Times Gone By

Times Gone By

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Shorty

Okay this en't going to be a long trip, well it's not long in a lot of respect. Let me explain.On the Tuesday morning rang Dispatch and was told to go in. When there Ron asked if I could do him a favour and take a trl from our yard to a Home Depot store in Dartmouth, drop it on a door there, then go and pick a chassis (sorry skelly) from just down the road. But then he said I'd have to shut it up to 40'. WHAT? A shorty. Now I dropped the 1 off at Dartmouth and the guy there was originally from Ipswich, been in Canada 5 years. God dawn, go and pick the chassis up and the boss there came from Aberdeen, moved over here in the 70's. I'm thinking of moving, too many expats here : ) . Anyway went down to the container terminal in Halifax and got my can on, a short, short contaner of 40 foot. Oh shit it looked so funny sat behind my "Lady". It was also sat on a tridem axle chassis, it'll be 22 wheels and rolling, but oh boy do those close axle tridems drag, especially when so close to the tractor. Anyway set off from Halifax and started my journey to the Mitchelin drop yard in Saint Laurent, Provence of Quebec (812miles local run). Now I'd got in mind where I was going to stop that night, a truck stop just outside Riviere de Loup, PQ. Now don't know if I've explained before, but when we climb hills and mountains and the speed drops below 70km we have to put our four ways on. Now I was climbing up his hill, dropped my 4 ways on, all good, till I reached the top and went to turn them off. All of a sudden the turn signals are flashing from one side to the other, ABS lights on, panel lights flashing on and off," mmm I thought something wrong" . Pulled over to the side so I could have a look outside and see what was gooing on. Well the tractor thought she was at an 80's rave. Turn signals flashing from one side to the other, marker lights flashing and head lights on when they were'nt turned off. Turned my attention to the trl and she was at a different party, heck marker, brake and turn signals going off to a different beat. Well pulled the suzy in case it was the trl causing the problems, but no, the tractors still looked like she was on acid dancing to the Beasty Boys. Well never came across this before. The place I was planning on stopping was only 40 mile away, it was'nt dark yet and there were no scales ahead, so I decided to run up to there with my mobile disco. Who wants to call roadside assistance when your sat in the middle of nowhere. Got to the truckstop and rang Penske, nice guy, gave him the details where I was and the problem, he said he'd put me on hold while he finds someone. Now after a few minutes he comes back to me and says" i think I've found someone, but do you speak French because I can't explain to him the problem" Told him if they were selling beer I could order a large glass of lager, plus mussels and fries. "I'll try someone else he said, get back to you". It did'nt take him long to get back to me to tell me he'd found someone and they'd be with me with in 15 mins, but they only spoke little English. Did I really care what language they spoke as long as they understood Freightliner. Well the guy was soon there, he could'nt miss me in the park I was the one with the light show. He spoke a little English, but kept scratching his head, checking this and that, making phone calls then decided I need to take the truck to the workshop 10 mile down the road. He'd follow behind with the beacons on. Got down to the garage and pulled straight into a bay. Now the mechanic they put to work on her spoke no English at all,  but through sign language I explained I was going to bed till he was done and left him to it. Just gone midnight he knocked on the cab door to tell me he was done and show me the problem. Badly corroded battery lead and a corroded main fuse. All sorted I pulled out of the bay and stayed in their parking lot for the night. Now the next morning it was a straight run to St Laurent, even the traffic in Montreal was good. Left the container in the swop yard and hooked up to a proper trl, an mt 53'. Got a message to head to Laval (12 miles away) load that trl then take it to our Terminal in Concord, near Toronto.  The trip to Concord was a good one and arrived there 9am the next morning. No sooner had I dropped the trl a message came over the qualcomm that there was a loaded trl there for me to bring back to Dartmouth NS. Lovely, it's nice when there's no hanging about, I was soon hooked up and on my way back to the Maritimes. On the way back I got the usual message "what were my plans once back in the Maritimes". If I was going to head straight back out it would mean me reseting my hours on the road. So I was faced with a choice, reset at home or the road. No brainer "reset my hours at home" was my reply. No problems, Chris replyed he'd book me off till Monday. Jobs a gud un. Another weekend at home. So Friday afternoon saw me back in Dartmouth and by 530pm I was home and finished. Told you it was a shorty. Catch you all soon and take care

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Sorry to those that know, but those that don't, double click on the pictures to enlarge.
Do's double clicking enlarge other things I wonder??????
Look carefully you can see the bridge in the distance



So different from the last time I crossed here

My girl with a "can" on


My mate Jozsef

Bluewater bridge crossing into the USA at Sarnia Ontario

Shortest US visit

Don't believe the lyrics of some songs, best one is "call me Mr Flinstone cus I'll make your bed rock" . Mind you sounds like a chat up line from Mr Rich P....
Anyway, buckle up and lets roll...
Rang dispatch Sunday morning to be told they'd got a load for me to take to Charlettown, Prince Edward Island, delivery Monday morning. Well I had to make a decision, either leave Sunday afternoon or early Monday morning. PEI is only 4 hrs away. Trouble is to get there you have to cross an eight mile bridge across the sea and the slightest breeze and it's shut to trucks. Now Sunday was a nice day but mixed weather was coming in Monday. So decided to head out Sunday afternoon. Easy day, left home at 3pm, feet up in PEI by 730pm. Now this was the 2nd time i'd been to PEI, the first was at the beginning of the year when it was flipping cold(-40 + chill factor) the truck was'nt turned off for 48 hrs or so because of the temp. The APU could'nt put out enough heat to keep the cab warm yet alone keep the engine from freezing. When I crossed the bridge then the sea was frozen. Looking down at the blue sea this crossing with the sun shinining, those cold times seemed a life time away. 7am the next morning booked in and backed on a door. A short while later another Clarke truck pulled up, it was my old mucker Jozsef. Well it was a lovely sunny morning, so on a morning like that when you have a clean truck and lots of time what do you do? Get the polish out.. Okay sad to some of you, but hell I don't care. Now The Canadian way of life is so layed back it's nearly horizontal some times. Thats okay unless your an ex Draycote driver who don't like sitting round. Okay I was being paid waiting time but I like moving. So by 1130 I'd had enough, rang dispatch and advised of situation and was told to leave my trl on the door and head for Truro. Moving again, sun still shining and so was my truck, was I a happy bunny or what(yes, sad I know). Got to Truro and picked a loaded a trl and took it to the docks at Nth Sydney (202miles away), dropped it, picked an mt up and headed back down to Port Hawkesbury(93miles). I was to drop the mt hook up to a load heading for Midland, Michigan. Sod it, pulled up at the papermill that night, cooked some tea and went to bed, swap trls in the morning. Chris sent a message to say once on my way when did I want the load booking in for????? If I'd said Friday they may have done it. But it was an easy 2 day run so I told them I'd be there by 9am Thursday morning. It was only 1626 miles away (ONLY). It's hard to believe but that is an easy 2 day run, no pressure and pays well. Got parked up at Bridgeport, Michigan Wednesday night, and Midland was only 30 mins down the road. Now "early bird catches the worm" next morning on the door at 730, unloaded and waiting for reload by 8. Did'nt take long, head for Clarkston MI (87miles away) load then take it to Niagara, Ontario. Now the one question Canadian Border Control always ask is "how long were you in the USA". The shortest was 3 days, but this trip trumped that one, 25 hrs thats all I spent in the States this time. Again no pressure run for Niagara so headed for the TA truckstop in Woodstock, Ontario. One hold up on the way was a truck fire. Poor bugger all he had left was a chassis. Then when I came down the exit ramp for the truckstop there was a shout on the CB "shit he's rolled it on the ramp". On the west bound exit ramp for the truckstop a guy had rolled his rig. Now there was a lot of concern for the driver, people asking over the CB if the driver was alright. But then someone said that they'd seen him out of the cab and he was a rag head... Oh boy sympathy soon disappeared. I totally agree, out in Ontario is a large Indian and Pakistani community and there driving is poor, no it's not it's bloody shit. They call Brampton, Ontario, Bramledesh. Okay lets get off the soap box. Short trip next morning down to Niagara and a quick unload. Now Niagara Falls(the city) is one of the most cleanest places I've ever passed through. Nothing seems out of place. Even got a glimpse of the falls. Next time I deliver there I'm dropping the trl and going sight seeing. Anyway back to the plot. Head for Toronto load and take it to our terminal in Concord ON. Hell when I dropped that trl in Concord the Qualcomm went wild. 3 pre plans. Hook up to a trl where I was, take it into Toronto, tip it, bring the mt back to Concord, bobtail to Hamilton pick up a loaded trl and take it to Mitchelin Drop Yard in Saint Laurent (Montreal), bobtail to our yard in St Laurent pick another loaded trl up and head back to the Maritimes. Sounds worse than it is. Saturday morning saw me dropping in St Laurent and by Saturday night i was parked up just outside Oremocto (Waasis to be precise) New Brunswick. Sunday morning, drop that trl in our trl yard at Moncton, grab an MT, take that to our trl yard at Truro and leave it then bobtail back home. Now by 10 am Sunday morning I was having a home cooked breakfast with my beautiful wife. Now with this little run I've clocked up 3942 miles so I think it's time for a beer. Back on the road Tuesday.. Be safe... ctch you soon..
And yhere are trl's with even more axles than this.

Can't get away from my last job in UK, this is an Aviagen truck

Follow me

I had a great weekend, you?
Well rang dispatch at 8 and was told to come in. Well when I pulled in at the terminal my mate Jozsef had just been dropped off by his wife. We both went up to the office only to be told Ron was in a meeting for the next 15 mins. So Jozsef rang Edina (his wife) to pick us up and go for a coffee. So the 3 of us went to Tim Hortons for a coffee (sorry Dave no donuts). It's always good to catch up with these two, we keep wanting to have a meal together but either one of us is getting back home when the other is heading out. Still great friends. Anyway on our return to dispatch, Ron turned to Chris and said "ah our mans here now, so lets get Buster and Shane on the road"....??? Shane? I'm stood next to Jozsef, he means Jozsef. Chris wrote down some numbers then came across to me and said " Buster we want to know if you can do us a favour, we've a new driver, experienced in Canada but no USA experience, is it alright if he shadows you down to the USA. Show him how to fill the customs forms in and basically show him the ropes as much as possible."
My first solo run was on 12th October 2010, I still consider myself a Rookie, every day is a learning day to me. To be asked last week if I wanted to be a coach, then today be asked to look after an experienced Canadian driver, it made me feel as they'd totally lost the plot. No joking aside, made me feel good, must be doing something right. So to our dispatch. Hook up to an MT take it down to St George, New Brunswick and load with paper bound for Chester, Pennsylvania. Tidy run. Trouble was when we got to the paper mill they told me the loads were no way ready and to check back at 530 shift change. No big shakes it was now 5. So call to Dispatch to explain situation and check to see if they'd given us the right load numbers. I had wondered why when I checked the Pre Plan the delivery date was for the Thursday, hell I could reverse to Chester and still be there Wednesday morning. Just got my feet up when the Qualcomm went off to say change of plan we were now heading for Pawtucket, Rhode Island and the loads were ready. Next thing security are calling down the CB for 1 of us to go round and load. Me first, then Shane (hey I'm in charge okay). Now once we were both loaded I decided it was no point in crossing into the USA that night, we may as well stay at Pennfield (only a few K's away) for the night, bloody hell Pawtucket was a local run anyway, only 410 miles away. The next day was a piece of p and was on a door unloading in Pawtucket by 130 the following afternoon. Both trucks unloaded it did'nt take them long to find our reloads. Head to Montville, Connecticut (60miles away) to pick up then head for Concord, Ontario. Now here's the stupid thing, we had just delivered 2 loads of paper from Canada to the USA, we were now heading to load with the same type of paper to take back to Canada. I'm not going to worry keeps me in work. Loaded, we stayed just outside Hatrford, Connecticut for the night. Again nice and easy run the next day to our terminal in Concord, Ontario. Well I thought so, it was either Shanes cold or the fact he was'nt used to keeping up with an expat with a strong bladder, cus he looked bad (I don't like stopping). Anyway once at Concord we parted company, I was taking an mt to Burlington, Ontario to load, then heading back to Truro, Nova Scotia. Now this was a short week, only 2450miles, but I needed to be home on the Friday to start applying for my B1B2 visa for the USA (naughty boys need this to cross the border). So home for the Friday and Saturday and head back out Sunday.. Be safe my friends catch you soon
.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Yeeehaa. Gallatin en't far away from Nashville boy




Lets seek the sun

Okay, picked my truck up Tuesday morning and went straight to see Ron and Chris to get dispatched. Short run to start the week, hook up to a loaded trl in the yard and head for Rougemont, Province Quebec, 759miles away. Nice steady run up through New Brunswick, the snows clearing quickly, but not over we,re still getting storms. I arrived at Rougemont Wednesday morning, quick unload and wait for reload details. It did'nt take them long, go to Granby PQ, drop mt, hook up to loaded trl and head back to Truro, Nova Scotia. Granbyy was onl 19 miles away and the trip back from there would earn me 725 miles. When I arrived at Granby the trl was'nt quit ready, so time to cook some breakfast and chill for a while. The guys there only took 90 mins to complete the load, so it was'nt no great hardship, plus I was paid for the waiting time. I was at the delivery point the following morning. Chris had asked what my plans were when i reached Truro, in other words did I want to go back home or turn and burn. That was a no brainer, "turn and burn: was the reply. So from Truro I took the mt up to Port Hawkesbury NS (115miles), dropped it at the paper mill there, hooked up to a loaded one and took it back to our trl yard in Truro. Then the message for my load came through. I read it, then read it again.. Oh yes result. When i drop this trl at Truro there would be another one there for me to hook up to bound for Gallatin, Tennessee. Once hooked up I set the GPS and 1686 miles would see me in Gallatin. Now the load was booked for 8am Monday morning. So I worked it out, if I could run hard for the next 2 days I could get parked up a few hours from the drop on Saturday afternoon, reset my hours Sunday then I could reload on the Monday and get back to Canada with all my hours back again. Now the GPS wanted to take me New York way, it is the shortest route, but time wise it could loose you a lot of valuable time. So reset it to take me towards Scranton PA, this only adds another 20 miles and is less stressful. Then once you hit Scranton it's virtually one road down to Tennessee. Now  The drive is good through Pennsylvania is beautiful, but the drive through Virginia is far, far more beautiful. I've told you before about Virginia, it is where I want to retire, buy a ranch and raise cattle and horses (in my dreams). Last time I travelled that way I had to turn off and head for South Carolina, not this time I was going to be on  I 81 all the way through Virginia till I hit Tennessee. Now who remembers Laural and Hardy singing about "The Blue Ridge Mountain of Virginia" (my grandad told me about them). Well I heard the song now I've actually seen the mountains. The fields were even greener down there than they were last time. Daffs growing everywhere, the country was just full of color. The weather, well, high 70's and lots of sunshine. If any of you visit the States head down here. I'm so blessed with my job, I get to live in a great country like Canada and get to travel through America and see things that i'd only heard of or seen pictures of. I tell everyone I'm really a paid tourist. I was lucky I got past Bristol VA at the right time as there was a NASCAR race on there that weekend. My friend Jeff would have reset his hours there, he's a big NASCAR fan. Well not far past Bristol and your across the state line and into Tennessee. Passed Dollywood, well the sign for it anyway. Perhaps they were'nt mountains in the distance, perhaps it was Dolly lay on her back. They don't half speak funny down there. I got into Davey Crockit truckstop at Greeneville TN at 530pm on the Saturday.  Now I never change my watch, as the log book is always run by Atlantic time. Now the booking was for 8 Monday, now running Atlantic time I should be there at 930, which meant i'd be early for my booking Monday as where I was going was 2 hours behind our time (did you follow that). The Sunday  was a lovely day, mainly cus there was a truck wash down the road and I could get some polishing done. Sad I know. The Monday was a quick and easy trip to Gallatin, quick unload as well. So once finished I parked in there trl park and waited for my reload details. To my surprise it did'nt take long and now I'd be heading for Danville, Kentucky. Well I was really seeing places I'd never been to before on this trip. Tennessee and Kentucky are great places to visit, but heck your really in the bible belt. Some of the billboards for the churchs, "use the rod on the child"  "man and woman true marraige" in other words they don't like gays. But the buildings and the countryside is out of this word. It's like stepping back in time in some places. Reloaded at Danville and it was time to turn my girl back towards Canada. The load was going Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. 1597 miles and home would be in sight. I arrived in Dartmouth Thursday morning, again Chris asked what my plans were. Now beings Sharen works Monday to Friday, if I went home on the Thursday we really won't see much of each other, so I asked if they could find me some local work for 2 days then I'd take the weekend off. Once off loaded a message came through return to terminal and come and see us. Once back I went to another office to pick up another logbook and stuff, now Vaughan our HR man has an office there, once he saw me he asked if he could have a word. Well cut a long story short he offered me a coaching job, taking newbie drivers with me to show them the ropes and assess them. Great honour beings as I've not been long there, but I'd been recommended by Jeff (my coach and now good friend).
I had to turn it down, it's good money, but those that know me could you really see me putting up with some rookie driving MY truck and sharing it with me, be it only for a week or two. I thanked Vaughn but told him that if I did coach, they'd more than likely be picking a driver up from the side of the Highway because I'd thrown out the cab. Perhaps in a few years time (our perhaps not). I've really got to think about it as it is good money... money... my truck and sanity.... money.....shit my truck and sanity for now. Admire Jeff for what he doe's but really don't think I could have the patience. Anyway up to dispatch and i'm sent  to Hantsport NS (193miles) to load then take it to Dieppe, New Brunswick, put on the customers door and pick up an mt. Now take that mt up to Port Hawkesbury, drop it and pic up a loaded one. Well that was it for Thursday, night in Port Hawkesbury. The next morning I was meant to take the trl to Truro, but Ron got in touch and asked if i would mind dropping it at Moncton, picking another loaded one up from there and taking back to the container terminal in Halifax. They ask, not tell. If i'd said no I want to home this morning, then trl would have gone to Truro. Sharen did'nt finish work till 4 so I'd got all day. So I told him no problems. Once I picked my trl up from Moncton a message came from the office thanking me for helping them out. Is'nt that my job? If the trucks not earning, Clarke are'nt earning and I'm not earning. But it's bloody nice, takes me back. Anyway can (container) dropped at Halifax, take the chassis (skelly.. ok Mr P) back to Terminal and done. Now those 2 days running around local totaled up to 831 miles, it's worth it. Oh well home for the weekend. Take it easy, enjoy, make the best of what life gives. I have said it before, but there are some people reading this who I owe a great deal to, for making all this possible. My big bro Mick (he made me a diesel junkie) Mr Mick Kent(for giving me my break into trucking, owe you so much, thank you) Heather, Dylan, Richard, Kelvin. Thanks evryone. Catch you on the flip side