Diamond Delivery

[repojohn10]

Well, here's the update I promised to post.

Met up with the Owner here in Ft. Wayne on Wed. eve. Very nice guy, easy to talk with and he doesn't seem to bs ya none. He paid for my hotel wed night and dinner too (told ya, nice fella).

Orientation was yesterday and today. Just your basic company policies and DOT regs getting drilled into your brain. Nothing to specific to talk about really, seems all the people around the office are very friendly and pleasant to deal with..................................and here's where the fun starts......

I stopped on Wed when I got into town to do my drug test. No problems (or so I thought). The lady gave me a regular test vs the DOT one. No one figured that out until yesterday so the company and docs office have been back n forth about switching the paperwork. Well....around 5pm today I finally have to go take another test. No biggie, right?......The docs office sat me there for an hour so I missed the p/u for today and now it won't go out until monday afternoon.......blah
I was assured this time was the correct paperwork from the docs office and hopefully won't have anymore problems since I'm done with orientation and have my things in the truck, just can't be dispatched until its on paper in my file.

So here I sit in a motel until Monday at the earliest. All n all it wasn't bad until the docs messed up the paperwork 1 day before the weekend. It's nice to see the company was upset and was fighting to get me on the road today, its also VERY nice to have an owner that looks out for me right off the bat. He's paying me back for the room over the weekend when he doesn't have to, so that must be a great sign towards the future?

No complaints yet really, other then its freakin cold in IN (compared to Houston). Hopefully things go smooth mon/tues and I can get a load out by then.

Welp........thats my "starting off" story.....hope everyone enjoys the weekend.

 

[Dakota]

Hope your not staying at the Travelers INN, they have a bad case of bed bugs, seriously!!!

 

[repojohn10]

Next door actually at the A. Best Inn or whatever they call this place. Not horrible, but **** sure isn't a 3 or 4 star!! I've been here since Wed w/o any issues....hopefully that will stay the same through the weekend.

 

[Dakota]

Next door actually at the A. Best Inn or whatever they call this place. Not horrible, but **** sure isn't a 3 or 4 star!! I've been here since Wed w/o any issues....hopefully that will stay the same through the weekend.

Liberty Diner has some good food
Stay away from those T***y Bars hahaha

 

[repojohn10]

Hopefully these guys will dispatch me tomorrow and get me rollin! Sitting around this hotel is getting boring!

 

[Dakota]

Hopefully these guys will dispatch me tomorrow and get me rollin! Sitting around this hotel is getting boring!

Hope you don't mind sitting around because that's what expeditors do!!! Good luck on getting a load out, Fort Wayne is usually a great area to get freight out of.

 

[repojohn10]

Just a little update.

They did get me loaded last Monday morning....and kept me running till Sunday 10pm when I had to do a reset. Total miles start to finish was 2845. Thats including dh, and then 15 miles to get back to the office from my last drop. I was hoping this kept up starting out this week, but only a 200 mile run today and now sitting up in Flint @ the BP/Mcdonalds on 23 that has a few truck spots. BY FAR the nicest place in or around Flint that I have ever seen.

Hopefully they keep giving me the miles as I took 7 loads last week. I figured I'd prove myself by not turning anything down and thats exactly what I did. We'll see how the future plays out but I've done a t/t spreadsheet and a expedite spreadsheet and even with less income, the expense difference shows me more PROFIT in expediting based on 2k miles a week.

CHop

 

[yayashas]

What are you driving? Do you need CDL?

 

[repojohn10]

I'm in a straight truck, and yes, you need a cdl for this truck I'm in.

 

[AutonomyRex]

Hey repo,

What type of ST? How is it spec'd? You driving solo correct, if I recall?
Is it comfortable for the road?

Run Safe
A-Rex

 

[repojohn10]

Hey repo,

What type of ST? How is it spec'd? You driving solo correct, if I recall?
Is it comfortable for the road?

Run Safe
A-Rex

2007 Hino, 96 sleeper w/ 22ft box. The sleeper is outstanding!! Bentz sleeper I think, 2 bunks, bottom folds up to have 2 benches and a table. Small counter w/ sink and plenty of cabinets. Also have an apu but its been acting up today.

I'm sittin up here in Dundee,MI and its getting cold and it keeps throwing an error code that NO ONE has any idea about. LOL. The code in the book doesn't describe remedies or really the exact reason for the code, so I came into this little t/s to get online.

 

[Dakota]

2007 Hino, 96 sleeper w/ 22ft box. The sleeper is outstanding!! Bentz sleeper I think, 2 bunks, bottom folds up to have 2 benches and a table. Small counter w/ sink and plenty of cabinets. Also have an apu but its been acting up today.

I'm sittin up here in Dundee,MI and its getting cold and it keeps throwing an error code that NO ONE has any idea about. LOL. The code in the book doesn't describe remedies or really the exact reason for the code, so I came into this little t/s to get online.

Ugh Hino
Well, you might as well go enjoy Cabela's since your in Dundee

 

[repojohn10]

Ugh Hino
Well, you might as well go enjoy Cabela's since your in Dundee

Your telling me!!!!! I was on the phone this morning with the apu guy and the Hino shut off. Started it back up, and it shut off again. On the third time I noticed no throttle control or response at all from the pedal OR the idle control on the dash. A phone call to the dealer revealed a recall of sorts on the throttle plate or something related to it.

End result was a nice fellow in a wrecker taking my Hino into Romulus to get looked at. Luckily my own is a nice guy and booked and paid for my hotel, so here I sit, listening to the kids running up and down the halls and banging on the walls. LOL. I have the best freakin luck in the world!

 

[cheri1122]

John: would that APU happen to be a Proheat? Cause I drive a Sterling with the same Bentz sleeper, [84, not 96], and the APU is a piece of junk, IMO, that rarely works for long. Except for that, I LOVE having the 'comforts of home' on the road - makes it easy to stay out for months on end.

 

[repojohn10]

Actually its a Rig Master. When it works, it works well. I wish it would have temp vary of maybe 3/4 degrees instead of 6 but other then that its wonderful. We found the previous owner had dropped a fuse into the brain under the bunk and it shorted 2 terminals. He fixed the board, but hes starting to wonder if the brain on the wall incab didnt take a short or 2 from that.

I totally agree. I come out of t/t's into expedite trucks. I love/hate them so far. I LOVE the added comfort of these bigger sleepers for sure, but hate the ride of this little hino. A bit under power for my liking but I'm used to that bit 550hp kitty that moves even with 50k of freight on it.

Maybe I'll just have to save my pennies and have the best of both. I'll buy me a long nose peter car and stretch it out and throw a 24ft box on it. Now that would be ridin in style.

 

[blizzard2014]

John: would that APU happen to be a Proheat? Cause I drive a Sterling with the same Bentz sleeper, [84, not 96], and the APU is a piece of junk, IMO, that rarely works for long. Except for that, I LOVE having the 'comforts of home' on the road - makes it easy to stay out for months on end.

I commend you, Chery for staying out months on end. The longest streatch on the road I had this year was a mere 9 weeks. I can't do it like I used to and i'm still a young chap. Maybe that's because I have no sleeper, no television, no heater, no air con, and no radio for 6 months now. lol. All I got is a sleeping bag, an old dilapidated mattress that I throw down on the floor, and a bag of clothes!

 

[x06col]

Pork Chop, wat did ya do, get outa the mood to haul motorcycles and get into the repo biz?? And now into the expedite biz? It's all good.

 

[blizzard2014]

Pork Chop, wat did ya do, get outa the mood to haul motorcycles and get into the repo biz?? And now into the expedite biz? It's all good.

I only stay on the road 9 weeks at the most these days, does this mean I should get out of the business? I still go to Canada, New York city, and rarely turn runs down, but I might jes be one of dem fools you talk about! lol.

 

[repojohn10]

Motorcycles was just a dream! lol. I've repo'd for years though. Off and on, good and bad. I figured I'd try expedite. Been curious about it for years and wanted to learn the ropes. I'm learning that if they'd keep me with at least 2k miles a week, it would be more profitable then a big truck!!!!....but I'm not counting my eggs this time

Hell...I think I've got the same mentality!! I made the truck like 3300 last week. They fed it to me and I took it. I've yet to turn a load down with these people, but its doesnt seem like its paying off, LOL. Anywho.......I'll just mozy back to my hotel tv and watch the news.

 

[cheri1122]

I commend you, Chery for staying out months on end. The longest streatch on the road I had this year was a mere 9 weeks. I can't do it like I used to and i'm still a young chap. Maybe that's because I have no sleeper, no television, no heater, no air con, and no radio for 6 months now. lol. All I got is a sleeping bag, an old dilapidated mattress that I throw down on the floor, and a bag of clothes!

Jeez, Blizzard, would you treat your tools that poorly?
You really need to take better care of your most important tool: yourself.
PS I basically live in the truck - been doing it for so long, I don't know how to live any other way, anymore. I have 2 daughters, one in Ohio, the other in Florida - can't settle in one place just yet, lol.