Not Everything is Perfect

Many things went correct on Wednesday... but not everything. I made it to Gary by 7 am, No problem. Took a nap, it turned out to be just two hours. So, I'm starting off the day pooped. Headed for South Elgin and got our mail. Again, no problem. I need to transfer my Wisconsin driver's license to Illinois. I figure while I've got some time I'll stop by the DMV and see what I have to do... Even though I took all of the tests 3 months ago, because I got a new license in WI that invalidated all Illinois activity so I have to take all of the tests over, No problem. An hour later I walk out with my new CDL from IL. It's about noon and I'm headed back to Gary to snooze until about 6 so I can be rested ( pay attention, that's important ). On the way my pickup truck starts running badly. Bad enough that I was not sure I would make it.

I got on the phone looking for a Ford dealership and the only one is in Merrillville, Art Hill Ford. So I head there. There were very attentive. Replace an ignition coil and cleaned the fuel injectors. Running very good now, although $435 dollars poorer. No problem, now I'm even more pooped and head for Gary. I get back about 4 pm and lay down to rest and get up at 5:30 to prepare and head out ( still paying attention ?).

On the road at 6 and head up 294 to Wisconsin. Not much traffic going north and NONE coming south. Finally I see why. At mile post 15 a vehicle had caught fire and the emergency vehicles were there and had the entire southbound side blocked. Now, this is 6 pm and the traffic is backed up for 12 miles and getting worse.

Got into the Wal-Mart distribution center at 10 pm and dropped my load and picked up another trailer and head out... No problem. Now I'm to headed to Milwaukee and drop this trailer and pick up a load headed to Lancaster, PA. No problem, but I'm getting more pooped.

I pulled into the drop lot to drop my empty trailer and pick up the next load. Here's the problem... I made a bad turn and my trailer smashed the front end of another tractor !!!

I called the insurance folks and went ahead and dropped/picked up and headed for Gary. I get in at 3:30 and got awakened at 8am to go see the safety boss, he is understandably not happy. He says there is $10k worth of damage. They take me out of service and schedule me for a meeting to discuss any retraining requirements. Did that from 2 - 6 today. I think I'm back in service, I indicated on the computer that I am available for 6 am tomorrow.

I must say they overall handled the whole situation better than I did. I feel horrible about it. I did not, at the time, consider how unsafe I would be in the over tired state I was in. But I am sure that at least contributed to it. I don't think I would have made the mistake I did if I was fresh.

Thanks to Teresa for helping me stay sane through the day today it means so much to me. With your help I made it through.

I understand now, through this discussion with the OSR that I CAN manage my available time so that I do not get to that whipped state again. Even when I had not gotten the rest I had planned for during the day I could have requested a delay and got my rest Wednesday night and precluded the whole thing from happening. I was not aware that I could, but feel better that I can, now. Better late than never, and no one got hurt.

One too many challenges, I guess.