Saturday, June 22, 2013

Half day today!  Got started at sun rise this morning and drove across Pennsylvania to the Pilot truck stop in Portersville, PA for the rest of the weekend.  Deliver Monday morning about a half hour from here.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Slept in this morning then got the truck washed.  It looks so good when it's clean!!  At about 11:30 was told that my load was ready at the port in Newark, NJ.  Drove up there and loaded a Unidachs 400L.  It is going to Cranberry Township, PA.  That is over near Pittsburgh. 

Hit a lot of bumper to bumper traffic getting out of there.  Stopped for the night at the TA truck stop in Columbia, NJ at the Delaware Water Gap.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Got up early and drove in to the port in Glouster City, NJ.  Unfortunately I didn't leave early enough because I got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic going through Philadelphia.  Even so, I got in and delivered the boxes and then over to the TA truck stop in Paulsboro, NJ before noon.  Ate, took a shower, and got in bed.  My back is still very sore.  Slept all afternoon and it felt great!!  Really helped a lot.

There is a pizza place across the street from here.  If you know me, you know that I could eat pizza 7 days a week.  So you know where I ate dinner tonight!!  It was good too.

My next load is supposed to be an excavator up in Newark but, as of 4:30,  it is still not ready yet.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Got up early this morning and drove up to Olean, NY for my next load.  Loaded two boxes of machine parts that are going down to Gloucester City, NJ.  That is just outside of Philadelphia.  Of course they had to be tarped.

I drove down to the TA truck stop in Bloomsburg, PA and stopped a little early for the night. Didn't get much sleep last night and my back really hurts.  Need to rest.

Tuesday, June 18. 2013

First thing this morning had the fuel leak fixed and while they were in there had the oil changed too.  Then went to the "Home Office" of Daily Express in Carlisle, PA and had my 90 day inspection done on the truck and trailer.  Also had the bad tire changed.  Found an air leak in an air line behind the engine.  

Went to Kenworth and had that fixed.  Also tried to find the electrical problem with the windshield washer.  Still couldn't find it.  Got out of Kenworth at 11:30 pm and went back to the Daily Express yard in Carlisle for the night.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Left New Paris, Ohio just before sun up this morning and drove straight through to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and delivered the track loader.  

My generator has had a fuel leak all weekend so after delivering I went across the street to the Cummins dealer to get it fixed in the morning.  Was able to park in their parking lot and plug in to electricity for the night.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Left Oak Grove, MO just before sun up.  Good day on the road.  Traffic was light all day.  As I was getting toward Indianapolis, IN I saw a lot of black smoke.  Initially I thought an airliner went down because it started out looking like it was near the airport.  As I got closer I realized that it was not near the airport.  It was on the west side of the city.  

I basically went around it on the highway but didn't get close enough to see what was burning. 

Found out later that it was a warehouse on fire.  Click below for video.

Click Here For Video

Stopped for the rest of the weekend at the Petro truck stop in New Paris, Ohio.  That is right on the Indiana / Ohio line.  Couldn't go any further because my Ohio permit does not start until Monday.

Friday, June 14, 2013

The day started off great and went downhill from there.  Drove in to Wichita and delivered the excavator first thing.  Was in and out of there real fast.  Drove 16 miles up to Park City, KS and loaded a Caterpillar 973C track loader that is going to Harrisburg, PA.  My gross is 108,000 pounds.

When loading the machine it went over one of the air lines and cut it in half.  Spent several hours getting that fixed.  Also noticed a few cracks in one of the trailer tires.

After the air line was replaced I went down the road to a truck stop, scaled up and then waited for my Kansas permit.  It finally arrived at 12:30 local time and I got on the road. 

When I got to Kansas City I had to stop again and wait until  6 pm local time for curfew to be over. Then I drove to the Petro in Oak Grove, Missouri for the night.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Left Jackson, TN just before sun up this morning. Great day on the road.  Weather was great too, just a little windy.  Drove 612 miles to a convenience store with a little bit of truck parking in Leon, Kansas.  Will deliver in the morning in Wichita, KS.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Went in to Birmingham first thing this morning and delivered the excavator. When re-connecting the goose neck it went together wrong and bent the rod that pushes/pulls the big pin that holds the trailer together.  

After about a half hour working on it I got it "workable" and put the trailer back together again.

After that fiasco, I drove up to Chattanooga, Tennessee to the Komatsu plant and loaded a Komatsu PC240LC Excavator.  It is going to Wichita, Kansas.  My gross weight with this is 101,500 pounds.

Left there and drove to the Love's truck stop in Jackson, Tennessee for the night.  I am so glad to have this truck!!  Having a shower in the truck and a kitchen to cook in is absolutely fantastic!!!!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Drove on up to Brunswick, GA first thing this morning and loaded a Volvo 160 excavator.  It is going to Birmingham, AL.

Got on the road and drove to a truck stop in Lincoln, Alabama.  Will deliver first thing in the morning.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Boy did my time off go by fast!!  Now its time to get back to work. Tomorrow morning I'll load in Brunswick, GA for a quick trip over to Birmingham, AL.

Friday, May 31, 2013

Not much of a day off.

Was at Kenworth first thing this morning and had some work done on the truck.  The "Check Engine" light had come on so I had that looked at.  It was a bad oil sensor.  Also had routine maintenance done.  While fixing that stuff they found a huge crack in the engine fan so I had that replaced too.  When they finished I went next door to the Cummins shop and had my generator fixed again.  Bad fuel pump.  Hopefully the problem is finally fixed.

My truck is "Truck of the Month" for June at Daily Express!!  How about them apples?

Daily Express Inc.

Tomorrow is June 1st and with the turning of another page on the calendar comes a new Truck Of The Month. This months truck is a 2007 Kenworth W900 owned and operated by DXI Contractor David Carr. David lives in FL and joined our elite team in October of 2011. We are proud to have Davids expertise and safety on board!!!

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Left Ashland, VA this morning at sun up.  Took the Richmond bypass and then had to wait two hours for the Petersburg curfew to get over at 9.  Then continued on into Kernersville, NC and delivered the excavator.  After that drove home to Jacksonville, FL.    Will be home for at least a week for a much needed break.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Loaded a John Deere 225 Excavator this morning.  It is going to Kernersville, NC.

Got finished loading before 9 am.  BUT had to wait for my permits. None of them were in yet so I went to the TA in Baltimore and waited.  Maryland and North Carolina finally came in at 1:30 so I got on the road.  Still didn't have my Virginia permit yet.  Made it around Washington DC and way too far into Virginia without a permit.  Stopped at a rest area in Gainesville, VA on I-66 to wait for the VA permit.  Of course, I chose the wrong route.  VA routed me down to Richmond.  SO after curfew was over at 6, I turned around and went back.  Some days it is just not worth getting out of bed!!!  I only made it as far as Ashland, VA (just north of Richmond) where I stopped at the TA truck stop for the night.  Sure hope tomorrow is better!!

Tuesday, may 28, 2013

Left Wheeling, WV at 9 am.  Was a pretty uneventful day until I got to Baltimore.  As I drove on to I-95 from I-695 I saw a HUGE column of smoke.  Snapped a quick photo of it.

As I continued south on I-95 it got closer.  When I crossed the railroad overpass I looked to my left and saw a train stopped and totally engulfed in smoke.  Couldn't tell anything else because there was so much smoke.  As I kept going I saw LOTS of fire equipment responding.  I continued on in to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, MD and delivered the tractor.  That is where I found out that a train had derailed and that they were closing down the roads.   The next two photos I got from the internet.

After I delivered, I drove over to the Daily yard in Baltimore to spend the night there.  I reload there in the morning.

Here is a photo, courtesy of Google Maps, of the area of the train derailment.

Here is a link to some raw video footage of the incident that was shot from a helicopter shortly after it happened.

Raw Footage

15 train cars derailed as a result of the train striking a garbage truck.  Two of the train cars were on fire.  The driver of the truck was transported to Shock Trauma in Baltimore in serious condition.  No other injuries.  No fatalities, (yet).  

Friday, May 24, 2013

Left at sun up this morning.  Could only make it as far as the TA truck stop in Wheeling, West Virginia.  I'll be here until Tuesday morning.  STUPID STUPID REGULATIONS!!!!!!

Thursday, May, 23, 2013

This morning loaded a John Deere 9560 Tractor that is going to the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk, MD.  From there it is going on a boat to Brisbane.   These things are SO much FUN to drive!!!!!  Looking forward to unloading!!

Got on the road pretty quick this morning. They really do a good job getting everyone loaded there.  Wish they were all like that.  

The water is still very high up here.  At least you can see some of the lock and dam.  

Stopped for the night at the Love's truck stop in Richmond, Indiana.  Tomorrow will be a short day.  Because of the holiday, permit loads have to stop before noon and can't start moving again until 9 am Tuesday morning.  More STUPID regulations!!!

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Left Oak Grove, KY at sun up this morning.  Drove in to Davenport, Iowa and delivered the excavator.  Then went to the Daily yard in Bettendorf, IA and had new mud flaps put on the trailer.  After that drove up to the John Deere plant in Waterloo, Iowa.  I load there in the morning.  I am already number 13 in line for the morning.  On the way up here passed the Quaker Oats factory in Cedar Rapids.  Oatmeal anyone?

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Went a few miles down the road in Greensboro, NC and delivered the little excavator.  Then went over to the John Deere plant in Kernersville, NC and loaded a John Deere 290G excavator.  It is going to Davenport, Iowa.

Left there and drove the rest of the day.  Stopped at the Pilot truck stop in Oak Grove, Kentucky.  That is just over the Tennessee line in KY.   There are a lot of black clouds heading this way.

Radar looks good.

And the generator is acting up again!!  Just great!!

Nights like this I really love being able to shower and cook in the truck.  That is so great!!!!!