We arrived at our drop about 45 minutes early. We found out that unloading was first-come first-serve and there were 4 trucks ahead of us already. I stood outside the truck and shaved my head (thank god for rechargeable shavers). After we unloaded we put in the call to let them know we were empty and available for another load. They replied back with the horrible news that there wasn’t much available in the area, and we were 12th on the list for a load. So, it looks like we are going to be spending all day and night in a truck stop.
We drive a few miles up the road to a Pilot truck stop. At Pilot, if we purchase fuel we get free showers. Sure beats $10, or worse yet, no shower at all. I find out that they have Wi-Fi, but it’s not free. It’s $5 for a day or $20 for a month. Since Pilot is one of our approved fuel stops and we’re going to be spending a lot of time at Pilot truck stops, I decide to buy a months worth to get me through my whole training period. I hope not all Pilots are like this one because this internet is soooo sloooow! I was having a hard time getting anything accomplished, as slow as the pages were loading. I tried going in the building to see if I can get better reception. Nope. I’d click on a link, then, while waiting for it to load, I’d play a couple games of Solitaire or Freecell. I think I set a new record today for most games of Solitaire in a day! Eventually, I got caught up on my blog though.
I’m definitely looking into getting a wireless internet plan. People have been recommending Mellinicom. They have unlimited wireless internet (with unlimited data) that works on Sprint and Verizon(?) towers. It’s like $60 a month (plus receiver, deposit etc), and people say you get great reception pretty much everywhere, even driving down the highway. It’ll probably cost about $200 to get started, but it definitely should be worth it. I can’t live without my internet!
Since I’m talking about tech stuff (& I didn’t see a damn thing today worth mentioning)…I’m also going to be getting a digital tv receiver for my laptop so I can watch TV wherever I’m at. AVerMedia AVerTV Hybrid Volar Max MTVHBVMXR USB 2.0 Interface is supposed to be real good and is very reasonably priced. As a bonus, since I’m going to be doing a lot of video editing, it has RCA inputs, so I can record from a VCR or camcorder, directly to my laptop. I’m also going to get a GPS. Copilot PC Miler is a good one specifically for trucks. Garmin just came out with one for trucks too, but it’s $500! Needless to say, I won’t be getting that one. We’re using a regular Garmin right now. It definitely helps, but you can’t always trust it/her. Al calls her Gretchen. Other things I’ll need for when I get my own truck: Refrigerator, appliances for cooking food (oven, crock pot, warmer, etc), maybe a coffee pot. I definitely need different phone service. I’ve got Cricket, and the only time I’ve had service in the last week was when we drove through Omaha/Lincoln, and in Denver/Colorado Springs. I’ll probably get Satellite radio, too.
I got paid for the first time today. Paydays are Thursday. We get paid weekly. (I’ll leave out the obvious joke here) I believe the pay period is Friday through Thursday, but I’m not sure. So my check was probably just for the first Monday, Tuesday & maybe Thursday. Training pay is $500 a week. I haven’t seen a pay stub yet, but my take home was $68! That may have been after child support? I’m not sure if they’re taking that out yet. I’m almost broke right now, so I can’t wait for them full paychecks to start rolling in. Driving a school bus, I was taking home $600-700 every 2 weeks after taxes & child support. I should be making that every week here! I won’t know what to do with all that money.
Speaking of that, I still have yet to see a lot lizard. :) My trainer says they’ll come banging on your door in the middle of the night. “Are you looking for some company?” From what I understand, they’re not nearly as rare as Bigfoot sightings.
It’s 2:30am. Hopefully we’ll have a load in the morning because I can‘t wait to get out of this truck stop!
We drive a few miles up the road to a Pilot truck stop. At Pilot, if we purchase fuel we get free showers. Sure beats $10, or worse yet, no shower at all. I find out that they have Wi-Fi, but it’s not free. It’s $5 for a day or $20 for a month. Since Pilot is one of our approved fuel stops and we’re going to be spending a lot of time at Pilot truck stops, I decide to buy a months worth to get me through my whole training period. I hope not all Pilots are like this one because this internet is soooo sloooow! I was having a hard time getting anything accomplished, as slow as the pages were loading. I tried going in the building to see if I can get better reception. Nope. I’d click on a link, then, while waiting for it to load, I’d play a couple games of Solitaire or Freecell. I think I set a new record today for most games of Solitaire in a day! Eventually, I got caught up on my blog though.
I’m definitely looking into getting a wireless internet plan. People have been recommending Mellinicom. They have unlimited wireless internet (with unlimited data) that works on Sprint and Verizon(?) towers. It’s like $60 a month (plus receiver, deposit etc), and people say you get great reception pretty much everywhere, even driving down the highway. It’ll probably cost about $200 to get started, but it definitely should be worth it. I can’t live without my internet!
Since I’m talking about tech stuff (& I didn’t see a damn thing today worth mentioning)…I’m also going to be getting a digital tv receiver for my laptop so I can watch TV wherever I’m at. AVerMedia AVerTV Hybrid Volar Max MTVHBVMXR USB 2.0 Interface is supposed to be real good and is very reasonably priced. As a bonus, since I’m going to be doing a lot of video editing, it has RCA inputs, so I can record from a VCR or camcorder, directly to my laptop. I’m also going to get a GPS. Copilot PC Miler is a good one specifically for trucks. Garmin just came out with one for trucks too, but it’s $500! Needless to say, I won’t be getting that one. We’re using a regular Garmin right now. It definitely helps, but you can’t always trust it/her. Al calls her Gretchen. Other things I’ll need for when I get my own truck: Refrigerator, appliances for cooking food (oven, crock pot, warmer, etc), maybe a coffee pot. I definitely need different phone service. I’ve got Cricket, and the only time I’ve had service in the last week was when we drove through Omaha/Lincoln, and in Denver/Colorado Springs. I’ll probably get Satellite radio, too.
I got paid for the first time today. Paydays are Thursday. We get paid weekly. (I’ll leave out the obvious joke here) I believe the pay period is Friday through Thursday, but I’m not sure. So my check was probably just for the first Monday, Tuesday & maybe Thursday. Training pay is $500 a week. I haven’t seen a pay stub yet, but my take home was $68! That may have been after child support? I’m not sure if they’re taking that out yet. I’m almost broke right now, so I can’t wait for them full paychecks to start rolling in. Driving a school bus, I was taking home $600-700 every 2 weeks after taxes & child support. I should be making that every week here! I won’t know what to do with all that money.
Speaking of that, I still have yet to see a lot lizard. :) My trainer says they’ll come banging on your door in the middle of the night. “Are you looking for some company?” From what I understand, they’re not nearly as rare as Bigfoot sightings.
It’s 2:30am. Hopefully we’ll have a load in the morning because I can‘t wait to get out of this truck stop!
I remember being 12-years-old and going over the road with my dad one summer. One of the first things he warned me about was lot lizards. He said you have to watch out for them and that they were bad news and all that stuff.
ReplyDeleteAbout two weeks into the trip we're in Los Angeles and he picks up TWO women at a truckstop. They wanted a ride to Fort Worth, TX which was where we were headed. My dad, being the philanderer that he was had the obvious idea going on in his head. So I had to share the truck with two older women. After taking them out and buying motel rooms and stuff he comes to realize they're lesbians. He didn't get anything out of that deal. What a tool!