Here I Go Again

[freedhardwoods]

For the last 5 years I've been saying I'd never drive a truck again I couldn't stand the e-logs and was just fed up with a lot of things.

The super short version of my story is that last Monday morning I was running my own cabinet shop thinking that is what I was going to keep doing and now the cabinet shop is shut down and I'm starting a new job driving for a private fleet next Monday. I might have some questions as I get started trying to catch up on changes in the last 6 years since I drove.

A few things that make coming back a little more tolerable -
Almost all midwest and west central driving
Driving a W900 with a 750 hp cat and 18 speed pulling a flatbed
Running paper logs
Starting pay is $.60/mile, + $20/hr from start to finish loading and unloading
Usually 4 day weeks and home every weekend

The owner of this company has been after me to drive for him ever since I quit driving 6 years ago. I told him I wasn't going to work like I did years ago (getting older sucks) and he doesn't want me to. He said I'd probably average 2500 miles a week.

 

[Duck]

For the last 5 years I've been saying I'd never drive a truck again I couldn't stand the e-logs and was just fed up with a lot of things.

The super short version of my story here is that last Monday morning I was running my own cabinet shop thinking that is what I as going to keep doing and now the cabinet shop is shut down and I'm starting a new job driving for a private fleet next Monday. I might have some questions as I get started trying to catch up on changes in the last 6 years since I drove.

A few things that make coming back a little more tolerable -
Almost all midwest and west central driving
Driving a W900 with a 750 hp cat and 18 speed pulling a flatbed
Running paper logs
Starting pay is $.60/mile, + $20/hr from start to finish loading and unloading
Usually 4 day weeks and home every weekend

The owner of this company has been after me to drive for him ever since I quit driving 6 years ago. I told him I wasn't going to work like I did years ago (getting older sucks) and he doesn't want me to. He said I'd probably average 2500 miles a week.

Sounds like a good deal, and it's good to see you back on here.

I was wondering about you the other day when I dug up an old picture of my old pos '79 Dodge truck and was wondering if you still had yours.

 

[freedhardwoods]

That old Dodge is history now. The guy running the scrap yard beside the repair shop I had it at scrapped it without my permission. I was pissed.

Other life changing news is my wife of 38 years passed away 1 year ago. I started seeing another girl a few weeks ago and hoping we're going to end up married. I move sort of fast in that area. My first wife had an engagement ring 6 weeks after our first date.

 

[mndriver]

Welcome back...

 

[Duck]

That old Dodge is history now. The guy running the scrap yard beside the repair shop I had it at scrapped it without my permission. I was pissed.

Other life changing news is my wife of 38 years passed away 1 year ago. I started seeing another girl a few weeks ago and hoping we're going to end up married. I move sort of fast in that area. My first wife had an engagement ring 6 weeks after our first date.

Sorry to hear about your wife.

 

[freedhardwoods]

Sorry to hear about your wife.

She had 6 rounds with cancer in 15 years. The last time got her.

 

[Duck]

She had 6 rounds with cancer in 15 years. The last time got her.

It got my mom in June of 2019

 

[Rigjockey]

Good to see you back @freedhardwoods !

 

[freedhardwoods]

I've been really busy with work, details with closing my cabinet business, and spending time with my girlfriend. The truck I'm driving has had several relatively minor problems I've had to deal with.

Wednesday, on my way home from Texas, a shaft in the front rear end snapped while pulling a hill 200 miles from home. It took me about 5 minutes to figure out it was the rear end, no housing was broken, and the power divider would let the truck roll again. Called the boss and told him the situation, and he said to keep rolling. I was going to be done for the week when I got in anyway, so it didn't mess up any home time. The rear end is being repaired and I'll be in a spare truck for a couple days next week.

For roughly 2 1/2 weeks work my gross pay is $4800 so I'm pretty happy even with the problems. When things get settled down, I will be on here a little more.

Here' a pic of the truck I'm driving. I was loading pipe in Texas.