Nervous newbie

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Lodi Metals makes by far the best straps available. You can order them with the ratchet 6 inches from the buckle and any lengths you want. That gives you WAY more flexibility in securing cargo of all shapes and sizes.
 

ucfd608

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Happy birthday rookie keep the wheels a rolling be safe


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Josh

Active Expediter
Driver
Thank you everyone. No loads today. We accepted one for tomorrow at 8am 200 miles away so we're gonna move closer. Happy thanksgiving everyone!
 
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Josh

Active Expediter
Driver
Quick update. Should have just went home for thanksgiving.

Didn't get a load on thanksgiving itself, got a small one for the following Friday. Picked up at 8am. Delivery is 160ish miles away in the middle of nowhere. We get 30 miles away from delivers and get a message over the clink. "Just got notified this load doesn't deliver until Monday."

Awesome, I call and ask if our pay reflects the change. They say I'll have to ask a supervisor. Ok, we'll the closest truck stop is 63 miles away, in the direction in which we came. They agreed to pay for Milage back to the truck stop. We get back to the truck stop and get notified they will pay up to 10 hrs of retention pay for holding over the weekend. I don't know how much retention pay is, but we're sitting with this load for 3 days and I only get paid for 10hrs? Unless retention pay is $100 an hour I'm not pleased. We basically took ourselves out for Friday-Monday for $60. I didn't want to take the load in the first place because it paid low, but figured we were in the area so why not. Irritated...

We spent $40 at the dennys in this truck stop to eat dinner on thanksgiving. At least we weren't rushed while eating. Nothing but time..
 

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Quick update. Should have just went home for thanksgiving.

Didn't get a load on thanksgiving itself, got a small one for the following Friday. Picked up at 8am. Delivery is 160ish miles away in the middle of nowhere. We get 30 miles away from delivers and get a message over the clink. "Just got notified this load doesn't deliver until Monday."

Awesome, I call and ask if our pay reflects the change. They say I'll have to ask a supervisor. Ok, we'll the closest truck stop is 63 miles away, in the direction in which we came. They agreed to pay for Milage back to the truck stop. We get back to the truck stop and get notified they will pay up to 10 hrs of retention pay for holding over the weekend. I don't know how much retention pay is, but we're sitting with this load for 3 days and I only get paid for 10hrs? Unless retention pay is $100 an hour I'm not pleased. We basically took ourselves out for Friday-Monday for $60. I didn't want to take the load in the first place because it paid low, but figured we were in the area so why not. Irritated...

We spent $40 at the dennys in this truck stop to eat dinner on thanksgiving. At least we weren't rushed while eating. Nothing but time..
A real learning experience, isn't it.
 

Boatcat

Seasoned Expediter
Owner/Operator
US Navy
Been there, done that so I feel your pain.
This kind of stuff does happen and it's frustrating and maddening when it does.
Hopefully it will not be a regular occourance.
I think they meant detention pay.
My company calls it layover pay. That's what is sometimes paid when there is a delay of some kind that is not any fault of your own.
Like you, I don't like not being compensated for my time and miles driven.

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Josh

Active Expediter
Driver
Yes. Detention pay. That's it.

I'm gonna convince myself that I needed the time off to relax. Lol that way in my mind I came out on top.

Been awhile since I've played grand theft auto. So that's how I'm killing time.
 

Gear_Grinder

Rookie Expediter
Researching
Well josh that’s not good. I guess you just get an extended holiday and there’s no better way to use it than gta lol. It’s been awhile since I’ve played it I’ve been stuck on NHL 17 and well now the new COD WWII. What system do you play? Ps4? Hope all is well and keep bringing on the updates. I still continuously read here and other posts in the forums and just google and the cdl manual trying to keep filling my head to keep learning and hoping to stay on pace for January to get us out there. Hope all are staying safe and had a good holiday.
 

Gear_Grinder

Rookie Expediter
Researching
Leaving the warmth for the cold...actually it’s not to bad up here in the north/northeast hitting 50’s at least all week I think. Sounds like a good trip, Drive safe.
 
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Josh

Active Expediter
Driver
Leaving the warmth for the cold...actually it’s not to bad up here in the north/northeast hitting 50’s at least all week I think. Sounds like a good trip, Drive safe.

Don't really care for cold weather. Just couldn't stand to sit any longer. Wanted to get some good runs in right away to make up for the weekend. There may still be hope. Weather was super nice in Texas but the area we were in was super rural and dead looking. Made for very boring drives and not many truck stops to choose from, so you get stuck at some shotty ones.

Funny story... we're heading down some rural roads in Texas heading to a loves after our drop off on Monday. We turn a corner onto a road and first sign I see "WEIGHT LIMIT 58,000lbs" ok, no issues. Come to find out once we get to the bridge the ACTUAL weight limit is 12,000lbs. Hmm. Well we're a little past that so, wife stops in the middle of the road (no shoulder), throw on the hazards, and come up with a plan. Our options are "haul ass over the bridge and hope for the best :)" (the loves is RIGHT on the other side) or, back up until we can turn around (about a mile?)

I didn't fee like being on the news for truck falling through bridge, and I'm afraid of heights, and I can't swim, so I opted for the backing up until we can turn around.

Now, just thinking out loud here.. figure a 12,000lb truck goes over the bridge heading south, meanwhile another 12,000lb truck goes over the bridge heading north, since the engineers(?) can't assume there won't be two 12000lb trucks on the bridge at the same time heading in different directions, one would think it can handle at least 24,000lbs. I think we would have been fine. Better safe then sorry I suppose.

Side note. Picked up and on our way. (Deadhead was 400miles)
 

Gear_Grinder

Rookie Expediter
Researching
Yeah cold weather is worth it if your making money lol as long as it doesn’t have a bad snow storm and keeps you stuck there not making money but that’s not going to happen this week anytime soon.
That’s crazy. At least you were on some rural roads with little to none traffic. Would have been :censoredsign:ty on a road full of traffic. But I mean your absolutely right I mean actually with vehicles depending on what wouldn’t be much to add up to 12,000 depending on how many vehicles and length of the bridge but guaranteed I would have done the same as you lol. Let somebody else figure out that math :). Well if guys weren’t good at backing up you should be now lol.
A lot of dead head miles do you get any compensation for any dead head?
 

Josh

Active Expediter
Driver
If you willing pull the load from the load board, anything over 100 miles is on you. If they offer it over the c link they pay the deadhead + miles. I think we've only ever pulled from the load board once. Otherwise they just come over the c link. Delivery in Indiana went well. Picked up a load in Illinois that was going to Arkansas. Should deliver in a few hrs here. I'm not gonna name the company we picked up from but that has been the first time I have encountered complete garbage people. Worthless doesn't even begin to describe these people. Giant company with zero direction on where to go. Over 200 dock doors and we just had to "wing it". I walk into a man door and try to ask for direction and no joke, I was completely ignored. Not even acknowledged. The skill they demonstrated in continuing their conversation without my "excuse me" even phasing them was almost applaudable.

I'm never the type of person to wish bad things on anyone, but if each of those people tripped and fell down a flight of stairs, one right after another, I'd deffinetly muster up a chuckle.
 
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Gear_Grinder

Rookie Expediter
Researching
Well that’s good they at least got you on deadhead miles. Never any good loads on the load board? Or are you just going to use it when your in a jam? Sounds like you’ve been moving pretty good this week which is good.
I don’t know what I would have done if that were me at that Illinois warehouse. I get so aggravated when that happens in a Walmart or something. Hate being ignored. My girl she does not have the temper for that, always she will express her feelings no matter where we are. It’s crazy how people treat people with such disrespect and especially drivers in general because people I swear look at truck drivers in a whole different world. Anyways I would stand beside you chuckling. Would be the perfect YouTube video.
 

Josh

Active Expediter
Driver
Well that’s good they at least got you on deadhead miles. Never any good loads on the load board? Or are you just going to use it when your in a jam? Sounds like you’ve been moving pretty good this week which is good.
I don’t know what I would have done if that were me at that Illinois warehouse. I get so aggravated when that happens in a Walmart or something. Hate being ignored. My girl she does not have the temper for that, always she will express her feelings no matter where we are. It’s crazy how people treat people with such disrespect and especially drivers in general because people I swear look at truck drivers in a whole different world. Anyways I would stand beside you chuckling. Would be the perfect YouTube video.

Lmao.

The loads that come across the c link usually come from the load board. Say there is a load on the load board with 200 miles dead head. I won't accept that load because I don't wanna be responsible for the extra 100 miles. If they offer that same load over the c link, they adjust the pay and pay the extra dead head.

We keep an eye on the loadboard but usually there isn't much if anything within 100 miles of you. FedEx has been pretty good at keeping us moving. When your sitting waiting for a load you check into an "express center" (basically telling them the city your in), once you do that, your in line for a load. They offer loads to the people in line and if 5 people accept the load, it will go to whomever is closest. Or maybe it goes to whoever has been sitting the longest first. Can't remember. Lol

At the delivery now. Gate is closet and guard shack is empty. On hold with FedEx now. Maybe just camping out here for the night. Which is fine by me. I'm beat.
 
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Gear_Grinder

Rookie Expediter
Researching
Oh I got you. I figured the clink was a load board but I thought it was just one that fed ex has access to only and the other one you could choose one from was more public to help out if people couldn’t wait. I guess it makes sense that it would be the same lol just though it was something separate to help people who want more miles or maybe are closer. I got you. Yeah I was reading up on the load boards and seeing what que you are and how many people are in that general area etc. I guess it shows how much freight is going out daily. Seems pretty nice to have all that info instead of sitting assuming. At least you may have a general idea . I’m beat to been trying to read my hazmat but my eyes been so heavy since I started that section I don’t think I remember anything. I’m taking my physical tomorrow and going to take the permit with hazmat etc... my girl got her dot card today but she doesn’t want to take the permit until Saturday she wants to do some more studying and hopefully start class here in 2 weeks and we will still be on track for January as long as everything rides out smooth which it should. Still been just reading consistently on this forum and YouTubing. Gaining as much as we can. Teaching myself and trying to teach her. That’s pretty much our update. It’s a slow process we’re making it but hopefully one month. Get some good rest if ya can and always drive safe. Keep on keeping us posted.
 
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Gear_Grinder

Rookie Expediter
Researching
Well today didn’t go the way I planned. I changed my work schedule to work 2nd shift from 2:30 - 10:30pm so I can take care of getting my DOT Physical and my Class B permit today. Thinking I could sleep in and go to the doctors @ 10am and to the license center at noon. Well I got my dot card as so did my girl they were busy and pushed me behind a little bit I figured it’s ok. I got to license center at 12:30 thinking if I could get in there 1 1/2 should be adequate time to do the test I suppose. I’m not sure. So I get a ticket and sit down. I knew I was way behind and were going real slow by comparing my ticket number to where they were at and only calling three people up in a half hour period. Meanwhile I was just taking practice test on my phone when I happened to actually look and read my ticket. It said wait time 135 min and payment check or money order only and all I had was cash and at that time only had 90 min until I had to be at work. So I changed my schedule for nothing because I didn’t stay for my permit. Didn’t know it would take that long and they are closed Sunday Monday which are my days off every week. So now I got to come up with a scheme. To try and get this done. Oh well, still one step closer. Try again later. Anybody know about how long it took to take the knowledge test air brake and hazmat all together once I start the test?
446964B6-9F55-4A4F-9A2D-D4917AE6FDAB.jpeg
 

Josh

Active Expediter
Driver
And I thought our DMV was bad. You should be able to complete all tests in like a half hour - 45 min. I think there is 50? Questions on the knowledge and 25 on the hazmat. You also don't HAVE to do the hazmat at the same time. You can do it when you go to get the actual license. In case your pressed for time the first time around you can always do the hazmat after. Keep re reading the air brake test. That's the one thing there is zero leeway on.

We sat at a loves most of today. Get there after our delivers and accepted a load a few hrs later picking up local and going to IA. pickup was suppose to be at 7. Few hours before that we get a call asking if they could push back pickup to 11. No biggie. About an hour ago at loves things started to get crazy. Lot filled up like I've never seen. Trucks were just stopping wherever. Blocking everyone in. Once other trucks just starting laying on their horns for minutes at a time we decided to leave. Didn't wanna risk getting blocked in, I have way too bad of a temper to get into any altercations. And I always feel like a target for bad attention being a straight truck in a semi spot. Reading too many truck stop reviews I guess. All the tractor trailer drivers think we should go somewhere else, but if a semi and trailer aren't allowed, neither are we. Currently at a Walmart for a few hours, security is rolling around so hopefully we'll skate by with no issues
 
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