trip 3

Well, my third trip out is done and I'm back at home for 3 well deserved days off. Our trip started out with us heading over to Fort Frances, ON empty to switch trailers for a pre loaded full of paper. 3/4 of the way there, our trip assignment was changed and we were then heading to pick up a load of potato chips in Minneapolis,MN. 45 mins. later, our assigned load was changed again, we were still heading to Minneapolis, MN but to the south end now to get loaded with pipes and hoses. We got fairly close the first day out, so we shut down in Rogers, MN at the T/A so we could beat the traffic and get to the shipper early in the morning. Our appointment was for 7 am and we arrived at 5:30 am. I finally got backed into the doors at about 7:30 am and went in to talk to the shipper, who tells me that thier understaffed and it was only him and another guy working on the dock. Tells me that for sure, i'd be loaded by 9 am, so I climbed back into the truck and had a nap. Woke up at 9 am and headed back into the building to get the paper work and I take a pek in the trailer...7 skids in the trailer and about 25 more on the dock by they trailer doors. Shipper apologizes that it's not done, that he's having some problems with another trailer and I tell him it's not a problem, that I was gonna go back and lay down, well 20 mins later the shipper is knocking on the truck door telling me that i'm ready to go. Says thanks for being so paitent and the two gusys stopped everything to get me loaded and on my way, Cool!! Took off for Regina, SK via Winnipeg, MB...nice I was gonna be home for a little while. Drove up to Grand Forks, ND and stopped for coffee and to call the customs broker to confirm the load had cleared customs. Bad news! When the shipper had faxed the paperwork to the broker, the PARS number was smudged and he was missing a couple of pages. The broker told me that since I was so close to the border, It would be quicker if I just head to the border and tell them that the PARS failed and I had to go to the broker, so that's what I did. So I sat at the broker for nearly 3 hours waiting for him to re-enter all the info into the customs computer...looks like I won't be at home for too long now! 3 1/2 hours later, i'm on my way. Got to stop for dinner at the Husky truckstop in Headingly, Mb had a bite to eat with the girlfriend and was off again. Made it to Austin, Mb that night and shut it down. The rest of the trip form this point was all good, nothing but drop and hooks and empty moves. Continued on from Austin to Regina,sk dropped the loaded trailer, picked up an empty and headed to Saskatoon, SK to pick up a load for Edmonton, AB. Dropped the loaded at the first place in Edmonton took an empty to another shipper in Edmonton, swithched the empty for a loaded and headed back to saskatoon, sk. Spent the night at the company's terminal in Saskatoon and headed for Prnce Albert, SK in the morning with a load of matresses. From P.A. headed back to Winnipeg empty...and a night to sleep in my own bed. In the morning we had a load dispatched to us by the time I got to the yard, 1 drop in Brandon, Mb and the rest of the load in Regina, SK. all easy stuff! From Regina, SK, we headed to Belle Plaine, SK 35 miles away for a live load of water softening salt. Now those shippers know what they are doing!! They had the trailer loaded in under 15 mins...45,000 pounds of bagged salt!! The load was perfectly balanced to boot! Took that load back to regina, SK dropped it in the yard and took an empty to Lethbridge, AB to drop & hook a load of potato chips. Brought that load back to Winnipeg...cool, another night in my own bed! Next morning we headed out with a load of dangerous goods headed for Calgary, AB. Dropped the loaded at the consignee's dock and headed to our drop yard for an empty and went to Saskatoon, SK, where I had to take my second road evaluation for the Company. Passed the eval. with flying colors 155/162 points. allowable score was 102/162 points. From Saskatoon, SK we moved empty back to Winnipeg for 3 days off...and here I am!
12 days out and we went 6056 miles...a very good run!!

Keep the shiny side up!!

Kirs