A Diesel Haze

NO, this will NOT be some kind of Memorial to the "trucker spirit".

In fact it will pretty much be just the opposite.

Ever see the website "peopleofwalmart"? This is the same idea only its about truckers and truck stops, the industry as a whole. (hole?)

I have played a mental game with myself for years as I sit in a truck stop or even at a shipper, "people watching".

OK, I'm not much of a people watcher, I drive a truck because I prefer to NOT be around people.

I digress...

Here's the mental game: Its really simple. Someone walks in to the cafe, drivers room, what ever. YOU decide if you would want that person, (based on appearance) to drive one of your trucks (saying you owned a fleet) and would want that person to present himself to YOUR customers.

Well, we are going to take pictures of some of them, because some are so funny, it hurts.

Sent them to us also, well post them, with all credit due, (or not).

We will include the ragged ass whores that slither around truck stops and rest areas as well as some of the wrecks we run into. The wrecks caused by the stupid gene.

Just getting started, still working on the back end some, but enjoy it anyway.

http://theamericantrucker.com/

Follow us on twitter as @theamericantrkr

Email your pictures to trucker (at) theamericantrucker dot (com)

t

This is Bar S, Clinton OK.

Not a bad place to unload all in all, friendly folk and lots of room. Can't ask for a lot more than that.

The story of what it took to get there is a different one, not quite so nice. In fact it put me into a stress overload that left me almost unable to speak. (Silence is the sign that I'm about as dangerous as I can get)

This trip paid 721 miles plus a deadhead from Robert LA. I sat for almost 3 days waiting for this load to come about in Hazelhurst MS. Scheduled for a 6PM, I showed up early (as usual) and got it on and was GONE by 4PM. It made me wonder if I could have got it 3 days early.

Dispatchers, even those that "used" to drive a truck, have NO business telling anyone how to drive their runs. They certainly have no business telling a 21 year driver that "IF" they had gone beyond their limits, they would have got the delivery done on time. I determine my limits, not someone that sleeps in a house or apartment every night. I'm out of bed every morning, (EVERY MORNING) by 5 AM. I'm done driving by midnight.

Truth of the matter is very simple, the load never had the hours written into it to be on time. I called the receiver and made the proper arrangements. Customer service HATES that here, you are "going over their heads.." (tough shit, amateurs)

I'll be taking this issue to the safety people, but I expect little satisfaction.

The up side? I pretty much only need to make a phone call, to switch jobs, even in this climate. I'm looking at my options, as of NOW.

t

Chicken Pulp? That's what I was hauling, 20 bins of "pulp" that is used to make cold cuts, hot dogs, etc. I almost sat overnight with this LATE load, because they didn't need it.

It's not an everyday thing and most of the time its specific companies that I hate, for specific reasons.

Today is a shitty day to start with, on a shitty run, to a shitty place. WalMart.

I hate to deliver to a WalMart distro more than just about anyplace in America. The reasons are just to numerous to list.

Ever notice that there are a couple of companies that seem to hire ONLY those drivers that are completely full of them selves? You pull into a truck stop to fuel and have to wait behind one of them while they take a shower, eat their dinner or just generally fuck off? Sometimes these people are parked in a place that is NOT a parking area, in fact sometimes it is an out right danger to people for them to be there? But there they sit, as close to the doors of the truck stop as they can get.

Why? They believe themselves to be important, in a hurry or they are just to lazy and useless to walk more than they have to.

There are two companies that instantly come to mind for most of us: Covenant and US Express.

Today I pulled into the WalMart DC (#6057) in Robert LA to deliver a load of spuds. If you deliver Walmart, you know how they are set up. Produce is amost always closest to the CTO. I was given door 307, about 7 doors down.

This is what was waiting.



US Express, parked right across the produce doors. There was a line of inbound reefers behind me too. He is inside somewhere, more than likely in the drivers lounge as he was NOT in the CTO. My door was slightly to the right, meaning I could just miss his dumb ass and back in. (He had to back up to move away from me, that's how close it was)

I was amused to notice THIS:



A trainer... supposedly the "best" they have... I believe it and I believe this is where the rest of these "drivers "learn" their habits.

Just so we are CLEAR, I'm sending a link to this post to US Express's HR people...

NOTE:


So you don't mistake this for a fluke or a one time event...

He left and went to the other end of the yard to find a trailer, then he came back to get his paperwork or take one more shot at impressing the females in the CTO.

Wanna guess where he parked? With guys "trying" to back into these doors? The trailer visible just over his hood is mine. (We are forced to drop these trailers at Walmart as they OPENLY do not trust us.)


After he came back out of the building, he and a buddy stood there by his tractor, with people waiting, and "talked" for more than 10 minutes. Standing three feet apart, they yelled at each other.

Typical of this company's drivers.

Hope to see you on your roof on I12, asshole.

t

Post Script: As i tried to leave this DC, at the gate I was verbally attacked by an "in house" driver for Walmart, (Swift) I was not in the right exit lane. Instead of asking, he just started screaming. Oddly, invited to get his fat ass out of his truck, only made him scream louder. I blocked his exit from the gate for as long as I could, just to hear him scream. Yes, I'm an asshole, but "I" freely admit it, you don't have to like it.
(Added 12 hours later)