Report from two days in

I started the new job on Monday morning.  I was lucky enough to get the old job taken care of on Friday, because it didn't seem like I was going to be able to get everything cleared without a trip back on Saturday, which would have been another example of the utter nonsense I've been dealing with and one of the reasons I was looking for an out.  Being home and not having to spend months on the road was the main concern, but the nonsense was also a contributing factor.

I was fully prepared to spend the better part of the morning filling out the various forms and going through the myriad piles of paperwork that every new hire must wade through.  Instead, I think everything was completed in about thirty minutes, at which time I was introduced to my co-workers and sent out on an assignment.

Yesterday was a very busy and hectic day, owing in the most part to some key personnel being absent, so I managed to rack up a little overtime.  I forgot how sore I get standing up for so long a time, but my legs let me remember vividly with the early-morning leg cramps around two this morning.

Today was a little more relaxed, and the better part of the day was spent going through the company's truck fleet, noting defects and other issues, and if I was able, correcting minor deficiencies as I found them.  Unfortunately, a great majority of the vehicles require some form of maintenance that I cannot provide, along with getting paperwork and inspections up-to-date and accurate.  One truck was sent out today for major repairs to the transmission (I don't care what anyone else tells you, fifth gear is extremely important, especially under a heavy load) and general preventative maintenance.

I don't know how busy tomorrow is shaping up to be for us, but if it's like today, I will be doing more of the same, going through the trucks and trailers with a fine-toothed comb and noting defects that could be costly, both to myself and the company, in the long term and getting them corrected.

I'm really grateful to be able to engage in a little bit of wine therapy tonight, and don't have to cook since we'll order food here.  Tomorrow, I'll be trying something that came about on the spur of the moment and reporting the results to you, good or bad.  The review, that is, not my blog, I already know that's horrid. (joke)

In short, the company is decent, the co-workers are nice, and I am really happy to be a part of their team, along with being able to work locally and be home at night.

Could I have found The One?  We shall see.

Where was I ... and where am I?

The big problem with playing catch-up with the blog is I get so busy I lose track of time, and can't remember the last time I was able to post something.  Add in the fact that I also lose track of what day of the week it is (all day yesterday I kept thinking it was Sunday), and it makes for an interesting time trying to remember what I last talked about.

The break I was hoping to take was a short one, and after finishing the multi-drop load on the 28th, I got to rest until the morning of the 29th, when I was sent to South Carolina to pick up a load going to Laredo, Texas. The only problem was the load was already a day behind schedule, and there was no way I was going to make it for the delivery date.  So, I ran the load as far as Atlanta, and swapped out with another driver.  I was then given a load out of Columbus, GA, going to Laredo.  And, since this load contained hazardous materials, I had to be extra vigilant in my inspection of the trailer I was given.

It's a good thing I was, because it had one tire that had not only gone bald, but had the steel cords showing.  The registration was gone, meaning I had to call in to the office to get a copy of it faxed to me at the truck stop, and then take the trailer over to a tire shop to get fixed before I could pick up my load.  Which meant I was later than I wanted to be in getting to Columbus, but still on time.

I made it to Laredo without running into any of the nasty weather that was moving through the area I was driving through.  I hit a couple of downpours in Louisiana and some fog through Alabama, but other than that I didn't get hit with anything.

The nice thing about being in Laredo is there's a Wal-Mart that has truck parking.  After dropping my trailer, I headed over there and stocked up on things that I needed, like more food (canned soups, canned pineapple, some meats that don't need refrigeration) and other items like sodas and personal hygiene products.

I got my load early this morning.  I have a stop in Lewisville, Texas before heading to Lebanon, Tennessee, and the final stop is in Elkton, Maryland.  The only major problem I can see is that Maryland and Tennessee are due on the same day, about six hours apart.  Forgetting the time zone change, there's no way I can cover over seven hundred miles in what will amount to three and a half hours by the time I'm done unloading in Tennessee.  I've let the office know about it, and I'll continue to send the running late reports if need be, but as far as I'm concerned, it is officially Not My Problem anymore.


I didn't have a lot of time or opportunity to take pictures this past week or so, but the picture to the left is of the retreating storm clouds in Piedmont, South Carolina.  The picture to the right is sunset in Dallas, Texas, where I'm staying for the night.  It's sad that I'm home, but I can't go home.

Here's hoping for a decent week.