Well, What's In The News Today, "Back In The Saddle, Again!" Or "I'm Baaack!" Edition?
Topic 33458 | Page 1
Mr. C, That’s GREAT news! Score one for us old guys.
I hope this works out very well for you and sounds like a good gig. Is it by the mile or by the hour? Live loads or drop and hook?
Welcome back to the life!
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
Thanks, BK.
All no touch freight, the bulk are drop and hook with some live loads. Horror stories of three to four hour waits when loads aren't ready. The consolation is that all of us are hourly, even the regional folks, OT after 40 hours worked in a week. They run the 60hr clock. So far, seems a good gig.
And just gladly driving again. And the pay is WAY better than slinging pizza. 
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
Congratulations!
That sounds like a great opportunity for you. I hope it continues working well.
Welcome back, Curmudge. (Who am I to talk?) The Derb looks good. I'm considering either a derby or a porkpie myself. Maybe I'll go porkpie so no one confuses us. :-)
The latest: carrier apu a/c stops blowing cold air. I can idle the T680.to keep.cold, but have 14 hours before the drop, so took the $48 CDL special at railroad pass here in Henerson, NV. Clean room, dated property, but better than the alternative. AND i got a shower. And slept in a bed that wasnt vibrating. They give 20% off meals to CDL holders in the restaurant as well.
This will finish day four of the cycle, picking up in LV and heading back thru the Joshua Trees to phoenix area.
So far, impressions positive. The spine has not fired up, nor has the inflammatory arthritis. Blessings there.
The outfit is focused on ontime metrics, and if you stay focused it works out.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
Awesome news! Congratulations on your return to trucking.
Safe travels.
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Did a thing last week.
Got hired by an AFP (Amazon Freight Partner) based in Phoenix. Will be doing runs to south Cali, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, or El Paso areas. My first run will be tomorrow heading to San Bernadino, Highland, and a couple of other spots in CA. Out one day, back the next. Total of four days running. Then three-ish (it is Logistics, after all!) off. The runs are scheduled to provide enough time to get to destinations on time (all things being equal and subject to unforseen issues) without being a cowboy. So far, doing the two days of training and the one day solo local work (nigh onto 40 hours OD, with about 20 driving) the vibration doesn't seem to be affecting the neck / spine / inflammatory arthritis. The CNG automatic transmission is a challenge - no torque, just be patient, hang out on the right side of the roadway, and we'll get there. Governed at 65. Cameras facing the driver and outward, with constant monitoring of speed and other factors. Some will gripe about it. Me? If you're doing the right thing, you're doing the right thing. Their truck, their load, their pay, their rules. It's easy enough to factor that into the equation. At least for me.
I knew I missed this life. I just wasn't aware of how ACUTELY I had missed it.
You'll know me if you see me. I'll be the ONLY driver in the western states wearing a derby. If you see me, gimme a wave...