2 a.m. and just got home

I took a load Wednesday night for delivery Thursday morning in Metairie, LA. When I went to the D.C. to pick it up, they had added on a backhaul pickup in Baton Rouge.

The problem is that in order to make the backhaul pickup, I had to juggle my sleeper berth hours. The result was that I got the load picked up, but it threw my schedule off so I couldn't do a short load this morning to Plano. The log laws are extremely complicated, and we are electronically logged at this company, so I really couldn't cheat on it, even if I wanted to.

So, soon after I left Baton Rouge on highway 190, going west toward Opelousas, I came to a traffic jam. Very rare out there. I had seen an ambulance going that direction, and more and more emergency vehicles passed me. Turns out there was a truck and multiple car wreck at the junction with highway 1. At least one fatality.

I see online that it was caused by someone pulling out in front of another car, causing an accident, and pushing that car in front of the big truck, which jackknifed in an attempt to avoid it.

Man, I'm tired.

My Dad was an excellent driver and drove trucks in Korea, but never would consider OTR. His last job was driving local deliveries and that was bad enough! (Niece's hubby drives the big UPS trucks between hubs.)

I figured that trip!...

you need to rest my friend!... ...

Good lord, I don't know how you haulers do it! I practically see double after driving for 3 hours I can't even imagine 8 hours a day. I'm glad you made it home safe and sound and in one piece.

I guess one would see a lot being a driver! I cant imagine all the surprise loads you probably get, insane traffic jams from accidents and before/after work traffic, and the ridiculous times getting home.

Rob and I somewhat played with the thought of getting CDLs and finding somewhere to haul for (just as team operators) to see the country and travel a lot (we love to take road trips). Considering we're young, it'd probably be a better time now, but we both have found good jobs we enjoy and we wouldn't be able to bring our babies with us! I'd probably get pretty tired with all the driving after awhile as well (though I know there are strict rules about the hours you drive, sleep/rest, etc like you said).

There was a recent fatality here on the interstate, a truck driver hit a guard rail and died on Tuesday. They believe it was a medical condition though, since the truck wasn't badly damaged, no body trauma, and no other vehicles involved. I'm finding it rather saddening. I saw them hauling the truck away from the scene, but it gives me chills when I see the busted guard rail!

We're allowed to drive up to 11 hours and be on duty up to 3 hours before we're required to take 10 hours off. We can take that 10 hours in two chunks, one of at least 8 hours. However, here is the complicated part. Once your day starts, 14 hours later you are done for 10 hours. Even sleeper berth time of less than 8 hours doesn't stop that clock. The idea was to put drivers on more of a 24-hour clock, instead of the the 18-22 hour clock we were on before these changes.

From our DC in Midlothian, TX, it's about 8 1/2 hours and 515 miles to Metairie. That is obeying the speed limit all the way.

Yes, I've seen (and assisted) at accidents you wouldn't believe. Even been in a few, over the years.