Angst, my old friend

My dispatcher took yesterday off and someone else covered his trucks for the day. This morning, a message went out saying he's no longer with the company and the fleet will be managed for a bit by Steve, who is the training dispatcher.

A preplan came over the satellite unit while I was nearing my destination in Council Bluffs with a load heading to Tupelo, Mississippi. Regular readers of this blog might remember my last trip down there heading into a weekend and the resulting issues. I immediately refused the load and went about my business, wrapping up the current one.

As soon as I punched in the codes on the satellite unit to show I was empty and ready for a load, the same load to Tupelo popped up as assigned to me, even though I not only did not agree to the preplan but I also refused it. This resulted in a round of messages back and forth quoting chapter and verse of business as usual to each other before it was agreed I wouldn't touch that load and instead I would be put on another. I had hoped to take a 34-hour break to reset my log but that wasn't in the cards.

Eventually a new load was presented, heading to Oklahoma from ConAgra in Council Bluffs and I took that. It delivers tomorrow afternoon but it is a live unload I think so when I'll actually be done with it is speculation at this point.


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I also learned today that when I agreed to a purchase price for my Volvo it apparently was not as configured when I got it, but instead as it was before I had the better super single tires and rims installed. At least I think that is what the verdict on that is, but I'm not sure. The accounting system used to track all of this may well be accurate but it is not the greatest at explaining what is charged for.

Speaking of accounting, in about a month I will present my first quarterly report showing the miles I've driven, my income and expenses as best I can determine them.