Welfare case

[tubtar]

Me.
On the dole.
Welfare for the working man.
I haven't done a meaningful day of work since last Tuesday.
They pulled my truck for service ( every 20,000 miles ) and have no spare equipment.
So I have been collecting what we call "G" days.
I get eight hours pay for every day they have work available and no equipment for me to do it.
I don't feel bad in the least.
What alarms me is that our terminal manager lets it get to this point.
On Thursday , they had four guys ahead of me in the line for a spare truck.
We are all getting 22.68 an hour for eight hours for every day this happens.
There are a variety of reasons for this.........none of which make any real sense.
I used to run a 12 car ( high railed ) transporter.
They pulled it out of service because the computer told them it was time.
It was older , but it was the best running 12 car I had ever been in in the 14 years I have been doing this.
It didn't use a drop of oil , all the decks went up and down straight , it pulled pretty good.
I called the head of the maintenance department at our corporate H.Q. in Decatur , Ga. to see if they would reconsider.
Nope.
The computer knows all and sees all.
The current debacle is just short sighted terminal management and a misplaced concern that it would be too expensive to have spare equipment sitting idle.
Because it wouldn't be sitting.
So I don't feel bad in the fucking least.
But I don't care for the pay cut.
G days are O.K. money , but close to half of what I could make in a good week.
And when I go back , it takes a week for me to get back in the saddle physically and psychologically.
Your back gets used to the sitting and pounding of driving.........it takes a set that even a different truck can upset.
And working 60 hours is radically different than sitting on my ass and doing nothing.
I will be in the garage and running various errands , but it is not working.
The only up shot.........I will get to have lunch with the woman who , for some inexplicable reason , loves me today.
Valentines Day and all.
But I would really rather be working.
I haven't gotten in trouble yet..........but the day is young.
When I am working , I don't have time for a lot of distractions and definitely don't have time to get in trouble.
It's like Vincent Vega said............ " With out a job , a residence or legal tender , you're a fucking BUM ! "

[mack1]

$22.68 an hour.

That's more than the Union Scale I was making back years ago doing water/sewer line installation and repair.

Nothin' to sneeze at, certainly, though not what you're used to.
Enjoy the vacation.

We know yer a workin' man, T.
Relax some.

[ded i]

Happy VD - kissies to Judy for us

(Please start writing yr book on those off days <- - - - -

[ratstuph]

Are my tax $$ supporting all this butt-sittin'? If so, maybe you cold knit me a cape, or something.
all da best,
rats...

[tubtar]

No tax dollars and no animals were harmed in the making of this mess.
I just got back from lunch with Judy...........I left early so I might stop at a Florist and get her some kind of colorful stemmed foliage.
Roses are a cliche.
I wanted something closer to " I'm sorry ".
Not for anything I have done.
More for stuff I probably should be doing.
But you think I could find a fucking flower shop ?
I drove for forty minutes .........pretty much covered a five mile radius around her place of work.
Ten liquor stores , four or five gift shops , countless fast food and rapid oil change places.
One vacuum cleaner repair place.
No flowers.
And even if she needed bags for the Hoover , even I know what a fatal mistake it would be to bring her parts for the vacuum as a Valentine's Day gift.
Fortunately for me , there was a custom chocolatier near her work.
I got her the requisite box of bon-bons and am in good standing for a little while at least.

[deerslayer]

I wish i could find employment. I have been laid off since july of 09. They say things are getting better here in Michigan i just don't see it.

[tubtar]

A class A license and a clean cup of piss will get you work any where.
If I wanted to look , I would have my choice of a dozen jobs in a weeks time.
Experience is the hard part.
I had a friend who owned a trucking company lie about two years for me , but I had driven road tractors quite a bit before then.
Just no trailers.
It's nothing more than a big fucking car once you get used to it.

[deerslayer]

Yea i'm thinking about getting some kind of truck driving experience and licsenced. I am 45 and i'll tell ya when you don't have a job the friends that you thought could help ya with networking and leads are no where to be found.

[mack1]

...

It's nothing more than a big fucking car once you get used to it.

Yeah, but it's all the little fuckin' cars on the road ya gotta watchout for!
What is it with people thinking a truck, any truck, can stop on a friggin' dime???


I had a Class B, truck & trailer, just not a big rig like you.
Amazes me how little people who don't drive for a living know about driving.

[tubtar]

Amazes me how little people who don't drive for a living know about driving.

True dat !
And I have seen more than a couple " professional " drivers who shouldn't even be licensed for a car.

[Clydetz]

I drove a deuce & 1/2 a couple of times while in the Army and I can donate a clean cup of piss. Does that qualify me as a big rig driver?

[tubtar]

I drove a deuce & 1/2 a couple of times while in the Army and I can donate a clean cup of piss. Does that qualify me as a big rig driver?

There are other considerations.
For instance , have you ever stayed awake for three days straight on truck stop speed ?
Driven more than 1,000 miles in a day , or 300 with out stopping to piss ?
Most importantly , do you know which side of a bull rack to walk alongside when they are parked in a truck stop ?
Which is higher up the truck driver food chain ........... box kicker , bed bugger or parking lot attendant ?
Can you address the semi toothless 300 pound woman with a scar from a bullet wound on her forehead as " Darlin " when she brings your coffee ?
And fuck her just for the story ?
If you answered yes to any of the above , we may have a place for you at the Billy Big Rigger truck driving school and hair care academy.
Send in your application today.........V.A. benefits are accepted , as well as food stamps , EBT cards and Marlboro miles.

[Clydetz]

There are other considerations.
For instance , have you ever stayed awake for three days straight on truck stop speed ? Stayed awake for 4 days straight on nothing but my good looks.
Driven more than 1,000 miles in a day , or 300 with out stopping to piss ? Did that with both hands tied behind my back.
Most importantly , do you know which side of a bull rack to walk alongside when they are parked in a truck stop ? Port side.
Which is higher up the truck driver food chain ........... box kicker , bed bugger or parking lot attendant ? I thought it was the pit bull sitting in the truck next to your truck.
Can you address the semi toothless 300 pound woman with a scar from a bullet wound on her forehead as " Darlin " when she brings your coffee ? I could but I prefer "Sweet Thing".
And fuck her just for the story ? Not if my life depended on it!
If you answered yes to any of the above , we may have a place for you at the Billy Big Rigger truck driving school and hair care academy.
Send in your application today.........V.A. benefits are accepted , as well as food stamps , EBT cards and Marlboro miles.

Where can I get one of those applications?

[tubtar]

5 out of 6 ......... I think we can skip right past the whole application process.
You missed #3
The bull doesn't care which side he pisses out of.........you NEVER walk next to a bull rack in a truck stop parking lot.