Rain, Trailer Issues, Traffic All In One Day. Saved By Dispatch.

Yesterday, I awoke to torrential rain and I was parked way in the back of the truck stop. I got soaked heading in to take my shower. The rain had stopped by the time I came out.

Had to be at my delivery, 20 minutes away by 06:00. I didn't get hours back until 05:20. Not fun. But I made it got in and got a door right away. This was at Anheuiser-Busch in Oklahoma City. You don't open your door, just back in and they open them. Only the second place I've been to like that. After getting unloaded, they want you to leave ASAP. There is a tiny Love's a few miles away, so I go there to wait for my next load. A few minutes later it comes in. Pick up at Cargill in OKC and take it to Waco. Drop hook on both ends. I had been to that Cargill a year ago and remembered it well. Can you say tight? Get there and my trailer is not ready. They have me back my empty into a door and wait. Three hours later it's done. Unhook from the empty and hook to the loaded I'm next to. This is a nice heavy load. I notice all the trailer tires are low and I may have an air leak. Off to the Petri I go. On the way to the Petro, the ABS light comes on. I get to the Petro, scale (I'm good) and check in with the shop. They are not busy, so I get right in. The tires just needed air and we couldn't find anything to make the ABS light come back on. I now have 30 minutes more on my clock for the day than the amount of time it will take me to get there.

Now the fun really begins. A few miles down the road the ABS light comes back on. I saw screw it and keep rolling. Right before I get to my fuel stop in Fort Woth, TX, the traffic starts. I fuel and there is a log jam of trucks trying to leave. Get out of there and it's rush hour traffic in Fort Worth. If I had hair, I would have pulled it all out. I got to my delivery with 6 minutes left on my clock. Drop that find my next trailer and PC about 4 miles to the truck stop. Now it's about 22:00 and I'm tired. I look at my dispatch. I have to be 8 hours away and can't make it. Plus I need to have the trailer registration faxed to me. Arrrggg!

I call dispatch with the earliest time I could get there and tell them when a relay would have to leave here. He says he will work on it and get back to me and send the registration.

I got a quick bite to eat while waiting for my fax. When, I got that I was heading back to the truck when he called me back. Here's the good part.

He says,"sorry to bother you. I was just filling out the email for the reason we couldn't make it on time. I guess you didn't see it's not due until the 6th." Yesterday was the 4th. My tired eyes only saw the time and not the date. I thanked him for being my eyes. Now, I could sleep late and be at my delivery on time.

It always pays to double check, which I didn't. All I wanted to do was sleep. Now, I'm well rested, I know where I will sleep tonight. I love our dispatch team.

Big Scott-Dispatchers if they have their salt in them can make or break a driver's day. Sounds as if you have a great dispatcher!

keep them eyes on the prize.

Robert D. (Raptor)

I love the dispatcher including night and weekend at CFI.

Big Scott- I don't remember ever seeing CFI out here in Sacramento, CA. before but it sounds as if you have a good home where you are. It doesn't matter who you work for it's the way you are treated and the way you in turn the wheels for the company. If you are happy and they are happy the way you work for them, then that's all that matters. After 8 years on disability, I re-start my career in 8 days. So this last week has been getting things ready to go, i.e. Boots, gloves, rain gear, warm weather stuff (just in case). Anyway, good to know you have a great company to work for.