Streakn1
Veteran Expediter
Twas three days before Christmas and we had finished our last load, the home twenty was in our sights so it was time to get on down the road. We had a prosperous year and the home front was so near I could practically taste Christmas day dinner while I thought I only wish I was thinner!
Well, sounds good up to that point. Wishing I was thinner would be the least of my worries as our cell phone suddenly rang. It was dispatch. We were in Tifton, GA when the call came.
"You need us to deadhead 1340 miles to Roswell, NM to pick up an engine for Miami?" No other trucks availible and the customer really needs our help. We can deliver it Sunday? OK, you know we help when we can, we'll do the load."
Decision made, now one of us would have to break the news to the wife's mother that we would not be coming home for Christmas. We had just missed her 81ST birthday a week earlier and now we had to lay yet another disappointment on her. But Mom being the wonderful person she is understood. Our valued customers are our lifeblood in this sour economy. With so many out of work and begging for a way to earn a dollar, how could we turn this opportunity away?
If we stayed in it, we could load in Roswell, turn and burn, and make it home in time for Christmas dinner in Ocala. But not a hundred miles into our deadhead, dispatch called again. "After we load in Roswell you need us to go to Memphis,TN and load a second engine bound for Miami? OK, we'll do it."
Our customer in Roswell was kind enough to stay after hours so we could tarp and load the engine Thursday afternoon rather than make us wait until Friday morning to load. They knew we were hoping to be home for Christmas. Then we high tailed it 940 miles to Memphis to load the second engine Friday afternoon. No sooner than we left Roswell, dispatched called and asked if we thought we would be able to squeeze a third engine from Kansas on our upper deck. We had to decline because the tail of the Roswell engine was hanging over part us the upper deck to make room for the Memphis engine. We got to Memphis and tarped and loaded that engine in record time. Although by then we we both beat, we knew if we just stay in it, we can make it home in time to be with Mom. 750 miles to go and we would be there. Other than fuel stops, potty breaks for the driver and dog, and driver changes, our truck never stopped.
We had a wonderful dinner and our time spent with Mom was great and we were able to earn an extra $7200.00 revenue for the year we otherwise could have passed up by playing it safe. Was the revenue more important, or servicing a valued customer during the holiday when so many trucks have already gone home? Maybe the cargo jet needing the replacement engine was loaded with toys for kids overseas that would have to wait a few more days for their presents to arrive. One can only guess.
Would you have taken the load and risked not being home with family for Christmas? Maybe you have a simular story to tell. Our customers have come to count on our good service, thats why they call upon us for their needs. We want them to know that they can count of us!
Well, sounds good up to that point. Wishing I was thinner would be the least of my worries as our cell phone suddenly rang. It was dispatch. We were in Tifton, GA when the call came.
"You need us to deadhead 1340 miles to Roswell, NM to pick up an engine for Miami?" No other trucks availible and the customer really needs our help. We can deliver it Sunday? OK, you know we help when we can, we'll do the load."
Decision made, now one of us would have to break the news to the wife's mother that we would not be coming home for Christmas. We had just missed her 81ST birthday a week earlier and now we had to lay yet another disappointment on her. But Mom being the wonderful person she is understood. Our valued customers are our lifeblood in this sour economy. With so many out of work and begging for a way to earn a dollar, how could we turn this opportunity away?
If we stayed in it, we could load in Roswell, turn and burn, and make it home in time for Christmas dinner in Ocala. But not a hundred miles into our deadhead, dispatch called again. "After we load in Roswell you need us to go to Memphis,TN and load a second engine bound for Miami? OK, we'll do it."
Our customer in Roswell was kind enough to stay after hours so we could tarp and load the engine Thursday afternoon rather than make us wait until Friday morning to load. They knew we were hoping to be home for Christmas. Then we high tailed it 940 miles to Memphis to load the second engine Friday afternoon. No sooner than we left Roswell, dispatched called and asked if we thought we would be able to squeeze a third engine from Kansas on our upper deck. We had to decline because the tail of the Roswell engine was hanging over part us the upper deck to make room for the Memphis engine. We got to Memphis and tarped and loaded that engine in record time. Although by then we we both beat, we knew if we just stay in it, we can make it home in time to be with Mom. 750 miles to go and we would be there. Other than fuel stops, potty breaks for the driver and dog, and driver changes, our truck never stopped.
We had a wonderful dinner and our time spent with Mom was great and we were able to earn an extra $7200.00 revenue for the year we otherwise could have passed up by playing it safe. Was the revenue more important, or servicing a valued customer during the holiday when so many trucks have already gone home? Maybe the cargo jet needing the replacement engine was loaded with toys for kids overseas that would have to wait a few more days for their presents to arrive. One can only guess.
Would you have taken the load and risked not being home with family for Christmas? Maybe you have a simular story to tell. Our customers have come to count on our good service, thats why they call upon us for their needs. We want them to know that they can count of us!
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