1 tanker truck to Madison WI (delivered)

... spending the night at home

At 7 AM, we call the east coast dispatchers. As I do with other dispatchers, I just say the pickup city name. This dispatcher says 'What about it?' So I had to say the full information about the trip I wanted. It was still there so I got it.

When the paperwork came, there were notes that I had to be sure and call both the pickup and drop before arriving. I tried calling the shipper, no answer, no voicemail. I tried calling their office ... another automated answering machine with limited options.

So I call the drop, there I get an answer. They only have the same shipper info I do but they can look on the computer and see that my contact is not in the office today. Shipper's voicemail was full so I decided to text them. An hour later I get a text back with the contact info of someone on-site.

When we went down for breakfast I looked for a hotel computer, there was one, but it was not turned on. I asked the desk clerk if it was working and they said yes. And when I came down later to print my paperwork, the computer was on so it took only a couple of minutes to print what I needed.

It was raining most of yesterday and into the evening/night. And then it froze, so lots of ice on the windows.

Today we don't head out until 8:15 after all the phone calls.

1st stop is the shipper. Locked gate. So we need to call the on-site contact to get let in and that takes a few minutes. We had planned on leaving the hotel at 7:30 and for everything to go like clockwork :) .

Both BB and I looked for the battery switch as the truck was totally dead. I ended up going into the shop and the first person I saw could tell me right where it was, and by that time BB had also found it. Black on black and I hadn't seen it.

Only issue was both the fuel and DEF gauges were on 1/8th.

To conserve fuel, I kept the truck at 55 mph once I got on the freeway. Within a mile or so, I got a message saying "25% Engine Derate - Refill with DEF." It didn't slow me down anymore than I was so kept it at 55 mph. BB followed me to the exit where the truckstops were and then headed on.

BB was going to an IL Oasis because her I-pass had quit working. Turns out it the battery ran out a few months earlier than expected. They just exchange the I-pass for a new one. Mine are newer because my old ones were in my back pack that was stolen a few years ago.

2nd stop was the TA in Hampton for fuel and DEF. I looked over at the Loves when I pulled in and all the fuel islands were full. There were enough empty pumps at the TA that I was able to pull in backwards so I could get DEF at the pump.

I had about 100 miles to go so I guessed and put in 10 gallons. Guessing I might get about 10 mpg.

30+ miles before my drop, my low fuel light comes on. We <> are not supposed to deliver any unit with the low fuel light on. So ...

3rd stop was the Road Range in Cottage Grove. OK, I must be getting closer to 7 mpg so I put in another 6 gallons to cover the miles and leave a little extra. No one else at the station so I didn't bother to pull ahead when I went in for a receipt.

If I had moved the truck, I might have seen that the low fuel light was still on ... I did notice it when I was leaving the station but guessed it would go off.

So for the next 10 miles I'm debating what I should do. The truck has the 1/8th tank of fuel that most shippers require, but the low fuel light is not supposed to be on.

I guess that I should be able to put in another couple of gallons ...

4th non-stop was a BP that was at the same exit as the drop. No diesel.

5th stop is a Kwik Trip in Madison with one diesel pump and one in and one out. Here it is auto-diesel so the pumps run slower. I stand in the door of my truck watching for the low fuel light to go out. It finally goes out at 1/4th of tank of fuel. I have now put in $30 more in fuel than if I had not let the low fuel light come on. Not sure if it is just this truck but I will be more careful in the future.

(even with the extra fuel I put in this truck, I still kept twice as much 'fuel money' as I put in the truck) A VERY good paying trip.

These extra stops have also taken an extra half hour so it is now after 12 noon and we had thought we'd be dropped by as early as 10:30.

6th stop is the drop. No fence around the office here, but seems to be one in the back around the trucks. I go into the office to make sure I am at the right place. They are happy to see me.

The guy signs my paperwork as soon as he has walked around the truck. He doesn't want any paperwork and is ready to move the truck as I am still grabbing my stuff out the other door.

When I get to the car, BB tells me that the 2nd trip we were looking at is gone, so we will be deadheading the rest of the way home. That trip was from Eau Claire back to MN.

7th stop was the rest area near  Poynette. While BB was busy, I called local dispatch to line up work for Monday. I first asked if they had work in WI for today but they didn't. So far, it sounds like they will have us pick up and stage three trucks on Monday. And I may get to deliver one of those trucks. It will be nice to do something other than trash trucks.

Trash trucks. Our long haul company has one near here in WI heading back to Dodge Center ... but it is likely one of the brand I am trying to stay away from. And we wouldn't have time to deliver it yet today and so I'd have to check if we could deliver on Saturday. Likely could but I didn't ask.

While I am talking to local dispatch, a call is beeping in but they don't leave a message. But the number has me curious. I look on texts, it is from my dispatcher for my truck this AM. So I call them back. They want to know if I can move the truck from SD to WI that has been on the load board for a week. Sorry. I don't have enough work days in a row to do that trip. But I have been watching it, hoping I get something heading in that direction.

But now we have enough of next week lined up that it won't happen next week either.

8th stop was the Old Log Deli in Mauston again :) After we got our sandwiches we were talking to the staff as it was empty and I was saying how good the lasagna was yesterday ... so I asked if they had leftovers. They did. Three pieces :) So we took all three, plus our sandwiches.

... and tomorrow we are getting together with family to cook ... lasagna.

9th stop was the Target in Hudson for supplies.

10th and final stop was home

Load board

US - 173

IA - 1

MN - 8

WI - 19

We are now off for the weekend and again on Tuesday.