First Taste of Winter, Providential Timing for Deliveries
 

Tour of Duty 6th October 2009 to 21st November 2009
Part III: 3rd November to 13th November

I was on a rental car to RDU and touched base with the company and was asked to swing by Emporia, VA to pick up another driver. I was able to sneak in a little sightseeing around the Capitol for no more than a half hour. Then headed south and picked up a driver who was stranded after a breakdown while en route to Florida. We got to RDU and I dropped off the rental car and we got transport to Creedmoor where we picked up our trucks.

Trip: Creedmoor, NC to Burlington, ON Original Destination: Milton, ON 699 paid miles Route: Interstate 85 to Interstate 95 to US17 to US29 to Interstate 66 to Interstate 81 to Interstate 70 to Interstate 76 (PA Turnpike) to Interstate 79 to Interstate 90 to Interstate 190 to Ontario 405 to QEW Maximum elevation: unknown
Highest Diesel price USA: $2.999/gallon at Pilot Portersville, PA (New Castle)
Lowest Diesel price USA: $2.719/gallon at Sadler South Hill, VA
Permits Required: PA trip permit

I picked up an aerial bucket truck with automatic transmission and cleared Richmond and spent the first night in Ashland, VA. Next day there was light rain from Breezewood, PA to Bedford, PA. I entered fog around Meadville, PA and there was some snow on the ground as I approached Edinboro, PA where I shut down for the night. Next day I got into rain on the NYS Thruway and saw the aftermath of a wreck with a couple cars off the road and it was a little slushy. There was brief snow and sleet shower north of Buffalo. I got the title cleared at the border and crossed the border and by the time I was cleared it was too late to deliver to the customer. I ended up dropping the truck at the yard in Burlington, ON and got the next truck from there.

Trip: Burlington, ON to South Bend, IN 414 paid miles Route: Ontario 403 to Ontario 401 to Ontario 402 to Blue Water Bridge to Interstate 69 to Interstate 80 (IN Toll Road) Maximum elevation: unknown
Diesel Price USA: $2.799/gallon at BP Imlay City, MI
Highest Diesel Price Canada: $0.899CAD/litre at Pioneer Petroleum Burlington, ON
Lowest Diesel Price Canada: $0.886CAD/litre at Flying J London, ON

This was a vacuum truck and the truck lane of the Blue Water Bridge was backed up more than halfway to the top. One reason for the backup was that cars were using some lanes normally reserved only for trucks. Cars were backed up even more.

Next day I made delivery in South Bend, IN. I gave the customer a "heads up" when I got on the Indiana Toll Road and he waited for me at the west exit for South Bend. After I cleared the toll booth he had me follow him and I went to the facility the back way. Notre Dame was playing football against Navy at home and I avoided major delays by avoiding the Notre Dame exit. After delivery I was taken to South Bend Airport where I picked up a rental car. En route to the airport, two Navy fighter jets flew overhead at a low altitude.

I was able to sneak in a little sightseeing while the game was going on (Navy beat Notre Dame 23-21) then I headed to Ft. Wayne, IN where I spent the night. Sunday morning I overslept and was late to church! I caught the last of the morning service at Three Rivers Baptist Church in Ft. Wayne. Then I did a little sightseeing in downtown Ft. Wayne and dropped off the rental car at the airport and got transport to motel.

Someone picked me up and took me to Sunday evening church at Three Rivers Baptist and the sermon was on Psalm 37:1-8 Waiting on the Lord.

Monday I got transport to Monroeville, IN out in the middle of the cornfields just a few miles shy of the Ohio state line for the next truck.

Trip: Monroeville, IN to Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC 696 paid miles Route: US224 to US30 to Interstate 75 to Interstate 94 to Blue Water Bridge to Ontario 402 to Ontario 401 to Quebec 20 to Quebec 540 Maximum elevation: unknown
Diesel Price USA: $2.769/gallon at Flying J Beaverdam, OH

This truck was a Western Star tractor and was filthy inside. The windshield wipers were not working because of a blown fuse so I replaced the bad fuse with a spare. I faxed the paperwork with the bar code to the company. In Detroit Interstate 94 was blocked at exit 223. Traffic was forced off then back on and that caused a delay.

I stopped at US Customs in Port Huron to get the title cleared. Then I crossed the Blue Water Bridge and the agent at the booth scanned the bar code but it did not take so I had to go inside to see the broker and fill out some paperwork. Then I was told to park in front of a dock and I thought the authorities were going to do a search but they just wanted to check the VIN. Then I was cleared but the delays caused me to stop in Milton for awhile as I was going to hit Toronto at the height of evening rush hour. I spent the night in Napanee, ON. Next day I delivered the truck in Vaudreuil and picked up another truck from the same place.

Trip: Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC to Baltimore, MD 568 paid miles Route: Quebec 20 to Quebec 132 to Quebec 15 to Interstate 87 to Interstate 287 to New Jersey 17 to Interstate 80 to Interstate 95 to Interstate 295 to Interstate 95
Maximum elevation: unknown
Highest Diesel Price USA: $3.099/gallon at Peterbilt Champlain, NY
Lowest Diesel Price USA: $2.799/gallon at Pilot Mahwah, NJ

I picked up a road tractor going to the Port of Baltimore. I was concerned because I heard a major storm was hitting the East Coast and working its way northward.

I crossed the border and was stopped at the booth and the agent searched the truck and even had me open the hood. Then I was sent inside to pay the border crossing fee and after that I spent a considerable amount of time queueing for VACIS. I ended up spending the night in Plattsburgh, NY.

Next day I had a long day as I headed south. I encountered clouds around Albany. I stopped for a meal and had an excellent deli sandwich at Citgo in Round Lake, NY. I heard reports that there was major flooding in areas of North Carolina as well as the Tidewater area of Virginia and I saw that Baltimore was in the path of the storm as well. Wind picked up once I left the NYS Thruway and I got a few sprinkles in southern New Jersey. There were gusty winds at times and the speed limit was reduced to 40mph on the Delaware Memorial Bridge. The wind was not all that bad on the bridge and I spent the night in New Castle, DE.

Next day there was a little rain and some rain but it was not raining when I got to Baltimore. I went to US Customs to get the bond cancelled and then I went to the terminal where I was to deliver and it was still not raining. I talked to the guard while I waited for taxi and was told that earlier that day it was absolutely pouring. It rained a little after I delivered and I got taxi to BWI where I rang the company and was told to get a room as I would be flying out bright and early the next morning.