Friday, June 1, 2018

Left Atlanta a half hour after sunrise this morning.  Had no traffic issues in or leaving Atlanta.  Everything was going very well until I got to about mile marker 106 on I-16.  Then things came to an abrupt halt.  There was a very bad car crash just past exit 111 and the Interstate was shut down.  They were diverting everyone off at exit 111.  When I got there I pulled into the truck stop at that exit to wait it out.  Altogether it took about an hour for them to re-open the Interstate. Once open again, I was back moving.    South of Savannah on I-95 came up on round two of bumper to bumper traffic.  Another wreck!!   Fortunately it was not as bad as the other one.  It took a while to get through it, but I finally did.  When I got to the Georgia / Florida state line I picked up my pilot escort car.  He was with me the rest of the way to the Port.  I just barely made it there in time to deliver today.  Delivered the dump truck.  Then went to the Daily yard in Jacksonville.  Will be here until Sunday.  

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Left a half hour before sunrise this morning.  Met my pilot escort car at the Illinois / Kentucky state line.  Traffic cooperated through Nashville.  When we got to the Tennessee / Georgia state line she dropped off and I continued on.  Don't need one in Georgia.  I'll get another one when I get to Florida tomorrow.  As usual, traffic slowed down a lot and had some bumper to bumper traffic north of Atlanta.  Stopped for the night at the Petro truck stop in Atlanta.

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Wasted a whole day sitting here waiting for my Tennessee permit.  It finally got here this afternoon but not early enough to go anywhere.  Will leave here a half hour before sunrise in the morning.  In the mean time, I got a lot of sleep, which was nice.  Also Alberto went by, although I would have never known it if I didn't look at the radar.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Went over to Caterpillar first thing this morning and loaded a Caterpillar 772G dump truck that is going to the Port in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Left there before noon for a change!!  Drove to the TA truck stop in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.  Talked to my Kentucky and Tennessee pilot escort this afternoon and found out that Tennessee's permit computer has been down since last week. That's why I don't have my Tennessee permit yet.  Also found out that all the truck stops between here and Tennessee are full with other trucks waiting on their Tennessee permits.  So when the system comes back up, who knows when I'll get my permit. There are a lot ahead of me waiting for theirs.  My escort driver said that I should stay here until it comes in.  She said that I am in the best place I can be in for now.  I called my dispatcher and talked it over with him too.  He agreed, much to my surprise.  So, here I sit until Tennessee gets their act together.  After a much needed shower I walked across the street and had dinner at Chili's.  Real food for a change!!

Monday, May 28, 2018

Left at 2 am CDT and drove the rest of the way to the Pilot truck stop in Decatur, Illinois.  Got here just after 9 am CDT. Load about 2 miles from here in the morning.