I left Corsicana TX late Friday with 48,000 lbs. of crated tinted glass destined for Mexico by way of Laredo. It was a "JIT" shipment. Typically, in a better economy, I would drive about 1500 miles over the weekend. This being a serious recession - taking this 388 mile trip was better than sitting around MT in yucky Waco all weekend.
I spent the night in yucky Waco at the Flying J and arrived in exciting Laredo at 4:30pm Saturday. By the way, what the heck is with that Austin traffic? And those hills? I thought Texas was supposed to be flat? They need a loop around (under?) Austin just for trucks.
It is now 1:30pm Monday afternoon. I'm sitting here at the terminal still under the same damn “JIT” load. I've driven O miles and my butt hurts from sitt'n around doing nothing. It's hot here for this time of year – close to 90 degrees. I wish they had a pool at the terminal.
I was told by operations to un tarp and let the Mexicans re tarp the glass so the trailer can be dropped at the broker. Just as this was done, the local terminal safety guy drove by in his zippy golf cart and asked me if there was any damage. I said no. He asked if I climbed on top of the load and "inspected" if there was any breakage among the individual sheets. I believe there are about 350 “individual” sheetsI looked at him. If this was required then why wasn't it done Saturday when I got here? Why didn't anyone say anything about it this morning? I didn't remind him that I'm a driver, not a glass inspector. Besides, the company wouldn't want me on top of the load doing the inspection. That's safety's job.
So right now this “JIT” load is sitting here, tightly tarped, in the hot Laredo sun. Mexicans tarp loads like they make Piñatas. The tarp they used was made of old faded multi-colored fabric with all kinds of interesting graffiti on it. They secured it down, not with bungee cords, but with different colored cord. So, when you drive down the road your load looks just like a Piñata blowing in the wind.
While waiting for "them" to figure out what to do with this load, I had to attend what was promised to be a "short" safety meeting. Experienced drivers know that there is no such thing as a "short" safety meeting. It only takes one clueless brown-nosing driver to raise his dirty tattooed hand to ask a stupid question. Then all hell breaks loose and an hour later soda cans and MT Ring-Ding wrappers are flying everywhere.
The "theme" of the safety meeting was "communication." What a crock of shit. Communication? I'm sitting here under a 388 mile JIT load since arriving here in Laredo Saturday afternoon with nobody knowing what to do with it and you want to talk to me about communication? Where is the sign in sheet and let me outta here so I can get my super breakfast sausage egg and cheese burrito and coffee. By the “end” of the meeting, three drivers were written up for “cursing.” No shit!
The photo credit is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rohanphillips/216705227/
