Loves Truck stop Florida kicks out truck drivers for Bike week
- Thread starter bobwg
- Start date
In 16 years of expediting I've got only two runs and another two cancelled. I'd avoid any run going below Jacksonville, unless I wanna have a sunny vacation...
I-10 is my limit now....in all my years almost same results...am tired of rolling the dice and losing....I say to myself, "maybe this time" LOL NOT!! If you sit down there long enough...where does it really become a money loser?.....3 days? 5 days?....7 days?
When we were with FedEx Custom Critical, it never seemed to us that Florida was any more difficult to get out of than most other states. Now with Landstar, it has gotten quite easy. This week's experience was typical. The freight took us close to our vacation house. We went out of service to spend a couple of days there.
An agent who knows us and has Florida customers spotted our truck and status on the board and called us to see if we were interested in a load she has that picks up on Monday. At the time of the call, we had not quite decided when we'd be going back in service but that offer was perfect. We went back in service to be put on the load and are now dispatched to haul freight after a few more days here.
Had we stayed in service after the Los Angeles to FL run we completed earlier this week in Southern Florida, it would not have been long before we saw load offers getting us out, at least if past experience is an indicator.
The experience varies, of course, from carrier to carrier and truck to truck. As a reefer-equipped, fully-credentialed team, Florida has not been a state to avoid. Some of our best runs have originated there.
An agent who knows us and has Florida customers spotted our truck and status on the board and called us to see if we were interested in a load she has that picks up on Monday. At the time of the call, we had not quite decided when we'd be going back in service but that offer was perfect. We went back in service to be put on the load and are now dispatched to haul freight after a few more days here.
Had we stayed in service after the Los Angeles to FL run we completed earlier this week in Southern Florida, it would not have been long before we saw load offers getting us out, at least if past experience is an indicator.
The experience varies, of course, from carrier to carrier and truck to truck. As a reefer-equipped, fully-credentialed team, Florida has not been a state to avoid. Some of our best runs have originated there.
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
Some people avoid FL like the plague. My general rule is it has to be originating at least as far north as NC.
Suds43
Seasoned Expediter
Dave, it's called Biketoberfest and it's getting as big as Bike Week. Just avoid the area during those events. No big deal. If someone does decide to venture to Daytona during Biketoberfest I'll buy the first round
It's all back to normal now. We drove past that Love's last night. The tents were still up but the parking lots in the complex were empty. Driving north on I-95 today, we saw hundreds of "hard core" bikers heading home after the event with their bikes in trailers pulled by pickup trucks, SUV's and motor-homes. A few others actually drove their motorcycles.
Having seen Bike Week for the first time, I like the event. Diane and I will make it a point to spend more time there next year. There is lots of eye candy and the people are great. At one point, the news reported, a fight broke out between the Daytona Beach police chief and a biker. Bikers nearby jumped in, siding with the cop.
About Florida parking, we have never had difficulty finding a place to park a straight truck in Florida except in the Miami area. The state is graced with many rest areas. When near Jacksonville, we go to the Landstar orientation center where free parking is available. That place is very close to the TA south of Jacksonville. Landstar does all truckers a service by drawing Landstar trucks out of the TA parking places over to the orientation center.
The running joke is to call that place the Homeless Shelter because in the winter some drivers are happy to linger to enjoy the nice Florida weather. We have heard old-days stories about people who stayed there the whole winter (thus the Homeless Shelter name) but see no evidence of that today.
It is a very nice place with laundry, showers, a kitchen and lounge; one of several such places Landstar has for its drivers around the country. A nicely paved lot makes it easy to do minor truck work. The lot is quiet, clean and safe (only Landstar trucks allowed).
If you like truck stops, you might get homesick if you stay here long. They don't sell chicken lights and there is no urine smell.