Tour of Duty 26th October 2015 to 7th November 2015
Part III: 4th November to 7th November

I took Wednesday the 4th of November off as I learned the truck was not ready yet and I knew this was a possibility. I took it easy as I knew the following trip would be a critical trip. I stayed at Drury Inn near the Kansas City Airport. I saw another driver from the company and arrangements were made to be picked up at 07h00 the following morning to go to the shipper. The Drury Inn serves free food in the morning and also from 17h30 to 19h00 and free soda and popcorn is available from 15h00 to 22h00. The one bone I had to pick about my stay was that there was no light switch within reach when I am in bed so I had to use my torch to light the way to ensure I don't trip and fall once I do turn the lights out. I spent the night in Kansas City, MO.

Thursday the 5th I woke up bright and early and had some morning rations before being picked up along with the other driver and we went to the shipper where we met a third driver who was also to get the same type of truck going to the same place. I had to put some things in a side compartment to make room for my gear in the cab of the truck then I did inspection.

Trip: Kansas City, MO to Dallas, TX 556 paid miles
Make: 2015 Freightliner
Model: Tank Truck Placarded UN1993 Residual amount of diesel fuel (and lots of fumes and vapours in the tank)
Transmission: Automatic
Route: Interstate 35 to detour Oklahoma 145 to US77 to Oklahoma 19 back to Interstate 35 to Interstate 35W to Texas 114 to Texas 183.
Maximum elevation: unknown but at least 1,300 feet in Wichita, KS
Highest diesel price USA: $2.499/gallon at Flying J Emporia, KS
Lowest diesel price USA: $2.199/gallon at Flying J Edmond, OK

This truck was placarded because there was a residual amount of diesel fuel in the tank. There was also a lot of fumes and vapours which makes it potentially more dangerous than if it was full of jet fuel.

After I completed the inspection I got rolling to the Pilot in Kansas City, KS where I took on fuel and took a nap. When I woke up I was blocked in by other trucks queuing for fuel so I had to wait until the way was open then I took on fuel and headed south. I heard a weather alert so I stopped in Pomona, KS where I waited while there were thunderstorms and heavy rain. Once the rain let up I continued. The weigh scales in Kansas and Oklahoma were open but I did not get pulled in for inspection. I spent the night on the north side of Oklahoma City, OK.

Friday I continued south and ran into delays due to construction in Oklahoma City and Norman, OK. I was heading south on the 35 near Paoli, OK and saw congestion ahead so I exited and found a place to park. I consulted my new smartphone and found out an accident was causing a delay of 51 minutes and there was an alternate route mapped out so I took that detour heading east on Oklahoma 145, south on US77 and west on Oklahoma 19 to rejoin Interstate 35 in Pauls Valley. I entered Texas and found that dispatch was anxious as to whether or not I would make the 17h00 cutoff for delivery else I would have to wait until Monday and a lot of people would be unhappy. I continued south and instead of taking the 35E my smartphone directed me to 35W to eastbound Texas 114 which ran into eastbound Texas 183 and I arrived at the receiver with 38 minutes to spare. I made the delivery then hired a taxi to nearby hotel and spent the night in Dallas, TX.

Saturday I learned things were slow so the company booked me a flight home. There was more than enough time so I was not concerned that the airport shuttle was not on time. I took the shuttle to DAL and checked in and my bags weighed 47.0 and 43.0lbs. I paid 50$ for two checked bags then cleared security after a queue. I opted out and was patted down. The inside of my Boot Bag was swabbed. I had midday rations at Dickeys BBQ.

Virgin America #879 DAL-LAX A-320 Group B
Seat 23A Cruising altitude 36,000 feet then 38,000 feet Estimated flying time 2:53, actual 2:49
Depart: Gate 11 Scheduled 16h20, actual 16h17 Taxi: 9 minutes
Arrive: Gate 35 Scheduled 17h30, actual 17h21 Taxi: 6 minutes
Reclaim checked baggage <17 minutes after arrival

We boarded via jetway. The plane was nowhere close to full with a load of about 85/146. Pushback was 3 minutes early and I got a brief glimpse of downtown Dallas during taxi. Takeoff was to the north northwest and we turned west over DFW at 0:02. I saw downtown Ft. Worth to the distance at 0:05 along with Interstates 35W and 820. Seatbelt sign went off at 0:07 and I saw Weatherford, TX and Interstate 20 at 0:09. We flew directly over Lubbock, TX at 0:43 and a short time later I saw Levelland, TX though I was unable to make out Whiteface, TX.

At 0:51 we crossed over into New Mexico airspace and I saw clouds start to increase. I got cup of soda at 0:56 and by then clouds blocked the view below. At 1:00 we crossed the Pecos River over eastern New Mexico and I saw it through a break in the clouds. We were abreast of Roswell, NM which was to the south at 1:01 but I could not see it as clouds blocked the view. The clouds broke at 1:10 as we crossed US54 north of Carrizozo, NM. I got second cup of soda at 1:17 after ordering it via the touch screen. We crossed the Rio Grande and Interstate 25 near Socorro, NM at the same time.

We crossed into Arizona airspace and I saw Springerville, AZ at 1:36 and Show Low at 1:41. At 1:50 we were abreast of Payson, AZ and we crossed Interstate 17 at 1:57 well north of the Phoenix area. I got a small bottle of water and cup of ice at 2:00 after ordering same through the touch screen while over western AZ.

We crossed the Colorado River north of Parker, AZ and entered California airspace and initial descent was announced at 2:13. I actually felt descent begin at 2:19. I saw the Salton Sea at 2:22 and the lower Coachella Valley at 2:25. I saw PSP at 2:29.

I saw Diamond Valley Lake and seatbelt sign went on at 2:33. We passed over Lake Perris at 2:34 and I saw Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake to the near distance. We crossed Interstate 215 and I saw March AFB at 2:35 and we crossed Interstate 15 and I saw Corona, Norco and California 91 at 2:37. I saw Chino Airport at 2:39 and we crossed California 57 at 2:41. We crossed Interstate 605 at 2:43, Interstate 710 at 2:45, Interstate 110 at 2:46 and Interstate 405 at 2:48. We landed east to west and we arrived at gate 9 minutes early. We deplaned via jetway and after I stopped to use the washroom I found my bags beat me to baggage reclaim. I took a shuttle home to end this tour of duty.

Note: Tuesday I received a call from dispatch. The company booked me WN2226 LAX-MDW and WN3083 MDW-SDF then a rental car from Louisville, KY to Pikeville, KY. The next truck is in Betsy Layne, KY and goes to Gardiner, NY. After that there may be a trip from Findlay, OH to Salt Lake City, UT.