Long Weekend

Long Weekend

Holiday weekends are always a double edged sword. It would have been nice to be home; however, working is a blessing too. The week before a holiday can also be unpredictable. In some cases, the customer might try to move as many pieces as possible. While other's mindset is already in vacation mode rather than work. Each holiday, each customer and each year is a guess for us as to how much work we may or may not have. This year, this holiday and our customers were no different. This is the case for the week of the holiday also.

We had one load lined up the week before and were going after another; however, it seemed that we might not make it to the customer before they closed so the load was given to another truck. Unfortunately, that truck ended up with engine trouble. We convinced the customer that we could make it to their location and ended up getting the load after all. We are never happy to get a load because of another truck's trouble. We made it to both the pick up and the delivery on time. This was a new customer for us. Hopefully, they were impressed with us, our equipment and the company to which we are leased and they will continue to reach out for all of their logistic needs.

While we were busy handling the loads we had, we also were trying to schedule loads for the holiday week. We had a load lined up to pick up Tuesday and deliver on Wednesday. We then got a call to pick up another load on Wednesday to delivery on Friday. The week was shaping up to be a good week until we got the call that the first load was not going to be ready on Tuesday but rather on Wednesday. Needless to say, that would not work because we had already committed to another load picking up on Wednesday. While we scrambled to find another load to get us closer to the Wednesday load, we had no success. So we deadheaded (meaning we did not get paid) some 700 miles to Wednesday's load.

This whole time we were trying to get to Florida to look at a RV park that we could use as a home away from home in a warmer climate. That never happened. We did decide to take a site that came available and meet with the current residents of the lot. So we are now officially "snowbirds". This is how we juggle between our professional life and our personal life.

Our holiday weekend was quiet and relaxing. We can remember those who have gone before us just as easily on the road as we can at home. While it would have been nice to spend time with family and friends, this weekend allowed us to make new friends and prepare for our future.

Here's to millions of safe, profitable and MEMORABLE miles.

Kelly Plumb