I’d like to see more.
I’ll be leaving Saturday morning for a Monday morning delivery in Illinois. Not sure where in IL, if its Chicago that might be “interesting”.
I’ve put in for another job in the area thats generally weekends off and a lot of the same runs so may not have much scope in the future for interesting diaries if that job does come off.
As someone on Local work (depot-quarry 3times a day ) i easily do 3k miles a week.hr paid .,if im not on the redi mix side also HR paid…
on wages …for instance Lafarge concrete (union ) on a redi mix truck in Manitoba $23-28 hr or % piece work.garbage truck driver (winnipeg). around $20 s ,then city semi drivers $17—20 ish per hr but usually no OT rate.
other aggregate drivers for redi mix companies are usually on a tonnage rate,with the company im with is though off as odd as they pay us an hr rate with OT after 42 hrs worked.
jimmy.
Only have occasional internet here at the moment so just looked through the pictures… EXCELLENT! I’ll have a proper read later, so hopefully it won’t dissapear. Have you considered putting all your stuff on a blog? Blogger is free and easy to use, just as a place to keep all your great posts and pictures maybe?
Never been that in to blogs, Mick. I always find them a bit clumsy to read. I prefere to just do the occasional diary on here as its in the right place for people who are drivers or who are interested in trucks to read it. I’m actually starting a new job next week and I’m not predicting much excitement in it, but it will get me home every weekend, unless I ask for a longer trip. I may do another diary soon of a past trip though, I take hundreds of photos a week some weeks and a quick look at my log books will jock my memory a bit.
you guys can swap jobs out there reminds me 40 years ago finish Friday start Monday new job…what the f— happened had 5 jobs before I was 18 …youngsters don’t start until 18 now…
I’ve got a couple of mates who’ve both been over to Canada & worked for H&R (Hit & Run!).
They’re both back in the uk now driving tankers. One of the lads who’s married & has a child with special needs was promised short trips( his 1st one was 21 days). In the end his wife called time on it, moved back to uk & he followed her a couple of weeks later.
The other guy got fed up with constany getting stopped by the State Troopers( usually twice a day)
Also, the money wasn’t what they promised at the presentation at Gateshead.
I’ve also read that it’s not worth going if all you’re thinking of is money, it’s more about a different life & culture?
Each to their own, but for me, I can’t see how spending 90% of your life in a truck(on your own), is a better quality of life?
Daz
Great post Robin done part of that route a fair few times myself from Wells NV down into Cali and what a boring road. The drive up over Donners is great in the summer but never had to do it in the winter yet and in my new job I wont have to 
There is plenty of long distance work over here with regular runs down to TX CA and even the odd FL (mostly team work as rumour has it) in my old place but the problem is the backloads sometimes having to wait couple of days or even if get details straight away having to wait for the produce to be picked chilled down to temp and packed ready for shipping there goes a day and as you have details no pay bar the $25 for loading 
I seen H&R mentioned a few times in the last few replies and if you are a single man or even with the wife living in the truck its a great life its a different matter when you have a home and family life and you wish to get back. No problem in my new position though so happy days.
What a lot of guys forget is that you dont have to do the USA to get the distance in you can do the same if not more miles (due to different HOS) driving Canada only and the run over The Rock to Vancouver is one of the best I’ve done.
The only time I really seen the elephant races over here is when you get trucks from 2 big companies because they tend to limit the trucks to 65 mph my last one did 60mph bit daughting when you have the boys down in Texas coming up behind you at 70 - 80 mph with a full load on.
taffytrucker:
What a lot of guys forget is that you dont have to do the USA to get the distance in you can do the same if not more miles (due to different HOS) driving Canada only and the run over The Rock to Vancouver is one of the best I’ve done.
Which is why I stay north of the border now, more miles, more money and more time at home. I may not have fancy truckstops to hang out in, but that’s the only downside to it.
newmercman:
Which is why I stay north of the border now, more miles, more money and more time at home. I may not have fancy truckstops to hang out in, but that’s the only downside to it.
I always wondered why there are so few truckstops in the Prairies and dont get me started on BC! In New Brunswick they are everywhere. Between the Quebec border and Fredericton alone which must only be about 300km I can think of 6 decent truckstops with plenty of parking, proper showers and right by the TCH. A new Shell garage opened near Edmundston, only a few km in to NB from QC and the showers in there are superb, they make all the new Flying J showers look somewhat 2 star or even hostel like.
What an absolutely brilliant topic, I loved reading it and viewing all the photos. Thanks for taking all the (considerable) time to write up your trip and photograph and upload all the views and sights along the way.
I’d love to see more of what you do and where you go! 
robinhood_1984:
newmercman:
Which is why I stay north of the border now, more miles, more money and more time at home. I may not have fancy truckstops to hang out in, but that’s the only downside to it.I always wondered why there are so few truckstops in the Prairies and dont get me started on BC! In New Brunswick they are everywhere. Between the Quebec border and Fredericton alone which must only be about 300km I can think of 6 decent truckstops with plenty of parking, proper showers and right by the TCH. A new Shell garage opened near Edmundston, only a few km in to NB from QC and the showers in there are superb, they make all the new Flying J showers look somewhat 2 star or even hostel like.
It’s the mentality of the locals. It’s the bible belt and they think they need to suffer to please their God…
Thankfully there’s a few new Flying Js opened up, so showers are not so hard to come by now. Food on the other hand is really bad unless you like the fast food chains, the burger is king
Just amazing! Thanks for sharing!
newmercman:
It’s the mentality of the locals. It’s the bible belt and they think they need to suffer to please their God…Thankfully there’s a few new Flying Js opened up, so showers are not so hard to come by now. Food on the other hand is really bad unless you like the fast food chains, the burger is king
Gas cooker and a trip to the supermarket it is then!