My Journal of my adventures............

[sweet_whiskey]

The old post was always a eye opener for some newbies. At least I thought it was a eye opener. I always enjoyed sharing my adventures of driving a truck. So I thought I would start a new one here.

I'll do a better job on posting. Seems like this site no longer has those green trolls that like to torment and rough house drivers.

Here I go!!


The other day while dropping off my load in Breinigsville, Pa the security fella told me to back it into door 76.

"No problem I thought to myself. This is a gravy day. I was utterly wrong like usual.

I proceeded back towards the numbered docks and seen my dock. Ok, how am I supposed to turn this thing around on a dime. The problem was that the yard jockies were putting 53' trailers directly in front of the docks and there was a very slim minimal amount of room to back (imagine a tractor length of room in front of you).

I jerked my trailer to set up for a 45 degree angle back..Nope that wasn't going to work this go around. I jacked it up thinking I'll just angle the trailer in and follow through. Nope, that wasn't going to work either.

I'm here to tell you, it took me 45 minutes with the help of another driver to get that sucker in the hole. Even then it took me 10 minutes to somewhat decently put it in the dock to where the dockplate would go down. I was frustrated to all get out.

Almost pulling my hair out, the driver said, "they don't leave much space for a big tractor like that."

I haven't had a back like that in a while. I guess I was overdue for a backing lesson. Lesson learned, I got that sucker in and hoped that it was easier to get out. I asked the jockey if he would drag my trailer out if I dropped it. He said he was to busy pulling other trailers and couldn't do it. :angry: :angry: :angry:

Ok, so I dragged it out myself and it was easier out then in, go figure.

I'll keep more posts coming for newbies to read. Maybe it will help them not get so discouraged when something doesn't go right. Heck, I've been driving for almost 3 years and I still have problems.

Tomorrow is a better day and the next day will suck.

[Admin]

:clap: :clap: :clap: THAT IS WAS THIS SITE IS ABOUT

DRIVERS TELLING NEWBIES :cheers:

[Bikerboy]

Tight docks are fun to back into. It shows who the good drivers really are. Anyone can steer a truck down the road, it's takes a real driver to get into tight docks without damage.

[Foxfire]

I've backed into places I couldn't pull out of!....lol. Had to have someone with a big forklift lift my trailer and move it to the side so I could go around the corner.

[sweet_whiskey]

BikerBoy (changed to save the embarrassment after I reread it.)

I still consider myself a newbie. There are docks that I can't get into. Does that make me any less then a great driver?

No!

A good driver is one who can go through Chicago (rush hour), LA (rush hour) or anywhere in particular and make it out alive and nothing is damaged. To make it out of any place while still being sane enough to realize why this profession is still a good profession.

Backing is just one step to being a driver, driving down the road isn't so easy. You have snow, heat, rain, fog, cars, other big trucks (BBRS's have ya), road construction, etc.

I had my first accident in 3 years beginning of February. Does that make me any less then a driver? No, made me realize one of my mistakes of driving.

I'm sorry, but I disagree with you. I just believe a good driver is one who can learn from mistakes and make sure they don't happen again. To know the difference from right and wrong and who can go down the road with pride in their job.

That is what a good driver means to me.

[Capt._Chaos]

Great post, SW! :cheers:

Although I have traveled well beyond 1 million miles in a truck now, I still see it best to keep an open mind and learn something new every day.

If I don't see myself learning anything on a daily basis any more, then I will hang up the keys and look for something else to do.

I will soon be getting back into a company truck (with Crete, or with Wal-Mart if they call me), and I haven't driven a Freightliner Century in a long time either! Been at least 6 years now!

[sweet_whiskey]

Thinking I was smart, I took off during the 72 hour DOT thing. Everything was going great. I did my MVI and went to get my load in Iola, Ks.

Things were going real good. I got to the Echo DOT scales in Utah and seen the sign, "Go To Inspection Bay." Ok, things were looking pretty bad. My book was up to date like usual. My tractor was sounding pretty good, so I thought. My trailer had a piece of rubber off and showing belt, not so good. I was planning on taking it to Sapp Bros in SLC to get a new tire put on.

Kritchie (DOT lady) opens my door, says "I need your book." Ok, I hand it to her and she asked me if I ever had a level 1. "Yes," I said back in January. She does her job, asking me to turn on lights, etc.

I hear from the back of the trailer, "violation." I explained to her the trailer tire before hand and she just wanted to remind me of the violation. She walked around both tractor and trailer and opened my hood. Checking all the components she says, "everything is looking good, except oops violation."

I was like huh! What could possibly be the problem?

Well, freightshakers from 1998 to 2000 are proned to have small air leaks on the steers to the brakes. I told her that I didn't notice any kind of leak. My air was holding even when my brake was depressed. She informed me that you won't really notice a small leak like that unless you have a person checking the hoses while you depress. She double checked my air pressure and noticed that it was ok then said I was shut down.

Not what I wanted to hear, but she was doing her job and she was a rather kind lady. We sat around in her office chit chatting and she was telling me of her accident she had that about took her arm off.

I call in breakdown and a old hand came out and fixed my hose. We sat around chitchatting for a while. He told me a lil bit of this and that to watch out for on old shakers. Then told me how nice the truck looked. :wacko: WTF ever!!! :wtf: Ok so it is a nice truck.

I could of fixed that hose myself, but I needed a certified mechanic sign the papers. So after he fixed me up, I went back into the office and she hands me a CVSA sticker.

Just because I have a sticker, doesn't mean that I won't get DOT'd again.

Always remember to do a proper MVI, so you don't have to go through the whole BS that I did.

[Big_Dave]

Always remember to do a proper MVI, so you don't have to go through the whole BS that I did.
One thing to remember, doing a thorough Pre-Trip inspection does NOT guarantee that a DOT cop won't find something wrong. They can and will if they want to. :wtf:

What the officer found on SW's ride was something that a person could ONLY FIND if there was someone else present and she had that person step down on the brake pedal. Right SW?

[sweet_whiskey]

That's exactly right, Dave. Thanks for adding that lil bit of info onto mine. I wasn't sure if my post was understood at all. Looks like it was and I do appreciate it.

So now I'm up here in North Bend, Wa waiting to make my delivery at 1130 PT on the 16th. Sure wish they would get me in earlier, but then it would stop me from sight seeing, which I'm about to do.

[shewolf]

Sounds like the problem we suspect on this 2000 FL Century. You can hear a little air escaping somewhere with passenger side window down and air pressure tends to bleed down while sitting overnight. Gray Wolf will check it out thoroughly tomorrow since we are parked on a 34 hr reset.

[sweet_whiskey]

Good idea, never know when some DOT will get a wild hair up their arses and decide to DOT you. Well, a thorough DOT that is. She definately didn't miss a beat.

[Capt._Chaos]

A lot of people don't seem to understand that the D.O.T. is there for a reason- to be sure the trucks on our nation's highways are in safe operating condition, and that the drivers are in compliance with the law.

Just imagine how shoddy most of the trucks out there would be if the D.O.T. didn't have the presence they do.

Take a look at some of the wonderful container hauler trucks around Houston and you'll see an example of "D.O.T. bait"!

[shewolf]

Got our air leak problem fixed, was a bad brake chamber. Truck is still pulling slightly to the right when you get on the brakes hard.

TA supposedly adjusted brakes last week when replacing 2 slack adjusters but Hubby will check them himself tomorrow to see if that is the culprit.

Update to the post, Hubby checked out the truck this morning and found the new slack adjuster was missing the cotter or safety pin. Apparently mechanic forgot to install it. :angry: Consequently, the rod on the slack adjuster fell out :yikes: and we had no brakes on the front drivers side. No wonder it was pulling to the right.

Brake shoes were out about 1/4 inch from the drum with brakes engaged. A thorough pre-trip would have caught that yesterday ;) but probably not the cotter pin missing.

Apparently you need to be a mechanic to drive a truck so you can double check everything the shops do before pulling out on the road. :wtf:

We are still at the TA where we got brake chamber fixed last night and this should be warrantied since TA in Bloomington, IL installed the new slack adjusters just last week.

[Big_Dave]

Shewolf, that's why I NEVER go to a truckstop repair shop if I can help it.

Those 'mechanics' (cough) aren't paid well and don't have the knowledge that 'real' repair shop mechanics have.

Last time I used the TA shop in Effingham, they stroked me to the tune of about $400 to fix broken clutch linkage. :yikes:

They doubled the price on the parts from Peterbilt and then tried soaking me for ALL the time their 'mechanic' (cough) spent fixing my truck. Their road service truck wasn't properly equiped so I argued with the manager for an hour about that. He cut the labor bill in half.

Still got stroked over the road service call and parts though. :wtf:

[itrucker]

Yep--we all benefit from reading about the joys and...er...challenges we all face in trucking. Thanks sweet_whiskey for bringing a smile to my face in your recent adventure in backing. I can relate! :D

If anyone likes, they can read another online journal by e-mailing me (private message) and I'll send you the link to my truck blog (prohibited from posting it here).

Best,
- Chris

[sweet_whiskey]

I recently had a option to keep rolling on the road while my Fruitshaker stayed at the surgeons for a 4 day stay. I was put in a 2002 (Heartland) mid-roof fruitliner.

I wasn't real happy about the whole ordeal, but rolling down the road paid more then layover pay. So I got in the truck, with no radio, no coax to the radio and no positive or negative things for hookup.

Before I realized it, I was out 60 bucks (cheap radio) and pissed off like you would not believe. I was mad because my load was headed to California and by golly there is NO way I am going that far without a radio.

So needless to say, I got to Joplin, Mo yesterday and the check engine light came on. I stopped at a T/S, got out to open the hood and WHAM! A nice oil leak decided to take aim.

This isn't a big deal normally. Most people would send in a macro for a break down. Well, I had no qualcomm. So all my communications were done with phone calls. So I called up the shop to see what they wanted me to do. Mike, who is in the shop manager hung up on me. :angry: :angry:

I decided just to drive it in and park it. :wtf: :cool: :rofl: That is exactly what I did. I figured if they were going to get upset at me. I had proof that I called the shop and the time and date. :cool:

Anywho, I was told MY truck was fixed and ready to roll. Ok........I did my MVI and the second I opened my hood I realized they didn't do JACK CRAP!! :angry: :angry: Well, I ranted, raved and snarled and squirmed. Let me just say, people stayed out of my way. In fact, a few told me to calm down. :wacko:

I talked to a few people in the office and then talked to Mike. He assured me my truck was worked on and everything was fixed that needed to be. :wtf:

If that is the case, then why is my truck jerking up a small hill?? I'm headed up a hill and it feels like it's not getting enough UMPH going up. It then jerks and feels like it's not getting enough fuel. I'm thinking a fuel injector or something.

Can someone help me on this problem??

By the way, it’s a 2000 Classic

Anyways, I am routed to California in my truck and never could be happier. Except if it got fixed right.......

You never know how good you have it, clucking around in a miniature wannabe chicken truck when you are stuck in a POS mid-roof for a few days.

AWWW!!!! Life is good!

[sweet_whiskey]

Here it is Feb. 4th, 2006:

It's been a while since I posted my adventures and screw ups. So I found my post again and decided to share what happened from last year to recent.

Where do I begin..

This last year was a good year, despite my accident from the first of the year.

I bought this Big Ole Blue and so far it's been a dang good truck. I haven't had alot of problems with it. I know it might sound crazy but if you talk to your truck like you talk to plants it will listen (so I think).

No, I don't go around looking like a lunatic (please don't respond to that one). I keep the PM's, oil changes, annual inspections, and my greatest philosophy of owning this truck is "if it isn't broke, fix it." I'm figuring that philosophy will help me with costs of tow trucks, hotel rooms, labor costs, stress, me crying like a baby and overall save me $$.


Being a O/O is a huge asset and debting adventure for some. I took alot of years saving, reading, asking, and deciding. The decision process was the hardest for me. I had to decide if I wanted this truck, if being a O/O would benefit me anyway, if I was ready to venture out from being a company driver, could I afford owning my own truck, what the HE*% am I thinking and the what if's. There are alot more decisions with owning your own truck and when I can remember them I will post them.

Through trial and error you can accomplish anything. I've had alot more errors then I'd like to mention, but that is human nature. You are not perfect, you will be knocked down from your pedestal and you will feel like a failure once in your life. That's the honest truth and I"m not afraid to admit that many times in my driving career I've felt like a failure. I just picked up my pieces, wiped my tears, and got back on the saddle.

I still can't back up without a pull up. If I do I celebrate by telling my self "my confidence is back!" I still get nervous backing up by a Pete or KW and I still oversteer and have to set up again.

So I bid you good bye and happy trails to you.