Time to get up and get this day started. I want to beat the traffic, or at least most of it going to Chicago IL/Gary IN. Anxious to get to the shipper , a regular customer, and then to Cedar Rapids, IA, then perhaps the two hour drive home from there. I'm at Rensselaer, IN on I-65. After taking my full break last night I'm leaving at o'dark thirty so I can get my day done earlier.
After I do my pre-trip, I leave my parking spot, head to the entrance, and turn onto the highway. The entrance ramps to I-65 are just ahead. Now that I am on I-65, I enjoy my coffee and do what drivers do...listen to that diesel engine and the tires on the highway which is music to my ears. I watch the gauges and mirrors while I plan the rest of the day. I'm about one hour from the shipper. I should be there about 30 minutes while getting loaded, take off, and then arrive at this time tomorrow in Cedar Rapids, IA. Yes, this is a doable plan. Oh happy day!!!!!
Suddenly my plans are destroyed. I see a road sign that says "Indianapolis [however many] miles". NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! This can't be happening! Someone is playing a joke by moving road signs, right??? As I approach an exit, there is another sign that says "Indianapolis [however many] miles". I am getting closer to Indy!!! I take that exit so I can turn around while I ponder how I could have done something this stupid. Now I am mad at myself and there is no one to blame but me. "Mama said there'll be days like this, there'll be days like this mama said. Mama said there'll be days like this when I should've just stayed in bed." Rarely do I get the directions messed up, and I still don't know exactly what happened. So I replay last night in my mind. As I exited the interstate to go to the truck stop for the night, I made a right turn onto the highway. I Pulled into the truck stop and all remembered that all I needed to do in the morning was turn right at the entrance ramp to head to Chicago. But all the parking spots were taken, so I had to go to the other truck stops to find a spot. I crossed over I-65 and did find a parking spot on the other side of the highway. I went to bed. When I got up, I kept reminding myself "turn right at the ramp" and so I did, totally forgetting I had crossed over I-65 the day before. IDIOT!!!! Now I am back at my starting point and I can see clearly now that the truck stop I stayed at was on the west side of the road. My stupidity has cost me about 1 1/2hrs. And now I'll be dealing with more traffic than I had planned. All went well at the shipper and the drive to Cedar Rapids, IA. My plan did work almost to the schedule I had come up with, just a wee bit later on the times. By the end of the day I was laughing at my stupidity, but it sure was not funny at the time!!
One day it will happen to you too. It's unfortunate, but the most important thing is that my day was completed safely - accident free. That is all that really matters in the end...being safe.
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
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