Monday, August 3, 2026

 I delivered the track loader first thing this morning.  Didn't have another load yet, so I went to the AC&T truck stop in Hagerstown, Maryland, to wait.  At about 9:30, I got my next load.  I drove to the Port of Baltimore and loaded a Caterpillar 317 Excavator that is going to Novi, Michigan. 

Had to wait until 1 PM for the Port people to come back from lunch so I could get my paperwork.  They didn't show up until 1:45.   Then I left and drove to the TA truck stop in Breezewood, Pennsylvania, for the night.

Saturday, August 1, 2026

 I left at 2 AM EDT and had a nice, uneventful day on the road.  Drove 534 miles to the Flying J truck stop in Winchester, Virginia.  I deliver a few blocks from here Monday morning.

Friday, July 31, 2026

 This morning I left to go to Brunswick, Georgia, to load.  As soon as I got started, the brand new belt they put on started to squeal.  So I stopped, opened the hood, and looked to see why it was squealing.  Saw that the idle pulley was not spinning.  So instead of going to Brunswick, I went back to Kenworth.  They took the truck in fairly quickly and fixed the problem.  I left there in pretty good time and continued on to Brunswick.  Loaded a Caterpillar 963 Track Loader that is going to Clear Brook, Virginia.

Left there and headed north.  Traffic was heavy today on I-95.  Stopped for my 10 hours at the Petro truck stop in Florence, South Carolina.

Thursday, July 30, 2026

 My truck was finished late this morning, and I went over and got it.  I'll load tomorrow in Brunswick, Georgia.

Tuesday, July 28, 2026

 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.

So, I'll be here a little bit longer than expected.

Monday, July 27, 2026

 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.

Saturday, July 25, 2026

 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.

Friday, July 24, 2026

 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.

This is a Caterpillar 992, just to give you an idea of how big it is.

I left there and drove to the Love's truck stop in Oak Grove, Kentucky, for my 10 hours.

Thursday, July 23, 2026

 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...

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

 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.

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

 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.

Monday, July 20, 2026

 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.  

Saturday, July 18, 2026

 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.

Here is what the same thing costs at a grocery store.

This morning I left at about midnight-thirty.  Drove the rest of the way to the John Deere place that I'm delivering to on Monday.  They had plenty of on-site parking.  That is rare!! I was finished and in bed by 5:30 AM EDT.   Still smoky, but not nearly as bad as Ohio was.  I'll unload here Monday morning.

Friday, July 17, 2026

 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.

Unfortunately, this stupidity happens far too often.

Thursday, July 16, 2026

 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 was out of hours for today, so I stayed in their parking lot for the night. 641 miles today.

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

 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.

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

 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.

After loading, I went over to the TA truck stop in Baltimore for the night. 609 miles today.

Monday, July 13, 2026

 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.

Saturday, July 11, 2026

 

Friday, July 10, 2026

 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.