Dispatch's Duty Dereliction

DATELINE: ROCHELLE, IL, 10:00 p.m. CDT

Miles Today: 393

Pardon me if this update is not especially eloquent today. I'm exhausted from a long day and royally pi**ed off at USA Truck. After delivering my load this morning (never mind that it took 3-1/2 hours for that), I got my assignment for my next load, which was a pickup literally across the street from my delivery. That was progressing well for 30 minutes, then everyone on the dock stopped and went to lunch. They had a sign posted that listed that schedule, so it wasn't a surprise to me, just a disappointment that they didn't finish loading my trailer before lunchtime. Anyway, 30 minutes later they returned and finished my load--within 10 minutes. Probably a union shop--had to take lunch on time, no matter how soon thy could have finished my load so I could get on my way. But I digress.

This load is destined for Valdosta, GA, so I obviously wasn't going to take it all the way there because I'm supposed to get home tomorrow for a couple days off. I knew dispatch would have me swap the load with another driver somewhere. What raised my ire is the solution they came up with. I need to take this load to Effingham, IL, and the swap is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. tomorrow. The several problems with this "solution":
1. Effingham is a good 200+ miles--one way--out of my way home.
2. I can't possibly make it to the yard where I park in Romulus from Effingham if I leave at 4:00 before the yard closes for the weekend. (And don't forget the time zone difference. And the likelihood that the swap itself will be late.)
3. I can't possibly make it all the way from here to Effingham to home without violating several DOT hours of service regulations. But I'm going to violate 'em; no way I'm staying out another night when I'm supposed to be home.
4. I will need to drop off the load I'll be picking up in E'ham in Coldwater, MI on my way home, so that's another delay. (I'm told it will be a drop-and-hook rather than a live unload--we'll see how accurate that info turns out to be.)

So you can see why I'm "unhappy". This is the 2nd straight time dispatch has missed getting me home on time. I'll be coming home late at night after a L-O-N-G day working to get there. I'll have to park my truck at an unsecured location--the truck stop nearest my house--and I'm hoping that leaving it there unattended for a couple days won't get it towed.

Well, that's all I have the energy for to write tonight. I hope your days are going better than mine. Thanks for reading, and keep on truckin'.