I went by Kenworth and checked on my truck this morning. The bolt that holds the tensioner on broke. They have to get it out. Plus, they have to order parts that they say will take at least two or three days to get here. This is what it looks like now.
This morning I drove to the Port in Brunswick, Georgia (still with no air conditioning) and delivered the stuff. From there I drove back to the Daily terminal in Jacksonville and dropped my trailer. Then drove to Kenworth in Jacksonville and dropped off the truck to get it fixed. Uber took me back to the yard. Then I went and checked into a hotel for a day or two.
When my 10 hours were up, I left. That was about 2:30 AM CDT. Drove almost straight through to the Daily terminal in Jacksonville, Florida. Just south of Chattanooga, my air conditioner in the truck quit working. Found out why when I stopped for fuel. This fell out!!
It is the thing that keeps the A/C compressor belt tight. It just fell out!!! Was laying there on the engine. I had to cut the belt to get it off so I could continue. Drove the rest of the way to Jacksonville with no air conditioning. 660 miles today.
I went over to Caterpillar and loaded 4 wheels for a Caterpillar 992 wheel loader and the bolts that hold them on. The white box is the bolts.
My next load was in Indianapolis, Indiana. I left at 2:30 AM EDT and drove there. I was given two addresses. I went to the first address. At 7 AM, the gate automatically opened, and I went in. There was nobody there. It was a "ghost town". I waited a while. Still nobody. So I went to the other address. That was their main Campus. They didn't have my machine there and sent me back to the original address. I went back there. There were people there this time. They didn't have my machine there and had no idea where it was. Carlisle didn't give me a serial number, so it couldn't even be looked up in the computer. I emailed my dispatcher and explained the issues. He didn't know anything either. The terminal manager in Bettendorf, Iowa, booked the load, so I had to wait for him to get to work at 9 AM EDT (8 AM CDT there in Iowa) to find anything out. So I sat and waited. They finally came up with a serial number. I was sent back to the main campus location, AGAIN. I got there, and the yard guy ran the serial number in his computer and found that the machine I was to load was in Grand Rapids, Michigan!!!! Sent an email to my dispatcher in Carlisle advising him of this. Then waited for them to decide what to do next. After an hour and a half, I left for a different load in Decatur, Illinois. Carlisle said that they made my loading appointment and to check in when I got there. So I did just that when I arrived. They said that I was not on their list for today and would not load me. So I went to the Pilot truck stop a few miles down the road for the night. 473 miles today; that accomplished nothing. Another fine job, Carlisle!!!!
Blog readers for the past 7 days...
I left Hagerstown, MD at about 4 AM EDT. Had to time it so that I didn't get to West Virginia before sunrise. Amazingly, I drove to Brownstown, Michigan, and delivered the dozer. After that, I went to the TA truck stop in Monroe, Michigan for the night. 531 miles today.
I went over to the Port of Baltimore this morning to load. Still didn't have the correct paperwork. I waited for two and a half hours for the paperwork that I was told I'd have first thing this morning. Another fine job by the incompetence of Carlisle. Loaded a Caterpillar D-5 Dozer that is going to Brownstown Township, Michigan.
I didn't get out of there until after noon!!! Drove to the AC&T truck stop in Hagerstown, Maryland for the night.
I delivered the wheel loader first thing this morning. Didn't have another load yet, so I drove to the TA truck stop in Baltimore, Maryland, to wait. Late this afternoon, I finally got another load. It is tomorrow at the Port. As usual for Carlisle, they couldn't come up with all the necessary paperwork before they went home, so tomorrow I have to wait until they get there and decide to send it to me.
This is one example of how bad the truck stops gouge us. Look at the price of this ice cream for only a pint!!!! This was at the Love's I stayed at last night.
I left at about 2 AM CDT. Drove 544 miles to the Love's truck stop in Madison, Ohio. Lots of heavy smoke in the air almost all day today. When I got here, I followed a cop into the parking lot. A dumb driver was pulling out of a parking spot and hit another truck.
I left at about 2:30 AM EDT and drove toward Fenton, Missouri. Delivered the wheel loader. From there, I drove to Davenport, Iowa, to the John Deere plant. I made it just in time. I was the last one they loaded today!!! What was even better was that my loading appointment was for tomorrow!! Loaded a John Deere 624 Wheel Loader that is going to Syracuse, New York. Of course, just as I started to load, the heavens opened up. Rained until I finished securing it, then it stopped.
I left at about 2 AM EDT. Uneventful day on the road. Drove 549 miles to the Petro truck stop in New Paris, Ohio. When I got there, I did two loads of laundry. Now it's time to sleep. Good night.
I left at 2:30 AM EDT and drove to Clifton Park, New York, and delivered the excavator. From there, I drove back to the Port of Baltimore and loaded a Caterpillar 950 Wheel Loader that is going to Fenton, Missouri.
I went to the Port of Baltimore this morning. Got there before they opened. BUT, as usual for Carlisle, they didn't give me all the paperwork I needed to get loaded. I waited for an hour before they finally sent it to me. Then I loaded a Caterpillar 315 Excavator that is going up to Clifton Park, New York.
Left there and drove to the Petro truck stop in Bordentown, New Jersey, for the night.
I left at about 4:30 AM EDT and drove the rest of the way to Sterling, Virginia, and delivered the track loader. From there, I drove to the "home office" in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Had some very minor work done on the truck and got a new tire on my trailer. I was due for my annual DOT Physical (which was the main reason for going to Carlisle) and got that done. Went to the grocery store. Also helped out another driver a little bit. Now I'm ready to go again Monday morning.
I left at 1:30 AM EDT and drove 500 miles to the TA truck stop in Ashland, Virginia. I'll deliver about 2 hours from here tomorrow morning.
This afternoon I went to the Port in Brunswick, Georgia, and loaded a Caterpillar 963 Track Loader that is going to Sterling, Virginia.
I delivered the engine and parts boxes first thing this morning in Savannah, Georgia. From there, I drove to the Port of Georgia in Brunswick, Georgia, and loaded a Caterpillar 966 Wheel Loader.
I left at 4:30 AM EDT and drove to the Pilot truck stop in Port Wentworth, Georgia. It is about 4 miles from delivery. I'll be here until Monday morning.
I left last night at 11:30 PM EDT. I drove through the "Gorge" on I-40 between Knoxville, TN, and Asheville, NC. The last time I went that way was during the hurricane that washed away I-40. They still have only one lane open each direction. It is amazing how close I came to being washed away with the Interstate that day. I drove 521 miles today and stopped at the Love's truck stop in Newberry, South Carolina.
I left at about 2:30 AM CDT. Drove to Lafayette, Indiana, and loaded a Caterpillar engine and some parts boxes that are going to Savannah, Georgia.
I left at 11:30 PM CDT. Drove all night to Weston, Wisconsin. Got there a bit before they opened. When they got there, I delivered the excavator. My next load is tomorrow in Lafayette, Indiana. I started off that way but stopped for the rest of the day at the Petro truck stop in Portage, Wisconsin. 524 miles today.
Blog readers for the past 7 days...
When my 10 hours were up, I left at 11:30 PM EDT last night. No traffic issues today. I drove 472 miles nonstop in seven and a half hours. The only reason I stopped was that I had to do the required 30-minute break. Then continued on to the Love's truck stop in Tuscola, Illinois. 648 total miles today.
I left this morning and drove up to the Port in Brunswick, Georgia. Loaded a Caterpillar 315 Excavator that is going to Weston, Wisconsin.
Left there and headed north. Traffic in Atlanta was not looking good, so I stopped for my 10 hours at the TA truck stop in Jackson, Georgia. I'll go through Atlanta at night when the traffic is not as bad.
I left at about 1 AM EDT and drove back to Jacksonville. Stopped and had the trailer greased along the way. I'll be here for the weekend.
This morning the crane arrived, and they started to put it together.
Had to put on the counterweights.
Then they unloaded the first truck. The main building.
This morning I drove down to Ormond Beach to load. The truck in there loading ahead of me had a problem with its trailer. He worked on it for what seemed like an eternity and finally got it fixed. They loaded him. Then it was my turn. I backed in, and they loaded a section of a "7 Brew" coffee shop going to Winter Haven, Florida.
I went back over to the Port of Jacksonville this morning and loaded a Caterpillar 962 Wheel Loader.
Left there and drove to Ocala, Florida, and delivered it. Then back to the yard in Jacksonville.
This happened on the way back to Jacksonville on the Stark bypass.
