Oklahoma run, done in one day. Yesterday off. Dispatcher calls me and demands to know "how the hell did you do that in one day?!!!"
Didn't feel much inclined to answer her question with that tone of voice. I don't even remember exactly what I said, her instant raised voice on the phone caught me off guard. She usually isn't like that. I didn't respond in kind, instead I said something to the effect that I made it within 7 miles......which is when she calmed right down and said, oh, I guess I don't really need to know!
I made it within 7 miles of the yard before running out of hours which is when I switched to something else, finished it off, got back to the yard - late and drove home.
I guess she wanted to know if this could be duplicated. On Sundays, with all construction sites shut down and workers sent home, no heavy traffic anywhere and getting through certain towns without hitting all the lights red. There are other days of the week where I can hit it as well, but not very often. I don't do a one day trip often as it stands. It's a 16 hour day, usually, trying to do it in one day and I am often good enough to simply stop at the casino truck-stop and go to bed there.
Today, I went to Baytown, Texas and dropped off an empty trailer at a repair shop. Annual inspection due, we have to take them down there or other places even further away (Amarillo, for one, which is 500 miles each way) to repair shops that specialize in cryogenic trailers. You don't exactly find those on every corner.
Tomorrow - off to Oklahoma again. She was going to give me a Brownsville, but we decided against that since my vacation starts 2 days after tomorrow and it is highly likely that I would get stuck in Brownsville. With tomorrow's run, I'll have over 2k gross paycheck next week anyway, nothing to worry about.
Yesterday, a lot of phone calls. I got over to the property with Addler and saw the driveway had been torn up by a tanker truck that had gone in there in the last few days. The ground had been wet - muddy actually - and it did a number on it. The gravel has turned into fine powder what with their pickups driving in and out of there on a daily basis. I called the manager of the gas company and informed him of the situation and that they needed to come out and fix it. Namely, grade the damaged portions and then dump fresh rock over it.
He actually agreed to send someone out there and do whatever they determine is "necessary" to fix the problem. I said find, I thought differently of course, but I figured I'll let them do what they're going to do and then I'll decide whether it was good enough. I then called Midcoast energy. Whatever company comes out there to bush hog the easement skipped the trees. The man went into a very lengthy discussion about the other 2 energy companies, how they were once just one company but split for tax purposes, then merged again, then split again. Okay, but this was done on the easement maintained by your company, your company's name is on the warning signs.
He then informed me that it couldn't have been his company, they haven't come out yet this year to do anything and that they only come out once every 2 years.
TWO years?!! I'd like to see what the contract says. He informed me that it isn't in any contract. Well, you should be coming out at least every year. We have thousands of miles of pipeline, we can't be doing it that often. I was polite but had zero sympathy. We all know the energy sector in this nation makes a lot of money and right now, it's making a lot, lot, lot more money. I obviously can't force them to clean it up any more often than they do, which puts the onus on me to keep a pathway clear through there. In 2 years, the trees start growing and will grow up to 10 feet in that amount of time.
Ditto with weeds, bushes, shrubs, whatever is growing out there. There is a LOT growing out there.
Anyway, I also called the county yet again - after waiting 4 weeks for a reply I knew I'd never get and this time actually got to speak with someone. They claimed they would send someone out to look at it and deal with it if it's actually on portion that is their responsibility.
Oh and today. I was driving to work, my gas gauge quit working like 6 months ago. I keep track of the miles, once it gets to about 300 after having had filled it up, I get more fuel. It was at 293 today when - it ran out of fuel. The last time it ran out of fuel at 396 miles. I was not happy, I "knew" I had enough to make it to work, it was quite surprising the thing ran out a hundred miles early.
Taylor saved me, brought some gas and I did the 416 mile round trip drive today. But, if I can get Enterprise to get me a car (it's the only rental car company in town, I have little choice but to use them), I am taking it in and getting this thing fixed. I don't plan on buying another vehicle any time soon - not in this inflated market. The price of pickups in this region is nothing short of outrageous. Just as an example, I saw a 2001 dodge dually going for almost 40k the other day. New trucks are ridiculous, used trucks are ridiculous, I'm just not buying anything right now, so might as well spend the money on this SUV and keep it maintained.
Load appointment time isn't until 1:30.
Anyway, it's starting to get late, gonna watch some reruns of western shows and hit the hay.
