October 2, 1989, 2009

FIRST 5 YEAR: (Monday) Drove over to the Iowa City pickup by 10:30 am. Customer informed me that the load wouldn't be ready for several more hours. I was a little upset as I planned on getting here, getting my load and start moving it. I was backed up to the open dock at the far end and was loaded as the product was completed. The only thing I did was watch TV and write in my tractor. Finally at 4 PM did I get totally loaded. Got my paper work, did logbook and called dispatch. Was off for Laredo. Two hours later(6:30 PM) I was eating at a truckstop on the west side of Des Moines, Iowa off of I-35/80. I wanted to fill "my" tank fast so I had the buffet. Only an hour later I was sitting in my drivers seat getting my logbook caught up(good thing I did). All legal, I headed for Kansas City. Crossed into Missouri to find the state weigh station open. Pulled through the station and the DOT inspector wanted to see my logbook. I pulled around the back to the took in MY LOGBOOK ONLY. (Note: When any DOT person asks to see something, give them ONLY what they ask for. This you do because if you give them more information, it opens you up to further inspection and possible fines. See my example under "SECOND 5 YEARS"). He reviewed my logbook and found no problems. He asked if I had weighed my load and I said no. I told him that the load was listed at only 26,500 lbs and that shouldn't be a problem. He told me that my weight was fine and told me to have a good evening. This minor logbook check took enough time so I had to log a half hour on line three of my logbook. Since I decide my routing, I need to decide rather I go straight down I-35 or go through Joplin(Missouri), Muskogee(Oklahoma) and hook up with I-35E in Dallas(Texas). I chose the latter. I followed I-35 to I-635 south along the east side of the Kansas City area. I bypassed our company's Kansas City(Missouri) terminal as I had enough fuel to get to Joplin(Missouri) terminal, where I will fill my fuel tanks. From I-635, I took Hwy 71 south and found the state weigh scale on Hwy 71 near Harrisonville(Missouri) closed. Midnight came as I was passing Butler(Missouri). Read about Butler's interesting history. SECOND 5 YEARS: (almost caught-too close) This experience happened within my first 5 years but it is important enough to report on now and again when it happened. After midnight, I had run out of driving time while heading for Laredo, Texas. So I pulled into the parking lot of a Kendleton(Texas) truckstop. Kendleton is known for its ghost sightings. When I pulled in, I hit a huge hole that threw items around my tractor. I was worried that I had broken something, so I checked things out, even looked under my hood with a flashlight. I was clearly out of time on my logbook but being worried about anything being broken, I continued southwest on Hwy 59. This I did so that I could notice any moving problems. There were four state spots to pull trucks over for weight and inspection between me and Laredo, but I had NEVER seen them open the several times I had been this way. I wasn't worried about getting caught with the logbook out of hours and showing me stopped in Kendleton. No problems and the truckstops I checked out to park at were full. I kept going when I saw several flashing yellow lights on a sign. A state trooper had opened the pull off truck check point ahead of me!!! I was nailed!!! No way to get out of it!!! There was a truck in front of me so I had time to worry. I pulled up to the officer with a really bad feeling when he looked at me and said, "Can I see your load paperwork?". I said yes and handed him ONLY my "load bills". He would have to ask for my logbook! Even though he had my bills, he asked what the weight of my load was. I always know that answer. It was around 19,000 lbs. He handed me back my paperwork and told me to have a safe trip. I got out of there and wasn't at all tired. I kept going until I got to Laredo.(NOTE: Never give any officer any more paperwork than they ask for.)