Pucker Up

Just another one of those things I was able to check off the "First" list.

Last Tuesday, I had the pleasure of blowing my first steer tire in 15 years of driving. I was quite astonished to find out it was no where near as frightening as I thought it would be. Basically, I heard the noise, felt the front end raise as if I had run over something and then wop wop wop wop wop. It was not much of a struggle to keep control of the truck and ease off onto the shoulder out of harm's way. Perhaps, the low center of gravity on a car-hauler played a vital role in this.

And while I do seem to have exquisite luck, ( I will not indicate which end of the spectrum my luck tends to run), I was actually very lucky in the amount of damaged that was sustained.

Managed to keep my fender!

That is no illusion. With the dropped cab and blown tire, my fuel tank is hovering an inch above the ground.

Damage to the hydraulic lines for the front cylinder where the rubber slapped it a few times.

If you noticed in the first picture, there is slight damage to the fender, but I was able to reattach the mud flap and with the "new" used tire in place, I was able to drive away. No brake damage, no hood damage, no damage to any components under the hood.... At least that I know of. 

I am also very thankful that a few weeks ago, I took it upon myself to have my right fuel tank rotated. It has an aluminum elbow on the bottom which is attached to the hydraulic oil tank. Notice how low that tank is sitting? I would have sheared a good portion of that elbow off and perhaps caused a substantial oil spill.

The hydraulic lines did take a good punch. There will be no moving the front of the deck over my hood until those are replaced. I tested it to see if it was punctured and the 8' rooster tail of oil was a pretty good indication. What this means is I was unable to raise the hood to check for more damages from the blown tire. But at least I was able to unload that evening and had an appointment to get the lines repaired the next morning. Sure, I know it all sounds bad, but with minimal damages I was able to mark one more "first" off my list.

Exhausted...

Anyone that has been following me any length of time surely knows of all the issues I had with the Volvo during my flatbedding days. The most consistent one was quite possibly the exhaust problems. My body reacts very quickly to breathing fumes as I was nearly killed from exhaust poisoning over a decade ago. One of the most common reactions that I face is... I become EXTREMELY hostile. Everything pisses me off. I might even kick a puppy after get an extended dose of toxic air.

The Sterling that I am operating tends to smoke excessively during the first few miles after firing it up or idling for any length of time. A couple of months ago, I had some extreme smoking issues that would actually fill the cab. Ironically, no one can find an exhaust leak. Sure, there is oil and other fluids that drip on occasion, but no sign of exhaust leaking.

So, on my last tour of duty, I noticed the fumes getting stronger. Perhaps even noticing the air seemed a little cloudy at times in the cab. George ( who is in charge of all my repairs) suggested that my dog house insulation might be sagging and the fumes are coming in around the boot. So, I had that checked out and had some rubber installed to seal that up. It didn't seem to help at all...

After several days of driving with the windows down,  and stuffing towels around any crevices on the dog house, I am starting to think I might need to swap trucks.... I hate swapping trucks. Besides, this one is special.

I don't know why I decided to crawl into the firewall and look around, but underneath the edge of the rubber flooring, I noticed a 2 inch hole that was halfway plugged with a sooty paper towel. Quick as MacGyver, I check my pockets for supplies and although I did not have a paperclip, chewing gum or duct tape, I did manage to find some masking tape.

My fume problem is gone!!!

Okay, the truck still smokes, but I am no longer sucking fumes which is good news for the general public. Because, when I say I get extremely hostile, well... you better just trust me on that one.

Smoke Screen

This year actually started off on a high note with my truck. I had dropped it off at one of our terminals on Christmas Eve along with a repair list of 21 items. These were not all major items. A new lock pin here, a little slip plate there.. But there were several big ticket items to be addressed, such as the perpetual oil slick and extreme in cab exhaust issues. I am happy to announce that in 2.5 days ALL repairs were completed along with a few additional tasks that I had not even asked for.

I made it exactly 5 days before my next issue became evident.

On a Saturday evening, I spent a few hours loading BMWs and as I pulled out of the loading area, my normal pre-flight exhaust issue became ridiculously absurd. This truck has always smoked a little bit for the first quarter mile. But this was equivalent to a blown turbo. It was so bad, that as I was exiting the facility, all of the guards had to come out and take a look at the truck. I pulled over twice before hitting the freeway, just to make sure I wasnt losing oil. After an extensive vacation through the holidays, I was not prepared for more shop time, but the smoke was so excessive that I decided to hit the motel and head for a shop in the morning. However, by the time I made it 10 miles up the road, the smoke was beginning to thin out. The next morning, there were only the original traces of exhaust that I have been accustomed to for the past several months. So.....  I made my way to New York.

On Monday, my return load was to be picked up at JFK in Jamaica, NY. I can assure you that I was not thrilled with the prospects as Jamaica has some of the worst roads in NYC. I managed to get the load on with no problems, but once again, as I was leaving, I fumigated the area. This time the smoke was so bad, that airport security showed interest. With no signs of it thinning out, I pulled over on the shoulder and a nice tow truck pulled in behind me to check it out. After determining that I might be able to keep going (with my head hung in shame) I decided the tow bill would be much cheaper on the Jersey side, should I actually become immobile. The smoke continued to billow from the exhaust pipes until I crossed the George Washington and then it diminished. My thoughts... I am losing an injector!

I was able to make it back to Nashville and get unloaded. I had scheduled an appointment at Mid-Tenn Ford to have the truck checked out. They ruled out the injector, but suggested there was one of three problems present. Each would put me out of service for nearly a week. My maintenance supervisor suggested I head to Atlanta so I could at least be at home during the repairs.

Peach State Freightliner had my truck for 7 days. During this time, I acquired a $1000.00 repair bill. The diagnosis was inconclusive. No repairs were made. No indications of any problems. I am still thinking injector!!  On the seventh day, I demanded that they release the truck back into my possession. I needed to get to work. I have been back in the truck for 5 days and nothing is amiss. Not the first sign of excessive smoking....  However, I would not be surprised if I have to get an injector replaced in the near future.

Loading beside the Air Train at JFK International Airport

On Your Mark. Get Set..... STOP!!

This week's breakdown officially started Tuesday night around 5pm. On Friday, around 5pm, I received the call that the truck repairs were complete. I personally think 3 full days is a bit ridiculous for a simple oil leak, a hub cap with a leaking gasket, and an exhaust leaking valve replacement. Pesky little O rings must be a pain in the ass to find, as I was told this was the hold up. A steel O ring that fits into a plug was the cause of my oil leak. I am still not sure if oil is what was coating everything under the truck because I have only added 2 gallons in a 2 month period. The shop assured me that it was not a leaking fuel line. At least they steam cleaned everything under the truck so I can keep an eye on it. I have my doubts though.

The boss had saved a load for me to pick up this weekend, so after I retrieved the truck, my intentions were to head towards New York. The first thing I noticed was a tapping noise coming from the area where the EGR shutoff valve was located. The valve that was leaking exhaust into my truck! And the odor was still seeping into the cab. This is the valve they just replaced. I also noticed that my warm dead idle oil pressure was running at about 12-15lbs. This is too low. It really shouldn't run below about 30lbs at a dead idle (sitting still). Next up was the excessive whistling coming from the turbo with a slight flapping sound. The sound of an air boot with a hole developing in it...

Because it is dark and raining, I have decided to wait until the morning to do any  further inspecting. So bright and early, I will determine if I shall return to the shop to check the valve. Because of so much down time this week, if I locate a hole in the boot, I will buy the boot and replace it myself. As for the oil pressure, I hope I make it through this delivery. I have no intention of any more shop time until after Christmas.

I find all of this to be simply ridiculous after 72 hours of downtime... But at least I no longer have to worry about the steer axle hubcap leaking oil.  YAY!!

On a side note, the last load I delivered, one of the dealerships claimed that fluids from my truck had gotten on one of the cars and dissolved the paint. The only corrosive fluids that I can think of that would have done that are brake fluid and battery acid. I don't have issues with either of those.  Pesky dealers will try to get anything over on you. This of course came after he signed off on a clean inspection of the vehicles...

Well, off to bed. I have a ton of things to do in the morning. Grrrrrrrr!!

Not So Much...

When I first received the little Sterling, I was very well aware that there would be a few trips to the shop for some repairs. I am happy to say that both of those experiences have been uplifting so far.

The first shop visit, I turned in a list of half a dozen minor items and while I was busy watching television at the motel, the list was checked off. The entire list, no questions asked..... I even got new wiper blades without having to throatpunch a mechanic. I am encouraged!! The second shop visit, ended the same as the first. Knocked out another half dozen items on a repair list in a the same amount of time it took me to lounge about at the motel. Why so many repairs?? Well, it is a "new to me" truck and I want to make sure everything is up to par. Most of the repairs were pesky little items that would impede my rhythm of loading, but not serious offenses to disable the truck. I expect a month or so of finding these little nuisances, after all, it is a very used truck!

There is one issue that affects performance. I believe there is algae in the fuel tanks, but once again. I have permission to purchase the necessary additives and have fuel filters replaced as needed. No questions asked.

Week Two finds me delivering in West Virginia. I received word to head into BMW for my next load. That is actually another huge pat on the back. The boss usually waits a while before bringing a new hire into BMW to load. I was brought in on my second week. I proceed to load the Ultimate Driving Machines and was pleased with how easy the 9 units fit on the trailer. I was pleased until I crawled into the cab to make my departure and found only 30 lbs of air in my tanks. The air compressor had failed! That was Wednesday...  Thursday, I unloaded the truck and had it towed in. Friday morning, well, I am sitting here blogging about it.

Yup, this week is a bust.

What Can I Say

Last week was full of it's ups and downs... What can I say? Such is life...

The week started with apprehension as there was a driver's meeting that was going to introduce a new policy that the company will be putting into place at some point this year. A policy that will inevitably change my life. Sure, change is good, but when that change is forced upon you without your consent, it is very frustrating.

But on the upside, at the meeting which I did not attend, it was also announced that our current Boss was leaving. Once I found this out, my truck seemed to pull better and run faster. Of course, it didn't, but I sailed through Sunday with a huge grin on my face. Most of the drivers are apprehensive that things are going to get worse, but it is my opinion that there is a 50/50 chance it could get better. My only real concern is the lack of professional mechanics, and I don't see that changing anytime soon, so how could it get any worse?

On the downside, I was once again pulling a springride trailer which literally beat me up. I was so sore and frustrated by the end of the week that my vocabulary was largely limited to 4 letter words, and " love" was not one of them. On top of the excruciating ride, the trailer had maintenance issues that have not been addressed. Big surprise there!! Nothing in the way of safety, but rather the simple fact that I could not slide my tandems. If this one issue had been eliminated, I could have smoothed out my ride significantly.

On the upside, I managed to discover a few new shortcuts on some wonderfully scenic two lanes, and that always lifts my spirits.

On the downside, the list is seemingly endless.. With all the personal frustrations I am going through right now, the physical abuse I am enduring in the truck just seems to magnify the fragility of my emotional state. Hopefully, as I work through all of this, I will come out on the other side on Cloud Nine.... I miss it up there.

Second Verse, Same as the First

Although I made it home virtually unscathed on Tuesday, I had no desire to get out and see the sights until Atlanta was officially reopened. So you can imagine my dismay when the boss called and offered me a local run for Thursday. With reports of roadways still being iced over and many businesses still closed, I was hesitant to volunteer my services. Besides, running local pays next to nothing. But... I am not one to turn down an opportunity to increase my financial well-being, so I took the load.

I was pleasantly surprised to find my route had no delays and the customers parking lot was also salted and ready for action. It took about 15 minutes to unload. However it took over an hour to exit the premises. Grrrrr!!

The driveway is one way. You enter, circle to the back, and continue forward until you reemerge on the far side of the building. There is barely room for the forklifts to unload you, but they manage. There is NO place to turn around. So after unloading, I circle to the far side of the building to find this...



Before driving too far into the ice, I decided to stop and wait, figuring this guy would be out of my way in no time. After 15 minutes, I ventured forth on foot to let him know he was hindering my progress. By this time, 2 additional trucks had pulled into the lot to be unloaded. The driver of the bobtail informed me that his brakes were frozen. After heating the system with a portable torch, he manages to release his brakes, only to find that he is now immobile due to the ice he is sitting on. Another fifteen minutes passes as I watch him spin his tires and getting nowhere fast. Once again, I climb out and slip slide my way to offer assistance. With my tied down bar, I commence to chipping ice from around his drive tires. The driver sits comfortably in his cab. After 15-20 minutes, he finally offers to get his shovel and help me out ?? What the hell, dude.... I ain't the one who is stuck. At this point, I walk back to my truck and let him fend for himself.

An hour into the ordeal, I have finally had enough. The second truck is also empty and this bozo is still in no real hurry to vacate the driveway. I went in search of help. The customer was surprised to find me still wandering about the premises, and quickly offered to help. Within minutes enough salt was spread and the bobtail was able to move. It wasn't my responsibility to get this guy mobile, but he sure was not too motivated to do it himself!! Oh yeah, and I only busted me arse on the ice 4-5 times during all of this.. Thanks again, buddy !!

Love Lost

If you read the last post, you know I finished out the day with a feeling of elation. After blowing through the Bronx at rush hour and securing a parking spot at the Vince Lombardi Service Plaza, I set about my evening in a peaceful state of mind.

There was one tiny little issue that was beginning to chip away at my serenity.

A few weeks ago, I asked the mechanics to check/replace my batteries. The truck seemed to have lost a little bit of cranking power and with winter setting in, it seemed like a good time to at least check them.

Tuesday morning finds me sitting in Fairfield, NJ. I was an hour early, so I had plenty of time to offload the 2 bundles and be ready to ride by the time the customer opened. But that was not to be the case. The crane did not want to work and it is powered by my 4 batteries. After checking everything pertaining to the crane itself, I determined the problem was simple. I was just not supplying enough power. I opened the battery box and was dismayed to find that all of my connections were corroded beyond comprehension. Serious green fuzz was taking over. I set about cleaning all of the connections and was beginning to show signs of utter frustration because had the mechanics checked the batteries, the corrosion would have been cleaned properly to begin with. I also found that the power supply line for the crane had multiple spots where the insulation was rubbed away and the cable was shorting out in several places. As I was cleaning one end, I noticed sparks coming from underneath the truck... The plugs themselves were corroded and the harder I worked to remedy the situation, the more negative emotions seemed to consume my mind.

It took me 3 hours to unload the 2 bundles. It was 12 degrees. My mechanics and boss were playing dumb and I was filthy from rolling around under the truck trying to clean cables. I could only get the crane to respond for seconds at a time. By the end of the ordeal, I felt like a small child who just needed to sit in some one's lap and be comforted. I was near tears.

Amazing how the job can be so perfect one day and 12 hours later leave you feeling so utterly helpless. Needless to say, I had no love for the job on Tuesday. After getting the crane secured back into its cradle, I decided to have the remaining 2 bundles dragged off the trailer at the next 2 stops. I was not going through that again !!

MerryLand

A long time running joke between myself and AA, is that the nice folks in Maryland are out to get me. I am more convinced that the fine folks of South Carolina have me in the cross hairs, but I will let the facts speak for them self.

Every time I have ever had a MAJOR breakdown, it has been within 50 miles of Washington DC. Every time I have had a MAJOR breakdown, it has been on I-95. I travel this area with fear and trepidation because this is where I lost a drive shaft in a spare truck during rush hour, going up hill in the center lane. I loathe this area, because this is where I blew the air compressor fittings and was forced to come to an immediate halt, barely making the shoulder of the road in time to clear traffic. Okay, seriously, there is not much fear or trepidation, but I am reminded that IF I am going to break down, this will probably be the place I do it.

Today's adventure starts out no different than any other. I am making the rounds, grumbling about slow vehicles riding the center lanes. The unnecessary slow downs due to the fact that Joe Bob in his fourwheeler cannot multi-task, so everyone has to dodge him as he answers his cell phone and immediately becomes a nuisance to other motorists. But it is not just Joe Bob. It seems to be his entire entourage of friends and family, car and truck drivers the same. The WHOLE traffic pool of Maryland motorists seem to have forgotten what they are doing today. With only 42 miles from the state line to my customer, it almost seems ridiculous that I become so agitated in such a short period of time. But this is where I make my mistake.

Innocently enough, I make a bold statement on FaceBook, that everyone should steer clear of Maryland because the lunatics are out in full force. It seems Maryland must have been logged on at the time and read my proclamation.

Upon leaving my customer, I travel 41 miles back towards Virginia and just as I exit the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, my warning lights come to life.

WARNING: COOLANT LEVELS LOW

CHECK AT NEXT STOP

WARNING: COOLANT LEVELS CRITICALLY LOW

STOP NOW

STOP NOW

STOP NOW!!!!!

In rapid succession, I glance at the gauges, I scan the roadway and I immediately reach for the Emergency Pilot Seat Ejection Button. Oh crap!! I am in the far left lane and my truck has just stopped running. Thankfully, the little pickup truck beside me acknowledges my turn signal requests and I am clear to dive right for the shoulder. Crossing 2 lanes of traffic, I find a nice wide shoulder to access the emergency.

Having already dealt with 3 coolant leaks, I was prepared to top off the fluids and get the hell out of DC before rush hour. This was not to be the case today. My radiator was empty.

After a search for the problem, I discovered I had blown the radiator hose, the main artery that cools the engine.

Oh joy of joys!! After sitting on the side of the roadway for 4 hours, I finally managed to get rolling with new hose installed, just in time for the 10-20 mph commute out of town.

Lesson Learned. No more fussing about a particular state while I am in that state. I literally coasted across the Virginia state line while spewing coolant all over the roadway. Maybe AA is right. Maybe Maryland does have a personal grudge against me.

As a quick aside... One would think our shop would provide us with spare hoses and such to prevent these types of occurrences. But NOOOO! This expenditure cost the company well over $300.00 just to replace a $20 dollar hose that I could have replaced my self, not to mention 4 hours of my time.

The Long Road Ahead

So I took Seabiscuit out for a "getting to know you" trot up in New England last week. I know, New England, right...

Or maybe you didn't know. I have not been to the North East in over 2 months.

Seabiscuit is the spare truck I took into the mid-west a few weeks ago, the one with the leaking coolant sensor. The one that put me on the side of the Interstate last Sunday. Because I do not hardly ever trust the Stooges diagnosis, I was prepared for the worst. After "repairing" the leaking fill cap, I managed to make my round of deliveries and decided to take some extra time off in Connecticut.

Okay, I didn't just decide, it was actually planned out in advance. You see, I have spent a great deal of time casually running into my favorite bedbugger (that would be a household mover, for those not in the know). And really, it was not too casually either. Well planned, in advance, "Fancy meeting you here, giggle~giggle" kind of casual.

So back to relaxing in Connecticut... I arrived early, and he was destined to show up mid-afternoon. After enjoying dinner and spending some time playing games with his 10yr old son, I decided it was time to hit the dusty trail. I had been keeping an eye on the coolant levels, but after the cap repair, it seemed all was well. That is until I decided to leave. We noticed a large puddle under the truck and sure enough, another leak had sprung. This time it was the line flowing from the reservoir to the radiator. The clip which holds it in place had stretched and was allowing a steady stream to poor from the innards of Seabiscuit. Grrrrrr !! I had already stayed longer than I should, but my Knight in Shining Chrome grabbed some supplies, climbed under the hood and made emergency repairs to get me safely home... Swoon !! You just have to love Zip Ties.

Upon arrival back at the ranch, I promptly wrote up that the sensor was still leaking....

Errr, um, I wrote up the real issues and was pleasantly surprised to find both repairs were made, 2 other repairs were acknowledged and there was even a promise of replacing some of the surface damages.

Maybe I should cut the mechanics some slack? Not in a minute.. I think the only reason the repairs were made is because I was able to pinpoint the exact problem and request the parts on my own.

Next week, I will tackle an air leak, seal leak, and the APU.

The Ending Of An Era

You may or may not be aware that in the past 3 years , I have been almost at my wits end with this series of Volvo trucks provided for us by the Company.

The first truck, Maggie, had an exhaust leak that I endured for nearly two years. It was never found, and was presumed to be a result of my sensitive snout. After becoming disoriented not once, but twice, I finally convinced the shop to issue me an alternate truck...

That is where Frankentruck entered the picture. I was ecstatic to claim him, but it did not take long to realize I had just swapped one problem for many more. The first being a suspension issue. The second being a mildew issue which caused me to be sick for nearly a year and a half. And amongst other smaller concerns, the third major issue was the discomfort my body was subjected to by the driver's seat. Numb legs were the first symptoms, but it quickly escalated to sever joint pain in both my knee and hips, plus a constant inflamed sciatic nerve. Needless to say, I have not been a happy camper for much of the past 3 years, but I have persevered.

Well, it is time to say goodbye to Ol Frankentruck. I just cant deal with him anymore. After driving 3 different trucks in one week and discovering that ONLY mine rode rough, only mine caused physical discomfort, only mine created instantaneous congestion...I decided to give him up. The mechanics AND the corporate monkeys are all fairly positive that all my problems are a figment of my imagination... I suppose I am only highly imaginative in my own truck, as the other two had none of the same problems.

...but I digress. This is not a post about the inadequacies and failures of my Stooges.

This is an Announcement Post !!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you....

SEABISCUIT

Looks just like Maggie or Frankentruck, doesn't he? I have named him based on the fact that he is a little truck with a big heart. He pulls fairly well, doesn't struggle too much and gallops in near perfect rhythm...Not too mention, his saddle is a good fit for me. But he is a little beat up !!

I really hate to drive a piece of equipment that has damages, but I think that physical comfort is more important, so I will embrace him for the little truck he is, scars and all !!

Full STEAM Ahead

I really want to blog.... I really, really do. In fact, my intentions were to get a few saved up posts published tonight for you to read. Pretty good stuff, actually.

But, after spending more than an hour and a half sitting in a back-up on 81 due to an accident, and then another hour or so on the shoulder of I-78....

Well, you get the idea. I am too pooped and with my first delivery scheduled tomorrow morning in the Bronx, I really need to de-stress and get some sleep

Oh, yeah, sitting on the shoulder of Interstate 78, you ask.

The truck I am driving this week has been written up for the past 5 weeks for a coolant leak. This is not my beloved Frankentruck. This is a spare. The write-ups were addressed by simply topping off the fluid. I drove this truck last week and also requested the repair. I was informed that the only thing wrong with this truck was the coolant sensor..

Oh yeah? Then why do I actually have to add coolant?

So, after about 600 miles into my trip, the sensor begins to indicate that my fluid levels are low. By 850 miles, the levels have dropped to critical and the engine shut down. I was able to coast to a stop on the shoulder where I let the old boy cool off as I searched for his malfunction. I checked clamps, fittings and hoses. Could not find the source of the leak as everything was wet, everything was stained, EVERYTHING !! I topped him off and proceeded to my destination, but the sensor was triggered again. This time I was able to get into a rest area and do a more thorough search.

Thanks to a quick phone call, it was suggested to me that perhaps the fill cap itself was stripped out because the moisture seemed to be coming from the top.... Ah ha!! So after donning a roll of electricians tape and wrapping the mouth of the reservoir, I was able to continue forward on my journey. I managed to use the tape just as a plumber would by insulating the threads of the cap... You would have thought that after 5 weeks, the mechanics would have figured that one out, but they insist that it must be coming from the overflow tube (where there are no signs of leakage). That is after trying to convince me that it is only a sensor problem.

This saved the day and hopefully my week, but I will be sure to let the Stooges know that the sensor is leaking again.... as if....LOL

You know, today was not so bad. Minor roadside repairs are and will always be a part of my job. But the level of frustration I feel when something like this happens is another story. This truck was written up for the leak five weeks in a row.. I should never have had to made the repair on the side of the Interstate !! But, then I would have not been able to make my deliveries either...

I am committed....or maybe I should be committed...

There Is Always A Silver Lining...

sometimes you just have to look a little harder to see it.

Last week, I set forth on another east coast short haul. The short haul is not exactly my favorite route because it will place me on I-95 long before I get into New Jersey. I despise the stretch between Richmond, Va and Delaware, so I avoid it at all costs. And I have good reason to feel no love for the section of asphalt. It is where all things bad will happen to me! Like, for example losing a drive shaft..Or having to camp out in a motel where "security" walked me to my room for safety. The traffic delays here are to be expected, but still leave me with feelings of anxiety... I just don't like it there!!

So the week begins with an early morning delivery to Richmond, Virginia. Next up is a quick trek through the woods to Orange. The ride from Orange will take me onwards to Elkridge, Md and I love a good two lane, so my morning is off to a wonderful start...

That is until about five minutes after I reemerge onto I-95. What is it about that stinking road? I find myself having to dodge and dart through traffic, making my way to the first of several delays in my very near future. While slowing to a crawl, I notice a noise coming from my truck. As it begins to escalate, I lower the window to pinpoint its proximity. My first impression was that of a grocery sack fluttering in the wind, perhaps clinging to some portion of my little white Volvo. But as the noise began to increase in intensity, I also noticed the rhythm was in sync with my rpms. Not a good sign.

Within minutes, Frankentruck was screaming in protest. WARNING!! Pull over now or suffer my wrath! I made a mad dash to the shoulder just before the air supply was extinguished and his trailer brakes locked up tight. I had just blown the metal duct work out of the front of the air compressor, and no matter how hard I tried, the bastard was not going to move. Not exactly the best spot to break down. And ironically, I was only 2.4 miles from where I lost the drive shaft a couple of years ago, but at least I was not sitting in the back-up AND traffic had obliged me rather well when I made my blinking amber request to exit the travel lanes (from the center of the roadway).

I called into maintenance, explained my dilemma and was assured that someone would be out to rescue me in no time (which could be hours). I was mildly surprised when after only 15 minutes, I received an automated call confirming that a mechanic had been dispatched and would arrive in approximately 75 minutes. This sounded like a dream come true, because the last time I was stranded only 2.4 miles further north, it was well over 4 hours before my knight in shining grease was able to whisk me off to safety. You can imagine my exhilaration when after only 13 minutes, my highway hero made his appearance.

In a short matter of time, he had me pieced back together in order for me to be able to press onward and drive into a shop. But after only 9 miles, I was sitting back on the shoulder, a little dismayed. But wonders never cease!! The mechanic had decided to follow me, just to be on the side of caution. So after he left me, he then made a U-turn and crept back up behind me in order to watch my progress. After the second set of warning bells, I was tickled pink to see him ready to assist again without another phone call. This time, it was decided that the repairs should be made on the spot and the calls began in search of necessary parts. No luck, however, as the only parts available were going to have to be shipped in overnight. With that knowledge in mind, it was then decided that we would have to resort to alternate measures.

There are 3 things that I believe every Truck Driver should carry.... Gorilla Tape, baling wire and industrial strength Zip Ties. With an ounce of ingenuity, good ol Frankentruck was able to finish his chores and made it back to the yard where new parts where awaiting his arrival.

The silver lining, you ask. Well, lets think about it.

I did not break down and block a two lane highway for 4 hours. (total amount of down time)

I did not have to wait 75 minutes for help.

I did not have to call in for a second repairman because the first mechanic thought twice about leaving me.

I did not have to sit overnight waiting on parts to be shipped in.

And even though I did manage to accumulate 4 hours of breakdown time, I was able to still make all my deliveries in a rapid fashion, beating the original schedule that had been laid out before me.

There it is..that silver lining. And who knows, maybe it has something to do with all that shiny metal I drag around with me, creating my own silver lining everywhere I go.

As, an added bonus, I was dispatched on another run that week ( in a spare truck) and was able to officially make the acquaintance of 2 fellas I have befriended on the Interwebs. Brian and Geoff. Both men seem to share my passion and drive for being in this industry and I consider myself lucky to have met them both firsthand.

He's Alive

You have no idea the relief I felt when I pulled into the yard on Sunday and saw Frankentruck sitting in his designated parking spot. The sheer joy, I felt to open the doors and see all of my creature comforts...er, um piled high on the bunk. The passionate abandon I experienced , when I pulled the hood to see his shiny new heart! (even if the motor was the wrong color).

Everything I had been through the first few weeks of the year suddenly melted away into oblivion. Albeit an ephemeral oblivion!

As I started to reacquaint myself with the interior, and load my weekly requisition of staples, I was quickly forced into battling a surge of negative emotion. Poor Frankentruck was trashed! When I left him, I made sure everything was tucked away, so it would not hinder the task at hand. But who knew certified mechanics would need to root around in the sleeper just to replace an engine. It was bad enough that when I first attained Franky, the previous driver had already done enough damage to the interior, to make sure it never really ever felt clean enough. What I mean by that is, even though I could obtain the look of cleanliness, the scarring and tearing of the paneling and cabinets would never be up to my standards. I like my truck to continue to look new for as long as I am in it. All the screw holes and ripped upholstery would prevent that from happening. But still I claimed him and mustered through as best I could.

Grease!!

The filth left behind from the mechanics had me in a blinding rage. Even the rugs I had folded and placed out of the way, were covered in grease. But I decided to try and ignore it. I did not have time to do another thorough cleansing, so I covered the muck and proceeded to test out his capabilities. I did have to wipe down the steering wheel and shifter and cover the seat in a towel, but the flooring and side panels would have to wait.

As soon as I put him in gear, I knew ! I knew that everything was going to be okay. I hit the Interstate and he churned away in a dignified fashion, making each hill seem less of challenge than it had ever been before. And I could hear myself think, for once.

Could I be dreaming? Is this real?

Frankentruck survived his surgery and has come back to life as the Monster Of The Highways, and even with all the deep cleaning he will endure in the next few days, his performance is nothing less than stellar.

For those of you not familiar with how he got his moniker, Frankentruck is named for the fasteners mounted on his shoulders, as well as the internal upholstery scarring.To me, he resembles Frankenstein's Monster!!

HE'S ALIVE!!!!

The Last Straw

My last post was written in Mt Jackson, Virginia. I had decided to wait on AA, who was only a few hours behind me. I figured as long as we were running together, I might not be so volatile in regards to the behavior of my truck. I was more than willing to wait, even though it would require a 12 hour break. If you know me at all, you should be well aware that I do not linger..The second I am able to roll, I am gone. So this should reveal how distraught I was.

We proceeded south first thing Wednesday morning. Surprisingly, even though the noise was still unbearable, the performance was up to par. I still maintain that I was having injector cup problems but they seem to have reseated themselves after the engine cooled off. Such as the first telltale signs of cups going bad. We made it 200 miles before parting ways. During this time, AA complained that his truck was not running efficiently. My spare was racing down the interstate like hell on wheels. But as soon as we parted company, the truck I was driving decided enough was enough. I immediately began to have performance problems again. I later joked with AA that his truck was having sympathy pains for me.

The next 400 miles had me dropping gears like crazy, pulling my empty wagon over the crest of tiny mounds, that normally offer no resistance even with the heaviest of loads. I could barely do the speed limit of the flat stretches.

I finally made it back to the plant and was feeling so dismal, that I just about lost it when I did the final write-up before turning the truck back into maintenance. It was after hours, so I had no one to yell at.

First I noticed that the previous driver had not been turning in any of his write-ups. How are the mechanics supposed to fix anything if they don't know it is broken?

Next, I noticed the previous driver's write-ups were marked NO DEFECTS. How can this be, if even the Stooges knew to tell me that the truck had problems.

The previous driver was The Mayor....This is the second time I have followed him into a truck. This is the second time his write-ups were not turned in to maintenance. This is the second time his write-ups were bull-shit and left me driving faulty equipment.

So I wrote up everything I could remember ( I did forget to mention the inverter did not work, but I am sure someone else will figure that out, maybe even the effing Mayor..) And before saying my farewells, I had a little fun !!

This picture was suppose to show the carelessness of previous drivers, with the broken pieces, but it you look closer, you will notice I did a little 10 wheel mudding to alleviate my rage.

On Friday, I received the news that Frankentruck is back in action, with a shiny new motor donated by Volvo. I am going to test this motor, and I am pretty sure any small glitches I stumble upon will be more readily acceptable than to continue to endure what I have already become accustomed to . Thank God this is over!!

Enclosed you will find a short clip I produced to show you just how miserable this week has been. WARNING...when you get to the portion that says OUTSIDE THE TRUCK, you may want to turn your volume down. I did not alter these noises at all. This is what I dealt with all week. The last segment of the video is so you can hear how terribly the engine was performing. ENJOY!!

With those noises and performance, the traffic issues I encountered seemed somewhat trivial...Well, except for the embarrassment factor.

PA Toll Booth I-78 (3 mile back-up)

Bruckner Expressway, Bronx, New York @ 1pm

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Tuesday 1-12-10

I was finally able to get some decent sleep last night, having decided to just go with the flow. I get ready to make my next delivery and the truck starts just fine. I don't know about you, but when something is wrong with my truck, I am almost embarrassed to drive it. Thankfully, I eased out of the parking lot without making a single screech. As soon as I entered the roadway, it started.

I get to Southington, Connecticut and enter the first of 2 indoor deliveries for the day. Once again, the truck remains quiet throughout the whole process. Back to the big road and all hell breaks loose.

The aforementioned injector/cup troubles have reignited. At least I am able to make all my deliveries, and will be heading southbound. This is not MY truck, so if I end up having to get repairs made on the road, I will not be a happy camper. I don't mind waiting, if I reap the rewards. But babysitting a spare truck is not my idea of a good time.

So, I have discovered that as long as I am creeping along, the truck remains somewhat quiet. But in order for this beast to pull, I have to keep the RPMs almost maxed out. Conflicting interests..........And for the record, the truck feels like the whole motor is coming apart, but the Stooges knew that before they put me in it..I will drive until it quits...At this point I am not concerned with creating more damage. Bastards knew better than to do this to me.

So, as the day progresses, I am slowly losing my cool. Along with all the noises, I now have to endure these surges. The best way I can explain it is 1) It feels as if a 3 stage jake engages every 15-20 seconds, but only for a moment 2) remember when you were a kid, and just as you were about to run after something, your older brother snatched your shirttail and halted you in your tracks, repeatedly!!

I spoke with the boss and asked if Frankentruck would be joining me next week... The verdict is still out. They are hoping to have him finished on Friday. If that is not the case, I might just take next week off. I have endured enough tension over the previous 4 loads with faulty equipment, that I am almost willing to park this one deep in ravine. I joked with a friend earlier that this truck is making me feel suicidal/homicidal. Not sure which one, but I have definitely had my fill.

I am currently about 10 hours away from the plant, and the good news is.....

OH, the good news is that even though I have not been into New England since November of last year, I still received 3 Christmas presents this week.. Awwww, they missed me!!

Round Two

The first week of 2010 did not treat me to kindly.

The second week does not seem to fare any better.

I had been informed at the end of the week, that I would be taking another spare truck this week. I assumed this was due to the fact that the Regen repairs could not be made in time, at least that is what they told. But with the way this week is turning out, it almost feels like a revenge tactic. You know, to get me to shut up about how crappy our trucks are.

The last words spoken in the ominous message were "You SHOULD be able to make it". BOY, that instills confidence!

Well, there is a very annoying screech that has been piercing my brain ever since I put this beast into gear..I have searched for the cause with no success. I have checked belts, pulleys and hoses. Almost sounds like a bearing, but not quite. It sounds like the intake is sucking air. It sounds like the Turbo is not working.It sounds like if I had to deal with this constantly, I would lose my mind.

Oh wait, I do! The good news is that the noise disappears entirely when I turn off the truck.

It actually increases in volume with the rpms, it also increases in volume with the engine brake engaged, it also increases in volume if you press on the throttle, the brake, or even if you are just idling. When does it not increase in volume?...when it is turned off.

I was not too overly concerned about it though. Worse case scenario is that I would end up in a hotel room. Well, that is not quite true. I never want to be deterred, but I try to handle it with a sufficient amount of grace.

I had made all of Mondays deliveries and was heading for Hartford, Connecticut when the motor started grumbling. The previously mentioned screeching was not affecting performance, but the sudden loss of power and angry mechanical stuttering I felt in New Rochelle was cause for alarm...Hmmm, crap!! I think I just lost an injector/cup or 3...

I made it to the Milford Pilot and after several successful attempts to engage the engine, I alerted my boss to the fact that while the truck is running, it will possibly not make it all the way back to Atlanta. I am concerned because two of my remaining deliveries are inside a building. Should the truck fail to start, I will be blocking the entire receiving lane and one of these lanes is literally a 10' wide aisle in a warehouse. The only aisle that is used for all motor and pedestrian traffic.Not exactly the predicament I want to be in.

Oh, in other good news...The inverter does not work in this truck. Very thankful I brought a few books to read, because waiting 15 hours to unload could get boring without the TV, computer, or phone to play with. Yeah, I cannot charge my phone either....

A Year of New Beginnings ??

As is with every year, there is a part of us that reflects where we have been and where we would like to be. A time to readjust attitudes and motivations...

I think my attitude is just fine and considering everything I have been through this week, I think you will agree. At least I hope so. Or maybe, with everything I tend to encounter, I am no longer thinking clearly and lunacy is fast approaching...But, I did find myself laughing through most of my pitfalls, because crying only makes the mascara run....

It all started about 30 minutes before I arrived at the plant on Sunday night. The Mayor called to inform me that I would not be driving Frankentruck this week, because Volvo had not even started on him (after 2 weeks). That little piece of news would have been greatly appreciated, had I known before I left the house. It is too far to return home to renegotiate my supply list for the week, so I was faced with running my route without bedding, a coat, work gloves, work boots,tools, microwave and cooler. Essentially, I would be deprived of all creature comforts and work essentials. At least they left me a cheater bar so I could unstrap my load. After the initial angst, I made a purchase of Truck Stop bedding at an exorbitant cost, but I should get reimbursed for that. What is even worse is that the Mayor called several more times, (I believe to gloat over my angst) and informed me that he knew of these circumstances for at least 5 days. I was enraged that NO ONE informed me, not the boss, not the shop, not even the Mayor until after the fact.

Monday morning, after a 2.5 hour wait to unload (this rarely ever happens) I set out through the mountains of north Georgia, when the truck suddenly loses power. Oh Great!! I knew exactly what was happening and within minutes, I noticed the telltale smoke which indicated my regeneration filter was clogged and needed cleaning. This is a simple mechanical task, and can be completed in 2 hours by the mechanics. The frustrating part is that when I had done my inspection, I noticed the truck had been written up for this problem 5 times in the past 2 months. I assumed it had been taken care of, but alas, I assumed incorrectly.

Having just dealt with this situation in Frankentruck when I was in Minnesota, I was not going to allow it to continue in another truck. Because when I say smoke...what I mean is enough exhaust fumes to kill every insect in a ten mile radius and reduce visibility to 10% for those traveling behind me. I called the Stooges and asked for another spare. I was told I would have to drive this one, and I lost it....With temper at full throttle, I blurted into the phone, " This is a piece of crap, and why have you not fixed it. It has been wrote up 5 times for this shit!!" Moe stated that he did not care what the inspection book had written in it. He had placed a temp driver in the truck for the past 3 weeks and they said nothing was wrong with it.. ??

That is when I aborted the call. Nothing else said, I just hung up on him and started laughing to myself..The inspection book indicated that the Mayor had driven the truck the previous week, so Moe's statement was bull. But in dissecting what he said.... A Temp driver said that there was nothing wrong with it....I would like to point out that the majority of all temp drivers do not even do inspections, and could care less about the state of someone else's equipment. But to take the word of a disposable temporary employee over my 12 year experienced ass, was like a slap in the face. Therefore...I simply hung up..and LAUGHED.

The fumigation process finally ended as I got back to the interstate, so I trudged along to my next customer. At this point, I should have 1800 miles before the environmentally friendly Volvo exhaust regeneration system commits genocide on all flying life forms again.

I arrived at my next customer and was forced to wait an additional hour at this facility. At the third stop, another lengthy delay. I still had over 7 hours to drive to my Ohio delivery, and I was just not in the mood for it. I only made it to the Kentucky State line before calling it a day. But the stress of the past 24 hours was kicking me in the arse, and while I noticed no visible symptoms, I struggled to get any sleep that night...and failed miserably at that.

Tuesday morning, I head into a wintry mix with minor delays in traffic due to road conditions. I finally made Columbus around lunchtime (Yeah, only minor delays..lol). I was then informed that my customer would not be taking any deliveries due to their annual inventory process. More laughing to be heard coming from me.... But as I was preparing to leave the premises, a man flagged me down and said he would go ahead and offload. This is the first instance when the work gloves would have been very handy, because there nothing worse in cold weather, than wet fingertips...I do have to use those slushy covered straps, you know!! But my work gloves are locked up tight in Atlanta...

Because of my late arrival, the next two customers will have to wait another day, so I go about my business and stop early just south of Sturgis, Michigan.

The next morning, I peek out of my sleeper around 4am and notice a fine sheen of ice glazing everything in sight, so I turn over, curl up and sleep for a few more hours. Thinking the sun might help a little, I discovered the sun does not rise until 8am in Sturgis, Michigan. I could not delay any longer and after unloading, I head towards the Indiana Toll Road and my final customer of the week.

But it couldn't be that easy, now could it. I made the turn approaching the only toll lane that was open and noticed that traffic was not proceeding through it. After a few minutes, thinking someone did not have correct change, I asked if there was a problem...Seems the truck at the booth was broke down....more giggling.....We waited for 45 minutes before someone decided to open another lane and let us proceed. By this point, I am regretting my excessive slumber because I am now aware that the Arctic Blast is making its final descent, and me with no coat. The highest temperature I had seen all week was 24 degrees, and the arctic chill had not even arrived yet.

I arrive at my final point of delivery and endure yet another extended delay, this time due to the snow covered ground. In order to get unloaded, I had to wait for the trailers inside to be loaded and pulled out of the way. I was finally heading southbound around lunchtime on Wednesday. A very long week considering I only had 6 customers on the trailer to begin with.

But this story is not over. On Thursday morning, I write up this truck after having endured another barrage of "Did you blow your Turbo, driver?" on the trip home. I walked in and handed the slip to the closest Stooge, and without a word, I slipped out of doors and headed for the front office. While finishing up paperwork, Moe calls in and says I should be aware that I would still not be in Frankentruck for another week. I politely asked the assistant Boss to remind Moe to repair the regen on the spare truck.

I make it home with only minor deterrents (that will be another post in itself) only to receive a phone call from the Stooges. I was informed that I would be driving an alternate spare because they had purchased the wrong parts for the one I had been driving. I call bullshit. I think they just did not feel like doing the repair, so they gave me another temporary fix. BUT....the call (which was actually a voice message) also informed me that the new alternate spare had problems that they were very aware of and I should not write them up, but that I should be able to make it to New England and back....So basically, I am driving a broken truck to replace the broken truck I drove last week, while my Frankentruck remains broken. Ahhhh, you just gotta love it.

Three trucks in the first 3 weeks of 2010....That makes 37 !! 37 times that I have jumped ship since the new fleet arrived only 28 months ago. Nope, doesnt look like anything is changing this year...LOL

To Err is Human...The Finale !!

The phone call was from my Office. They needed to inquire about a few particulars concerning my load.

Hmmmmm??

Yes, Winona was on the way, saving at least 100 miles. Yes Winona was actually loaded next and not underneath the Minneapolis. No, no one reloaded any of my freight, except the pallets back in Tennessee. Yes, they agreed to wait on me.

It seems the Aluminum Company got a nasty little email from Minneapolis concerning my delivery. Of course, I feel that their complaints were legitimate, and I did do everything I could to help out with the situation. I run into this problem all of the time in New England, but because I know the customer's needs, I am able to accommodate them before arriving with an undeliverable load. I did not know this customer, so I did not know I needed to make alternate arrangements with the freight.

What ensued over the next few hours was a battle of laying blame. The load planner claimed it was my fault for changing routes mid-stream and That I was obviously having my freight moved around . She knows I do this in New England, but there was no need for it on this trip. It just wasn't loaded properly. My boss waged war for me, and in the end it was revealed that I was not to blame at all. Really?

Don't you just love the fact that almost everyone seems to throw the driver under the bus, when a mistake occurs. Luckily, I have a wonderful boss who will fight tooth and nail for his team of drivers.

The best part of this little battle...The original email from Minneapolis included a paragraph about me. It stated that I was doing my best to help them out. That I had physically helped them unload over 4000k of metal. That I was a great asset to my company. The final sentence advised my company to extend gratitude to me, the Driver....You know, the one the load planner was trying to blame.. LOL

I made it home early on Friday and was scheduled to be off for the next 2 weeks. But, I just had to volunteer to work the week of Christmas....Seems, I am a glutton for punishment.

Good news, however! When I finish my run this week, I am to send my truck to Volvo to have the new engine installed....YAY This could not come at a better time, because even though my problems were temporarily at bay with the regen situation in Wisconsin. They almost immediately returned when I got empty in Missouri. Only 1200 more miles and Frankentruck goes under the knife.. Let's hope he lives through it.

To Err is Human....Almost Done

I awoke at the crack of dawn and began my trek into St Louis. I could have chosen a shorter route, but my need for fuel had me sticking to the interstates.

Upon my final descent into St Louis, I witnessed an accident. Some people are just in too big of a hurry.

Riding south on I-55, the radio was full of chatter pertaining to a trailer tire w/rim laying in the southbound granny lane. Getting close to the obstruction, I moved left and watched as fourwheelers opted for flying around the right side in order to pass my slow moving obstruction. I then slowed even more, because I could tell they had no idea what was laying in the road in front of them, the distance was too great to discern it at this point. So, I slowed even further to allow them room to make a hasty left merge once they noticed it.

The two cars noticed it at almost the last second, literally jerking the steering wheel to avoid catastrophe. The Escalade, who became agitated when I slowed him down, decided to come around on my right also. He obviously had not noticed the actions of the other fourwheelers, because he had been behind me. I guess, my brake lights and four way flashers just angered him even more. So he darted to my right. I kept waiting for him to notice the wheel... and waited and waited......Oh crap, he never noticed it and centered it perfectly, lifting his entire vehicle at least a foot into the air before the sudden stop with a very large trailer tire wedged under his motor.

The truck behind him was a daycab, and also had not noticed the impending calamity, so he had to make a quick dive into onto the shoulder to keep from impacting the Escalade. The driver was not immediately injured, but I think he will be very sore for awhile. What is even worse, this tire did not fall off of a poorly maintained axle, it was actually strapped to the nose of a flatbed trailer and bounced out under the straps. That truck was sitting on the shoulder of the road with the driver on the phone while all of this happened. Seems he had been parked long enough to have removed the obstacle from the interstate, but he needed to make a few phone calls first..We had reports of the tire for 10 miles before we got to it... Hmm, can you saw LAWSUIT!!

So, after all that excitement had passed, can you guess my next delay...

I headed east on I-70, instead of the west bound 270, I was aiming for. Just a little distracted, folks, nothing to worry about. I have a great sense of direction...LOL

Well, I got my final 2 stops off on Thursday, and just as I started to breath a sigh of relief, the phone rang...