trkingstory

A Funny Truckers Story

For a while I was doing semi-frequent trips from Bay View Mississippi,
hauling frozen chicken up to Edmonton Alberta. I hated going to Edmonton,
because once empty, I'd usually have to sit for several days, waiting for a load
coming back out .

When they did find a load, it was usually newsprint from Whitecourt
Alberta, about 100 miles to the North, going down to Los Angeles.

Newsprint was one of my least favourite loads. The stuff was so heavy,
I was usually grossed out and had to run with nearly empty fuel tanks.
There were other problems too. It meant running heavy, through the Rocky
mountains and I was always worried about the stuff coming loose.

It was in giant rolls and only secured with my load locks. I used to fear
the rolls breaking loose and rolling right out through the front or
back of the trailer! Also it was a cheap load that they would buy from
a load broker, so it barely paid anything. All in all, not good.

After a few of these loads, I told my dispatcher that I really didn't want to
do newsprint and to please try and get me *anything* else.

Well, they did for a while, but going to Edmonton still meant a usual 3
or 4 day wait to find a load. The last time I was there, they sent up to
Edmonton in the middle of January and left me sitting empty for 4 days.

It was -30 C or about 20 below zero, Fahrenheit. I spent the 4 days, sitting
in a very expensive but ratty little truckstop. The truck, outside, idling and
burning fuel the whole time, because I was afraid to shut it off. My frustration
grew by the minute as the hours dragged on.

Finally my dispatcher called with a load. You guessed it. Newsprint
from Whitecourt, going to L.A. I moaned and groaned a bit, but agreed
to take the load.

Suddenly, a devious smile came across my face. I said to her "Why do
they ship newsprint by truck anyway? Don't you think that's really
stupid?".

She seemed very puzzled by my question and quite taken aback.
She replied "Well how else would they ship it?"

I answered back, almost instantly and sounding very serious,
-"It's only paper, right? Why don't they fax it!!"

It was beautiful! There was a long, long silence on the other end.of the line!
She couldn't figure out if I had lost my mind, or if she had lost hers!!
When she finally regained her composure enough to speak, I simply said
"Gotcha'!" It made my day.
Mart