I have been getting a little stick on a forum for truckers because there was nothing negative on the blog, and it all looked a bit too rosy, but it's Caths blog, about our travels, not the company I work for, so if you want any info about the actual company, just ask me... but, I would advise anybody who is coming over as a single driver, couple or team driver, to do their research thoroughly before burning any bridges, and always have an escape plan.
The last weekend was a bit of a downer for us, visiting a driver in hospital who we had befriended, and hearing of other people who we have become friends with, who are also on their way home for various reasons, because it is not a bed of roses here, and although some of the problems can be attributed to the downturn in the Canadian economy, the company I work for really needs to learn how to handle people (which would also help it's profits, I'm sure).
It has been said on other blogs, and I will say it again, be prepared for hard work, long hours and waiting around for hours or sometimes days (unpaid) at pick ups, drops, etc.
Our last trip to Arizona was quite a good one, apart from all the hours waiting about at pick ups, with loads not being ready etc, the waiting around does get to you, especially when it is hot and you have no air conditioning (and cold nights) because your Tripak is not working.
On our last trip we spent six hours in the dusty yard at Thermo-King in Las Vegas whilst Cath whinged at me because we couldn't go and see the sights as they tried unsuccessfully to fix the Tri-Pak.
When we got back to base the truck wa staken to the local Thermo-King where it returned the day after with lots of shiny new bits and pieces... but, IT STILL AIN'T WORKING!
Which means no heat/cooling , (the truck wion't idle either) and no electric, so we are having to buy food out instead of cooking, which can make the trips expensive, and as the batteries get low, the beeper warning is driving us nuts.
At present we are sitting in Salinas, California, waiting to pick our load up nearby, but even though we arrived at 9am, we are not booked till 9pm, so, another wasted day as an unpaid security guard in the truck!
We could have stopped at a beach about 100 miles south on the way up if we had known about the length of time we would be hanging out in an industrial estate.
Normal service will resume as soon as possible.
Southern Utah
Arizona
Near Lake Powell
Lake Powell hydro
Antelope Gap
Ceva
Livestock caught in Arizona
On the way back north
Salt Lake City Mormon grafitti
Typical front yard in many of the places we've seen Stateside
What sort of critter is this?Click all the pictures to enlarge them.
This post by Mick
17 comments:
Nice post with great pics. Havnt heard from you in a while so it was good to hear that you are both ok.
Very good advise is given in your post, especially the escape plan bit. Only today I said goodbye to a lad I know who has had enough.
Its a shame !
best wishes, Phil
Sometimes it's difficult for Cath to put a post together, or no internet, you know the score.
The escape plan was also advised by another well known blogger who is sometimes unfairly criticised.
Drive safe Phil
Great Post Mick, but what have you done to my auld lassie???????
Sorry to hear that that TriPak is playing up, I was just down yr neck of the woods on & yes I too spent 12 hours at one place waiting to get loaded, it took me 2 full days to do 5 piks all in same area.
As you know it was hot so I thought I would put Tripak A/C on, got out the truck for half hour to let it do the bizz, & it was blowing warm air.......(yes I did turn it down lol) but it only goes down to 50?
I got cooler air out of the blower.
Anyway take care both of you & maybe one day we will meet????
Graeme
Great pics Mick, necer been to California maybe some day.
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Wow, really cool pics, guys!!
Enjoying some nice weather, eh!, we´re stuck in a road closure in WY due to one inch of snow, hahaha... crazy!
Have a safe and funny trip back!
See you soon!!!
well done mick
Hi guys,
It's been a while since I posted on your blog due to the amount of work I've been getting (no bad thing though in this climate)
The pictures are amazing, keep them up. It looks such a beautiful place.
What really strikes me is the perceived incompetence of the dispatch team at yours and others companies. I know sometimes loads are late and that things go wrong, but you have mentioned waiting for full days and longer for loads. This seems amazing. If that happened in the UK the company wouldn't last 5 minutes. Now before the people comment that "well this isn't the UK is it?" think about it?
You said in one post that you got to your collection on time and was then told to wait as you weren't booked in until 13.30. You then get on the bay only to be told that the load wouldn't fit. Well what the hell is going on there? Don't these people tell your dispatch team how much is to be collected? They must have. It seems to me that no one seems to know what is going on, and it's not a once in a blue moon thing, this seems to happen day in, day out.
The thing is though guys, this wont change while you are being paid by the mile as they are not loosing money. You are the ones who have to sit in the truck for hours and days at a time not being paid while they consider pulling thier finger out of their ar**s. If you were being paid to sit there I can guarantee that things would change pretty sharply.
It's sad to see guys leaving Canada and coming back here, as I can tell you, there isn't any work here to be had. So if you are reading this and are considering coming back to the UK then think very carefully because there simply isn't the work here like there was when you left. Try and make it work.
I know one thing though, when we finally get to come over (we are now going to wait until things pick up as things are just too bad to chance it at the moment) I'm certainly not going to be doing Fridge work that's for sure.
Keep your spirits up guys.
Andy
I fly out on April 8th. So there's no work and people leaving ? So why come ?
ROAD RAT:
Please read my post again, yes, there are people leaving, but ...I didn't say there's NO work!
That's another reason Cath won't post negative stuff, because people make knee-jerk reactions and comments.
I take it you did your research,so, why not come?
I think the guy above could have been reading other blogs too and some do say there is a lack of work. I don't think it's directed at you Mick. As long as he is aware that money is only made while the wheels are turning and that there are always times when they are not! You can only do what you can Mick.
Clare x
Hi Cath and Mick, I dont know now whether you will get this twice problems with signing in, sorry. Paul, myself and our 2 boys are due to come out to Lethbridge in June after 2 years of research planning and visiting. Now that we have a sale for our house we are worried that now may be a bad time due to things we have read on various sites/bloggs. We wondered if you could shed any light on this for us, are things really that bad that people cant afford to stay ? Thanks Paul and Alison
By the way love seeing all the pics and hearing about ya travels.
conroya36@hotmail.com
Great picture, especially love the one of the marmot (at least that's what I think it is :)). Gotta love the nature around, must be amazing to see it all.
Take care, Julie
hi mick and cath tried to comment not sure if iy was successful anyway i read yours and other blogs with interest and what you read is quite similar wheels not turning your not earning and the inept way the haulage system is run im coming out in november after a couple of years of looking into it etc i like many others in this situation can only guess whether its going to be for us or not any help would be greatly accepted rgds dom
dominic.garvey1@ntlworld.com
Graeme:
Your auld lassie was great all along until the Tri-Pak failed, and it seems that TK can't fix it...back in again tommorow!
The temp of the night heater does only go to down 50°, the A/C is a different button mate.
The waiting is a real pain in the arse when everyone around you is getting paid, and you are just wasteing your time!
Dave:
We have been to different parts of Cali, it is busy, traffic wise, but there is some beautiful, if somewhat unexpected scenery.
I'm sure there are plenty of motels down there for you LOL.
Javi and Inga:
Thanks Javi, but I still haven't bought a digital SLR (too busy paying back the training money out of every trip envelope).
We didn't see snow for a while now LOL.
Clare:
Thanks Clare, we heard from Wolf, he seems better, and more optomistic.
Andy:
I contacted you mate, but thanks for your thorough comment.
It really is a beautiful country, as I'm sure you have realised from the blogs of top photographer man Javi, and his Russian Princess, as well as Montedarlo and the others.
The downsides ( which Cath says not to mention) can make you pretty miserable at times, but the travelling is MINT!
Yes it's not the UK, and it's the 'Canadian Way', but that doesn't mean it's the right way.
Spirits up, thanks mate.
Clare again:
I know you are right Clare, but he could have asked questions of Cath at anytime, and as for lack of work ...bugger me, it has just seemed to pick up!
Paul and Alison:
If we had a young family we would definitely want to come to a place like Canada to bring them up.
All the people we have met have been polite, calm and generaly nice, as they go about their businnes and in their dealings with us.
As for wether you can afford it?
It depends on the comparisons you may make with your current life in the UK, and also wether Alison can get a work permit as well.
Do your research, but don't be put off by my post, as it all depends on circumstances.
Toronto Real Estates:
Thanks for the comment, and for naming the critter.
We saw some more in similar rocks about 200 miles away from the first ones yesterday.
The nature we see on our travels is Phenomenol, but nearly all at 60mph Lol.
Dom:
Don't be put off coming over, just do you're research, but yes, the ineptitude is hard to handle.
I'll drop you a line.
To Everyone:
We have earned enough to be comfortable so far, without skimping, but we live in the truck and have no debts to worry about.
The pain in the arse is the deductions for the training which are taken out of every paymen for you first 12 trips, and it can be a lot more than you had expected to pay.
You will get more help and information about the actual job from other drivers if you work for the company who employ me than you do from the so called fleet managers.
There is a massive gap in the training you need to not get stressed out to the max, and it will not change.
Today we got subjected to a full load/unload inspection at the border, something we had NEVER been warned about.
Hi Mick/ Cath,
Loving the blog and related pictures.
I can’t understand! (Not been a trucker)
Why do you use dispatchers / companies who keep you waiting for loads?
Is there a list of good ones that truckers can use?
There may be no incentive for bad dispatchers / companies to buck their ideas up as it seems to affect your pocket and not theirs but spoilt reputations say a lot.
Perhaps a web page that truckers could look at that lists bad / good companies / departures could be the route to take then you truckers could boycott the ones that give you hard times.
It doesn’t matter how much or how little work there is no one likes a bad rep.
Just an ignorant thought from a none trucker.
Lee:
Glad you enjoy the pics.
Unfortunately, we will not be the ones to change the North American Logistics industry, and reputations are not that important here it seems.
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