Back to Work
After taking the summer off at our place in Montana, this week I finally decided it was time to give driveaway a shot, even though I really hadn't been missing it. Sort of thought I would by now, but really didn't.
For the first time ever, Spirit Miller didn't have something to put me in right away. I had called on Monday to let them know I'd be ready to go out for a few days beginning Tuesday, but oddly enough, they didn't have anything available that was close enough without a long deadhead. It was Weds. about lunch time before they called with the offer.
They had 3 trucks that needed to be moved from Daleville, VA to Plains, PA, which is a nice drive up I-81. Plus, these trucks would be air conditioned, a condition I was considering a requirement given the heat and humidity along the east coast lately. I agreed that I would take 2 of them, but didn't think I could handle all 3. But, as nearly always, that would change during the trip.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Dispatch had called during the lunch hour (something I still try to adhere to even in retirement) to offer the trucks. So I quickly did the pre-trip paperwork, packed, and headed over to Daleville to pick up the first truck.
It was a shiney new IHC 7400 automatic bucket truck headed for Plains, PA. Since it was so hot, in the mid 90's, I was able to pre-trip quickly, get my toad hooked up and headed out. The office had asked me to track down another truck destined for Blue Bell, PA, but I couldn't find it. Didn't realize at the time that it would play a role in my future.
Trip up through the Shenendoah Valley was uneventful, and I stopped at the Days Inn in Carlisle, PA that night. Went on to Plains the next morning and began the long, 390 mile deadhead back to Daleville.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
As is usually the case, the orders changed somewhere during the first trip and I was to come back to Daleville (like the original plan), but pick up a different truck, the one destined for Blue Bell, PA. As is usually the case, this was a rush order. Since it was such a long deadhead back to Daleville, I figured I'd just stay at home overnight, saving the expense of one night out, and pick up the truck to head out on Friday. But dispatch wanted me to get the truck off their lot, something I find odd, when it means you've got to leave it overnight at a truckstop or, in my case, the local Food Lion, but they wanted it moved right away. So I headed on over to Altec to get the truck.
This one was another of those gigantic crane trucks I've had to move lately. Since my lawyer has asked me incredulously why I do driveaway given all the potential liability, these crane trucks have taken on a larger concern with me. This truck was an IHC Paystar 5000 with 8-speed hi-lolo tranny. I got it all hooked up and out rapidly, again in unbelievable heat, and staged it at the local Food Lion.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Headed out early and back up I-81. Nothing unusual except when I pulled into the Love's Truckstop at Toms Brook, since these cranes take something larger than a football field to turn around, I goofed and couldn't make the turn in the front parking lot (I hadn't planned to get fuel at the time, just pee and a drink). Couldn't make the turn, and since you can't back up with a toad behind, and had to unhook, back up about 5 feet, pull through, then rehook the toad - a pain.
Then my troubles really escallated. Since I was already at the Love's, I decided to go ahead and top off with enough fuel to get me to Blue Bell, PA. The "super" weigh station on I-81 in northern VA is about 10 miles on up the road. Naturally, they pulled me in asking me to show my overweight permit, or if I'd already gotten a citation, show that. I explained that this was a new truck in transport, and since Altec was VERY good at balancing everything I was really surprised that it could be overweight. I asked if my toad could be causing the problem. They said no, but that the hitch may be causing the 100 extra pounds (doubt that), but said I could go on, just be aware that I was over. I quickly said thanks and got out of there.
That kept me on my toes for any other weight station I might hit in WV, MD, or PA, but luckily enough I didn't have to cross any more. Made it on to Blue Bell by about 3:30, where dispatch had notified me that I could pick up another from that location to go about 100 miles up to Plains, PA. From there, they had another to go to Frederick, MD. Since that would help reduce the amount of deadheading, I agreed.
The truck in Blue Bell was an IHC 7400 digger with 10-speed hi-lo tranny. The guy there was kind enough to top it off with fuel, so I got a free run out of that. Something I needed desperately given the crane had gotten less than 4 mpg.
Got my toad hooked up quickly and headed out of Blue Bell. But since this is a suburb of Philly, the traffic came to a halt on I-476, due to a wreck about a mile north. Waited around for close to an hour before I could get all the way through it, and then headed on straight to Altec in Plains. There, I dropped this truck, pre-tripped the next one, and found lodging in a nearby Red Roof Inn for the night.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Got back out to the plant around 7:30, hooked everything up, fueled and was on the road about 8:15 AM. This truck was another IHC 7400 digger with a 6-speed tranny. Every truck had a different tranny, so it kept me thinking on this trip. Still scrape the Eaton Fuller hi-lo's, but I'm beginning to guess everybody probably does.
It was super hot and soupy in PA and all the way home. Got the truck to Frederick around noon, unhooked, and headed home. My toad was beginning to show overheating problems. It never did, but was really getting close. Really don't know why unless the tow bar is interrupting airflow on these super hot days.
Home by about 4:00 PM, to a very happy wife :-), out to dinner, slept through the race, then to bed. Always good to be home, and a certain high with the completion of each trip - especially if you've been pulled for being overweight.
For the first time ever, Spirit Miller didn't have something to put me in right away. I had called on Monday to let them know I'd be ready to go out for a few days beginning Tuesday, but oddly enough, they didn't have anything available that was close enough without a long deadhead. It was Weds. about lunch time before they called with the offer.
They had 3 trucks that needed to be moved from Daleville, VA to Plains, PA, which is a nice drive up I-81. Plus, these trucks would be air conditioned, a condition I was considering a requirement given the heat and humidity along the east coast lately. I agreed that I would take 2 of them, but didn't think I could handle all 3. But, as nearly always, that would change during the trip.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Dispatch had called during the lunch hour (something I still try to adhere to even in retirement) to offer the trucks. So I quickly did the pre-trip paperwork, packed, and headed over to Daleville to pick up the first truck.
It was a shiney new IHC 7400 automatic bucket truck headed for Plains, PA. Since it was so hot, in the mid 90's, I was able to pre-trip quickly, get my toad hooked up and headed out. The office had asked me to track down another truck destined for Blue Bell, PA, but I couldn't find it. Didn't realize at the time that it would play a role in my future.
Trip up through the Shenendoah Valley was uneventful, and I stopped at the Days Inn in Carlisle, PA that night. Went on to Plains the next morning and began the long, 390 mile deadhead back to Daleville.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
As is usually the case, the orders changed somewhere during the first trip and I was to come back to Daleville (like the original plan), but pick up a different truck, the one destined for Blue Bell, PA. As is usually the case, this was a rush order. Since it was such a long deadhead back to Daleville, I figured I'd just stay at home overnight, saving the expense of one night out, and pick up the truck to head out on Friday. But dispatch wanted me to get the truck off their lot, something I find odd, when it means you've got to leave it overnight at a truckstop or, in my case, the local Food Lion, but they wanted it moved right away. So I headed on over to Altec to get the truck.
This one was another of those gigantic crane trucks I've had to move lately. Since my lawyer has asked me incredulously why I do driveaway given all the potential liability, these crane trucks have taken on a larger concern with me. This truck was an IHC Paystar 5000 with 8-speed hi-lolo tranny. I got it all hooked up and out rapidly, again in unbelievable heat, and staged it at the local Food Lion.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Headed out early and back up I-81. Nothing unusual except when I pulled into the Love's Truckstop at Toms Brook, since these cranes take something larger than a football field to turn around, I goofed and couldn't make the turn in the front parking lot (I hadn't planned to get fuel at the time, just pee and a drink). Couldn't make the turn, and since you can't back up with a toad behind, and had to unhook, back up about 5 feet, pull through, then rehook the toad - a pain.
Then my troubles really escallated. Since I was already at the Love's, I decided to go ahead and top off with enough fuel to get me to Blue Bell, PA. The "super" weigh station on I-81 in northern VA is about 10 miles on up the road. Naturally, they pulled me in asking me to show my overweight permit, or if I'd already gotten a citation, show that. I explained that this was a new truck in transport, and since Altec was VERY good at balancing everything I was really surprised that it could be overweight. I asked if my toad could be causing the problem. They said no, but that the hitch may be causing the 100 extra pounds (doubt that), but said I could go on, just be aware that I was over. I quickly said thanks and got out of there.
That kept me on my toes for any other weight station I might hit in WV, MD, or PA, but luckily enough I didn't have to cross any more. Made it on to Blue Bell by about 3:30, where dispatch had notified me that I could pick up another from that location to go about 100 miles up to Plains, PA. From there, they had another to go to Frederick, MD. Since that would help reduce the amount of deadheading, I agreed.
The truck in Blue Bell was an IHC 7400 digger with 10-speed hi-lo tranny. The guy there was kind enough to top it off with fuel, so I got a free run out of that. Something I needed desperately given the crane had gotten less than 4 mpg.
Got my toad hooked up quickly and headed out of Blue Bell. But since this is a suburb of Philly, the traffic came to a halt on I-476, due to a wreck about a mile north. Waited around for close to an hour before I could get all the way through it, and then headed on straight to Altec in Plains. There, I dropped this truck, pre-tripped the next one, and found lodging in a nearby Red Roof Inn for the night.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Got back out to the plant around 7:30, hooked everything up, fueled and was on the road about 8:15 AM. This truck was another IHC 7400 digger with a 6-speed tranny. Every truck had a different tranny, so it kept me thinking on this trip. Still scrape the Eaton Fuller hi-lo's, but I'm beginning to guess everybody probably does.
It was super hot and soupy in PA and all the way home. Got the truck to Frederick around noon, unhooked, and headed home. My toad was beginning to show overheating problems. It never did, but was really getting close. Really don't know why unless the tow bar is interrupting airflow on these super hot days.
Home by about 4:00 PM, to a very happy wife :-), out to dinner, slept through the race, then to bed. Always good to be home, and a certain high with the completion of each trip - especially if you've been pulled for being overweight.
posted by Harry | 2:11 PM
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