week 4

Sunday started with my trainer driving. We went on to Okmulgee, OK. Stopped at the shippers where we slept. It was a load of pallets, and cardboard.

Monday morning we unloaded. The deal with this shipper was you walked into a booth and got on an old crusty phone. There was signs all around stating how to do the delivery process and a form to fill out. Plus a hundred signs stating there were NO RESTROOMS for drivers. If the public complains about drivers releiving themselves just anywhere or throwing urine bottles on the ground then maybe there there should be more driver facilities. After a quick unload we deadhead to Muskogee. We do a D/H and head back to springfield. Our next load I drove from Springfield to Omaha, NE. I29 is a nice smooth road until you get close to the border and then it throws you. Pretty drive none the less. Parked at shipper and spent the night.

Tuesday we walk into the office and we are COMPLETELY ignored. After making a comment they finally acknowledge us and get a butt chewing on how the appointment was made the previous day at 7am and not today. Well don't shoot the messenger jeez. They inform us that we would get unloaded "whenever we can get to you" we bump dock and the shipping department was completely opposite. They were cheerful, got us unloaded quickly and helped make fun of the office people. We leave Omaha and hang out in a truck stop in Council Bluff. IA. Shower have breakfast while we wait for the next load. I go check out the area while the trainer napped. After an hour we were heading back to Omaha to Pepsi. After a three hour load wait we are off with a load on MT. Dew and it goes to Wichita, KS. We hurry as fast as a governed truck will let us to the shipper and we unload within a couple of hours. We spend the night at a parking lot outside of Mcdonalds.

Wednesday I finally get some good coffee at the mcdonalds and we take off to Coke in Wichita. You know mcdonalds has the worst food but the best coffee. Boggles my mind. This load of prized soda goes to springfield. We drop the trailer at the yard and we hook to another one and I drive to Ardmore, OK. Again we sleep at the shipper.

Thursday Morning my trainer says I am in charge so he wakes me up and I listen for our truck to be called on the CB. Once called I bump dock and take the paperwork in. This place is a Dollar General distribution center and is nice. A lot of room to manuever and they have good bathrooms and a decent breakroom with good vending machines including a coffee machine. Our next destination is Wichita Falls, TX. We deadhead there and wait a couple of hours to get loaded. I drive to just outside Tulsa and then the trainer takes it the rest of the way to Springfield. We get in about 9pm and I head home. Next up is Allen TX. We leave Sunday afternoon. Our mileage this week is 2260. That's just under 500 miles a day average. This is just how my trainer runs and this is the shorthaul division. I will be doing much more when I am in long haul.
This weekend our company had a hiring fair/picnic. It seems for now I chose decently. I got to meet some of the veteran drivers and the owner of the company. My son got to see the inside of some new trucks and got to bring home some free stuff. My trainer is still saying the first week of June is when I will be on my own. I can't wait.