PLAN? WHAT PLAN?

Everything was going as planned, and right there I should have suspected something was up, because we all know we can't really plan on anything in trucking, but I digress. Craig drove into Walnut, CA Thursday afternoon, an hour early for his appointment, and got checked in and loaded just as planned. So far, so good, I hear yourself saying, please continue. He is able to get down the street to the local scale, making sure he was legal, and hit the road ahead of the 5pm commute traffic. I really don't see the point to your story yet Diane, as I hear you yet again interjecting into my little saga.

Craig drives out of the LA basin and makes it all the way into Corning, CA for the night. Not being able to leave until noon, he bides his time and at the allotted time he takes off only to hear his phone ring about 30 miles down the road. Ah Hah, you say, finally the reason for this stupid tale. Yes, sad but true, Craig will not see Washington State this trip. He is turned around to go back to the truck stop in Corning, and await not one, but two other trucks for a three way switch.

While waiting for the trailer that he is to receive the first driver pulls up and takes Craig's trailer headed to Puyallup, WA and leaves his trailer, which will go to the second driver. Around 7:30pm the second driver shows up, takes the trailer dropped by the first driver and hands his trailer over to Craig, who now has yet again a trailer intended for a team to be delivered in Phoenix, AZ. But, the best he can do is drive his full 11 hours and get it into the Company yard by 7:30am Saturday morning, which is exactly what he did.

Waiting for him at the yard was yet another driver who would take it the rest of the way into Phoenix and make the deliveries, while Craig crawled into bed for some well deserved sleep. Little did he know just how much rest he will get. When he awoke, he counted 6 other TWT drivers sitting in the yard.

Early last night, he finally received a dispatch that will take him to the City of Industry, to pick up some juice on Monday morning. We will receive two days of layover pay and Craig will get a restart on his driving hours and get plenty of rest to start the week. The plan, and I am leery to even use that word, is for him to pick me up Monday evening in Modesto on his way north. Time will tell if this will come to a realization or not, but I've learned not to plan on it!