One of the most unusual GatorMade builds I’ve hauled.....

[CBari]

I’ve had a greatttttttt week so far. I left out Monday for Chandler, OK to pickup an EXPEDITED load for GatorMade in Somerset. Made it to Miami, OK Monday night, then I had about 2:12 and about 150 miles to my destination Tuesday morning. Seems as if GatorMade had difficulty in arranging a trucking company to pickup this LTL of wire mesh / expanded metal used for their ramp gates for their utility trailers.
#ad

I made it back to Paducah, KY Tuesday night, then delivered back to the plant around 3:30 pm Wednesday evening. It was about 1,640 miles round trip. I completely avoided I-40 due to the Memphis / West Memphis bridge fiasco and detour, basically going through Western KY. I really hustled it (even running an ELD) as their utility trailer line was essentially down. Lots of trailers built.....but none available for sale or delivery as there were no accompanying gates.

The 10 pallets came in at 14,060 lbs....a lot of weight with a somewhat small footprint. Total GCW was 32,880 lbs.
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I also scored some 185 mile takeoff Continental Conti Hybrid HS3 tires in 225/70R19.5 14 ply in Springfield, MO removed from a 2021 Ford F550. Tires sell for $436.94 each ($2,621.64 for six) from The Tire Rack, but I purchased them for $1,200.00 View attachment 128493
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Greg living over here next to the bridge fiasco in Memphis I have learned a few things. If you cross it from about 9:00pm to 6:30am either direction there is no delay. Another time it is a crap shoot. The option of Dyersburg and Helena aren't that bad and traffic is usually at a light on both of those routes. US 61 south out of Memphis is really a great road with almost no traffic so it makes a great alternative to 55 heading south if you are going down to at least Jackson, but be aware there is nothing on that route in the way of help or places to stop.

 

[gsbrockman]

It’s been an ”adventurous” week for me this week. Left out Monday with a 16+5 pintle trailer loaded with five other trailers and 14 additional tire and wheel assemblies. My destination was Brunswick, GA to the port, where these were being exported to Chile. Picture below was taken at the port, parked next to another load that was delivered last Friday by another driver.

The fun began about 5.5 hours into the trip with a tire blowout, due to a defective bead.

I shut down in Brunswick, GA Monday night, and was only about 3.5 miles from my destination. Since I don’t have a TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) I required an escort into the port. Cost was $155.....but the fun began as I waited nearly five hours after getting signed into the queue.

Me....simulating a suicide attempt due to the wait:

Arrived around 9:40 am and was finally out of there by 3:30 pm. Total time to do required paperwork inside port and disconnect the trailers was maybe :25 or so.

Made it back to Somerset, KY Wednesday and picked up this load of two 20+5 sold units bound for the Salisbury, NC Drop Yard. Delivered them around 8:30 pm Wednesday night and ran out of driving time at Hickory, NC.

 

[kthaxton]

It looks like you have a really sweet stack coming out of the center of your cab in the last photo. Brodozer!

 

[mwilson]

Bruh!!

 

[gsbrockman]

I left out Monday for Geneseo, NY with three gooseneck trailers. I delivered them Tuesday morning, and made it back to GatorMade in Somerset Tuesday night around 9:50 pm, then picked up a single 20+5 gooseneck bound for Kansas City, MO. I then grabbed a room in Somerset, rolled out of bed Wednesday morning, and hit a nice Bob Evans for a greatttttt breakfast, and began my journey to KC around 10:30 am or so.

I had been in contact with the customer since Saturday, as I was unsure if I was going to head out Sunday after getting in a 34 hour restart or Monday. In any event.....the customer was aware that rates per loaded mile was $2.15 to $2.25 for single trailers. I told him I needed to be at $2.25 per mile, as my truck was not as competitive with pickups in regards to fuel economy and single trailers. He kinda balked at it.....but agreed to it.

I delivered it this evening around 9:40 pm EDT. I went over the features of the trailer, processed the paperwork, and submitted my invoice to him. He then writes me a check for the freight AND with a tip in the amount of $138.00

Such a nice way to polish off the Christmas week....

Spent the night at Days Inn in Concordia, MO.....and am now taking a squirt at a rest area near Poseyville, IN. 250 mi and 3:47 to get home, unless that I-64 East detour at the bridge sucks the life outta me......

 

[NIsaacs]

Dang, I thought you were leading up to a trailer refusal Nice!

 

[gsbrockman]

Dang, I thought you were leading up to a trailer refusal Nice!

Well.....it’s never happened before, but I imagine there’s a first for everything. If / when it does.......I’ll get paid both ways.

 

[slowmover]

TWIC is same procedure as HAZ-MAT (or concealed carry).

That $155 about covers it.

You ever get pulled over those signifiers come up on the screen. A bit of help that you’re an okay guy.

I tell a potential employer I have Haz-Mat/TWIC it pretty well ends initial discussion along with zero reportable accidents & moving violations. Offer is immediate. (I get tired of the current job, can have as many job offers as I want in two hours).

TWIC is worth having for more than just ONE reason. (If you don’t qualify, forget I posted this).



Concerned about a bridge crossing on IH64? Why not have clarity 30-50/miles out? I do.

Can’t tell from pic above: No CB in that Dodge?

The Internet, I’ve learned, has made it easier to use Amateur Radio guidelines and gear to improve performance.

The Mobile Install Bible:

www.k0bg.com

A SIRIO 5000 atop a BREEDLOVE antenna mount roof dead-center with a PRESIDENT Lincoln II+ is pretty well state-of-the-art when paired to a WEST MOUNTAIN RADIO CLEARSPEECH DSP Speaker.

I’d have a report in hand ten miles from the last report made ten miles or more from a problem (ears). A 20-mile minimum. I usually do better with any idea there’s a problem out ahead.

Refrain (anyone) from opinions about Citizens Band as this level of performance is past what you and the next million drivers (not hyperbole) think is possible .

As it’s a new world it’s a new tool.

The Good News (in these latter days) is that you’ll be speaking with actual brothers have the same concerns as you. The dummies are staring at the the phone.

Hear, and Get Heard.

Would it matter to you eastbound from D/FW on IH30 that a Haz-Mat tanker spill has IH40 closed west of Memphis? Until tomorrow morning?

I heard this at Mt Pleasant, TX at around 1230 (200-miles) from a radio operator was LOUD to me. I repeated the information to confirm (“Yes”) AND THE RADIO CAME ALIVE WITH GUYS HAD NOT HEARD THAT OTHER MAN.

I repeated the information ONE TIME . . as that’s all that was necessary.

And spent the next half-hour with my brothers discussing whether to divert down IH49 to Shreveport and use IH20; take US-82 across to Greenville, MS and go back north to IH40; or go north from Little Rock on 155 to intercept IH55.

(Non-drivers, understand quite a few of us shut down early. Start early. THUS SAFE PARKING WAS DISAPPEARING OUT AHEAD IF US WITH EACH MILE TRAVELED. Might be none by Little Rock. Might have planned to get past that. SURE CANT AFFORD TIME SPENT IN AN HOURS LONG BACKUP).

That’s the money angle. Low-stress.

But the idea of driving unawares into a cloud of poison is the reason to be able to hear and get heard by my nearby kin. WAZE and Google Maps will get you killed.

The total crap antenna mounts bolted to roll bars, etc, MUST be avoided. Pickups “could” have very good radio systems, but DO NOT 9 of 10 times.

DSP + coax chokes remedy a lot of problems. I run the radio wide open. Except at night when I can’t follow the shear layers of near & distant conversations coming in. (Clearly).

Citizen Band (and — always — Sideband capable) is a whole other world once you move to an Eleven Meter Radio System.

Build & Equip to overcome the deficiencies of other radio rigs. They can’t hear or get heard very far. The man with your info has a cheap backup radio.

The system in my KW is a good deal more expensive than what’s in my Dodge because of truck size, distances, and inherent noise problems.

But $1,000 still won’t quite cover it. Unlike your $900 phone and the $600 yearly fees, these radio systems will last ten years AND the one in the big truck pays for itself 2-3X annually in straight-forward revenue (planning).

That DSP Speaker started with me in the oilfield 7.5-years ago. (Etc). Do It Once, and Do It Right.

The avoidance of serious or fatal accidents isn’t in money. Nor is the late afternoon side-splitting morale boost.


.

 

[gsbrockman]

Since @AH64ID decided to like my warranty post being expired in 299 days thread....and since it’s closed and not open for further replies, I may as well post up that White Lightning is at 428k miles as of this evening, and is doing well, even with GCW’s of 35,460 lbs.

These three goosenecks (30+5 dual tandem at 9,340 lbs and two 20+5 dual tandems at 7,400 lbs each) went to a dealership in Geneseo, NY yesterday. As usual....with winter fuel and some heavy weight, White Lightning ate well on his trip to Geneseo to Teitsworth Trailer Sales. I haven’t added the latest fuelings in my app, but the EVIC was showing 6.6 mpg. Two of the trailers were sold units.

Since we all like pics....here’s one.

 

[gsbrockman]

 

[AH64ID]

Since @AH64ID decided to like my warranty post being expired in 299 days thread....and since it’s closed and not open for further replies, I may as well post up that White Lightning is at 428k miles as of this evening, and is doing well, even with GCW’s of 35,460 lbs.

Thought you would get a kick out of that. Someone else linked the thread and I felt obliged to like the post

 

[gsbrockman]

Thought you would get a kick out of that. Someone else linked the thread and I felt obliged to like the post

I’m wondering if White Lightning will have 500k on it before the 2023’s come out......or before all of the 2022’s are delivered??????

 

[Timd32]

I’m wondering if White Lightning will have 500k on it before the 2023’s come out......or before all of the 2022’s are delivered??????
View attachment 132814

My guess 494,474

 

[Cummins12V98]

I like "FULL SIZE PICS"

 

[gsbrockman]

I like "FULL SIZE PICS"

Bucwheat says “O Tay”