Mike pulled out of the truck stop in Houston in the dark this morning to head to the Kroger distribution center for delivery. Leaving a spot in the dark and pulling in to a dock in the dark puts a whole new spin on driving these big rigs. In the truck stops, the trucks are parked very closely together. Not being able to really see because it is dark makes getting out a bit difficult if there are turns involved especially. And docking is also a bit more difficult in the dark. A driver has to take even more precautions than if these maneuvers were being done in the daylight.
We figured that once he got to the distribution facility, he would “know the drill” because he had just delivered to a Kroger distribution facility in Keller the day before. WRONG! These two facilities handle the delivery of loads completely differently. Apparently, even though they are the same company, there is no standardization in their operating procedures. At the Houston facility, Mike had to dock, unhook the trailer, and go park and wait while the trailer was unloaded. Once that was done, he was called to come hook the trailer back up.
Something else we learned (and this one completely blows my mind) is that just because you have reserved a parking spot at the truck stop doesn’t mean there will actually be one available when you arrive. Sometimes, the reserved spots are just not marked very well, and a driver may pull into one not knowing it is a reserved spot. Once they are made aware that they are in a reserved spot, they generally will move without issue. Sometimes, a driver is just an arrogant butt who pulls into a reserved spot knowing without a doubt it is a reserved spot. It doesn’t matter what you are doing, folks. There are always going to be those people in our lives. Security guards in the parking areas can usually make them move; however, it can become a clash of wills if a driver absolutely refuses to move. I am not sure what happens when a security guard can’t get a driver to move, but I imagine a driver would get a credit for another night somewhere else in that case. Having that happen would create a definite problem for a driver who can’t park because the lot is full.
These are the things that pop up that cannot be controlled and create logistical problems. If a driver had things always go according to plan, that would be awesome. I wonder, though, how often that actually occurs. Probably not all that often, but I am sure we are going to find out!
He was given his next run, but the truck needed to go to the repair shop first. The charging system has been overcharging everything, and it needed to be checked.
Some of the youngest grandchildren are keeping up with Papa and where he is on his journeys. This picture was sent to us tonight, and it made us both smile so big. It is a family affair.
