Tuesday - semi early

I am getting up earlier than I need to for one purpose: get down to Lufkin and get the trailer checked out early rather than late.  I would have gotten up at my normal early load time, but then I would be arriving at the washout at the same time whoever else should be there and then....

Well, I'm not trying to cut anyone for washing out or loading.  I don't play those games.  So, I'm putting an hour and a half lag time in between to make sure that whoever is first gets their stuff done first. 

The farmer dude called 3 times this morning, missed all of those calls and finally called him back. Are you coming here in the next hour or so?  Yes, I plan on leaving at 8 so I need to leave out of here fairly soon.  Ok, well I have some news for you.  ??  Okay? was my reply.  Well I promise it won't take more than a couple of minutes.

This could be entertaining considering their past at the park lol.  We were shot with lasers full of kryptonite!  Or something surreal and completely fabricated along those lines.  Not that I don't think that they believe all of this.  I'm sure they do.  

So you tell me: Is the gag order on Trump a violation of his First amendment rights or does the court have a legitimate axe to grind with him going off as he always does?  From my perch? His 1A rights are being violated and I say this in light of the fact that they, the opposition that hates him and are involved in this nonsense, can say whatever the hell they please without any consequence.  Do I believe this judge is corrupted? I have no idea.  He is threatening jail time after once again finding him in violation of the gag order and ordering him to pay another 1k fine.  A thousand dollars is a lot of money to me, I guess to a person like Trump it is pocket change.  

I would love to see this judge throw in jail. Not because I believe Trump should be imprisoned, but to see the aftermath.  It isn't just Republicans that are seeing this trial is a politically motivated, banana republic style circus act, there have been several polls now that show even some Democrats think this trial is a bad idea.  Regardless, I think it would propel him into the White House this coming election and also would motivate the base in ways that we may not have seen any time in recent history. 

I suspect today to be a very long day.  The paycheck deposited into my checking account overnight wasn't near as bad as I thought it was going to be. In fact, it wasn't bad at all.  I looked at it a few minutes ago and wondered what a paycheck would look like with working most of the 15 days such as I am slated to do now?  It was actually refreshing to see that in there. Gave me hope that perhaps all the nonsense I have to tolerate with this job may actually be worth it.  The hours are the best thing, I am not normally working all day long, today will be one of those exceptions.

You know, a company with very old trucks and trailers that are constantly breaking down and needing attention, grumpy drivers - some of them anyway not all of them - that like to start trouble, management that doesn't communicate very well, hardly at all actually.  I often wonder why they don't just buy newer model trucks instead of having to deal with constant breakdowns. Is the money saved with this old junk really more than just having newer equipment that needs far less repairs and down time?  It's why the major trucking companies have set limits on mileage on trucks before they get rid of them and get new ones.  

This, obviously, isn't a major trucking company. I think they have something like 100 active trucks/drivers.  Definitely not huge, but not a new operation with no stake in the game, it's been around for a long time.  In their heyday they had over 300 drivers and lots of trucks.  That still isn't a huge company, not when compared to the likes of Swift, Werner, Prime, TMC, etc.  It does make me wonder if they aren't winding down the operation.  Apparently they have rejected a few attempts at a takeover, ie: large companies making offers to buy out the operation.  I can imagine KAG has tried, that's all they do, go around looking to buy small operations.  KAG is my former company and a company I wouldn't work for again for a plethora of various reasons.

KAG isn't doing so well, I have discovered from reading a Facebook page with KAG drivers end office personnel.  They are cash-starved and apparently trying to find a buyer for the entire operation.  If you wanted me to give you the biggest reason I wouldn't go back to work for them? Inward facing cameras with microphones.  After that is the constant threats from the safety department that go out to everyone.  The constant fighting over trying to get detention pay, that was an almost weekly event.  Call the manager who calls payroll to get into a battle over it.  They would almost always deny it, they would have to be sent proof - the proof is right in front of them, the apparently can't do simple math or read notations on the trip sheets.

This job I have now is my version of winding down a rather long trucking career that has seen a lot of "stuff".  There is too much to list right now, the things I don't like about the trucking industry.  Safe to say that a lot of other drivers in my age range are also quitting because of the distaste the industry is giving us.  I think a lot of it is on purpose, these giant companies are chomping at the bit to get those driverless trucks out there.  

Ummm, well, I have money to deposit into the business checking account, give me a day when I am not so terribly busy and I will get up there lol.  Tomorrow, I will have yet another space vacated and trying to fill.  And who knows when the welders are leaving, they are paid through the 1st.  3 more leaving that I know of, is what I am saying, the challenge is to fill those spots.  So, in reality, if that man that called yesterday was to show up on the 1st, I definitely should have a spot for him if/when those welders leave and those spots are paid for.  No loss there.  

I guess I best be about getting out of here.  i figure to show up at the Love's around ....10:45 am.  Long before second load but in time to hopefully wait their waiting period - usually a few hours before they can even get to you - and maybe figure out what's going on. I hope it isn't something that I have overlooked. I would feel stupid if it was something as simple as reversed air lines,, which I know it isn't, but still.  I forgot to simply pull off the lines and push in the valves to check that air is even getting to the trailer. I will do that when I get over there this morning. 

G'day