"I don't know what it is you're doing, but it sure as hell AIN'T professional truck driving!" - me
There was a horrible accident two weeks ago (Fri., 4/6): A Wisconsin driver, coming up on 94 West through Chicago (by the way, we call it the Dan Ryan and Kennedy Expressways), got cut off by an SUV, hit a concrete pillar, rolled the truck, which burst into flames, killing the driver. It happened about 4:15 in the morning. I was in the city delivering at the time, so I didn't see the accident, but caught some of the aftermath while travelling eastbound around 7:30. I had a helper with me, and we were heading out to the far southern burbs to do our final delivery of the day. He quick turned on the radio, to get more details on the crash. All I could see, besides the bumper-to-bumper traffic in front of me, was the rolled-over trailer (yep, bright orange plate - WI). The truck was basically unrecognizable; we looked over in horror, at about 10mph, as crews cleaned up the scene. Needless to say, westbound traffic was backed up for miles. Traffic at that time on Friday morning is bad enough, and we were glad to make it through without too much trouble.
Now, let me just say that I'm sorry it happened - my sympathies go out to the driver's famly; however, these guys from Wisconsin (yes, Cheese-dicks) and points further north, wanting to avoid paying those "darn tolls" on 294 (the Tri-State), use the Ryan/Kennedy to come through the city. That's bad enough, ('cause, even at midnight, there's a bunch of 'em) but they drive "balls to the wall." They come flying through the Ryan construction zone (speed limit is 45) at
I dunno how fast. I mean, look, I'm not a prude; you don't HAVE to go 45 the whole time, but I just stay to the right and let 'em go. I'm sure the accident was the fault of the four-wheeler (I'm not sure of the percentage, but most accidents involving four-wheelers and trucks are the four-wheelers' fault), but I'm equally sure the truck was driving too fast. In fact, I'd bet money on it.
Here's a hint, all you Cheese-dicks out there: if you're tailgating a four-wheeler (and most of them fly!) you're driving too damn fast! It shouldn't take an accident for people to get the message, but you want to know the sad truth? Most of 'em won't. They'll just keep doing what they're doing, and forget about this driver, his family, even the driver of the four-wheeler (don't know what happenened to that person). How many more people will completely ignore the rules, and wind up crispy critters on the pavement? It's mind-boggling to me.
Anyway, that's my rant for the moment. By the way, I left the last post (Marissa) up for a couple weeks, because I wanted it to be viewed by as many as possible, maybe even her. Actually, I sent her a hard-copy in the mail, so maybe she'll actually read it, I dunno.
So, I've been going up to Cheeseland for the past couple of weeks (Green Bay- haven't run into Brett Favre, though, lol) It's a pretty nice drive, once you get past all the congestion in Milwaukee. Other drivers complain about Chicago, and how congested it is. I'm from there, so I actually have a clue as to how to get around. But places like Milwaukee (St. Louis is the worst I've run into) kind of piss me off. I was doing a route up there last summer, and I remember they closed the expressway down for several miles (how the fuck do you justify closing an interstate down?). Not only that, the detour was all fucked up; I couldn't, for the life of me, find my way back to the friggin' highway. I thought I'd never get out of Beerfart, er, Milwaukee.
And, like with most big cities now, they've got it under construction again. In Chicago, the saying used to be "We got two seasons here, winter and construction season," but now it seems like it's construction season all year round. Anyway, my route is pretty bearable; sometimes after my deliveries, I do a pickup or two, then head back home. Hell, now they're talking about sending me back out Marissa's way (Des Moines), which I obviously wouldn't mind one bit (wink!). In my line of work, nothing is constant but change. Speaking of pickups, I'm not the biggest fan of backhauls: I mean, I've busted my ass for two days, and now I have to clean out the trailer (dumping my shit into someone else's dumpsters - always had a problem with that), stack the pallets nice and neat, pre-cool the trailer, especially in summer, and do the damn pickup. Then, of course, you deal with the weight issues, because, in their sweet, backward fashion, Wisconsin doesn't use pre-pass, and I have not one, but two scales to deal with (Manitowoc and Racine).
Granted, my loads aren't usually that heavy, so I don't worry too much; I guess it's just the principle of the whole thing that bugs me. I'm doing not only my job (food service delivery), but
a trucker's job too (bumping docks, scaling, etc.). So we shall see how this pans out; whether I stay going up to Cheeseland or go back out to central Iowa - I will keep you all posted.
More soon,
Steve
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Lovely Marissa
"Once you seep in, under my skin, there's nothing in this world that could wash you away..."
Limp Bizkit "Eat you Alive"
Happy Easter, Everyone! This one is a bit difficult for me, because there are some emotions here that I'm still sorting through. What can I tell you about Marissa? Sounds like something from "The Sound of Music," doesn't it? All I'm going to say for now is that she works at a truckstop in Des Moines. I don't want her to catch too much hell for this. If you're a driver, and you visit the Des Moines area on a regular basis, you may have already run into her. See, I've seen my share of truckstop waitresses, and, with the exception of only a couple, they seem to be
middle-aged women, somewhat surly, most are not particularly attractive. Maybe they work because they have kids to support, maybe they're married, maybe not. And I'm sure they've
heard every "line" in the book from all you a-holes. Yeah, the first one I "noticed" was at the Worlds Largest Truckstop in Walcott, IA - I'll call her Susan. She was beautiful, friendly, very good waitress, and I would look foreward to seeing her every week (don't remember what day).
She must have been in her early 30's, with a couple of kids. Then one day I go in there and it's "She doesn't work here any more..." Oh shit! I didn't get a chance to...
Now comes Marissa (obviously not her real name). I first met her probably late spring/early summer of '06. You know how, when you see someone on a regular basis, but don't really "notice" them for several weeks, or even longer? That's the way it was with Marissa. I would go in there on Wednesdays, and yeah, she's beautiful and all, but I didn't really notice her until I started talking to her. See, there's where the problems started, I think, because I was immediately attracted to her. She is charming, clever, witty, great sense of humor, and sharp as a damn tack! She could match wits with me, line for line, and even make me look foolish - and I went to college, for Chrissakes! That really impressed me. Any questions I had about the place and their policies, she knew right off the top of her head. Those are the qualities that just knocked me out. I mean yeah, there was that killer smile, that jet black hair, her beautiful face. She has this accent, like Southern California, but I never got a chance to ask her if that's where she's from. I'd come in after a grueling trip out there, and I'd get a double shot: first the air conditioning would hit you, then that smile. It was like being shot with a laser. My old heart could barely stand it, lol.
Anyway, things went on like this for a while; I'd wake up Wednesday mornings in Rockford and think "Damn, today's the day I get to see Marissa (whooppeee!)" Hell, I'd bust my ass even
harder, so I could get my work done faster, so I could see her sooner. Is that insane, or what?
And it was sort of anti-climactic; I'd go in there, and she'd be so damn busy, I couldn't get but
30 seconds of her time ("sound bites," as I came to call them), and then my hour-long dinner would be over, and time to try and get some sleep. I'd try to eat slower and stuff, but you know, I still had to make it back to Chicago. Otherwise, I'd sit at the damn counter all night, just so I could watch her, ya know? The way she made those desserts, I'd think "Damn, I wish she'd pour chocolate on me like that!" (just kidding) And I'd walk in there and she'd say "Oh yeah, it's Wednesday..." like I became her personal calender or something. So I started falling for this young woman, and I mean hard. I pulled some really stupid moves, that, looking back, I don't know what the fuck I was thinking about. The first of these was over the holidays and, yep, you guessed it, I got her a Christmas present. It wasn't really that big or much, whatever, but that was probably the beginning of the end. See, I was trying to get close to her, establish some sort of a connection that could possibly lead to a friendship, but she would have none of it. The "chemistry"that I thought we shared was just in my mind, and it's a hard thing to accept now, because I could have sworn she felt it too, although she never let on. And it's not that I ever "wanted"anything, you know, physical, from her. I mean, I'm a married man, probably twice her age. Like Susan, she has many admirers, not that I ever felt "jealous" or in competition with any other truckers. I just wanted to talk with her, get to know her a little better; but to do that, I needed some of her time. That was the one commodity she absolutely would not share. In fact, she shared only what she wanted you to know about her, nothing more. I think part of that smile and attitude is from training, so they can get a bigger tip, I dunno. But I would always tip her more, just 'cause I liked her, and she really did do a wonderful job.
One time, I even offered to walk her to her car (how scary is that?) after she got off work. So, I'm standing outside, waiting for her to come out, and I'm thinking "Steve, what the FUCK are you doing?" And just then, I kid you not, a black cat walked past me. I was like "I gotta get outta here." That foolish and immature act, I think, is what turned her off to me for good. After that, even though I apologized, her smile didn't seem quite as dazzling. There were days when I'd go in, and she barely said "boo" to me. So I'm really kicking myself for that one. I don't know what the hell came over me.
So, now it's time to say goodbye. There were several weeks where I thought it was the end, when in fact, it wasn't. I'd say "Good luck, I'll miss you, have a nice life..." and she'd laugh and say "You make it sound as if you're dying." In a way, part of me was. Now it's over, and I have regrets, just like with Susan. I wish I'd had the chance to say some things, something that would maybe change her mind about me, but, I guess I'll never know. I gave her my number and everything, but she hasn't called, and now I realize that she never will. I mean, why would she?
What would she want with an old bastard like me? I'm just another trucker to her, just another customer, just another tip.
To Marissa: Hey, sweetie! I hope you get a chance to read this. Listen, I wanted to say "Thank you again for everything." You have been absolutely wonderful to me. I'm really sorry for behaving like a jerk in the past, and I hope you can forgive me. I never meant to make you uncomfortable. I sure wish I had had the chance to know you a little better. I think you are one of the most amazing people I've ever met in my life, and I know you'll succeed in whatever you decide to do. So good luck, have a nice life, and yes, I will miss you terribly. If it sounds as if I'm dying, it's because part of me is. If you ever have a change of heart (they say "absense makes the heart grow fonder") you know how to reach me. I will never forget you.
More soon,
Steve
Limp Bizkit "Eat you Alive"
Happy Easter, Everyone! This one is a bit difficult for me, because there are some emotions here that I'm still sorting through. What can I tell you about Marissa? Sounds like something from "The Sound of Music," doesn't it? All I'm going to say for now is that she works at a truckstop in Des Moines. I don't want her to catch too much hell for this. If you're a driver, and you visit the Des Moines area on a regular basis, you may have already run into her. See, I've seen my share of truckstop waitresses, and, with the exception of only a couple, they seem to be
middle-aged women, somewhat surly, most are not particularly attractive. Maybe they work because they have kids to support, maybe they're married, maybe not. And I'm sure they've
heard every "line" in the book from all you a-holes. Yeah, the first one I "noticed" was at the Worlds Largest Truckstop in Walcott, IA - I'll call her Susan. She was beautiful, friendly, very good waitress, and I would look foreward to seeing her every week (don't remember what day).
She must have been in her early 30's, with a couple of kids. Then one day I go in there and it's "She doesn't work here any more..." Oh shit! I didn't get a chance to...
Now comes Marissa (obviously not her real name). I first met her probably late spring/early summer of '06. You know how, when you see someone on a regular basis, but don't really "notice" them for several weeks, or even longer? That's the way it was with Marissa. I would go in there on Wednesdays, and yeah, she's beautiful and all, but I didn't really notice her until I started talking to her. See, there's where the problems started, I think, because I was immediately attracted to her. She is charming, clever, witty, great sense of humor, and sharp as a damn tack! She could match wits with me, line for line, and even make me look foolish - and I went to college, for Chrissakes! That really impressed me. Any questions I had about the place and their policies, she knew right off the top of her head. Those are the qualities that just knocked me out. I mean yeah, there was that killer smile, that jet black hair, her beautiful face. She has this accent, like Southern California, but I never got a chance to ask her if that's where she's from. I'd come in after a grueling trip out there, and I'd get a double shot: first the air conditioning would hit you, then that smile. It was like being shot with a laser. My old heart could barely stand it, lol.
Anyway, things went on like this for a while; I'd wake up Wednesday mornings in Rockford and think "Damn, today's the day I get to see Marissa (whooppeee!)" Hell, I'd bust my ass even
harder, so I could get my work done faster, so I could see her sooner. Is that insane, or what?
And it was sort of anti-climactic; I'd go in there, and she'd be so damn busy, I couldn't get but
30 seconds of her time ("sound bites," as I came to call them), and then my hour-long dinner would be over, and time to try and get some sleep. I'd try to eat slower and stuff, but you know, I still had to make it back to Chicago. Otherwise, I'd sit at the damn counter all night, just so I could watch her, ya know? The way she made those desserts, I'd think "Damn, I wish she'd pour chocolate on me like that!" (just kidding) And I'd walk in there and she'd say "Oh yeah, it's Wednesday..." like I became her personal calender or something. So I started falling for this young woman, and I mean hard. I pulled some really stupid moves, that, looking back, I don't know what the fuck I was thinking about. The first of these was over the holidays and, yep, you guessed it, I got her a Christmas present. It wasn't really that big or much, whatever, but that was probably the beginning of the end. See, I was trying to get close to her, establish some sort of a connection that could possibly lead to a friendship, but she would have none of it. The "chemistry"that I thought we shared was just in my mind, and it's a hard thing to accept now, because I could have sworn she felt it too, although she never let on. And it's not that I ever "wanted"anything, you know, physical, from her. I mean, I'm a married man, probably twice her age. Like Susan, she has many admirers, not that I ever felt "jealous" or in competition with any other truckers. I just wanted to talk with her, get to know her a little better; but to do that, I needed some of her time. That was the one commodity she absolutely would not share. In fact, she shared only what she wanted you to know about her, nothing more. I think part of that smile and attitude is from training, so they can get a bigger tip, I dunno. But I would always tip her more, just 'cause I liked her, and she really did do a wonderful job.
One time, I even offered to walk her to her car (how scary is that?) after she got off work. So, I'm standing outside, waiting for her to come out, and I'm thinking "Steve, what the FUCK are you doing?" And just then, I kid you not, a black cat walked past me. I was like "I gotta get outta here." That foolish and immature act, I think, is what turned her off to me for good. After that, even though I apologized, her smile didn't seem quite as dazzling. There were days when I'd go in, and she barely said "boo" to me. So I'm really kicking myself for that one. I don't know what the hell came over me.
So, now it's time to say goodbye. There were several weeks where I thought it was the end, when in fact, it wasn't. I'd say "Good luck, I'll miss you, have a nice life..." and she'd laugh and say "You make it sound as if you're dying." In a way, part of me was. Now it's over, and I have regrets, just like with Susan. I wish I'd had the chance to say some things, something that would maybe change her mind about me, but, I guess I'll never know. I gave her my number and everything, but she hasn't called, and now I realize that she never will. I mean, why would she?
What would she want with an old bastard like me? I'm just another trucker to her, just another customer, just another tip.
To Marissa: Hey, sweetie! I hope you get a chance to read this. Listen, I wanted to say "Thank you again for everything." You have been absolutely wonderful to me. I'm really sorry for behaving like a jerk in the past, and I hope you can forgive me. I never meant to make you uncomfortable. I sure wish I had had the chance to know you a little better. I think you are one of the most amazing people I've ever met in my life, and I know you'll succeed in whatever you decide to do. So good luck, have a nice life, and yes, I will miss you terribly. If it sounds as if I'm dying, it's because part of me is. If you ever have a change of heart (they say "absense makes the heart grow fonder") you know how to reach me. I will never forget you.
More soon,
Steve
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Iowa, pt. 2
"People on 'ludes should not drive, huhh, huhhhhhh...." Jeff Spiccoli (Sean Penn), in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
So, I've had my adventures out there in Iowa, but nothing really spectacular or out of the ordinary. Other than the "reefer" troubles I've mentioned before, the one that sticks out in my mind is the time I almost got caught in a blizzard. By the way, if you are from the State of Iowa, or have a particular affinity for that state, please don't be offended by my remarks here. I really have nothing against Iowa at all. In fact, they've treated me quite nicely out there, unlike other states (Michigan, et al). Yeah, so I have a special delivery up by Mason City (about an hour north of Des Moines on I35), and all goes pretty smoothly. This must be about January, and they're predicting some heavy weather, but it hasn't hit yet. I think "No big deal..." So I get done, and I'm running out of time. The only truckstop around was this dinky little place, but I have no choice, so I stop. They have a restaurant, and I eat, go into the berth, my regular routine. I wake up about 3 in the morning, and there's like 2 feet of snow on the ground. Great.
The bigger problem is the store doesn't open til 5 or something, and I'm Jonesing for coffee - I HAVE to have my coffee in the morning, no matter how bad it is. I remember I had to rock the truck just to get outta there, and I head south. I was lucky to even get back onto the highway, because they have these gates at the exit ramps, when they shut down the interstates. Maybe someone forgot, I dunno, or I just made it outta there, but it was blowing and drifting real good.
I remember passing a Flying J on the way, so I pull in there, 'cause I'm really hurting for coffee right now, find a hole, pull in (now I gotta back out), and go get my coffee. It was pretty harrowing, but you just keep your composure, take it easy, and it all works out in the end. By the time I got back to Des Moines, not a drop of snow on the ground. That was actually the worst experience I've had out there, and that wasn't too bad. I've heard of guys being stranded for hours, even days, when they close the roads. I'm talking Minnesota, Nebraska, etc. Those gates on the exit ramps really surprised me, though. I'd never seen that before.
So, here are my impressions of the towns of Iowa, at least those I've been to: Dubuque, nice, small city, right on the Mighty Miss., I'm not a big fan of hills, though, especially in winter, so I don't think I'd want to live on a "bluff". Very pretty, scenic, even. Waterloo, again, nice little city
I deliver to, I don't really go through the heart of the town, so I can't comment on the town as a whole, but it seems nice. Lots of college cuties from UNI (University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, "sister city"?). Anyway, there's a Ryder right there in Cedar Falls, and I used to deliver a couple of stores over there, so I kinda know my way around. See, my impression is that a lot of Iowa is pretty "white bread," (as most of the Midwest is) you know, a lot of white people, lots of farmers, not too much in the way of trouble, crime, etc. I may be wrong, and I'm sure there are trouble spots, especially in the bigger towns, but most of the places I've delivered to (malls and strip malls), I just keep the truck running, do my delivery, no problems. I mean, the biggest challenges I've faced out there are just dealing with other truck traffic. Shit, if that's the only problem I ever have, I'll be a happy man! Now Cedar Rapids ("Smelly Town," as I call it); I'm sure it has some nice ares, suburbs, whatever, but the smell! OMG! I think of that song by the Police ("Factories belching filth into the air...) I dunno what kind, I think there's at least one or two chemical plants, a food processing plant or two, maybe even paper mill, but God, I don't know how people can live there, honestly! It's that yeasty, sulphury smell that makes ya wanna hurl! I shouldn't complain too much, I only had to deliver there once every other week.
Des Moines, the largest city, and capitol, again very nice. I've had no problems there, either. There's traffic, but hell, there's traffic everywhere nowadays. People drive just about the same as they do in Chicago (badly!) Ya know, I think ,there's corn, then Des Moines, then corn. It does seem to be growing, judging by all the new construction, and probably a nice place to live. Anyway, the people I've met and dealt with have all been pretty terrific out in Iowa, so kudos to you! They're changing my route, so I won't be "penetrating" into the state westward as I've done. I'll just be going from Dubuque, down to the Quad Cities, then back to Chi-town (nobody ever calls it that, by the way). Then, in place of my local city route, they're sending me back up to Cheeseland! You know what state that is, don't you? Or do I have to spell it out? LOL
More soon,
Steve
So, I've had my adventures out there in Iowa, but nothing really spectacular or out of the ordinary. Other than the "reefer" troubles I've mentioned before, the one that sticks out in my mind is the time I almost got caught in a blizzard. By the way, if you are from the State of Iowa, or have a particular affinity for that state, please don't be offended by my remarks here. I really have nothing against Iowa at all. In fact, they've treated me quite nicely out there, unlike other states (Michigan, et al). Yeah, so I have a special delivery up by Mason City (about an hour north of Des Moines on I35), and all goes pretty smoothly. This must be about January, and they're predicting some heavy weather, but it hasn't hit yet. I think "No big deal..." So I get done, and I'm running out of time. The only truckstop around was this dinky little place, but I have no choice, so I stop. They have a restaurant, and I eat, go into the berth, my regular routine. I wake up about 3 in the morning, and there's like 2 feet of snow on the ground. Great.
The bigger problem is the store doesn't open til 5 or something, and I'm Jonesing for coffee - I HAVE to have my coffee in the morning, no matter how bad it is. I remember I had to rock the truck just to get outta there, and I head south. I was lucky to even get back onto the highway, because they have these gates at the exit ramps, when they shut down the interstates. Maybe someone forgot, I dunno, or I just made it outta there, but it was blowing and drifting real good.
I remember passing a Flying J on the way, so I pull in there, 'cause I'm really hurting for coffee right now, find a hole, pull in (now I gotta back out), and go get my coffee. It was pretty harrowing, but you just keep your composure, take it easy, and it all works out in the end. By the time I got back to Des Moines, not a drop of snow on the ground. That was actually the worst experience I've had out there, and that wasn't too bad. I've heard of guys being stranded for hours, even days, when they close the roads. I'm talking Minnesota, Nebraska, etc. Those gates on the exit ramps really surprised me, though. I'd never seen that before.
So, here are my impressions of the towns of Iowa, at least those I've been to: Dubuque, nice, small city, right on the Mighty Miss., I'm not a big fan of hills, though, especially in winter, so I don't think I'd want to live on a "bluff". Very pretty, scenic, even. Waterloo, again, nice little city
I deliver to, I don't really go through the heart of the town, so I can't comment on the town as a whole, but it seems nice. Lots of college cuties from UNI (University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, "sister city"?). Anyway, there's a Ryder right there in Cedar Falls, and I used to deliver a couple of stores over there, so I kinda know my way around. See, my impression is that a lot of Iowa is pretty "white bread," (as most of the Midwest is) you know, a lot of white people, lots of farmers, not too much in the way of trouble, crime, etc. I may be wrong, and I'm sure there are trouble spots, especially in the bigger towns, but most of the places I've delivered to (malls and strip malls), I just keep the truck running, do my delivery, no problems. I mean, the biggest challenges I've faced out there are just dealing with other truck traffic. Shit, if that's the only problem I ever have, I'll be a happy man! Now Cedar Rapids ("Smelly Town," as I call it); I'm sure it has some nice ares, suburbs, whatever, but the smell! OMG! I think of that song by the Police ("Factories belching filth into the air...) I dunno what kind, I think there's at least one or two chemical plants, a food processing plant or two, maybe even paper mill, but God, I don't know how people can live there, honestly! It's that yeasty, sulphury smell that makes ya wanna hurl! I shouldn't complain too much, I only had to deliver there once every other week.
Des Moines, the largest city, and capitol, again very nice. I've had no problems there, either. There's traffic, but hell, there's traffic everywhere nowadays. People drive just about the same as they do in Chicago (badly!) Ya know, I think ,there's corn, then Des Moines, then corn. It does seem to be growing, judging by all the new construction, and probably a nice place to live. Anyway, the people I've met and dealt with have all been pretty terrific out in Iowa, so kudos to you! They're changing my route, so I won't be "penetrating" into the state westward as I've done. I'll just be going from Dubuque, down to the Quad Cities, then back to Chi-town (nobody ever calls it that, by the way). Then, in place of my local city route, they're sending me back up to Cheeseland! You know what state that is, don't you? Or do I have to spell it out? LOL
More soon,
Steve
Monday, March 26, 2007
Bumble-whaa?
"keep rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'..." Limp Bizkit, Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)
I've been doing this Iowa route now for about a year, year and a half. It's hard to remember.
They've changed things around on me quite a bit; adding stores, pickups, now we're losing a
customer, which means they're changing it around again, making it a two instead of three-day
run. My first day will be basically the same: six company-owned pizza stores out in the west-northwest burbs, ending up in Rockford. I can usually get 'em all done in 12 hours or so, sometimes more or less, depending on the volume of product ordered. These managers at the company stores, I wonder about them sometimes. I'll walk in, and they have stuff (flour, for example) stacked to the ceiling, yet they've ordered 35 or 40 more. WTF? But I try not to ask too many questions. Once, though, I delivered 140 bales of flour to this one store - they really pissed me off that week. And see, some of the stores get 2 deliveries a week, so, I dunno, just
idiotic behavior, I guess. The company stores (unlike the franchises) don't care, because they're not paying for anything, so they just order as much as they want, and nobody even raises an eyebrow.
Anyway, I'm shut down in Rockford for quite a while. See, if I start Monday night at 11:00 or so,
I'm done and at the truckstop by 10:30-11:00 Tuesday morning. Shit, I don't have to be in Dubuque till 8:00 Wednesday morning. So, it's about 17 hours or so in the sleeper. My bosses
were giving me a hard time about all the "idle time" (they're constantly worrying about "truck utilization"). But there's nothing I can do about it; these stores (most of which are in strip malls, etc.) have to be delivered in the middle of the night, otherwise you can't get to them. Hell, I wouldn't mind starting at 7:30 Tuesday morning, but there's all kinds of problems associated with that, not the least of which is the traffic on 294. Besides, I'd rather get in and out, without these $10/hour pizza store managers telling me what to do - I don't play that game. We're given the keys/alarm codes (if applicable) and bam! we do our thing and go. No problem. So, I get to the truckstop and eat, maybe take a nap, wake up, read, listen to tunes, whatever, then get ready for my "real sleep" about 7:30-8:00 Tuesday night. I take a "daddy's little helper" then
try to sleep (it's difficult for me to sleep in these damn trucks, especially when you have a loud reefer unit going off every 10-15 minutes) But the alternative is a motel room; well, they don't reimburse you as much as they used to, first off. Secondly, finding a place with truck parking ain't always easy. Third, there's no guarantee I'm gonna sleep any better anyway, and last, if there's a problem with the truck/trailer, I don't find out about it till the next morning. I remember going to a motel in Waterloo in the middle of winter one time, came back out, and the truck barely started. So I stay with the truck; I figure it's the lesser of two evils, plus, even though I rail at truckers, I feel like I belong.
I'm off to Dubuque about 5:00am Wed. - it's only a couple hours drive from Rockford, but I like to allow extra time, just in case. The twisting, turning, rising, falling trip on US20 can do some funny things to your load, so I'm always aware of how sharp my turns are (especially lefts). If the warehouse idiots haven't bothered to strap down the load properly, you have to figure out a way to secure the load (borrow a strap, lash two pallets together, etc.). I usually don't
go too much faster than 55 on my way out there (maybe 60). The traffic all seems to be coming the other direction anyway. So I usually get to Galena about 6:30 or so. There's a McDonald's there with truck parking. It's a good place to stop, check the load, grab a cup of Joe, etc. Then, having timed it out over the past year or so, I take off for Dubuque about 7:20 - that get's me to Charlie's (not his real name) parking lot about 7:45. Charlie is a franchisee, and because he knows people in the corporate office, he is treated with a LOT of respect. You must be there before 8:00 when he opens his back door; if not, a phone call to corporate. If his stuff is really f'ed up, a phone call to corporate. If you are not polite, etc., a phone call to corporate. He is actually a very nice guy, but he's a businessman, so his deliveries need to be on time and in decent shape, ya know? His delivery takes 45min -an hour, then I have a smaller delivery in Dubuque, then I'm off to the Hinterlands of Iowa (Bumble-whaa?).
Actually, from Dubuque, I go to either Cedar Rapids or Waterloo (frozen yogurt stores, they alternate weeks), then Marshalltown, then Des Moines, and I'm done. Of course, they would throw in these "specials," so that would foul things up as far as my schedule goes (I'll tell you what those are some day, as this blog nears it's end). It wasn't always that way: I used to have to go pick up pepperoni/frozen meats out there at a frozen storage warehouse (I won't mention the name of the company, but it's pretty much a household name).
That could wind up taking hours: the order might not be ready, no open door, shift change, any number of things could delay you. Once you were given a "hole", you backed in, dropped the trailer, and set the reefer at whatever temp they told you. In summer, we were told to "pre-cool" the trailer, just like when picking up cheese in WI. Then you waited. Those who had CB's tuned in to channel whatever; me, I just looked for the green light. Back in, hook up, go get your paperwork, stop at the guardhouse, then you were gone. I almost always had prepass, so I didn't worry too much about scaling the load. One of the senior drivers once told me that, on a 45-foot trailer, if you set the tandems 7 holes from the front (by the tires), you'd scale out perfect every time. So, I'd try to do that once I was empty, and you know what? It worked!
Anyway, they changed meat suppliers several months back, so I haven't had to pick that stuff up for a while, now. I remember I'd try to make it to the World's Largest Truckstop in Walcott, IA on my way back (before I ran out of time - I really liked the place). Sometimes it worked, sometimes not. Of course, I had my favorite waitress I'd always see over there. What a cutie!
There's been another one I've been "perving on" lately, but she's another chapter. I'll write more about Iowa next time...
More soon,
Steve
I've been doing this Iowa route now for about a year, year and a half. It's hard to remember.
They've changed things around on me quite a bit; adding stores, pickups, now we're losing a
customer, which means they're changing it around again, making it a two instead of three-day
run. My first day will be basically the same: six company-owned pizza stores out in the west-northwest burbs, ending up in Rockford. I can usually get 'em all done in 12 hours or so, sometimes more or less, depending on the volume of product ordered. These managers at the company stores, I wonder about them sometimes. I'll walk in, and they have stuff (flour, for example) stacked to the ceiling, yet they've ordered 35 or 40 more. WTF? But I try not to ask too many questions. Once, though, I delivered 140 bales of flour to this one store - they really pissed me off that week. And see, some of the stores get 2 deliveries a week, so, I dunno, just
idiotic behavior, I guess. The company stores (unlike the franchises) don't care, because they're not paying for anything, so they just order as much as they want, and nobody even raises an eyebrow.
Anyway, I'm shut down in Rockford for quite a while. See, if I start Monday night at 11:00 or so,
I'm done and at the truckstop by 10:30-11:00 Tuesday morning. Shit, I don't have to be in Dubuque till 8:00 Wednesday morning. So, it's about 17 hours or so in the sleeper. My bosses
were giving me a hard time about all the "idle time" (they're constantly worrying about "truck utilization"). But there's nothing I can do about it; these stores (most of which are in strip malls, etc.) have to be delivered in the middle of the night, otherwise you can't get to them. Hell, I wouldn't mind starting at 7:30 Tuesday morning, but there's all kinds of problems associated with that, not the least of which is the traffic on 294. Besides, I'd rather get in and out, without these $10/hour pizza store managers telling me what to do - I don't play that game. We're given the keys/alarm codes (if applicable) and bam! we do our thing and go. No problem. So, I get to the truckstop and eat, maybe take a nap, wake up, read, listen to tunes, whatever, then get ready for my "real sleep" about 7:30-8:00 Tuesday night. I take a "daddy's little helper" then
try to sleep (it's difficult for me to sleep in these damn trucks, especially when you have a loud reefer unit going off every 10-15 minutes) But the alternative is a motel room; well, they don't reimburse you as much as they used to, first off. Secondly, finding a place with truck parking ain't always easy. Third, there's no guarantee I'm gonna sleep any better anyway, and last, if there's a problem with the truck/trailer, I don't find out about it till the next morning. I remember going to a motel in Waterloo in the middle of winter one time, came back out, and the truck barely started. So I stay with the truck; I figure it's the lesser of two evils, plus, even though I rail at truckers, I feel like I belong.
I'm off to Dubuque about 5:00am Wed. - it's only a couple hours drive from Rockford, but I like to allow extra time, just in case. The twisting, turning, rising, falling trip on US20 can do some funny things to your load, so I'm always aware of how sharp my turns are (especially lefts). If the warehouse idiots haven't bothered to strap down the load properly, you have to figure out a way to secure the load (borrow a strap, lash two pallets together, etc.). I usually don't
go too much faster than 55 on my way out there (maybe 60). The traffic all seems to be coming the other direction anyway. So I usually get to Galena about 6:30 or so. There's a McDonald's there with truck parking. It's a good place to stop, check the load, grab a cup of Joe, etc. Then, having timed it out over the past year or so, I take off for Dubuque about 7:20 - that get's me to Charlie's (not his real name) parking lot about 7:45. Charlie is a franchisee, and because he knows people in the corporate office, he is treated with a LOT of respect. You must be there before 8:00 when he opens his back door; if not, a phone call to corporate. If his stuff is really f'ed up, a phone call to corporate. If you are not polite, etc., a phone call to corporate. He is actually a very nice guy, but he's a businessman, so his deliveries need to be on time and in decent shape, ya know? His delivery takes 45min -an hour, then I have a smaller delivery in Dubuque, then I'm off to the Hinterlands of Iowa (Bumble-whaa?).
Actually, from Dubuque, I go to either Cedar Rapids or Waterloo (frozen yogurt stores, they alternate weeks), then Marshalltown, then Des Moines, and I'm done. Of course, they would throw in these "specials," so that would foul things up as far as my schedule goes (I'll tell you what those are some day, as this blog nears it's end). It wasn't always that way: I used to have to go pick up pepperoni/frozen meats out there at a frozen storage warehouse (I won't mention the name of the company, but it's pretty much a household name).
That could wind up taking hours: the order might not be ready, no open door, shift change, any number of things could delay you. Once you were given a "hole", you backed in, dropped the trailer, and set the reefer at whatever temp they told you. In summer, we were told to "pre-cool" the trailer, just like when picking up cheese in WI. Then you waited. Those who had CB's tuned in to channel whatever; me, I just looked for the green light. Back in, hook up, go get your paperwork, stop at the guardhouse, then you were gone. I almost always had prepass, so I didn't worry too much about scaling the load. One of the senior drivers once told me that, on a 45-foot trailer, if you set the tandems 7 holes from the front (by the tires), you'd scale out perfect every time. So, I'd try to do that once I was empty, and you know what? It worked!
Anyway, they changed meat suppliers several months back, so I haven't had to pick that stuff up for a while, now. I remember I'd try to make it to the World's Largest Truckstop in Walcott, IA on my way back (before I ran out of time - I really liked the place). Sometimes it worked, sometimes not. Of course, I had my favorite waitress I'd always see over there. What a cutie!
There's been another one I've been "perving on" lately, but she's another chapter. I'll write more about Iowa next time...
More soon,
Steve
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Tidbits
"If you have the space, take it!" - old truck driver's axiom
The above saying was relayed to be by one of our veteran drivers, who had heard it from an
old-timer, I guess. But isn't it true? Not a working day goes by when I don't think about this
simple phrase. I mean, it could be just pulling onto the shoulder a little to let an oversized load pass as your driving down the road, or using that empty left-turn lane as you make your right
turn in the city. Anyway, the following post (maybe more than one) are just bits & pieces that
don't fall into any particular category.
Here are some words/phrases/sayings I think to myself, or even say out loud while I'm driving:
"Any big dogs in the chute?" - Any big trucks coming down the entrance ramp (always look out for that)
"Put some giddyup on it!" - Usually I'm hollering this out to some four-wheeler I'm stuck behind (tip of the hat to Ken "Hawk" Harrelson, White Sox announcer). A related phrase is "Don't make me run this truck up yer ass!"
If I get behind someone, and I'm close, I'll say "I ain't gonna hit ya, I might cuss ya out a little, but..." or, "Not in your wildest dreams..." (Although I did almost hit some guy the other day, who couldn't decide whether or not to make a right turn)
Another one is "Kick it in the ass!" - speed up
"Break it down!" - step on the brakes
"Neighbor" - trucks next to/around me at the truckstop ("Howdy neighbor!")
"Guy wants to 'grow a pair'" - when you're trying to pass someone, and he/she all of a sudden speeds up so you can't pass, and have to duck in behind 'em.
Here's one I say as I'm backing into a spot: "Easy there, Stevie square..." it rhymes, ya know?
I always say this one as I see big trucks coming up fast from behind to pass me "Bring it on, muthafucka!"
There are some generic cuss words/names I holler at people(idiot drivers-I don't know how you can even refer to them as "people" sometimes, 4-wheelers and truckers alike) when they're doing something stupid:
"ass-wipe"
"Shit-for-brains" (my personal fave)
"shitwit"
"numbnuts"
"fucknuts"
"dumbass"
"fuckin' moron"
"fucking idiot"
"bitch-ass motherfucker" (tip of the hat to Xzibit, on Limp Bizkit's Getcha Groove On)
Those are the main ones I use, and I must say I'm using them more and more often, so you people must be driving worse and worse these days (tisk, tisk).
There are a few descriptions
of drivers from certain areas that I'll also use:
Wisconsin drivers: "Cheese-dicks"
Southern drivers: besides the obvious "redneck," "hillbilly," etc., I also like "shit-kicker," it's a
good, all-around descriptive phrase.
Farmers: "Shit-Farmers," or "Dirt-Farmers". Hey, I give farmers a hard time, but I realize what they do is not easy, so I really do appreciate them.
Of course, I've already mentioned "Fuckin' Hoosiers"
Here's another one I holler out at 4-wheelers who are obviously starved for attention:
"I'm scared of you!" (NOT!)
Anyway, those are just a few that I can come up with off the top of my head. I'll have more "Tidbits" in future postings. If you have any favorite sayings, please share them in the "Comments" section of this blog.
More soon,
Steve
The above saying was relayed to be by one of our veteran drivers, who had heard it from an
old-timer, I guess. But isn't it true? Not a working day goes by when I don't think about this
simple phrase. I mean, it could be just pulling onto the shoulder a little to let an oversized load pass as your driving down the road, or using that empty left-turn lane as you make your right
turn in the city. Anyway, the following post (maybe more than one) are just bits & pieces that
don't fall into any particular category.
Here are some words/phrases/sayings I think to myself, or even say out loud while I'm driving:
"Any big dogs in the chute?" - Any big trucks coming down the entrance ramp (always look out for that)
"Put some giddyup on it!" - Usually I'm hollering this out to some four-wheeler I'm stuck behind (tip of the hat to Ken "Hawk" Harrelson, White Sox announcer). A related phrase is "Don't make me run this truck up yer ass!"
If I get behind someone, and I'm close, I'll say "I ain't gonna hit ya, I might cuss ya out a little, but..." or, "Not in your wildest dreams..." (Although I did almost hit some guy the other day, who couldn't decide whether or not to make a right turn)
Another one is "Kick it in the ass!" - speed up
"Break it down!" - step on the brakes
"Neighbor" - trucks next to/around me at the truckstop ("Howdy neighbor!")
"Guy wants to 'grow a pair'" - when you're trying to pass someone, and he/she all of a sudden speeds up so you can't pass, and have to duck in behind 'em.
Here's one I say as I'm backing into a spot: "Easy there, Stevie square..." it rhymes, ya know?
I always say this one as I see big trucks coming up fast from behind to pass me "Bring it on, muthafucka!"
There are some generic cuss words/names I holler at people(idiot drivers-I don't know how you can even refer to them as "people" sometimes, 4-wheelers and truckers alike) when they're doing something stupid:
"ass-wipe"
"Shit-for-brains" (my personal fave)
"shitwit"
"numbnuts"
"fucknuts"
"dumbass"
"fuckin' moron"
"fucking idiot"
"bitch-ass motherfucker" (tip of the hat to Xzibit, on Limp Bizkit's Getcha Groove On)
Those are the main ones I use, and I must say I'm using them more and more often, so you people must be driving worse and worse these days (tisk, tisk).
There are a few descriptions
of drivers from certain areas that I'll also use:
Wisconsin drivers: "Cheese-dicks"
Southern drivers: besides the obvious "redneck," "hillbilly," etc., I also like "shit-kicker," it's a
good, all-around descriptive phrase.
Farmers: "Shit-Farmers," or "Dirt-Farmers". Hey, I give farmers a hard time, but I realize what they do is not easy, so I really do appreciate them.
Of course, I've already mentioned "Fuckin' Hoosiers"
Here's another one I holler out at 4-wheelers who are obviously starved for attention:
"I'm scared of you!" (NOT!)
Anyway, those are just a few that I can come up with off the top of my head. I'll have more "Tidbits" in future postings. If you have any favorite sayings, please share them in the "Comments" section of this blog.
More soon,
Steve
Monday, March 5, 2007
Tuneage
"I'm just a crazy motherfucker, livin' it up, not giving a fuck, livin' life in the fast lane..."
Limp Bizkit - "Livin' it Up"
As you can probably guess, Limp Bizkit is my favorite band. I've really been into them for the last year, year and a half or so (new album in '07?). I'm the kind of guy who needs his music when he rides, ya know? And now, with the newer trucks (moving into the 21st century) that have CD players instead of just cassette players, I can bring my favorite CD's with and play them when I want. Some drivers prefer to drive in silence, or have their CB radios on so they can chatter (about nothing most of the time), others are content to listen to the regular radio (you can tell who's had the truck before you by turning on the radio - if it's an R&B station, chances are a black guy had it, etc.- not always). Still others, the lucky ones, have satellite radios
(maybe they're not so lucky, since they probably had to pay for it). But me, when I climb into my truck at midnite or 2:00 in the morning, I need something that's going to kick me right in the nuts, really get me going.
Yeah, I realize that my phone or my Nextel could be ringing, someone trying to reach me (why anyone would be calling in the middle of the night is beyond me), but I guess they'll just have to wait till the song is done. I remember when I used to drive to Grand Rapids in the old Volvos,
they only had cassette players, so I would bring my old classic rock tapes, which I had taped from the albums years ago. You know, Geneseis, Yes, Led Zeppelin, etc. I also had (and still have) several mix tapes, with some of my favorite tunes on them. It's funny, just within the past couple of years, I've moved away from the "classic rock" genre. Sure, I'll always stop and listen to a great Led Zeppelin song, or Pink Floyd, but I can't listen to those radio stations any more; I mean there's only so much Boston, or AC/DC that I can handle, no offense to anyone. So, I've
started getting more into "alternative" music, from the late '80's on. Bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, STP, Soundgarden, et al. And I like some of the newer bands as well, like Nickleback, Crossfade, Three Doors Down, Blue October, etc.
Actually, my musical tastes run the whole gambit: my dad was really into classical, so I became a nut for Mozart during the mid '80's, around the time the movie Amadeus was released.
Because I played trombone in high school and college, I got into jazz and it's offshoots early on
as well. So I'll bend my ear when a tune from Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears, or Earth, Wind & Fire comes on the radio. I also really enjoy blues, R&B, even some country (although I prefer artists who are on the fringes of country, like Bonnie Raitt, Mindy Smith, even Shania Twain and
Faith Hill). I can handle just bits and pieces of rap (Cypress Hill, some Snoop Dogg, some Ice Cube, etc), but can't get into the really intense "gangsta" stuff.
I guess that's why I dig Limp Bizkit so much; they are multi-dimensional: mainly hard, "in your face" rock, but with some rap, some really sweet ballads, etc. thrown in there. I know other bands claim to be in the same genre (Korn, Linkin Park, etc.), but I think LB does it best - just my opinion. I'm no music critic, but I know what I like. To me, music falls into one of two categories: good or bad. But I remember my high school English teacher saying this: "All art is subjective." In other words, you can't say something is "good" or "bad" only that you like or don't like it. Some may not care for Mozart Symphonies, or Picasso paintings (they're morons),
while most of us love them. So "one man's trash is another man's treasure," I suppose.
It's funny - what's a 44 year-old doing listening to this kind of music? Am I trying to re-capture
my youth? Mid-age crisis? Maybe, I dunno. I just recently took my daughter to a concert in
Chicago, where the headlining band was Jack's Mannequin, with 3 (yes, I said three) opening
bands. I must have been one of about three people there over the age of, say 25. And we stood for 5 hours and, while all the bands were good (Jack's Mannequin is excellent), I was really feeling my age that night and a couple of days afterward. I mean, when there's a mosh pit going on twenty feet away from you, at my age, you know something just ain't right. My ears are still ringing, I think.
Despite all my other tastes, when it comes down "to it," I'm a rocker at heart. In fact, I love pulling into the truckstop, especially during the warmer months, so I can have my windows rolled down, just blasting "Gimme the Mic," or "Rollin" by Limp Bizkit, or some other kick-ass
tune, and watching the reaction I get from all the hillbillies ("That ain't no Hank Williams song!"
from The Blues Brothers) I laugh my ass off.
My other favorite CD these days is "Everything is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour"
Awesome CD, awesome band - Vernon Reid is a fucking incredible guitar player. Being a frustrated guitarist myself, I really appreciate good guitarists, guys like Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Alex Lifeson, the aforementioned Mr. Reid, et al. There are too many of them to list here, but I think you know what I mean. Jimi Hendrix probably influenced all of them, ya know? So, I'll bring my Limp Bizkit, Stain'd, Living Colour, Pearl Jam, etc. all with me on the road, and I play them usually at the same points in my route every week - I'm a strange cookie. Then I have to have my mellow stuff for the end of the day, when I need to relax (Bonnie Raitt, Mindy Smith, Blue October, etc.) Heck, I'll even listen to my Beatles (still my favorite band of all time) CD's when I'm in the mood. There you have it - a reformed classic rocker!
More soon,
Steve
Limp Bizkit - "Livin' it Up"
As you can probably guess, Limp Bizkit is my favorite band. I've really been into them for the last year, year and a half or so (new album in '07?). I'm the kind of guy who needs his music when he rides, ya know? And now, with the newer trucks (moving into the 21st century) that have CD players instead of just cassette players, I can bring my favorite CD's with and play them when I want. Some drivers prefer to drive in silence, or have their CB radios on so they can chatter (about nothing most of the time), others are content to listen to the regular radio (you can tell who's had the truck before you by turning on the radio - if it's an R&B station, chances are a black guy had it, etc.- not always). Still others, the lucky ones, have satellite radios
(maybe they're not so lucky, since they probably had to pay for it). But me, when I climb into my truck at midnite or 2:00 in the morning, I need something that's going to kick me right in the nuts, really get me going.
Yeah, I realize that my phone or my Nextel could be ringing, someone trying to reach me (why anyone would be calling in the middle of the night is beyond me), but I guess they'll just have to wait till the song is done. I remember when I used to drive to Grand Rapids in the old Volvos,
they only had cassette players, so I would bring my old classic rock tapes, which I had taped from the albums years ago. You know, Geneseis, Yes, Led Zeppelin, etc. I also had (and still have) several mix tapes, with some of my favorite tunes on them. It's funny, just within the past couple of years, I've moved away from the "classic rock" genre. Sure, I'll always stop and listen to a great Led Zeppelin song, or Pink Floyd, but I can't listen to those radio stations any more; I mean there's only so much Boston, or AC/DC that I can handle, no offense to anyone. So, I've
started getting more into "alternative" music, from the late '80's on. Bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, STP, Soundgarden, et al. And I like some of the newer bands as well, like Nickleback, Crossfade, Three Doors Down, Blue October, etc.
Actually, my musical tastes run the whole gambit: my dad was really into classical, so I became a nut for Mozart during the mid '80's, around the time the movie Amadeus was released.
Because I played trombone in high school and college, I got into jazz and it's offshoots early on
as well. So I'll bend my ear when a tune from Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears, or Earth, Wind & Fire comes on the radio. I also really enjoy blues, R&B, even some country (although I prefer artists who are on the fringes of country, like Bonnie Raitt, Mindy Smith, even Shania Twain and
Faith Hill). I can handle just bits and pieces of rap (Cypress Hill, some Snoop Dogg, some Ice Cube, etc), but can't get into the really intense "gangsta" stuff.
I guess that's why I dig Limp Bizkit so much; they are multi-dimensional: mainly hard, "in your face" rock, but with some rap, some really sweet ballads, etc. thrown in there. I know other bands claim to be in the same genre (Korn, Linkin Park, etc.), but I think LB does it best - just my opinion. I'm no music critic, but I know what I like. To me, music falls into one of two categories: good or bad. But I remember my high school English teacher saying this: "All art is subjective." In other words, you can't say something is "good" or "bad" only that you like or don't like it. Some may not care for Mozart Symphonies, or Picasso paintings (they're morons),
while most of us love them. So "one man's trash is another man's treasure," I suppose.
It's funny - what's a 44 year-old doing listening to this kind of music? Am I trying to re-capture
my youth? Mid-age crisis? Maybe, I dunno. I just recently took my daughter to a concert in
Chicago, where the headlining band was Jack's Mannequin, with 3 (yes, I said three) opening
bands. I must have been one of about three people there over the age of, say 25. And we stood for 5 hours and, while all the bands were good (Jack's Mannequin is excellent), I was really feeling my age that night and a couple of days afterward. I mean, when there's a mosh pit going on twenty feet away from you, at my age, you know something just ain't right. My ears are still ringing, I think.
Despite all my other tastes, when it comes down "to it," I'm a rocker at heart. In fact, I love pulling into the truckstop, especially during the warmer months, so I can have my windows rolled down, just blasting "Gimme the Mic," or "Rollin" by Limp Bizkit, or some other kick-ass
tune, and watching the reaction I get from all the hillbillies ("That ain't no Hank Williams song!"
from The Blues Brothers) I laugh my ass off.
My other favorite CD these days is "Everything is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour"
Awesome CD, awesome band - Vernon Reid is a fucking incredible guitar player. Being a frustrated guitarist myself, I really appreciate good guitarists, guys like Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Alex Lifeson, the aforementioned Mr. Reid, et al. There are too many of them to list here, but I think you know what I mean. Jimi Hendrix probably influenced all of them, ya know? So, I'll bring my Limp Bizkit, Stain'd, Living Colour, Pearl Jam, etc. all with me on the road, and I play them usually at the same points in my route every week - I'm a strange cookie. Then I have to have my mellow stuff for the end of the day, when I need to relax (Bonnie Raitt, Mindy Smith, Blue October, etc.) Heck, I'll even listen to my Beatles (still my favorite band of all time) CD's when I'm in the mood. There you have it - a reformed classic rocker!
More soon,
Steve
Monday, February 26, 2007
Reefer Madness
"Light up, everybody! Join us in this celebration..." - Styx
Yeah, so, let me share with you my thoughts about reefers (refrigerated units). They're obviously a big part of the Food Service business. Naturally, customers would like to receive their refrigerated and frozen product at the proper temperature. Trouble is, it doesn't always happen like that. For you drivers who don't have to deal with them on a regular basis, let me just say "Congrats!" Also to guys/gals who just linehaul stuff from one warehouse to another, ya know, that's not terribly difficult. You just set your reefer to a particular temperature, put it on "start/stop" and go. However, for us poor bastards who have to really deal with them on a regular, continual basis, it can be kinda stressful. See, if you have nice new equipment, again, no biggie. But my company run these old ass trailers that are constantly breaking down - THAT'S
where the stress comes in. As a driver, I used to actually "care" about the customers getting their product in decent shape. Not any more. There is too much else for me to worry about out there these days; so, if the product comes in "f - ed up," oh well, at least ya got it, right? I've had sooo many problems with these things in the past, I can't even count them all - so I'll just relate a couple of them to you here.
This is what's supposed to happen: warehouse loads the frozen product into the nose of the trailer, hopefully leaving the side freezer door exposed. Often times they'll throw extra dry pieces in there they don't know what else to do with (flour, pizza boxes, etc.). That makes my
job more difficult because I have to either work around that stuff, or, more often than not, unload it first. Anyway, they (warehouse) then are supposed to put up a bulkhead (a plastic
"wall" that can be moved around inside the trailer, and which has a "door"), strap that puppy in place, then load the cooler product in the middle, another bulkhead, then the dry on the ass end.
The cooler, or "second" compartment, has a second cooling unit on the ceiling of the trailer, which can be separately turned on/off at the control panel outside. The freezer "main" unit is the important one, because if that ain't working, yer screwed. You can get by without the cooler compartment operating (just that in winter time the "fresh" veggies freeze - happens more than I care to admit), in fact sometimes you have to shut the second unit down, because it's preventing the thing from cycling properly. But I digress. The warehouse guy is then supposed to come outside, set both compartment temps, and wait there, making sure the unit is operating properly. Needless to say, this doesn't happen very often. Sometimes they just turn the thing on and walk away, or they'll set the wrong temp, or...I can't tell you how many times I've pulled up and seen either a reefer "raging" (running non-stop), or else not running at all. It blows my mind how some of these guys keep their jobs (I could go on and on about warehouse and their
screwed-up policies, behaviors, etc. - maybe in a future posting). You can set the reefer to either
run "continuously" or "start/stop" where the thing is supposed to "cycle." Cycling just means that when the "set point" is reached, the unit shuts off automatically, until the temperature climbs up to a pre-set level, where the unit then kicks in again. It's like your thermostat at home, just with two separate compartments. And it's supposed to run like that until you shut it off. The older units have a difficult time maintaining setpoints, especially in the warmer weather. They set the freezer at -4 degrees, and the cooler around 36 or so. The minus four I have a hard time with, unless you're hauling frozen yogurt and ice cream, which I can then understand (they sometimes have these thermal "boxes" to put the ice cream in, and put dry ice in a compartment inside the box - the boxes stand 6' tall, about 4' wide, and about 4' deep).
But for frozen meats and stuff, I've found that raising the temperature to 0 degrees often makes the unit run better - not as much stress, you know? Heck, I've even gone as high as 5-10 degrees, without any worries at all. My main concern is that the unit is running; only then do I
concern myself about whether it's cycling properly. Hey, as long as there's fuel in the reefer tank, it cool (no pun intended). But that's another area of concern: if you arrive for work, and you're doing a two or three-day route, and there's 1/2 tank of reefer fuel or less, then you know you're gonna have to make an extra stop for reefer fuel (that pisses me off).
I remember once being out in Iowa, and I had finished up for the day - I was shut down by Waterloo. So it's about 1:30 in the afternoon, and I go into the truckstop to have lunch. When I returned, the reefer was completely dead. I mean I tried EVERYTHING! No luck. So, I got on the phone and called her in. First, the leasing company sent out a local guy, who looked at it, then admitted to me he had no experience with this particular kind of unit. So I called again.
Basically, the only service centers were in Dubuque or Des Moines, and I'm halfway in between. They sent a guy from Des Moines. Now, understand this is like June, it's 75 degrees outside, and all my shit is melting. You could just see the water dripping out. Plus, I'm supposed to be resting, not babysitting this fucking thing. Anyway, the guy gets there about 7pm, diagnoses the problem (it was a switch or something) is there for an hour and leaves. But I'm a mess - you know, worrying about the cheese and the meat thawing out and everything. But I said absolutely nothing to my customers the next day. What they don't know (wont?) hurt them.
The other one that stands out in my mind was also up in Iowa - I had mad a delivery up in Charles City, and had stopped at the motel for the night. This was earlier in my career, so I was pretty "green" when it comes to these things. I remember I had stopped at the leasing co. maintenance shop, and the guy had looked at the reefer for some minor problem. Little did I know, he had switched the unit to run "continuously" without telling me. Now, a more seasoned driver would have caught this, but...So, I get to the motel, there's 5/8 tank of fuel, no problem, right? I go out the next morning, DEAD! The thing is out of fuel! So, I quick run down to Waterloo, and go to the nearest service center. They fucked around with that thing for hours; they had to prime the unit, ya know, and everything. I'm sitting there watching, and calling in to my guys, so they can tell the customers why I'm half a day late. I think they actually charged me with an accident (which they said they can do - "it's your job to make sure there's enough fuel, etc." BULLSHIT!)
Those are just two out of MANY incidents (most aren't that serious) in my experiences with reefers. If you're lucky, there's a service center in the general vicinity you can go to, if it's a serious problem. Sometimes, just shutting it off, and re-starting it will do the trick. You kind of learn how these things actually operate, without really knowing the mechanics, by experience, and by talking to the guys who work on them. I mean, the main unit is basically a diesel
motor with freon and a thermostat. It operates just like a regular diesel engine (battery, alternator, ignition, etc.). Not that I'm any expert on diesel engines, lol.
More soon,
Steve
Yeah, so, let me share with you my thoughts about reefers (refrigerated units). They're obviously a big part of the Food Service business. Naturally, customers would like to receive their refrigerated and frozen product at the proper temperature. Trouble is, it doesn't always happen like that. For you drivers who don't have to deal with them on a regular basis, let me just say "Congrats!" Also to guys/gals who just linehaul stuff from one warehouse to another, ya know, that's not terribly difficult. You just set your reefer to a particular temperature, put it on "start/stop" and go. However, for us poor bastards who have to really deal with them on a regular, continual basis, it can be kinda stressful. See, if you have nice new equipment, again, no biggie. But my company run these old ass trailers that are constantly breaking down - THAT'S
where the stress comes in. As a driver, I used to actually "care" about the customers getting their product in decent shape. Not any more. There is too much else for me to worry about out there these days; so, if the product comes in "f - ed up," oh well, at least ya got it, right? I've had sooo many problems with these things in the past, I can't even count them all - so I'll just relate a couple of them to you here.
This is what's supposed to happen: warehouse loads the frozen product into the nose of the trailer, hopefully leaving the side freezer door exposed. Often times they'll throw extra dry pieces in there they don't know what else to do with (flour, pizza boxes, etc.). That makes my
job more difficult because I have to either work around that stuff, or, more often than not, unload it first. Anyway, they (warehouse) then are supposed to put up a bulkhead (a plastic
"wall" that can be moved around inside the trailer, and which has a "door"), strap that puppy in place, then load the cooler product in the middle, another bulkhead, then the dry on the ass end.
The cooler, or "second" compartment, has a second cooling unit on the ceiling of the trailer, which can be separately turned on/off at the control panel outside. The freezer "main" unit is the important one, because if that ain't working, yer screwed. You can get by without the cooler compartment operating (just that in winter time the "fresh" veggies freeze - happens more than I care to admit), in fact sometimes you have to shut the second unit down, because it's preventing the thing from cycling properly. But I digress. The warehouse guy is then supposed to come outside, set both compartment temps, and wait there, making sure the unit is operating properly. Needless to say, this doesn't happen very often. Sometimes they just turn the thing on and walk away, or they'll set the wrong temp, or...I can't tell you how many times I've pulled up and seen either a reefer "raging" (running non-stop), or else not running at all. It blows my mind how some of these guys keep their jobs (I could go on and on about warehouse and their
screwed-up policies, behaviors, etc. - maybe in a future posting). You can set the reefer to either
run "continuously" or "start/stop" where the thing is supposed to "cycle." Cycling just means that when the "set point" is reached, the unit shuts off automatically, until the temperature climbs up to a pre-set level, where the unit then kicks in again. It's like your thermostat at home, just with two separate compartments. And it's supposed to run like that until you shut it off. The older units have a difficult time maintaining setpoints, especially in the warmer weather. They set the freezer at -4 degrees, and the cooler around 36 or so. The minus four I have a hard time with, unless you're hauling frozen yogurt and ice cream, which I can then understand (they sometimes have these thermal "boxes" to put the ice cream in, and put dry ice in a compartment inside the box - the boxes stand 6' tall, about 4' wide, and about 4' deep).
But for frozen meats and stuff, I've found that raising the temperature to 0 degrees often makes the unit run better - not as much stress, you know? Heck, I've even gone as high as 5-10 degrees, without any worries at all. My main concern is that the unit is running; only then do I
concern myself about whether it's cycling properly. Hey, as long as there's fuel in the reefer tank, it cool (no pun intended). But that's another area of concern: if you arrive for work, and you're doing a two or three-day route, and there's 1/2 tank of reefer fuel or less, then you know you're gonna have to make an extra stop for reefer fuel (that pisses me off).
I remember once being out in Iowa, and I had finished up for the day - I was shut down by Waterloo. So it's about 1:30 in the afternoon, and I go into the truckstop to have lunch. When I returned, the reefer was completely dead. I mean I tried EVERYTHING! No luck. So, I got on the phone and called her in. First, the leasing company sent out a local guy, who looked at it, then admitted to me he had no experience with this particular kind of unit. So I called again.
Basically, the only service centers were in Dubuque or Des Moines, and I'm halfway in between. They sent a guy from Des Moines. Now, understand this is like June, it's 75 degrees outside, and all my shit is melting. You could just see the water dripping out. Plus, I'm supposed to be resting, not babysitting this fucking thing. Anyway, the guy gets there about 7pm, diagnoses the problem (it was a switch or something) is there for an hour and leaves. But I'm a mess - you know, worrying about the cheese and the meat thawing out and everything. But I said absolutely nothing to my customers the next day. What they don't know (wont?) hurt them.
The other one that stands out in my mind was also up in Iowa - I had mad a delivery up in Charles City, and had stopped at the motel for the night. This was earlier in my career, so I was pretty "green" when it comes to these things. I remember I had stopped at the leasing co. maintenance shop, and the guy had looked at the reefer for some minor problem. Little did I know, he had switched the unit to run "continuously" without telling me. Now, a more seasoned driver would have caught this, but...So, I get to the motel, there's 5/8 tank of fuel, no problem, right? I go out the next morning, DEAD! The thing is out of fuel! So, I quick run down to Waterloo, and go to the nearest service center. They fucked around with that thing for hours; they had to prime the unit, ya know, and everything. I'm sitting there watching, and calling in to my guys, so they can tell the customers why I'm half a day late. I think they actually charged me with an accident (which they said they can do - "it's your job to make sure there's enough fuel, etc." BULLSHIT!)
Those are just two out of MANY incidents (most aren't that serious) in my experiences with reefers. If you're lucky, there's a service center in the general vicinity you can go to, if it's a serious problem. Sometimes, just shutting it off, and re-starting it will do the trick. You kind of learn how these things actually operate, without really knowing the mechanics, by experience, and by talking to the guys who work on them. I mean, the main unit is basically a diesel
motor with freon and a thermostat. It operates just like a regular diesel engine (battery, alternator, ignition, etc.). Not that I'm any expert on diesel engines, lol.
More soon,
Steve
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