compensated for the difference? It is a big difference. I have had many other dispatches with 40-60 miles discrepancies, and never said a thing. But, 150 miles is a lot, and it might keep me from making my fuel bonus. I have reached out to mu DM twice, via macros, with no response.

The 2 Seasons have started....Winter and BUGS!!

Picked up this mess in s.e. NE and n.w. MO. Had to stop and get them washed off.

Laura

Reminds me of South Florida, and the Love Bugs that swarm down there. They are so bad down there, that they cake up the windshield, making vision difficult. You can't use your wiper wash, it will just smear them. Some of the rest areas have sprayers to drive your truck next to, and wash the windshield. Not much help though. You must scrub them off at a truck stop.

I also see lines of evergreens planted along hwys, which is probably for the same purpose.

Snow fence

"I wish PackRat would add HIS two cents."

His two cents, or his ten page list of his toolbox.

G-Town and PackRat

Here's another one for you. I had just left the office in Twin Falls, when this pulled up to the red light.

Laura

Cabovers are pretty common on the Southern border. The ones driving around down there must have al least two million miles on them. Seems as if they would be noisy inside, due to the fact that the driver is sitting on top of the engine. I guess the driver has to lift the cab off of the engine compartment to do a pre-trip inspection. If I had to do that, all of the stuff in my sleeper would be rolling all over the place, lol.

Cave in Carthage MO

That floor is slick

Wiggled past this guy

Several maneuvers past him (til he moved

Easier to put in that hole

Time to leave

More Caves

It would be nice if they let you do your ten there during the summer. Should be nice and cool.

Were their names, Mama Karen and little Karen?