Trip #4

[Big_Dave]

Had 2 drops in the LA area last Monday. Got them off with no real problem except for the fact the guy at the second drop don't know how to knock on a sleeper to wake a driver up when it's their turn for a dock. :wtf: :HMM:

Oh well, I got a well needed 3 hour nap. :p

I made my first pick down in Santa Ana and got outta the dock right at 4:30 pm..........right in the middle of rush hour(s). :yikes:

I was supposed to be down in El Centro before 11 pm, but that didn't happen due to traffic. It took almost 7 hours to get there and I missed my appointment window by 15 minutes. :vmad: Shipper says, "See ya in the morning at 8 am." :wtf: :vmad:

Another good long nap. :yes:

Due to a snafu, it took about 4 hours to get 4 1/2 skids loaded. The shipper had all pertinant info like truck & trailer number, P/U number, quantity, destination, trucking company name, broker name and customer.........you name it, it matched the info I had............all except for the fact that my name isn't Rudy. :wow: :wtf:

2 hour delay just because my name wasn't Rudy. Azzholes! :vmad: 3-5 phone calls later and they still didn't get it right, but the guy finally relented and gave me a dock to back in to. :) Another 2 hours or so to get loaded. :wtf:

After I get that partial on I zip over to Dole in Yuma AZ for 20 skids. I got a door as soon as the nice lady checked me in. :wow: :cool:

2 hours later, I'm loaded. But wait! They only loaded 19 skids. I asked the forklift driver if he loaded both P/U #'s and he said, "Yep". I looked at his paperwork and it confirmed that he did load it.

I even double checked with the lady at the shipping desk to make sure that they had loaded everything. She goes into her computer and confirms that I have everything that I'm supposed to have.

I sign the bills and down the road I go, headed home. :cheers: :cool:

The next day (800+ miles away), my phone rings and it's our customer. He jumps dead square in my azz because 'I' didn't get everything 'I' was supposed to. :wtf:

Now there's 2 things you don't do to me, and 1 of them is chew me out over my phone for something that WAS NOT my fault.

I hung up on him. :D He tried calling back a few minutes later, but I didn't answer. About 15 minutes later, dispatch tried calling. I didn't answer that call either. :D

Screw them! I am NOT the one that SCREWED UP in this case and I'll be damned if I'm gonna take an azz chewing for it.

It's kinda funny how today, the customer and dispatch was really nice to me on the phone. :D :rofl:

I was kinda wondering if they'd fire me for 'leaving 1 skid behind', but today dispatch said that my outbound load will be ready to go on Saturday afternoon. :cool: So, evidently, the customer got it worked out with the shipper.

I did find out tonight though, that Dole is 'famous' for shorting loads like that. I guess I'll have to keep an eye on that the next time I go there.

All in all, not a bad week, just a long one.

[maxmiddle]

Dave,

I was at my local Carrier dealer today. They work on my APU. We have ThermoKings on our trailers.

Anyhoo, I noticed that Carrier has books that list all the dealers across the US. ThermoKing has them too, and mine has saved my butt several times. When in the middle of nowhere with a bad reefer, it is nice to have a listing of dealers, how to contact them, and where to find them.

If you don't have one, you need to get one.

As you are learning, produce chasing is a whole new lifestyle. Hang in there.

[Big_Dave]

Dave,

I was at my local Carrier dealer today. They work on my APU. We have ThermoKings on our trailers.

Anyhoo, I noticed that Carrier has books that list all the dealers across the US. ThermoKing has them too, and mine has saved my butt several times. When in the middle of nowhere with a bad reefer, it is nice to have a listing of dealers, how to contact them, and where to find them.

If you don't have one, you need to get one.

As you are learning, produce chasing is a whole new lifestyle. Hang in there.
I got one of them books when my reefer broke down a couple weeks ago and I had to get it temporarily fixed in Vegas. Nice book to have! :cool:

You ain't kidding about chasing produce being different! :wow: :wacko:

[scubadiver]

Hey Dave are you getting to the point where its hard to sleep without the hum and vibration of the Reefer while on hometime.

[ladymacguiver]

Dave...........keep your chin up, you seem to be experiencing all the "technical difficulties" we encounter in a short period of time..........are you sure "Barbie" isn't casting a "spell" on ya for abandoning her?

:harhar: :rofl:

Actually in all seriousness, this does happen once in a while, and tho both the "dispatcher" and the "buyer" know it, they seem to always want to blame it on the driver. Don't let em get to you. (Also, hanging up is good, and if you don't want to talk to a certain dispatcher, just keep hanging up till someone you WANT to talk to answers......we do it all the time :rofl: ) Just don't forget to check in once a day, preferably in the mornings, esp with loads out of Worthington.

As far as Dole is concerned..........stand on the dock while they are loading it. You can tell them to stage the load but do NOT put anything on the dock till you are standing there. That way you get some sleep while they are staging it, and you also get the correct pallet count on the trailer.

They will listen to you, just stand your ground with them.

Any other questions, you have our number.

Oh, and you never called back last night..........found out from bro-in-law the roads to Rapid were good so you shouldn't have had a problem there! LOL!!!!

Talk to ya later.

[Big_Dave]

Oh, and you never called back last night..........
:thinking: :HMM: If I remember right, you're the one that said, "I gotta get this call that's coming in, I'll call you back after I get off the phone with them." :p

Besides, I was getting fuel when you guys went screaming past the Blue Line. I hollered at ya on 19 & down on the Midwest Produce Haulers channel, but there was no answer. :wtf:

Y'all could've at least stopped and bought breakfast. :harhar:

[ladymacguiver]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Do you check VOICE MAILS?

I did leave ya a message to call us back cuz you didn't answer when I called.

Brad was on the phone with the boss when we went through Worthington.......he musta had the radio turned down.

[Big_Dave]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Do you check VOICE MAILS?

I did leave ya a message to call us back cuz you didn't answer when I called.

Brad was on the phone with the boss when we went through Worthington.......he musta had the radio turned down.
Hmmm.......the phone never showed a missed call that night. Just checked, and sure enough, you left a message at 8:16 pm. :wtf:

There were 3 other new messages too. :wtf:

[tommy]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Do you check VOICE MAILS?

I did leave ya a message to call us back cuz you didn't answer when I called.

Brad was on the phone with the boss when we went through Worthington.......he musta had the radio turned down.
Hmmm.......the phone never showed a missed call that night. Just checked, and sure enough, you left a message at 8:16 pm. :wtf:

There were 3 other new messages too. :wtf:



c'mon Dave, cant let them ladys know YOU made a mistake..

Maybe she did not leave the Message right!! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: