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Some companies advertise they dont run NYC or offer extra pay for NYC. Take Hunts Point market. <br /> <br />Note that NYC has done a great deal of cleaning up in the last 10 years or so. <br /> <br />You ran into the New Jersey from whereever your load came from and found a truckstop about an hour or two away. Usually you got rested and had a last meal and talked with others going into NYC. It usually would find groups of drivers start to get together about a day or so before actual arrival. <br /> <br />Late in the day, you headed out onto the interstate with the goal of crossing the GW "George Washington Bridge" which was I-95 and a major crossing. I would have a map out.. in the day you took photocopies of mappbooks pages down to the alley level and you knew exactly where you needed to go. It was planned with military precision as you were going into a dangerous area. <br /> <br />One scam was they would approach you at a light... (Oh no. did you actually stop at the light in the city at night?) and ask if you knew where you were going. These locals already know where you are trying to go. IF you look like you know your stuff they will back off. But not before asking for ciggerettes, money or other tidbits as a tribute. <br /> <br />That was one of the reasons you kept moving. I usually brought along a warchest of small bills, ciggerettes and what not as peace offerings to som of these people. <br /> <br />The cost of these items are much less than the cost of assault, injury or worse. That was one way you bought friends for a while so you did not get vandalized or worse. <br /> <br />One of the streets I traveled to hunts point had a elevated subway track, the two poles confront you in the night. You remember that "Offset" training from driving school? Wal... here is an offset that will do a great deal of damage if you hit it. <br /> <br />Money. You needed toll money, tribute money food money and more money. Upon arrival at the gate to Hunt's point market they will charge money to get you inside. <br /> <br />Expensive huh? You aint done yet. <br /> <br />YOu would go to wait with other trucks in a area off to one side. There was a little porta-potty and perhaps a food stand open for part of the night. I swear that same porta-potty was there in the same spot for 10 years or more. The fence behind you has holes in it. <br /> <br />There are people of the night that seek illegal business with you and if you are smart stayed clear of it. each preposition or converstation will deplete your warchest of ciggeretes or small change. <br /> <br />When you are called to back in to unload, you would get more money out to pay the man for assistance with the cargo. There are many people willing to "Help" you with the cargo in different ways. Actually what they are doing is breaking up the order at which it was loaded so that the next reciever will have to rearrange the cargo and charge you for it. <br /> <br />If a dispatcher says dont let them touch the freight then you dont. YOU touch it. It takes a while. <br /> <br />When you are empty you leave the gate at near sunrise. If you are lucky the traffic will be nil and the people in bed. This is your chance to get out of the area. Once the traffic rush kicks in you are part of the exodus and will lose alot of time. Sometimes it will be noon before you get out of the City and back to your truckstop. <br /> <br />Only then do you call in for your next load. This is where qualcomm shines.... <br /> <br />Today you can literally type your load request while at the Hunts Market, get your information, open your laptop computer with GPS street mapping, cell phone and have yourself set up and rolling to your next load knowing exactly what is going on. <br /> <br />Now. I have been lucky over the years with NYC, Boston and other cities in markets. Some drivers have not. The last time I had a situation in Rochester NY where waiting on a load of ale in the bullpen (A place for drivers to wait) I had a hooker preposition me and my wife heard the talk thru the window. I informed her that I am married and my wife is about to do something if she did not leave right away. She left. Good thing she did. <br /> <br />Of course I had briefed my spouse co-driver that these situations will come up and while she was upset she took it into stride. So that worked out well. <br /> <br />NYC and other areas have some of the greatest people you ever will meet and one of the joys is meeting people and learning new things. Good things and bad things. <br /> <br />One thing that happened alot was people would jump up onto my "Catwalk" which is behind my cab on the tractor with the goal of severing my airline and the qualcomm connection. <br /> <br />The only thing I will say is this: A sharp turn of the wheel into a J turn to jack the cab 90 degrees to swing the cat walk under neath the reefer unit of the trailer usually sweeps em out. To this day I dont ever have any idea if they lived or died. I will find out when I die and meet with the lord. <br /> <br />But I think they all got out. I usually check the trailer wheels and listen for screams. Nothing so far. <br /> <br />Welcome to Hunt's Point, we hope you enjoyed your stay.
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