Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
At dawn this morning, there were low lying clouds in the Pocono Mountains, in Pennsylvania. Some of them little more than airy wisps of grey smoke suspended in the valley, while others looked like huge dollops of cotton candy that had been minding their own business when they got stuck on a hillside and hung up on treetops. What a beautiful start to the day it seemed, as Baroque music filled the cab and I made my way to a 6AM delivery.
"What's your confirmation number?" the security guard asked. I presented it to him. "Nope, wrong one." So I gave him all the paperwork I had and every number I could think of. "Sorry, we can't accept the load without the right confirmation number." I verified that the address listed on the Bill of Lading was indeed the address of this warehouse. "Yep," said the guard. "So this freight belongs here, right?" "Right," he answered, "but I need that number or the computer won't let me accept the load into the system." To those readers who question the existence of God, I offer the following test. Go to your favorite department store or grocery store. If there is anything, …anything at all on the store shelves, you may consider that a miracle, and therefore proof positive of the Almighty's existence and his active participation in our lives.
While I waited on hold to talk with our support shift dispatcher, listening to the soft hits of the 80s on the phone, the guard and his coworker were able to tease the magic numbers from their computers and voila(!), I was granted entrance. This was the first of two stops today, roughly 330 miles apart. Very roughly, I should add. An unload that was scheduled for 30 minutes took 3 hours, meaning that my afternoon appointment wasn't going to work out so well either.
The more important it is to have an even temper, the more elusive it becomes. It seems three quarters of the country has become a construction zone, and that work proceeds at an evolutionary pace. Crews spend a few months on the first 5 miles, followed by a few more on the next 5 miles, and so on before the first 5 mile stretch will need fixing up again and the cycle repeats itself until we all die in office. Then came Pittsburgh. Did you know that they simply shut down I-376 which runs right through the heart of town? Yessir, it was clamped down tighter than DOJ looking at a Fast and Furious subpoena. When I embarked on the detour as marked by the signs, my GPS went straight away into apoplexy warning me that the bridge in front of me was 13 feet tall (my truck and trailer are 13' 6"). It was a narrow exit, and I only had about a million vehicles crammed in behind me, so while my options were limited, I was in no hurry to make the evening news. The sign actually on the underpass said 13' 6", and since I didn't have much bloody choice, I slowly drove under the thing with no room to spare. Whereupon the goodwill ambassadors of this region, who have kindly extended curses, middle fingers, and death-defying vehicular stunts for my benefit during the last few weeks that I've been up here, began testing their horns. Luckily, we all got under the bridge and no vehicles or horns got stuck.
What followed was a maze of very narrow streets, some with two lanes going each direction, some with one. I prefer the single lane going each direction because when there were two lanes, my truck wasn't quite skinny enough to fit in just one lane. I had to take a portion of the left lane too, or start knocking down light poles and trees. Now, there is something about only two thirds of a lane being available that causes cars to rush forward and try to push large trucks toward the light poles. I saw the same thing yesterday in Scranton, and last week in New York. The more narrow the lanes, the more eager everyone is to test the laws of physics against an 80,000 pound vehicle. It's a strange practice, and one I don't personally recommend.
It took a little over an hour to get through some rather tough looking neighborhoods in old Pittsburgh. The signs marking the detour eventually just stopped showing up anywhere and I was left to my own devices. Luckily, I had invested in a new device just a few days ago, in the form of a good commercial GPS for big trucks. The company GPS unit has a habit of freezing up and shutting down, and has routed me through "truck restricted" areas a few times too many. The new unit did a magnificent job in a bad situation today and with a nice accent as well. (I installed a pleasant voice with a British accent, reasoning that if I'm gong to be taking orders, it might as well be enjoyable listening to them.)
Finally back on the highway, I managed to make my delivery just before I ran out of hours to drive for the day. The good news is that there is space in back of the warehouse to park for the night. The bad news? No facilities. That's been a rather constant theme as well during my month's tour of the region. But beggars can't be too picky, and I'd rather have a safe place to park than be searching frantically for a place to rest, out of hours and exhausted.
There are days on the road that I wouldn't trade for a fortune. Then, there are days when I wonder about the toll such a lifestyle exacts. The frustrations mount as the clerical work required of drivers increases. We practically need administrative assistants in the trucks now to handle the regulatory requirements along with the ever increasing secretarial work required by our companies. I spend way too much time filling out forms, sticking barcodes on paperwork, and making enough keystrokes to launch a missile strike all so I can drop one trailer and pick up another. Construction zones abound, and with them comes an increase in traffic accidents as people go bouncing like pinballs between concrete barriers. Drivers are becoming more impatient nationwide. Irregular sleep cycles, the challenge of eating healthy and staying hydrated,…it all adds up. I keep having to visit hospitals for kidney problems, the last such visit resulting in surgery, though after some follow up tests last week in Maryland, the doctor tells me I'm in good shape again. So for now, the road keeps calling and I keep answering, the very thought of not being able to stretch my legs across the country being anathema to me. At some point I suppose I'll have to park this rig, but for now, there's too much to see, too much to experience, too many priceless moments across this exceptional country to share with you. I just need the right confirmation number, and some highways that will stay open. Oh yes,... and plenty of water.
(UPDATE: Sunday, 1030 EST; just got word that I'll be sitting in this lot all day before taking another load back through the Pittsburgh area tonight. Somewhere, in a climate controlled cubicle made for dispatchers, sits a weekend-shift sadist.)
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Sep '10
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
Dave, I've noticed more people seem to want to commit vehicular suicide these days. Two weeks ago, a motorcyclist without a helmet decided I was too slow at 60 mph. To express his righteous indignation properly he zoomed around me and jammed on his brakes as soon as he was in front of me. Him: helmetless on a motorcycle. Me: driving a 3,500 pound rental car whose brakes I had not thoroughly tested.
Luckily for him, the brakes on the rental worked well, so he was able to ride on in his road rage without losing any limbs or his life. At least that time. I wonder how long he will stay alive?
Edited on July 29, 2012 at 4:27amRe: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
Well, if he wants to kill himself with stupidity, I suppose that's his business. It's when people like that endanger everyone else on the road that infuriates me.
Here's a new issue, for me at least: The new rig has a "collision avoidance" system that uses a little radar unit in the front bumper to calculate and display the speed of the vehicle in front of me AND automatically adjust my truck's speed. Today, a local genius cut in front of me, hit his brakes and then cut into the exit lane to get off the highway. The problem was that when he cut in front of me and hit his brakes, the collision avoidance system slammed on my truck's brakes before I could do anything about it, causing the truck driver behind me to almost wet himself. I could have handled the situation myself,..I've been doing it for years, after all. But this new system reacts so quickly and without having the situational awareness of a driver monitoring all lanes, mirrors, etc., that I wonder if it will do more harm than good.
Sep '10
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
One of those bright ideas that sounded wonderful in some planner's office, but is not so wonderful when it's on the actual road. Lots of stuff like that is coming, and I'm sure our liberal masters will mandate them for our own good. Remember Google's "driverless car" project.
Of course, a lot of cars out there seem to be driverless already....
Jul '10
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
A day with a Dave post is always a good one. This one started out with the beauties of the PA countryside, but sadly ended up in Pgh. with major problems. Actually, tho, the people there are some of the best.
In that great city, we had a saying: The shortest distance between any two points is always under construction.
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
That seems to be the case almost everywhere now. I'm sure there are some wonderful people there, but I think maybe a few of them were former stunt drivers for the old Starsky and Hutch show.
Nov '11
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
Dave, as a recently-returned native of Pennsylvania - though not anywhere close to Pittsburgh, thank Heaven - glad you enjoyed the Poconos. (The Alleghenies are my stomping-grounds.) And profoundest apologies for the lack of hospitality from my fellow Keystone Staters! Travel safely...oh, and best to our mutual friend Alphonse.
Aug '11
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
At least mobile internet access and integrated technology makes it easier to comply with the regulatory BS and find where your going. I wish you'd give us a list of the stuff you have to do to satisfy the various regulators, just so people can understand how much time you spend on compliance. Also, how much of this is new, Obama regime related. Tell them about the new cell phone rule! The fines are amazing.
May '12
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
Politics or road stories. I love 'em. I look forward to your weekly posts.
Sep '10
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
In West Michigan, the saying is that we have two seasons: winter and construction.
Aug '10
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
Dave, you write like a poet. My wife and I have given our GPS a female Australian accent (I love the way she says, "Blackberry Alley"), prompting my wife to name her "Foreign B*tch" when she messes up the directions.
I'm from the Philly area, but Pittsburgh is indeed a driver's Hell. I was there for a wedding three years ago and gave myself an hour to drive 20 minutes on 376. Unfortunately they did two things: they shut down the off ramps and closed two of the three lanes. It took me 3 hours to drive 3 miles... missing the wedding, and driving my wife into a homicidal fury (good thing I left the .38 at home). The next day I broke 100 on the turnpike Eastbound, and I had an excuse ready for any state trooper that might pull me over. "We're trying to escape Pittsburgh."
Nov '10
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
So wait! You need an administrative assistant?? *dusts off ancient resume*
Sep '11
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
As someone that has worked in the trucking business for nearly 10 years, first off, thanks Dave for being the kind of driver you are. Those of us in the office should always remember that we have jobs because guys like you will go out and carry the nation's commerce to market.
Next time a purported "road-safety" advocacy group bleats about (further) tightening the hours-of-service regulations to improve highway safety, point them to Dave's post. He is not exaggerating one bit about his need for a full-time admin to take care of all his paperwork, etc.. I haven't seen the most recent stats, but the last ones I saw showed that when commercial vehicles (18-wheelers) and civilian vehicles have a tangle, the driver of the civilian vehicle is at fault much more often than not.
Thanks again, Dave, for both the driving and the posting. Terrific stuff.
May '10
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
It's time to head back down South, Dave. I've already volunteered you as Felicia's tourguide through Cajun country.
Nov '11
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
Technical curiosity question:
What caused this to occur?
Feb '12
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
Hi Dave! My experiance with trucker GPS is that you set the "voice" to female Manderin Chinese and put it in the bunk, with your log book!! Our state motto here in the keystone is "be prepared to stop". See you out here on the road someday, keep the shiny side up......and thanks!
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
Gotta politely disagree on the GPS. I had never been in that part of Pittsburgh before, and I was completely and utterly lost. Having a GPS that could map me out of there (when there was no place to pull over and study a map) was a quantum improvement over not having a clue what street would lead to a dead end, or an impossible turn, or a low bridge, or a mugging, for that matter. Add dozens of little cars all scurrying around just asking to get run over, and you have a recipe for disaster. I can plot a path to a customer, but I can't plot unforeseen detours in cities that are completely new to me.
"Be prepared to stop" indeed! Never seen a place with so many stop signs at the end of interstate on-ramps.
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
Fred Cole: Technical curiosity question:
What caused this to occur? · 2 hours ago
No idea in this instance. Sometimes it's understaffing of unloading crews. Other times it's a matter of crews finding a place to put the freight (i.e., the warehouse floor is already full). Sometimes it's union mandated breaks and associated rules. Sometimes it seems the place is staffed by the Keystone Cops. I quit asking (with a few exceptions) a long time ago.
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
A job I would happily take.
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
The only drawback is the living space,...which is already less than what a prisoner gets. And the parking arrangements, which have tended toward dirt lots recently,...which also means fewer showers because dirt lots have no facilities. You really don't want that kind of punishment now, do you?
Re: Serenity and Chaos; A Day Behind The Wheel
The hours of service (HOS) rules in place now seem pretty reasonable. The 10 hour breaks are sufficient for a meal, some rest, a shower, etc,...though they don't allow much time to write! Reducing the 11 hours of drive time to 10 or less will increase the time to deliver freight and, since most drivers are paid by the mile, it will cut our pay. The amount per mile that we are paid might get bumped up,...but that would increase the cost of shipping. An unintended effect would be that some truckers would try to compensate by squeezing every mile possible out of reduced available hours, meaning more impatience behind the wheel, which is not a good thing.