Heading South With A Load Of Bricks

Have you ever heard someone use the phrase “It hit me like a ton of bricks”? Well, I've got more than a ton of bricks on my truck today, in fact I have 23 tons of bricks on this thing! I hope I don't hit anyone.

I finally got my little igloo rolling out of the clutches of that winter storm I got caught up in while in Farmington, Connecticut. Yesterday after they opened up the interstates for travel I headed down to Hanover, Pennsylvania for my back haul load that goes to Monroe, Louisiana. I couldn't make it there by four o'clock which is when they quit loading trucks for the day, so they told me to show up at six this morning. I got there about five thirty, and I was loaded and ready to roll this load of bricks down the road by about six thirty. The sun was just starting to rise as I rolled out the gate.

I have to deliver these bricks in Monroe by four o'clock Tomorrow. That's a 1200 mile run, and it's not easy to do with the encumbrances of the Hours of Service rules plus the fact that my truck is governed at 63 miles per hour. I had a great day today, did a little more than 600 miles and stopped for the night in McDonald, Tennessee at the Pilot truck stop.

An over the road truck driver's days are usually long if he's doing it like he should be, and I guess I'm doing a good job, at least my dispatcher always seems happy about what I'm getting accomplished. I'm pleased with this new job, it takes a lot of the stress and difficulties of the truck driving career out of the picture, and the pay is very good. They expect a lot of you, but I knew that would be the case. I'm happy to do my job and not disappoint them. The truth is that I love doing this stuff. So many truck drivers do nothing but complain about their jobs, and I know it can be frustrating, but for me it is very rewarding to make a plan each day - execute the plan, and then either enjoy your success, or learn from your mistakes.

I've got to get up early in the morning to keep this momentum up on this load. So, I'm getting in my sleeper, but tomorrow night I hope to jump back in here and let you know how everything came together on this load.