Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Massive pay day...how will I spend it all ?

Hi, so I am sat on the dock in Brampton waiting…and waiting.
To bring you up to date, I collected the trailer from Schuyler IA and set off running towards Sarnia which is the border where you cross the Blue Water bridge into Canada. All was going well, no messages on the satellite and clear roads. With concentrating on keeping up with the diary I had totally forgot about my driving hours and when I calculated them up I was going to have 15 mins to spare when I got out of the USA.
The second I crossed the bridge into Canada the satellite started chirping. The first message I was pleased I received as it was to remind me to go to the customs broker; this was one of the stops I thought had been left off the load and was an important one. After listening to 3 women talk about what happened over the weekend, how they had caught the sun and so on for almost 2 hours I was told that part of the load was to be re-inspected at a place called Guelph, this was the second stop I thought had been left off the load. So after receiving more messages reminding me to go there I set off, arrived, booked in and waited for 2hrs until the inspector there came out and told me I was at the wrong place. After receiving the correct inspection site address I set off to fuel and park as I had been told the load would not be inspected tonight. For the day I had wasted over 5hrs all of which without pay, if you include fuelling and pre-trips then you are looking at almost 6hrs.
That was it for the day, I was foolish to think things would go well and I would be dropping the trailer in the yard at Brampton. At this moment in time I have all the deliveries to do which considering I really have not started them yet as the load is still waiting to be inspected is going to be a long, tedious day with little reward at the end of it.
Mileage for the last few days is:
Saturday, Waterloo IA to Schuyler NE to Avoca IA, 445 miles and did an 11 day Inc breaks and 7.5 hrs drive.
Sunday, Avoca IA to Battle Creek MI, 584 miles, a 12hr day Inc breaks and drove for 9.5hrs
Monday, Battle Creek MI to Mississauga ON, 356 miles, no breaks and 12.25hr day and 7hr driving.
Just an update as I am still sat on a dock. It’s now been almost 5hrs, I am beginning to lose the will to live. I have no idea how companies can justify taking this long. Look at the women yesterday in the brokers, 3 of them chatting away for hours, being paid and looking forward to going home at a set time. I find that a lot of places I go to the staff have no interest in the job and it shows. I wonder if I would still be here if I was being paid say $25 an hour. Truth is I will get $25 for however long I sit here which is the standard pay for unloading.
I was eventually released 9hrs later. Saying nothing else about it as I am fucking furious.
Started this morning at 5am pre-tripped truck and trailer, ran 15mins to drop, sat for 9hrs, ran 15mins to yard for DEF , ran 15mins to Husky for trailer fuel. It’s now 5pm so that’s a 12 hour shift. Earnings are once again not what you would call acceptable. The mileage isn’t be paid, nor the pre-trip, DEF fueling and trailer fueling. So basically for a nightmare 12hr shift……..$25.00. That is barely enough to buy a meal at the Husky and I am pretty hungry considering if it wasn't for a few things in my fridge I would not have eaten today.
But its still not over, oh no ! The other drops are being re-booked for tomorrow and I will be doing them.
I am going to predict the future; I will end up in Montreal and have to reset there, yet again a reset where I have no interest in taking my break. All of this makes me wonder if its worth just working 10 days and having 2-3 off because being willing to go anywhere, staying away and not refusing loads just opens you up to having the piss ripped out of you!

6 comments:

paul and alison said...

living the dream eh? lol

Montedarlo said...

Hi Paul, Alison. Hope you are both well. The dream, lol. Had things gone well on this trip then so be it....but ...people need to know how it can be. I am sure you can relate to the waiting for a decent wage.
Speak soon.

Garvs11 said...

Phil,as you well know while the Canadians think this is an acceptable way of paying their employees nothing will ever change,unfortuantely these are common occurances, 18 months of this made me realise this.Everything is stacked in their court mate and you either live with it or get out before it ruins you.

Montedarlo said...

Hi Dom yeah I am aware thats how it is, "the Canadian way" and all that. It still sucks though. Luckily I am not here for the cash, just gets my goat when you work a 12 hour day and its cost you more to work it than you got paid (slap up meal in a steakhouse).
Still there will be new drivers coming over with the magical $1000 a week promise, what they are not told is thats before deductions.
Take it easy and speak soon.

Garvs11 said...

$1000 a week ha ha ha, some of my pay checks weren't even that for a fortnight. $844.00 i took home one fortnightly paycheck in April and believe me this wasn't a one off it happen quite regularly,like you i wasn't in it for the money good job really Lol.Enjoy the States mate a much better place to be.
Dom

Mick Flynn Images said...

Glad you're telling it like it is mate, it may save some family man getting stuck and losing everything.
At least people know you are a grafter and not a shirker, so there should be none of the "can't do the job" comments!
Drive safe.