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mackdaddy1911a1

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Blog Entries posted by mackdaddy1911a1

  1. mackdaddy1911a1
    Well how do I start this horror story off. I got a call last monday telling me that there was a very hot load out of Chattanooga going to Denver Co. for the next day. Here comes the first piece of bad news. First the load has to be in denver by Wensday at 2 oclock local. OK iI say I'll have to call my backup driver and find out if he is avalible...He is. Number two , When will the load be ready I ask. They'll call an hour and a half before they need you to load they say..Ok.
    Well tuesday rolls around I get up bright and early, load up my gear, my co-driver arrives about 8am and we saddle up and are ready to roll. Then we wait. 10am comes and goes, noon comes and goes, 2pm comes and goes and then about three they finnally call. So we haul butt up to load and guess what? That's right it's not ready. Three parts are either being built or are in the paint booth.CRAP... Not good.
    So we load and secure what is ready and then wait...Finally about 7pm we're finally loaded and off we go, West bound with the hammer down. Until we get to the Love's at Chistiana Tn. Somehow the girl at the fuel desk screws upand after thirty minutes I pay cash for the power service and we finally get on the road. Well we drive all night fighting moron four wheelers and construction but to no avail. we are thirty minutes late and they refuse to unload us until the next day. Sound familure anyone?
    So the next day per their instructions we get there after 9am local and finally get unloaded. Now the real fun begins...Trying to find a load that actually pays...SOMETHING. NOPE WON'T HAPPEN. There isn't a load out of that part of the world that pays. Sure the loads we were offered will pay for the fuel to haul it but if you want to actually make any money you are S.O.L. So we wait and we call every listing on the load board and every agent for the company to try and find a desent load headed anywhere. Like I said no such thing exists. S.O.L. for thursday.
    Friday rolls around and dispatch doesn't have anything...not one single load within an 800 mile radius. To give you a little perspective that is as far east as Jackson Ms. So there we sat on a Friday burning money at the Flying J when I deside to do something I had only had nightmares about until now. I agreed to haul a load of ONIONS...on my 48 foot flatbed. Can you say braindamage. This has to be in the top 3 dumbest things I have ever agreed to do in my life . o.k. NOW I HAVE AGREED TO GET SCREWED LET THE FUN BEGIN. First to my shock we cann't load the damned thing until saturday morning. So late that evening we take off to Lamar Co. and stay the night at the very nice AMBEST truck stop there. Then within an hour of our arrival at the truck stop the bottom falls out of those dark foreboding clouds..If I had only known.
    The next morning we get up grab a cup of coffee and off we go to Granada co. about 17 miles up the road. Guess what. The onions haven't even been gathered out of the field and the rain shot that down, SOOOOOOOO, now we have to wait until sunday.Damn! So all day saturday we sit in the truck in the 100 degree heat and roast
    Sunday finally rolls around and once again we take off for Granada to load. We load up no problems and then the next piece of bad news No Tarp pay......B.S. I asked the guy if he worked for free and he looked me straight in the eye and said "That's Your Problem". Needless to say I was livid and really wanted to beat the guy to a pulp..Long way from home for momma to visit me in jail though.
    So we tarp the damned onions and off we go again only thing is weekend dispatch isn't answering the phone and I cann't get fuel until I give them the bill of laden information. We make it down to Boise City OK. to the LOVE'S and just before we pull in dispatch finally calls and puts some money on my card. One bright spot in this trip...Those ladies at the Love's are Great, they really did an outstandng job taking care of two hot tired and pissed truckers. Our whole day changed after being in that store for 15 minutes. So we didn't run out of fuel and got our bellies full and away we went again.
    Everything went smoothly until the next morning when I realised that the money for fuel would not be enough to make on into fl.So here we are in Jackson Ms. and we have another 850 miles to go and I only have enough fuel to make half that. Did I mention that this load didn't pay any fuel surcharge? So Ihave spent 50% of what the load pays to the truck and will fall roghly 450 miles short of our destination bummer. I have to get more money from dispatch knowing that, that is coming out of my pay.crap damn shit.
    Well we make it to the Florida panhandle and we run into the rain from the tropical storm that came ashore that morning. No biggie atleast I know how to handle that. The next morning we finally get down to Custom pak in Immakolee Fl. just as they are going to lunch. No problem, we untarp while they are gone and get ready to unload. After lunch this yahoo comes by and tells us he will have to restck the last two pallets bacause they are leaning and that he is going to charge us $35.00 a piece to do it. B.S. iI told the scroney little twerp cuban S.O.B. I would call I.N.S. ON HIM AND THE DAMNED PLANT IF THEY TRIED TO CHARGE ME SQUAT. I also told him "IT'S YOUR PROBLEM ". Just like the jerk out in Colorado told me. Pay back is hell. Well they of coarse didn't have any loads in Fl. so I said enough is enough and just deadheaded home over 600 miles but it was worth it.
    The load was 1858 miles and paid the tyruck 1720 bucks and of that I spent 1000 on fuel. In other words I lost my ass. Never again will I allow myself to feel desperate enogh that I agree to haul such a rip off of a load. Doom on you thieven ass brokers
  2. mackdaddy1911a1
    WHY I KNOW MACK TRUCKS ARE THE GREATEST TRUCKS ON THE PLANET.
    I'm sortta ticked off today after seeing the photo's that 3P put up. SO I figured I would rant alittle...but no that won't help matters . It would only depress me further. So what would help me and hopefully you the reader feel just a little better. So here goes.
    I am an Owner Operator and I CHOSE MACK to be my ride. I chose a MACK truck because they are the toughest trucks on the planet. I MATT ALLBRITTON chose MACK trucks because mack knows how to build the truck that will deliver what was promised when I purchased it. It has and it does deliver as promised. I have only required a tow once in the three years that I have owned MY MACK TRUCK. The problem wasn't even a failure on the trucks part.... A mechanic screwed up when I DROVE it to the dealer to have it worked on. I had to have athe CAM replaced and the mechnic either over tightened the bolts on the harmonic balancer or left them loose, anyway it came off. Well being that it was a Mack dealer they paid to have it towed as well as they paid 100% of the parts and labor to have it fixed. Mack keeps their word, that alone is astounding. For as a trucker being lied to is as ordinary as breathing.
    I know that alot of the guys and gals on here simply collect and restore old Mack trucks....Thank God for you all. However I make my living driving one everyday that there is freight to be had. I have to trust my MACK to take me and bring me day in and day out. She does too. If you are a driver and don't own or atleast drive a Mack for a living you are truely missing one hell of an experience. I own a 2001 MACK Vision with an 80" Millineum sleeper (highrise) she has an E-TECH 427 Econodyne MACK engine a 10 speed o.d. Eaton and 3.70 eaton rears on Mack airride suspention. The integrated cab sits on two huge airbags as well. She ain't the fastest or the fanciest but by God she gets the job done. East coast, west coast , Rocky's or the Appalations from flat ground to the 8% grades near Globe Az. From 480 pounds to 48,000 pounds my BULLDOG MACK does it all day every day. I have been over Mont Eagle in Tennesse, Cabbage in Oregon, Fancey gap in N.C., to Lookout Mtn. here in Ga. Maybe not as fast as those folks driving around with the BIG motors but I got the job done and have never regretted my choice.
    All the controls in my vision are located within easy reach and require very little effort to use. This truck is a true lazy man's truck. The only thing I would change if I had the money is get rid of the eaton rears and tranny and replace them with an all Mack drive line and of coarse uprate the Econodyne to a Maxicruise or maybe even a Maxidyne. For anyone out there who may not understand the differance here is my understanding.
    Econodyne=smaller torque range for best possilbe fuel milage R.P.M.s range between 1200 to 1700 ,highway use.
    Maxicruise=slightly longer torque range and R.P.M.s from 1200 to 1900 for good fuel milage and better power, interstate full load.
    Maxidyne= full power profile from 1100 to 2100 R.P.M.s with the longest torque, power curve of all, Max torque and horse power at 1200rpms, offroad or severe duty where max power is a must. True grunt power.
    Will I ever buy anouther MACK TRUCK? the answer is you damn right. I have been a truck driver for over thirteen years and have driven everything but a sterling, Nothing does the job day in and day out like this Mack. The comfort power durability manuverability and ease of operation I need to do my job are all embodied in this truck. However there is anouther angle to that same question...Will I buy a volvo with a MACK cab and sleeper????? I doubt it. I would like to know if the "CORNERSTONE" chassis is a true MACK chassis and if so I probably will.
    Word to the Wise your local dealer will lie like hell and tell you that the new M.P. engines are a Mack volvo co-engineered design.. !!!! THEY ARE VOLVO ENGINES AND THAT IS THE TRUTH. If they will LIE to your face what will they do behind your back. The new MACK road tractors use a volvo chassis check out the new trucks at a dealership and read the name on all the componants volvo volvo everywhere. Their trucks have the lowest resale value of any truck out there and apparantly they want Mack to have the same CRAPPY reputation. Don't believe me try to trade one in on a new truck at a volvo dealer. Or check out the price of one in any truck sales paper. Pure junk.
    Matt Allbritton A.K.A. MACKDADDY1911A1
  3. mackdaddy1911a1
    I haven't been on to much lately ...and why is that? Well I have a new girlfiend and she keeps me hopping. Well maybe not hopping but that's close enough. She is sort of camera shy..she actually threatens my life when I try to take a pcture of her but..yeah there is always a but..her son got married this weekend and to be polite she stood still long enough to have a few pics taken.
    My Hat is off to her son though he is currently in the National Guard and has a very lovely new wife who.. I can assure you keep him in line. Not that she has to he is a very responsible young man.
    Matt
  4. mackdaddy1911a1
    Well for the time being I have a little money in my pocket. Last week I ran two loads up to the northeast back to back out of Chattanooga Tn. The first load was a two dropper with the first stop going to Jersey City N.J. and the final in North Haven CT.
    The second load was a straight load and went to North Haven CT. .Both loads consisted of conveyors and hoppers for a scrap yard. If I didn't have to pay those damned tolls life would be good. Paying thirty or fourty bucks to cross a bridge is . Question.. to all you folks who live in the toll ridden parts of the country.. Why don't you guys simply vote the idiots in charge out of office. Or you could always drown them in piss...something.
    I only go to the Northeast when the loads pay realy good, no cheap freight will ever get moved by my truck to that part of the world. What am I saying NO CHEAP FREIGHT PERIOD. I may never be rich doing it this way but as long as the bills are paid I cann't see why I would want to work more for less. Doesn't make any sense to me. They say (The trucking insiders)
    that the trucking industry is a penny buisness...I agree to a certain point. I believe a penny saved is a penny earned, so I don't idle the truck, do most of the work to the truck myself and wash it myself. However why would I want to work more for less?????? My Dad told me when I was a kid and was always in a hurry... to slow down and to work smarter not harder. Haste makes waste, grabbing the first load that is offered with out looking around for better paying freight is not working smarter. There may not be anything else to be had, but if there is I want the better paying freight. I can turn plenty of miles but would rather be at home chasing the new girlfriend around or working in the yard or tinkering on the truck. Sometimes I
    sit at a truckstop for days waiting on a descent load...but do I realy just sit? No I will be cleaning and polishing and greasing and tuning on the truck....always busy. I make down time and lay over time work for me by doing things I would have to do when I got home anyway. So the time is not wasted... in this case Waste can make Haste...If I didn't stay busy on the road I would have to rush when I did get home and that wouldn't leave time to just hang out.
    Back in 05 and 06 I had a dedicated run where I had nearly 0 deadhead miles and the money was rolling in. I bought the Mack in 06 and decided to pay it off as fast as possible. Thank God I did.. at the end of 06 the bottom fell out and the freight slowed down big time. Even so I was far enough ahead on the truck payments that I still paid the truck off a year early. At 12% interest I probably saved thousands by doing it that way. Like I said before work smarter not harder..I made my money work for me versus blowing it on crap I didn't need anyway. Well that's not totally true...the soon to be X got a pile of it...oh well.
    May the 12th will be three years to the day that I bought the Bulldog so to my truck I say Happy Anniversary. And to everyone else Keep on Trucking.
    Matt
  5. mackdaddy1911a1
    Well I believe winter is finally over here in north west Georgia. All I have to say is it's about time. We don't get much snow here in Chickamauga but rain oh my God we get the rain. For the past few years we have been in a draught and I know we need the rain but I am sure happy when the old sun comes shineing through.
    This week work has been slow so I descided that it was time to do some serious spring cleaning to the ole Bulldog. I love to wash my truck and usually I don't make a big fuss over it but this week My new girlfriend started taking pictures so I thought I'd put some of them on here. Some before and after pictures to illustrate just how nasty the ole girl was before I got down to some serious cleaning. She almost looks new with all that crud washed away. I worked about three hours with a pressure washer and some heavy duty degreaser on the frame and tranny and rears. The engine was already fairly clean and only took a few minutes to get it RIGHT.
    When I wash the truck I try very hard to get it as clean as possible everytime. Makes it alot easier to wash each time. The grease is always a challenge but that's going to always be there and it is neccesary. If I don't have to leave first thing in the morning I will grease the chassis and then start on the interior. My 12volt "truck shop vac" quit on me the other day after 5 years of hard service so I'm having to do all the vacuming at home. No problem thouhg I have plenty of extra hose for the real Shop Vac.
    Hope everyone enjoys the blog and the new pictures.
  6. mackdaddy1911a1
    Well I read on the introduction forum today something that got me to thinking. (I know Rob thinking is bad for me) Just the same it got me to thinking "why indeed", so I wrote a response but that just wasn't enough.
    Anyone here ever watch the Arsineo Hall show in the eighties and nineties? hhuuummmmmm HE used to say when questioning something odd or questionable. To a novice or someone who simply wants to look COOOOOOOL I suppose going a hundred miles an hour is good. Or maybe having a ten grand paint job or maybe twenty grand in chrome are legit reasons to have such fancy trucks. Could be having so much horse power has it's own appeal. America after all is a melting pot of different opinions and points of view.
    How we each define "THE BEST", is not always true of our neighbor. So with that in mind let me define what the best of the best truck should in my opinon incorporate. #1 It should be strong enough to do it's intended job.
    #2 It should be able to withstand the work environment with only minimal upkeep.
    #3 It should make it's operator comfortable and keep him/her safe.
    #4 It must be ready to work when there is work and not needing repair daily.
    #5 It must return to it's owner many times over the money that was invested in it's purchase.
    #6 It should be versatile to do many jobs if it is retired from it's original job.
    #7 It should inspire confidence that it will get the job done no matter what.
    #8 It must be built to last .
    #9 It must do more than it was designed to do, unfailing.
    #10 It must stand the test of time.
    I believe because I know that a MACK TRUCK is all this and more. I consider it a pleasure to drive a MACK TRUCK.

  7. mackdaddy1911a1
    HELLO ALL'
    Well I heard once that TRUCK'N AIN'T FOR SISSIES. Well I'm hear to tell yah that, that is the GOD'S honest truth. So for this month I've only had 2 loads worth the fuel to pickup and deliver. Everything else I've been offered would have put me outside our frieght lanes and I'd have sat at atruck stop and spent money. That sucks....I realy was beginning to worry. My main customer didn't get paid for awhile by their customers so we didn't get paid.
    Now for the good news my customer finaly got paid and we're back to haulin a little frieght THANK YOU GOD. Even occasionaly need tires and fuel. Any of you flatbedders out there pick up as many nails in your drive tires???? Seems like every week I have a few new ones to plug. Oh well you can'nt win all the time it would get boring. that's why we have hard times. That's GOD telling us that HE is still in control and that we don't know it all.Not by far . To everyone out there who is stuggling please remember that a little faith goes a long way. AND that GOD THE FATHER has and will always LOVE us all even when we don't deserve it...... especilly when we don't deserve it.
    PRIDE I THINK IS THIS GENERATION'S worst sin I can attest to that I have more than my fare share. Well enough rambling for today. GOD bless you all and KEEP ON TRUCKIN
  8. mackdaddy1911a1

    Volvo Sucks

    By mackdaddy1911a1,

    VOLVO SUCKS AND THAT IS A FACT.
    After hearing of the latest suck head move by vulgarvo concerning MACK I wanna puke. T he only good news is that will be built at a plant. depressing .... MACK FOREVER
  9. mackdaddy1911a1
    NO how dare you assume I'm referring to my just kidding the mouse on the computer kicked the bucket and last week and I only got around to replacing it tonite.
    I have some sad news that I would liketo share with all my trucking friends out there. Mr. Clarence Garrett of Chickamauga died wendsday of an anurizum(?) Clarence was a very special friend to alot of folks and was a retired trucker who used to pull mobile homes and after retiring from the road , drove a van for ANGLE services transporting the elderly from home to various places such as shopping, the doctor, and so on. Clarence was 70 years old and was still going strong when he suddenly died this week. He was my friend and He and His son James "SPANKY" Garrett sold me my first truck and got me started in the biz as an owner operator. There was never a time when I spoke to Clarence that he didn't have a kind word or a new joke. He will be missed by all who knew him. GOD Bless you Mr. Garrett we love you.
    Matt Allbritton
    mackdaddy1911a1
    P.S. Clarence and his wife Shirly were married for 51 years and you could tell they still loved each other very much.
  10. mackdaddy1911a1
    YO MACK TRUCKS FANS
    I'M AN UNCLE. MY BABY BROTHER RANDY AND HIS WIFE JAMIE HAD A HEALTHY 8pound 6 ounce BABY BOY FRIDAY NIGHT AND I HAD TO LET EVERYONE KNOW.....YIPEE. RANDY AND JAMIE HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 7 YEARS AND ARE AS HAPPY NOW AS THEY WERE WHEN THEY FIRST MARRIED. IT IS HEART WARMING TO KNOW THAT THERE IS STILL THAT KIND OF LOVE AND COMMITMENT LEFT IN THE WORLD. I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM BOTH. JAMIE HAS GOT TO BE THE BEST SISTER IN LAW ON THE PLANET. SHE NEVER FORGETS OUR BIRTHDAYS OR ANNIVERSARIES OR THE HOLIDAYS, ALWAYS SENDING OUT LETTERS AND CARDS TO ALL HER CRAZY IN LAWS. SO JAMIE THIS IS FOR YOU.........WE LOVE YOU GIRL. CONGRATULATIONS AND AS ONLY I CAN DO YOOOUUUULLLL BE SORRY. NO JUST KIDDING JAMIE. YOU WILL MAKE AN AWSOME MOTHER OTHERWISE I WOULDN'T HAVE LET YOU MARRY MY BROTHER.
    NOW DOWN TO BUSINESS,
    AS EVERYONE WHO HAS READ THIS BLOG KNOWS I HAD TO LET FIKES TRUCK LINE GO OR SOMEONE WAS GOING TO BE MISSING A PINKY TOE IN SHORT ORDER. NO FRIEGHT SLOW FRIEGHT, AND JUST PLAIN OLE CHEAP FRIEGHT JUST DOESN'T CUT IT. I PRIDE MYSELF IN BEING A PATIEANT MAN BUT AS IT WAS I WAS ALREADY 2 WEEKS IN THE HOLE WHEN I LEFT FIKES. NOW TO PERFECTLY CLEAR ON THIS LET ME SAY FIKES NEVER CHEATED ME OR LIED TO ME ABOUT ANYTHING THEY SIMPLY BLEW A WHOLE LOT OF SUNSHINE UP MY A$$ AND COULDN'T REALY BACK IT UP. IF AN O/O DOESN'T MIND HAULING ALOT OF CHEAP FRIEGHT AND GETTING STUCK , WELL FIKES IS A GREAT COMPANY.I DO NOT AND WILL NOT HAUL CHEAP FRIEGHT, MY BEAUTIFUL BULLDOG MACK STAYS THAT WAY ONLY IF I CAN AFFORD THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT UPKEEP.AT FIKES IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.
    SOME MORE GOOD NEWS... THIS WEEKEND I HAD TO INSTALL A NEW MUDFLAP ON THE RIGHT REAR OF MY BULLDOG, FOR SOME STRANGE UNKNOWN REASON THE RIGHT SIDE HAS A BAD HABBIT OF THROWING FLAPS. THE FIRST (BRAND NEW) BRACKET AND FLAP FELL OFF UP IN INDIANNA SOME WHERE AND THE SECOND OUT IN WYOMING. SO THIS WEEKEND I INSTALLED TWO OF THE SPRING LOADED STAINLESS STEEL BRACKETS AND THE WHITE HEAVYDUTY MUD FLAPS. NEXT WEEKEND I AM GOING TO INSTALL STAINLESS HALF FINDERS THAT HAVE THE BULLDOG ETCHED IN TO THE POLISHED S/S. WILL POST PICS WHEN I'M FINISHED. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE AND KEEP THE DIRTYSIDE DOWN.
  11. mackdaddy1911a1
    I'M sitting here at home waiting to see if my company can find me a load and decided to blow off some steam by running off at the mouth....finger what ever.I'm sort of new to the blogesphere(?). So if I ramble and someone actually reads this I'm sorry but if Your gonna be dumb you have to be tough. If for some reason your still reading this please check out my album and you can see that I take alot of pictures of MY MACKS. No they are not all mine however all Macks deserve my attention so here they are. I eat sleep and dream Mack trucks. I like alot of MACK fans don't think that volvo is or will be a good thing for MACK. For example the new Pinnacle axle back has a volvo battery box and the volvo engines and GOD knows what else. I'm puking my guts out even as I type here. I think I'm gonna start my own web site called volvo sucks . com sort of like walmartsucks.com that the walmart employees started several years ago.
    Back to the subject at hand. I have owned or drove most of the other brands but always dreamed of driving and owning a MACK TRUCK. I currently own and operate a 2001 MACK Vision and couldn't be happier.... well if it were a RAWHIDE by I could be a little happier because I could be styling and profiling. However with the fuel so high I need the most aerodynamic truck possible and my Vision is as good as it gets. The Vision I own IS my pride and joy. I spend more time driving working on or washing her than anything else. I pull flatbed and have alot of WAITING time on my hands and spend a good amount polishing and cleaning and doing preventive maintenance. Just this past weekend I had to replace the oil cooler and that had an additional benifit it stopped the only oil leak that the has ever had. Well thats not 100% true when I first purchased the truck one of the power steering hoses had a leak (loose clamp) and the secter input shaft seal was leaking. I tightened the clamp and had the seal replaced when I had the truck in for an A.B.and C. INSPECTION. I take pride in having the cleanest truck I can, right now I don't have a working pressure washer so I bought several differant brushes to do the frame and axles and everything else I can get to. That includes my 04 Reinke flatbed I wash the trailer even the frame rails inside and out.well that's enough for now. FOREVER

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