Bessemer City,NC

Well, we finally made it here. But boy did we go through some nasty weather to get here! Yesterday morning I got up and started driving in Terrell,TX. It was nothing but rain ALL the way in from there. There was a nasty storm on the radar that we were following on the tail end of. UGH!



We got a preplan before we got here and it happens that we are loading at the Dole that we are dropping off at here in NC. We got in around 0230 and I am currently sitting in a dock getting unloaded. Once I finish up here, I will head around to the other side of the building to where shipping is and go check in. With any luck, they will have what I need and I can get loaded early. But I'm not holding my breath. LOL. My appointment is at 1000 hrs local time so that is only an hour and 15 minutes from now so it won't be a big deal if I have to wait. This load is a short 650 miles or so and will take us down to Indianola,MS. It doesn't deliver until tomorrow morning sometime so we will have plenty of time. I wish it was a longer run, but it pays ok. Not great, but decent. With us having the truck in the shop last week and being delayed another day by that load getting pushed back we only had one run on the paycheck so we need a few more this week.

Heffard, I forgot to answer your question. For the most part, we usually don't have to wait very long. Sometimes we will have a delivery in the late afternoon and then we will have a load that picks up the next morning but usually we have something right away. Having to wait on that load in Louisville and again down in Yuma was the exception to the rule. Of course they had to happen within a week of each other. I am hoping this isn't a sign of things to come. I know the economy is slowing down, and I have heard the news actually used the dreaded "recession" word stating we were finally actually IN one as opposed to the talks that we could be HEADED for one. I guess we will just have to play it by ear and see what happens. I think a lot also has to do with geography. I know another team here with Prime who have been running their asses off with almost no down time. They just happen to be in the right place at the right time. Now, if I could get my FM to get me into the freight lanes they are running, then we would be in business. Also, making money is not at the top of our list as it is for some people. Wait, that didn't sound right. Of course it is important, but we don't have a house so we don't have a mortgage to pay every month or utilities. We have no credit cards at all. We basically have our suburban, insurance, cell phones, J's child support and well, that is basically it. So if we have a short week, it doesn't effect us like it does some people who have the bills that we don't. We have worked hard to get out of debt and living in the truck has done that for us. So now, when the money rolls in, we just stash it away. And when we have a slow week or two, it is ok, because we have the money set aside. However, I can see how others who are in the financial position we used to be in, could be having a hard time with the way things are right now. It is tough everywhere.