My Jobs: SNI: 11/99

While I worked at SNI, I kept tract of where I went and what I did. Some of this information will be interesting if you are thinking about getting into the trucking business.

The amount of hours you have to put in, and how long you are away from your loved ones in an effort to make a living.

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November 1999
Nov. 1, 1999 Monday.

Delivered Sears load, this one was a drop, which means that I had to drop my trailer and then hook to the empty trailer in the door, then drop that one out of the way somewhere, then hook back up to mine and then put IT in the door. Then hook back up to the empty trailer then leave. After that I went to Sony about 25 miles north and dropped that empty and hooked to a loaded trailer going to Boise Idaho for Tuesday morning. (900 mi.) I made it as far as Primm NV. The California and Nevada state line on I-15.

Nov 2, Tuesday.

Drove up to Las Vegas and fueled up, then cut up US 93 to Jackpot NV., the Idaho border, and stopped for dinner and a little action in the casino. That was a bad move. I should have just stopped and eaten and left. Anyway, as disgusted as I was, because a lost my money so fast, I got back in the truck and drove out of Nevada and into the first town in Idaho so I wouldn't be tempted to go back in there and make more of a fool of myself. I drove up to the Petro truck stop in Twin Falls and called it a night.

I got up early and drove 2.5 hours into Boise and delivered the load of computer monitors, then reloaded at a furniture manufacturing plant, with a load of what else, furniture headed back to San Diego CA. Actually I dropped that empty trailer and hooked to the loaded one there, and headed out the same way I came up, back to Twin Falls and down US 93 to Ely NV where I stopped for the night. I went to the downtown area and found a prime rib dinner with my name on it. And made a fool of myself in the casino. You know, I really have no business in a casino!!!!! Mad again, I got back in the truck and drove to the outskirts of town and parked in a big dirt lot as far away from any buildings or casinos as I could, and went to sleep.

Drove from Ely NV down into Las Vegas and stopped in to the Nevada Landing Casino in Jean Nevada. Learning my painful lesson, I made sure I only had $10 on me and bravely walked into the casino and went right to the Buffet Restaurant and got the $5.35 lunch buffet and walked right out afterwards. I got back in the truck and drove to my friends house near Ontario and visited with him and his lovely family for about 3 hours then continued for San Diego. I made it down to Escondido and couldn't keep my eyes open anymore so I pulled off on a wide exit and took a nap. That was about 1am.

I got up at 4am and drove into Downtown San Diego and delivered the furniture, I got there at 5:15am and was empty at 8:15 am, actually they unloaded it, I sat in the truck listening to Howard Stern on the radio, trying to figure out why I was so tired. After that I was sent to the yard in Otay (The Mexican border) to pick-up a loaded trailer coming over the border. It was not going to be there until 1pm so I took that opportunity to catch another nap. The trailer came in a 12:45. I hooked to it a bolted hard. That means I hurried. This load was taking me home, It delivers in Stockton CA Monday morning. I was home at 8:30pm. I hooked to that trailer and drove from Otay to Fresno which is 410 miles in less than 8 hours.

I left the house at 4am and drove to Stockton CA and delivered the load of Bed stuff. And then went to Sacramento CA (47mi) and p/u loaded trailer of Campbell Soup, going to Poway CA (495 MI), which is near San Diego. I got out of there by 2pm and drove down to Oceanside and took a nap. It was about 2am.

Got up and drove the hour and a half to Poway SYSCO and waited, my appt was for 7am. I got there at 6:15am but they didn't open the gate until 8am. I got in and hired a lumper to unload for me $80, and went to back to bed and took another nap. After that I went to Fontana (110 MI) and p/u a load of Fruit drink for Wal-mart in Red Bluff CA (556 MI). This place was so tight, that you had to park in the street, walk in to check in, then go back to your truck and back it into the dock, then drop your trailer, and park your tractor back in the street and walk back in. Then stand there and count the freight as it is loaded. I was loaded about 4pm and then drove home. Got home at 10pm

I left the house at 10am to head north, but had a big puddle of water under my truck, so I had to call maintenance to tell me where to take it in town to get it fixed. They found a shop for me. I took the truck down there and they fixed it quickly, and I was on my way. I drove up to Sacramento to the office so I could meet with my boss about the new pay package they were giving all the drivers. I was very pleased with this information. Then drove up to Red Bluff to drop this trailer. Then across town to Tenneco to p/u a loaded trailer of empty egg cartons, heading for an egg farm in Rochester WA (553 MI) which is 100 miles north of Portland. If that helps. But, the trailer wasn't ready, It should have been ready at 5pm, I got there at 7pm and had to wait until 7am for it to be ready. It was almost time to sleep anyway.

Hooked to trailer at 7am and headed north. I went to Portland and played online at Jubitz for a couple hours then went up to Rochester to the customer, and slept for the night. That was midnight.

They took their egg cartons off and I headed West, to the coast, to Grays Harbor (46 MI) and p/u a load of printing paper going to Commerce CA (1118 MI) for Monday. I drove down to Yreka CA and stopped for the night.

Was home all day, left at 6pm to go to LA. Got to LA at 10:30pm and slept in front of the customer.

Went about 7 miles and p/u a load of pillows, for Sears Delano (147 MI). It took then 3 hours to load it. Then went to Delano and dropped, then p/u loaded trailer going to San Rafael (268 MI) drove up to Richmond and stopped for the night. 10pm

Drove in to San Rafael and hand unloaded at the Sears store. Done at 11am then to Crockett (31 MI) to C+H Sugar going to Glendale CA. (371 MI) for Wednesday morning. I got loaded right at rush hour and headed out into the madness. I made it down to Wheeler Ridge and stopped for a nap. 1am

Got up at 5am and drove over the hill and delivered to Costco early, then went to LA Dart (11 MI) and p/u a loaded trailer heading for Delano (143 MI). I hooked and headed out, I got up to a scale, to make sure it was legal, and it was a good thing I did, I was 2500 pounds over on the trailer. I had to go back and have them take some stuff off the back of the trailer to make it legal. Then I headed out again. I delivered in Delano at 6pm, then dropped trailer, then hooked to loaded trailer going to Portland Ore. I told the boss I was not going to Portland, this was going to deliver Friday morning. This was my weekend off coming up and I would not make it back in time. Also, I did not have the hours to deliver this load on time anyway. So I went home with this load, he said he would find someone to take it from me in the morning. Got home at 9:30 PM

Left house at 6am and headed north, dropped Sears load at French Camp yard, (Stockton CA) and then went to Tracy (11 MI) to find an empty trailer then to Stockton (20 MI) to load Plastic stuff going to Sears Delano (197 MI). Was loaded at noon and dropped in Delano at 4:30pm then hooked to loaded trailer going to Santa Cruz ( 233 MI) and was home at 7pm.

Left the house at 6am and drove to Santa Cruz and hand unloaded at the Sears store. Then went to Coke in San Leandro (61 MI) Arrived at Coca Cola at 4:30pm and was loaded at 5pm, with a load of Coke going to Tempe AZ (737 MI) for Monday 5pm.

Left the house at 6pm and drove towards Arizona with my friend Mike. ( Mike is the truck driver that lives down the street from me.) We made it to Ontario and he pulled off, and I continued driving up to the rest area near Palm Springs at 3am.

Took a nap, and got up at 7am then drove into Tempe ( Phoenix AZ ). I arrived at the Coke at 2pm and got out of there at 6:30pm, they were in no hurry to unload me. When I was done there I went to the yard in Phoenix and p/u a loaded trailer of Chep pallets going to Sparks NV (732 MI). I hooked and took off, up Hwy 60 then up US93 and made it about 100 miles north of town and stopped on the side of the road. You really aren't supposed to do that, but I was too tired to drive any more.

Drove the rest of the way into Sparks NV and stopped for the night at the ALAMO Truck Stop.

They unloaded me at 6:30am, then loaded a load and dropped it at the truck stop for someone else to take. Then loaded my trailer going to Riverside CA (464 MI) with filters ( House a/c filters ) This load was to deliver Friday morning at 8am. I told my boss that he had 3 choices,
1. He could pay me layover for sitting down there over Thanksgivings Day. ($100)
2. He could have me drop the trailer in the yard near Riverside.
3. He could send me home and eat some turkey then deliver Friday.

He choose to send me home, which was fine with me. It was about 120 extra miles to go home with this load, that I don't get paid for, but I don't care. I got home at 11pm

I left the house at 6pm and headed for Riverside, arrived at 1am and slept in front of customer.

At 8:30am the owner, the place I was delivering to, came in and said to me, "What are you doing here?" I told him that this trailer full of filters loaded on the floor was for you and the appt was at 8am this morning. He didn't want it so I took it to the yard and dropped it. So, instead of sending home they decided to have some fun with me. Doing shuttle work. The first one, I p/u loaded trailer in LA going to Sears in Delano then drop, then BT ( Bobtail = Drive without a trailer ) back to LA, then hook to another trailer and take it to Delano, then stopped for the night. LA to Delano is 150 miles one way.

Took 5 hour nap then drove to LA, then hook to a trailer and take to Delano, then drop, BT to LA. I tried to get the next trailer but the police had the street blocked looking for a gunman!!! No kidding... I stopped for the night.

Hooked to that trailer and took it to Porterville Wal-Mart and dropped it. Then went to Sears Delano (33 MI) and was supposed to get a LA load going to a store, but they changed their mind and sent me to Reno (373 MI) instead. I hooked to a loaded trailer and headed North. I called the wife and had her meet me at our favorite restaurant near the Freeway because I was really hungry and I was in big hurry to get up to Reno and get enough sleep to be able to unload. I drove to the Gold Run rest area and stopped for the night. I wanted to make it over the hill, but a had run my 10 hours for the day and had to stop.

I got up at 4am and drove over the hill and stopped at Boomtown for a steak and eggs breakfast, then drove to Sears and hand unloaded the trailer, it took 4 hours. Then went to Fernley NV (34 MI) and loaded auto parts, for Phoenix AZ.(700 MI). I drove to Tonopah and stopped for the night.

I woke up at 5am and drove down to Phoenix, to the Flying J and stopped for the night. Arrived at 6pm. The load delivered in the morning right next door.


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