FedEx Ground Linehaul with JohnBoy

That’s us with Celebrity. Our 12 day cruise last September to the Greek Isles came with an upgraded suite and $400 ship credit each.

 

Well now. For years while chasing miles at Abilene I always subtly asked if I could self dispatch. Of course the answer was always no. Their thinking I’m sure was I’m just a truck driver, I’ll probably screw it up. Of course the thoughts that ran through my mind ran the gamut of, try it, it might work, or, seeing how you folks could screw up a wet dream, I’m sure I could do it just fine. But. After almost 11 years there, I played and danced to their game.

Now here working for FedEx and dealing closely with our operations, I was given the ok to basically self dispatch here. Here’s how it works in my world. The night before I start my day, I’m texted all my work assignments. Every empty trailer I touch has to be called in, every loaded trailer has to be called in. When I arrive at the hub, I call in. What I have been doing is texting my OPS manager my trailer #’s and times, he would call the automated number, then text me back that I’m ready to go. Now, I have been given the automated number and dispatch myself. It’s so much less time consuming and there aren’t any 3rd party mistakes. Like if Tom gets caught up with the phone or had to put a fire out and forgets about me. When that has happened, my day comes to a screeching halt until it’s cleared in the system. I’ve been doing this since Tuesday and this job has now become even easier.

This is for doing local work. When I have to enter 11 trailers in a day, I don’t have time for mistakes. Doing Linehaul goes through my trip buddy app. I get a phone call that I have a load assignment, then go to my app and enter all the info, hook up then dispatch myself. Of course if I don’t leave within 20 minutes, I’ll get a phone call from Linehaul asking if everything is ok. What I do now is hook, go to the bathroom, make a cup of coffee, then drive to the gate and enter that I’m leaving. There’s a lot to like about this job, but this new found freedom of self dispatching is pretty cool.

 

Got done with my week last night in Olive Branch about 8:30. Was thinking about just sleeping there then getting up this morning and driving back to Humboldt. Then I got a phone call from one of our local drivers that was at Olive Branch and needed a ride back. Turned out to be Jerry, the driver that I was trained by, shadowed and has been a wealth of help since I started in January. He bobtailed a new Volvo from Humboldt to Olive Branch that has to be inspected and have the decals/numbers put on by FedEx. I dropped my trailer, bobtailed up to Linehaul to pick him up, then hooked an empty and drove back.

Today is a day for myself. I am going home next Saturday, so I’ll do all my laundry here in Humboldt, actually, drop it off and have the lady do it there, for the extra few dollars, it’s worth it, plus my skivvies come back folded. Go to Walmart and Kroger, pay my bills for the house, then rest until it’s time to go back tomorrow night. I did get up this morning, went inside and showered, PC’d to get breakfast, then forgot to switch back over to PC when I left the restaurant and started my clock by mistake. I called in to OPS and Tom said not to worry about it. I’m not scheduled to leave until 9:30 tomorrow night, and with the new off duty time I started again this morning, my new reset will be up at 7:30 tomorrow night. I want a fresh 70, especially with me going home next week, I don’t want no issues with my HOS.

I was concerned about working on the 4th, but was told there’s work to be done Thursday and Friday. I’ll end in Olive Branch Friday night, get up early Saturday morning, then get an Uber to the airport. I’ll be landing in WPB about 3:30 Saturday afternoon. I could have flown out on Wednesday, but I’m a greedy prick and wanted the extra $$$ for working the holiday. Plus the timing works out to be home for my wife’s 65th birthday on Sunday. Have a safe and blessed weekend everyone.

 

Ardsley High School. Class of ‘74

 

Headed home. Sitting at the Delta gate in Memphis waiting to board. Been a pretty messed up last couple of days. Wednesday night about 9:30 on US 70 5 miles from the Humboldt hub, I hit a deer, a big deer. Pitch dark, no shoulders and trees, a boatload of trees. I couldn’t stop until I got to the gate at the hub. Right at the gate my stop engine light came on, along with the low coolant light.

Mind you, the speed limit in that road is 55, at night, I only do 50 because of the amount of deer. All I see was the eyes of the deer, then I t-boned him at 45mph as I had a death grip on the wheel.

Made it to the yard, dropped my empty, then tip toed to my parking spot. Got my flashlight out and saw the damage. The hood was caved in, the bumper cover was dragging, the radiator was pushed back and there was a hole in the bottom front pissing out coolant. Called into Tom and let him know. Long story short, I got a hotel room Wednesday night, Thursday, the holiday, it was towed to KW in Jackson. I got an Uber yesterday to the hub and got into a daycab for the day. Went over to the truck and picked up a few things to take home. The estimate was $5600. They said it should be ready the end of next week. If not, I’ll just take a few extra days off. Tom wanted to know if I wanted any of the remaining deer parts that were stuck in the radiator.

 

Didn't even think about taking pictures, of the truck or the deer leftovers.