Dragging Ass

It was bound to happen...

Saturday evening I was delivering the last of my cars in Chattanooga. Everything just seemed to fall into place for me that day, and I do mean everything. I left the dealership and headed south on I-75. After a few miles, a car flashed his lights at me, but then quickly changed lanes behind me and exited the freeway. Not thinking much about it because a lot of motorists flash their lights for different reasons, I continued onward. Being empty, I was able to climb the hills pretty quickly and was passing the slower heavy trucks with ease. About 5 miles later, another car eases up my left side flashing his high beams. He catches up to me and is blowing the horn too. He then merges into the lane in front of me and engages the four way flashers as he begins to slow. Of course, by now, I realize something is amiss. He slows me to about 40mph and we ease off onto the shoulder. There was a guard rail immediately to my right and with very little room for comfort, I was hoping he would pull forward to the end of the guardrail. He didn't. He jumps out of his car and runs back to my truck. He is an older Korean man who does not speak a word of English, but his gestures were frantic. He is standing in the right lane ( due to the guard rail, I am sitting on the white line) trying to communicate with me when I noticed the truck blazing a trail directly at him. I throw open the door and grab him by the shirt and pull him to the truck just as the truck roars by within inches of us...

This absolutely pissed me off beyond all means of reason. There were no other vehicles to the left of this truck. I had my four ways on, so I was not invisible. That idiot should have at least made an attempt to give my truck some room. There was no reason for him to be that close. There was no other vehicles anywhere near him at all. He could have easily moved left!!! And to add fuel to the fire, the CB comes to life with "fuck, there are people standing in the road" I am sure the flashing car-hauler on the shoulder gave no indication that there might be human life form close by. I would never have taken that chance, standing in the road like that, but the man was doing a good deed and getting squished was probably not even on his mind. The look on his face when I grabbed him...

Oh sure, it was nice for someone to finally speak up and alert the crowd, but where was all the chatter for the last 15 miles when I was dragging my ramp down the highway throwing sparks, I am sure.

Why did it take 2 motorists in cars to alert me to the fact that I was dragging a ramp. I passed over a dozen trucks and not a single word. It was not until after the fact, that someone mentioned the car-hauler who was throwing sparks. By this time, I had been parked for a minute or two, so obviously that comment came from someone I had previously passed.

I am very grateful that this gentlemen took it upon himself to get my attention. He had no idea who he was getting involved with. But it almost cost him his life. I am not sure how I would have reacted, had he been killed and thankfully I don't have to deal with that nightmare. But, I am just about fed up with the new school of truckers. In my opinion, the industry is full of £&@¥^#€ morons!!!! Don't get me wrong, there are some great people in trucks, but they are fewer and further between.

Going Off The Deep End

Bah!!!!!! ARrrrrghhhh!! Eeeekkkkk!!!

You know, it is not often that I lose my cool. Nothing really ever seems to get to me, that I can't dismiss in a matter of minutes. I don't typically blow up at people unless it has been a very long time coming. My outbursts are kept to the confines of my truck while driving through South Carolina and usually result in my laughing hysterically at myself.. Because I am just not convincing in my anger, rage or hostility. I am comedian, not a fighter!

BUT.... Sunday solicited an extreme situation that had my blood boiling in a matter of seconds. I felt the flush in my cheeks and the hint of a tearful rage brewing just beneath the surface. Yes, I CRY when I am truly "angry".

I was walking around my truck checking over the situation when I noticed shiny new bolts attached to the area near my frame.. Awwww, they fixed something. The mechanics actually fixed something... YAY!!! It took about 10 seconds to realize that the shiny new bolts were attached to new black plastic mudflap hangers on my tractor...

That is when I lost it. I know, mudflap hangers? Really Terry? You came unglued over truck parts?

Yes, YES I DID !! and here is the reason why...

I am the only driver at the plant who takes the time to polish the tanks and keep a shiny truck. I was thrilled when I got the aluminum hangers which were issued from one of our shops. We are not allowed to customize out trucks, so the additional look of "chrome" absolutely made my day. I have worked hard and long hours rubbing the aluminum to get a nice result. I am the only driver that takes pride in my ride. Everything that I had done comes out of my pocket and it is not about money or time, it is about having pride in what you do. I claim NYC to be my baby. I take delight in being very good at my job! I am a freaking female flatbedder damn it and I run NYC like it was a small town out in the sticks. I embrace my inner "jersey" girl. I run like a local with a my East Coast Attitude and all I wanted was for my truck to represent who I am ....Countless hours polishing. I was just in the shop 2 weeks ago, all day polishing my truck in front of the mechanics because I wanted to get it done and I couldn't wait. Winter is over, bring on the shine!! They knew how much it meant to me.. They KNEW HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO ME !!

I literally stewed on it all day Sunday. I was anxious to talk to the shop foreman to get an answer... THEY KNEW HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO ME.

Monday morning, 6:58 AM. I am on the phone..

" Where are my mudflap hangers?" and in his best ( I am a dumbass voice) the shop supervisor responds, "Now that is a good question!"

Seriously dude... where the hell are my mudflap hangers ??

I was distinctly told that while servicing the APU they had to literally CUT the hangers in half to get them off of my truck... While servicing an APU that I refuse to use because it makes my lungs burn, gives me headaches and dries out my eyes. Don't think the damn thing has been serviced in over a year! I don't use the freaking APU.. I do polish my aluminum!! After his asinine explanation, I politely thanked him for answering my question and hung up on him. It would have done me no good to curse at him because the hangers were already destroyed. I did not write up the APU for service... Why is it I cannot get the things I needed repaired, but I am always unpleasantly surprised by some other form of bullshit..

Yes, I am angry over silly little mudflap hangers.... My truck stood out! My pride showed though. Now all I want to do is find a big mud hole to drive through and hang out in the middle lane with all the other non descript company trucks.... BLECH !!

But wait, there is more. I shall leave you with a touch of humor to make up for my hostility. While unloading at my first stop, the lift driver comes up to me and asks if I had a blowout on my drives. "No, why would you ask that?"

Because you have new mudflap hangers..

ARRRGHHHHHHHH !!

Accusations

On Monday, I had the privilege of being accused of hitting a fourwheeler. I know I didn't do it, beyond a shadow of a doubt!! But the lady was determined to lay blame.

I was backing into a customer's driveway (it is a deadend with no room to turn around) and with the excessive snowbanks encroaching on the parking spots, the cars were staggered out into the driveway. There is typically enough room for 2 trucks side by side, so with the limited space there was still plenty of room for a single truck. The driveway is at least 500 ft long, and once I was planted in the middle of it, no one was going to get around me. There are also 5 businesses in this particular building, with my customer being to the rear. I had waited for several cars to come out before backing in, but once I was in the driveway, I noticed a lady dart out of one of the doors and fly to her car. She proceeded to back out of her spot and pull up behind me. Sorry Chicky, the only way you are getting around me is to pull back into your spot and let me by.

She pulls back into her spot and I creep by in reverse. I noticed her get out of the car and stand by her rear fender. Can't say I blame her for that because if I had a truck within 12" on my car, I would be out watching too.

I can see my fender in my spot mirror. I can see my steps in the little handy dandy "lot lizard" mirror that hangs over the passenger door. I can see at least a foot of pavement between me and the cars. Yes, it was tight! I need to get my trailer over just a little more to the left and did not want to risk getting any closer to the cars, so I pulled forward to give myself a little more room on the right side. Back in reverse, she is still by her fender. I just had made it passed her car and into the fenced area when she comes flying around to my window screaming " You just hit me!!"

My internal reaction was, this lady is crazy! My verbal reaction.. " Really, you would stand between me and your car and let me hit you?"

No, she thinks I hit her car... I didn't. I would have hit HER first. She is irate and screaming at me, so I told her to calm down, as I set forth to inspect the damages. She is continuing to fly off the handle cussing and berating me in typical Jersey Girl fashion. I tried to calm her down by telling her that the situation would be resolved and our insurance would take care of it, IF I was proven guilty, but we would need proper documentation. So the police were called out and while we waited, I grabbed the camera to document damages and vehicle positioning. I also grabbed a tape measure to determine just exactly what part of my truck could have possibly been responsible for the damages. I never found anything that was at the correct height to have scratched the car. The steps were 4 inches too low. The corners of the APU were even further away from the appropriate height. There is nothing else that pokes out and there were no indications on my truck whatsoever that I had made contact with her car. The more I documented, the more upset she became.

The customer I was delivering to, viewed the footage on the camera mounted outside and could not determine that I had hit her. All the employees came out to look and agreed that there was no way I had done this.

After an hour and a half wait, the police finally showed up to take the report. The "victim" then starts screaming at them for taking too long to arrive. I remained calm throughout the whole ordeal, because I was certain of my innocence. I let her have her say and waited to be questioned. First thing I noticed from the officers, were the smirks emblazoned on their faces. They were also trying to calm the lady down, but mentioned to her that there was no way that I had done this. The positioning of the car was all wrong. The only way I could have hit her car in the center of the bumper, parked at that angle, would have been while pulling forward, and the damages would have been a lot worse had I done this in reverse. I would have destroyed the bumper and parts of the fender. She had told them I did it while backing up. She also made a few more mistakes.. She told them she was sitting in the car and heard me hit her. Then she revised her statement and told them she was standing by the car and saw me hit her... Finally, she said she felt me hit her while sitting in the car. Which is it, Lady?

The officers returned to the car while she continued to shoot a few "go to hell" looks in my direction. After filing there report, they returned to give her a copy and as she left, she almost backed into the police car...

Then the officer approached me and handed me a green slip of paper. His instructions were as follows...

" What I suggest you do is get back in your truck and throw this piece of paper away. I did not file an accident report. There was no way you were responsible. Your name and company are not listed on any documentation. The only reason I am handing you this paper is to keep her calm."

He told me that he filed a damage report for her, but the cause of the damage was unknown.. He said he would not in good conscience lay blame at my feet for something he could not visualize having ever happened.

See, the Smokey Bears are not all bad... Thanks again, Suffolk County!!

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 !!

SURPRISE

I have seen a lot during the course of my driving career. But just when you think you have seen it all, someone will surprise you.

Yesterday it was a fella in a Jeep. He seemed impatient to get through the hordes of slower traffic. He came around me and was blocked by 7 vehicles spread out in 2 lanes. Rather than flash his lights, blow his horn, or tailgate...he did not even hesitate as he straddled both lanes and passed all 7 vehicles while riding down the zipper.

I have seen this done with motorcycles, but never in a car. White knuckle moment for sure because I just knew he was gonna hit one of them, but he never flinched. Of course, all the other cars slowed down, putting me even further behind...lol

Ugh, My urge to head west is getting stronger !!

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My Favorite Loads...

I have been doing a little computer clean up recently and stumbled upon these pictures. I got a great big laugh out of all the creative ways that my load has been arranged. I know in the past that several of you think I should be able to get better load structure, but that is just not possible. I am out on the road delivering when the next trailer is being loaded, so the only thing that is in my control is how tightly the load is secured. Sometimes, there is just no hope! Since I have been working here for nearly a decade, I am accustomed to the misadventures and they rarely get me down, but sometimes they do absolutely blow my mind.

Therefore I present to you....

My Favorite Loads

It is not as bad as it looks...Okay, may be it is. But it is all part of the job and with some blood sweat and tears, I am usually able to get all material unloaded safely. For more load entertainment be sure to watch my video... Its All Down Hill

B!tching and Complaining

Recently I have been going through some major changes and adjustments at work. Both the Boss and the Assistant, had both recently turned in their resignations. Lucky for me, the Assistant was convinced to stay, with a healthy pay raise and a snazzy new title. Lucky, I say, because she is the one person that every driver can count on at all times to know what is going on and to treat each driver equally. Corporate then decided to bring in a few more Chiefs to run the show. So now there is one fellow doing something....(I am not sure what), and another who had taken the Boss' position, while a third has been hired to seek out back hauls for every out going trailer. Yikes!!

The back haul situation is one that has been attempted in the past. It didn't last long because the Aluminum Company put an end to it when the trailers were not returned in a timely manner. This caused major delays in reloading and even shut the docks completely down a few times. So, I am anxious to see how long it will last this time. I know, most other truck drivers have to sit and wait on reloads, but that has never been the case with this dedicated account. I am concerned that the trucking company's greed will get the best of them. Aluminum should always remain the number one priority! Not to mention that I get paid peanuts for any additional work I do outside of my metal loads. Two weeks ago, my back haul took a total of 6 hours out of my work day, loading and unloading. It forced me to work 12 continuous days with very little time out of the truck, because my day off was spent playing with "additional" freight. And it only profited me and additional $37.50 to haul it. I do realize that I am at the mercy of the folks who sign my paycheck, but I am not too enthusiastic about working 6-7 days a week, for mere pennies more than I would make in 4-5 days.

Another issue that developed during the first week of seeking additional freight, was a crazy notion our new "Load Man" got lodged in his noggin. He wanted me to pick up a load in Indiana on Friday. A load that was not going to the Aluminum Company. A load that would then leave me stranded at a truck stop over the weekend, waiting to deliver on Monday. A load that would also knock me off of the following weeks dispatch for extrusions. A load that would tie up a trailer that would be needed to load the extrusions that I was not going to be around to haul. A load that would reduce the following weeks paycheck because I would be too busy sitting around a truck stop waiting for Monday to deliver outside freight and would not be able to return in time to haul my extrusion load because there would be no trailer to load it on and no driver to deliver it because I would be sitting my lazy ass at a truck stop all weekend WAITING. I asked the "Load Man" who was going to deliver this Indiana load, and pointed out all the pitfalls involved. He called me an hour later and said the load was cancelled, but I have a sneaky suspicion that someone told him that he could not follow through on those crazy notions of his.

As for the new Boss. I have not met him yet. But already he has ruffled my feathers indirectly. The first feather fluffing incident involved a small note that was placed with our load manifest his first week on the job. It simply stated that all drivers were required to fill out DAILY INSPECTIONS on our vehicles. Well, duh!! Not something to get upset over except that we do this already. If he cannot find them, maybe he should look in the Shop Foreman's trash can, where they are filed daily. Once again, the blame is laid at the feet of the driver, with no research or questions asked!! This, my friends, perturbs me to no end because of all the unnecessary complications I have faced while dealing the Shop Foreman, or Moe, as I like to refer to him...Head Stooge!!

The second issue I cannot wait to address with the New Boss, is load safety. This week, we all received pretty bright yellow stickers all over our trip packs requesting that drivers check their loads often, tighten straps and drive safely. I know, I know....it is just a sticker. But this sticker seems to indicate that the recent misfortunes with certain loads are due to driver negligence. Seriously, a sticker.....Why not teach the loaders how to place metal safely on a trailer to be hauled thousands of miles...That would be too complicated, now wouldn't it. I mean, after all, a sticker is the easy way out, except a sticker does not get my trailer loaded safely. I can tighten straps all day long, but if the metal does not have a good foundation, the load is going to collapse anyways. An experienced driver can work around these complications, but a new driver might not know what to do in a bad situation. Hey, lets give him a sticker and that will make it all better!! Lets just go ahead and blame it on the driver now and get it over with.

Third week in a row my load has collapsed!

No items were placed in the center to support the outer bundles!!

In reality, I am not complaining about the sticker, I am grumbling about the 3 punches that the Boss has already thrown at us, and I don't even have my boxing gloves on yet!

The third mussing of said feathers, came when it was brought to my attention that the temporary drivers were being dispatched first, because they had other things to do that week. Um, seriously, what have we spent years doing, building up our seniority if only to have the loads given to temporary drivers. And when asked why this happened, it was rumored that the Boss stated that in no uncertain terms that the permanent drivers would take what they were given or else they could seek other employment...WOW!! Now that definitely tends to ruffle the feathers, especially now that I have relocated back to Georgia, to eliminate my weekly commute.

I have no intention of abusing any of the new commanders, and the 2 that I have met are dealing with my personality very well. For example, when the Load Man called last week, I muttered into his ear, " Do you think it would be very rude of me to say What the heck do YOU want?" He laughed at me, because he has been told I am the company clown. I am anxious to meet the new Boss, and will do so at the conclusion of this load. Wish me luck!! I think I will leave my boxing gloves in the truck, at least for the first round.

If A Tree Falls In The Forest...

...and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?

I will not be able to answer that question for you today. However, I do know first hand that if a tree falls in the forest it might not make a sound even if you are right next to it.

That is exactly what happened to me only FIVE HOURS after I got back in Frankentruck. Sweet little Frankentruck, who was doing his best to not disappoint me.

I was minding my own business, heading north on Interstate 95 through South Carolina. It was late evening, so the sun had already vanished from the sky. The rural areas of South Carolina are densely populated with pine trees, therefore the night sky is even darker. I could clearly see the tail lights of the Big Rig less than a quarter of a mile in front of me. There was absolutely no indication of any obstacles blocking the Interstate as the lead truck had not so much as tapped his brakes.

In a split second, there is a horrific noise as my windshield is filled with pine branches. It all happened in less than 2 seconds. Thankfully, I am not one of those who panics, and I was able to stay the course. There was a car just about to pass me and he was able to clear the obstruction because my initial reaction was NOT to swerve. In fact, he never even tapped his brakes until after I collided with the evergreen.

I quickly made my way to the shoulder of the road to assess my damage, but not before grabbing the CB microphone to alert other truckers of the debris. Too late! Two other trucks ran through the remnants, but lucky for them, I had obliterated the mass of potential lane blockage. After a quick summation of the destruction, I eased further down the road into a rest area. It was there I stumbled upon the preambulatory driver. He asked what happened? I asked why he did not mention the *#@$#!% tree that was blocking the road. He knew nothing of its existence, and I did (and do) believe him. His previous actions did not indicate that anything was even remotely near the asphalt. We determined that the tree must have been falling at the moment I was passing through, because I did not run over it. Had I done that, I would have flat tires, busted wheels, defective brakes and missing airlines.

The severe damage was limited to the right front end of my hood. It also managed to knock both the spot mirror and passenger side mirrors loose. I had pine straw wedged under my wiper blades and under the tank straps and a dozen smaller branches pushing out of every crevice visible..

The good news is that nothing had happened to the braking system, the tires , or the engine/radiator. So while I impacted, I was mobile!! The bad news...

I WILL BE IN A SPARE TRUCK NEXT WEEK !! argghghghhhhhh!! That is 4 trucks in 4 weeks, bringing the total to ?? 40 swaps in 28 months?? But who is counting.

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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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

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumbass

I have not done one of these posts in a while, but the Stooges are at it again.

This current scenario started 3-4 weeks ago. I noticed my suspension was started to ride rough (again). This is also about the same time that I noticed my air bags would not inflate when picking up a loaded trailer. Normally the suspension adjusts to the weight placed on it, and after a few short minutes the bags should air up to accommodate for the added weight. Mine do not. I have to climb back into the cab and race the motor for at least five minutes to get the bags to fill, and even then, they do not do the job. ALSO, if I ever use the dump valve (which evacuates the air bags) it continues to exhaust the air until the bags are EMPTY, only then trying to re inflate. This can take up to 15 minutes. Of course, if you are driving down the road and the suspension readjusts for every bump, you do not have 15 minutes for the air to find its appropriate pressure.

If I check the ride height (which one cannot do while driving) I also have noticed that the suspension always looks to be riding low. This my friends, leads to some very hard riding, reminiscent of the old spring ride tractors of yesteryear. I might mention that a malfunctioning suspension also leads to unnecessary and rapid deterioration of key components, including the entire drive line.

But wait, there is more... During all of this, I have developed a very loud groaning noise, that at first only sounded off during the evacuation of the air suspension. Now, it continues to groan whenever it pleases and can be heard at 68 mph on a bumpy road.

Also, this situation means that EVERY trailer is now set too high for me to grab without having to crank down on the landing gear. I did almost run into a nose of a trailer because the king pin slide over the top of the fifth wheel. Caught it in time, because I visually noticed the trailer getting a little too close to the back of the sleeper.

With all that being said (whew!!) I will also mention that all of this was explained to the Stooges three weeks ago. It has been written up for repairs each consecutive week. Last week, when I got back to the shop, I asked if the parts were in for repair (as we stock nothing). I was greeted with a deer in the headlights expression as I was told no parts were ordered. HUH?? It was then explained to me that each week, as the request was rendered for repair, one of the stooges would climb into my tractor, turn the key and note the air pressure in the supply tank. Confirming that the truck was holding at least 100 pounds of air in the tank, it was assessed that no repair was necessary.

I am at a complete loss, but then again, no.

I never once said I was having a problem maintaining suitable air pressure. My requests stressed the dump valve, leveling valve, ride height, groaning noises, and horrible spring-like ride.

Sheesh!! Well, at least I am now comfortable in my seat. Because, you see, from this point on, whenever I take the NYC route, I will be pulling a 45' spring ride trailer. This combined with my spring ride tractor will make for an even more disgruntled Little Trucker. YAY!!

The 45' trailer is a demand placed by the New Hampshire customer, as weather is turning cold and a 53' will not allow them to close the dock bay doors while unloading. All of our 45's are old spring rides!

Confucius Say

Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart!!

Oh well, maybe Confucius is not the correct title for this post. Let's try again, shall we....

How about CONFUSION !!

When I was told I would have to return from my vacation early, naturally, I thought it was because of Jeremy's accident. But then I was told the reason was because the man who is going on vacation NEXT week, needed to leave early ?!?

Um, did I really come back early to let someone else start their retreat??

But the most confusing part about this is that when I got to the yard to pick up the load, there were 6 trucks sitting on the yard......Now why was it so important for ME to return early?

Anyhoo, I made it to Miami and it is a balmy 98 degrees....Because I took this load, I have actually started next week's journey. I did get a scrap run to fill in the down time on Saturday, but I am now facing 7 full days in the truck........WAH!!!!!

yes, I think I am a little too spoiled myself...LOL

Riding High

Just a little update on Frankentruck. I get very tired of posting my trucking issues here, but I sincerely feel the need to document them because I have never in my life been witness to, or experienced such complete mayhem when it comes to Big Trucks. I swear, this series of Volvo is such a complete joke. You know, they actually had a good reputation with their trucks several years ago, but I suppose as it is with just about everything else, quality is no longer a standard when it comes to production.

My beloved Frankentruck is in the shop this week. Are you surprised??

I do not know if I had mentioned this before, but for the past few months, I have been losing traction, sliding, and living in constant fear of an imminent jackknife. I have mentioned previous occasions where I had concerns about suspension problems with the other trucks, primarily Maggie, but this is altogether something completely new. I was breaking traction when taking off from a complete stop. My rear axles seemed to be sliding every time I made a turn. And, I would slip and slide continually on wet pavement, to the point that it felt as if I was driving on pure ice. I have registered many complaints. I have had everything checked from airbags, bushings, springs, traction bars, tread depth on tires, everything, shocks, everything! Nothing looked damaged. Nothing looked worn or cracked. Nothing!! The ride itself does not seem to be affected. No bronc riding, no bouncing out of control, no hardness at all.

I have been very zealous in taking care to not let Frankentruck take me for a wild ride, but the tension it was placing me in was beginning to wear on my nerves. This week, when returning to the shop, I slipped and slid through the yard and just as I thought my frayed nerves would finally snap, I decided to try a little test. I proceeded to play in the dust and gravel. Yanking the steering wheel as hard as I could to the left, I accelerated. Man oh man. Now that was a good time. Have you ever seen a Big Truck that could turn on a dime? Well, Frankentruck can. Seriously!! While studying my drive axles in the mirror, I noticed my pivot point was on the forward axle. I was literally able to turn at a 90 degree angle. I continued doing donuts for awhile, just to relieve a little stress and afterwards I got out to look at my tread marks in the dirt. That is when I noticed that my rear axle tires were barely touching the ground. I was leaving absolutely no tread marks in the dirt. Now the forward axle would leave a pattern, but the rear axle would brush lightly over them, smoothing them out. Okay, I thought, maybe it is only doing that because I was playing around while bobtail, and the leveling valve could not keep up. So, I hooked to a 45,000 lb load, and you know what? Still no tread pattern.

After making that delivery, I headed back into the shop and proceeded to show one of the Stooges my discovery. He had never seen anything like it. Next Moe was notified, and after a brief consultation, he decided to exchange the leveling valve and all four drive axle shocks. Hopefully, this will take care of the problem, but if not......Frankentruck goes back to Volvo for more complete repairs.

Good thing I noticed this when I did, because it looks like the warranty for this part of the truck runs out in 7000 miles. That means we only have two weeks to figure it out. I know, you are probably thinking, 'Why not take it in now, while it is still under warranty?'

Well, shocks and valves are not covered, and we do not have permission to go to the big shop except as a final measure, so that gives us 2 weeks to get it straight and determine if the problem has enough merit to be sent in. Confused yet? Me too!!

Either way, this needs o be resolved before winter strikes again. It is bad enough driving in ice and snow, but to only have one axle making contact one hundred percent of the time is frightening enough of warm, dry pavement. Because, when the second axle grabs the road, it tends to throw me sideways for a brief moment before recovering.

I will admit however, me and the Ol Boy sure had alot of fun relieving some anxiety out there in the dirt! Git R Done!!

I cannot believe I just typed that, but it was that much fun............

Maggie Mae

Last week when I turned Frankentruck over to the shop, I was told I would be taking Maggie out for a spin this week.  I felt very little apprehension about saddling her up again because she supposedly had her exhaust components replaced. Maggie is the truck who poisoned me with her exhaust to the point that I had absolutely no comprehension of where I was at....I was in Atlanta, a city I lived near and have driven through thousands of times.

The good news is that she did not have her exhaust problems repaired because  some MAN said she had a leak. The bad news, she did not have her exhaust problems repaired, at all. Grrrrrr!!

This trip has done nothing but fuel my animosity towards  several individuals and create even more tension in my muscles, and I have not even made my first delivery. Fourteen in all this week.

You see, the problem is once I took hold of the reins, it was immediately obvious that she had numerous defects. I do not care to mention what they are, but I will say that I am having to be extremely conscientious of every move I make, as well as every move that is being  made around me. I do this as a normal course of action, every week. But this week, my vigilance is tenfold.  

I have always known that Maggie was a problem child. I have written a book of repair requests. I finally threw in the towel, and washed my hands of her on March 19th.....

Since that time, she has been driven approximately 17,000 miles. The Mayor had custody of her for two weeks, during which time he had called me to confirm every negative thing I had ever said about her.  He had her for two weeks.  And during this two week period, he never once gave her one bad mark on his daily inspections. NOT ONE!!  

Needless to say, when I climbed aboard to take her for a trip into New England, I absolutely came unglued to find out that not a single thing has been repaired since the very last time I set my arse in her driver's seat. I had left a write-up of 4 very important safety repairs on March 19th. None of which have been addressed.

I give the mechanics a substantial amount of written abuse based on their inability to make the necessary repairs, but if drivers don't not bother to write up defects, just how much blame actually belongs to the mechanics.  Sure, they do not address my needs....For that, I have my grievances....But the Mayor had Maggie for two weeks and gave her a clean bill of health every day. 

Essentially, I gave up Frankentruck for critical  repairs, only to get back into the deathtrap  that is Miss Maggie Mae.  I am  absolutely astonished that the Mayor could be so negligent. But then,  a lot of drivers are. 

And yes, I do have the exhaust headache, which tends to make me very hostile. And for the record, driving with the windows down does keep the cab air clean, but even at 15 mph, you smell exhaust IN the truck. I am absolutely livid at this point, so I should just publish this post and be done with it......

If anybody has a spare set of shoulders I can rest my weary head on, I will be more than happy to pay for postage....

Numb

I was going to write up another post about the situation that is currently dominating my life, in order to give, you the reader,  a little more clarity...But, I am not thinking straight, and cannot make sense of it in writing. My brain is numb. My emotions are ragged, and after writing a 5000 word diatribe on the current conditions...I was left feeling so anxious and distraught that another round of tears have fallen from my eyes...Maybe I will get it published after the visit to the 3 shops I have planned for tomorrow....Yes 3 shops!! Each with an explicit purpose. 

I just cant become detached enough right now...So, I will leave it......because I can actually feel my blood boiling at this moment.

Read At Your Own Risk

Seriously.......I am losing it. There is absolutely nothing about this post that is intended to be cute or funny..I could fill 500 sentences with nothing but curse words, and would feel no remorse for doing so, but I know several of my readers who would find that very offensive, and of course, I always try to think of others first...So.....the extent of my emotional rage will have to be read between the lines....

Last week, I declined 2-3 days of work with the intention of giving the mechanics ample amount of time to fix my truck. Kind of selfish, in a way. I just did not want to sit at a shop for 2 days while my truck was being repaired. Instead, I opted to let them take it to a shop, and allow me a normal weekend at home.

Well, that did not happen. The stupid idiots tried to fix it themselves, but left me a message to go by a Volvo shop to let the real mechanics finish the job. Great..not only did I sacrifice income last week for the failed repairs, but now I also have to give up more personal time , that I do not get any compensation for, to have the job finished.  

Brake ABS, still malfunctioning, along with the traction control now  acting up as well!! Valve on dash still leaking air.

Marker lights do not work at all and there are open electrical circuits somewhere in my truck, which I am constantly reminded of by the display screen on my dash.  The blinkers no longer have an automatic shut off after you complete your turn..The truck can no longer gauge how many miles per gallon it can travel, and the fuel economy reading is completely inaccurate. The last reading said that on 89 gallons, I should be able to travel 9974 miles. On top of that, with the electrical current free flowing, my hair has been standing straight up for 3 days now. and everything I touch shocks me.  The spot mirror on the nose of the tractor has mysteriously lost all the screws which keep it mounted in place. So, it is flopping around because it is mounted on to a ball joint. The fucking mechanics lost all the screws to my dash when they got into the fuse panel, so the top of my dash is no longer attached which means my radio is also flopping around.

And my inverter just burnt up. AGAIN...

Isn't it amazing how all my problems have followed me to 3 separate trucks.  The only thing I have added to any of them is a ground wire for my antennae.  But yet, the same things keep happening..

Every time the truck goes in the shop..it comes out in a worse state......

Let us review the common denominators...Me..........the mechanics.......three separate trucks....same problems after the mechanics get a  hold of each one........

I am so tired of this..I was actually in tears a few moments ago....I love my job..I love my plant location, but these stupid idiots are going to force me to leave. I cannot continue facing the same fucking issues every week....My nerves are frayed and I have had enough...

Last week, the only problems I has were the ABS, and the marker lights.....Amazing how that works!

Consistency

There IS something to be said for consistency. Sure, I would like to substitute that for accuracy. But, with consistency, there leaves very little room for doubt.  For example, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that every time I have my truck diagnosed, it will be not be repaired for the problems that are present. I also know that half of my problems are manufactured by the mechanics themselves, due to laziness, ignorance, or the fact that my chest sticks out a little further than the other drivers.

I think perhaps, I should invest profusely in Duct Tape..No, not the stock! I mean load up the truck with it, so every time I have to report an issue, I can tape down the girls so that they will no longer distract the mechanics from what I am telling them.

This week, I needed to have my ABS looked at. The brake failure was becoming a major issue, as the mechanism did not know how to behave. It is frightening to realize your brakes have just released even though you are still applying constant pressure and the light in front of you is red, and although you did have more than enough sufficient room to stop,  as long as the brakes keep up the cycle of grab and release, that comfort zone is rapidly diminishing because the damn things are not grabbing........So, the sensors were changed out. We shall see if that fixed the problems. Until I know for sure, I will continue to slow for each and every green light, and stop 100 yds before the actual red ones..Grrrrrr.....Oh yeah.. the little flashing light on the dash is kind of annoying as well....With or without....Either way is fine, but I would like a little consistency in my brakes performance.

As for the other repair. Well, I mentioned that my marker lights were flashing like a disco inferno while driving down the road. People were cutting me off left and right, but thanking me at the same time. That is when I discovered the strobe lights. It would only happen when the parking brakes were released, therefore I never noticed it during my pre-trip. I also mentioned that there was a loud electrical popping noise coming from out of my fuse panel. I had disconnected my radio to keep from burning it up, because it is hard to pull a fuse panel apart at 65 mph. I suggested the two instances were related, and perhaps they should check my fuses, relays, and control modules.

Here is where consistency comes into play.

My boss called to inform me that the only thing wrong with my truck, was the ground wire I had run from the frame to the fire wall. It was supposedly reeking havoc on the electrical system..

WTH??  seriously??

I disputed this accusation and after a short time later, the boss called back to confirm that the ground wire had absolutely nothing to do with my problems. That after further investigation, I indeed had a malfunctioning light control module. It has been replaced.

Had I not inquired as to how the beast was behaving, I would have most likely returned to a truck, minus one ground wire and the perpetual rhythmic styling of one disco duck!  I mean, my marker light problem would have not been corrected. But , because of consistency, I once again doubted the skills of the mad scientist, and pushed harder for a correct diagnosis....YAY ME!!

Mistaken Identity

HA ha ha.....

Last week, I found myself in a situation that has not happened to me in a decade, and one that continues to confuse me.

You have seen pictures of me, and if you watch any of my videos, I typically have a hooded sweat shirt and jeans on while working in the winter months. So, you tell me, how does this happen?

I was taking a break in Jackson, Mississippi after unloading five stops of cabinetry. Yes, I am back to stick hauling again. It was early yet, and my next stop was Metairie, Louisiana. I could not make the next delivery until 6am the next morning, and not knowing how safe I would be in Metairie, I decided to camp out in Jackson for the night. Not to mention, I was in desperate need of a shower and some down time. I was exhausted!!  

I crashed pretty early with the intentions of getting a jump on the day and making the 3 hour drive in the dusky hours of the morning. I awoke at 3am and headed into the truck stop for a cup of joe before meandering down the Super Slab.  

When I entered the store, I made my way to the coffee pots. While doctoring up my brew, I noticed a security guard watching me. He made his way towards me and attempted to engage me in conversation.

Where ya going?

Metairie, Louisiana.

What for?

To deliver my load.

Oh, so you drive a truck?

Yes Sir!  all the while smiling sweetly and stirring my java

So, you are going to Baton Rouge to load, huh?

No, Metairie to unload.

Oh, yeah, you are going to Metairie to get loaded?

No sir, I am going to empty my trailer. I have two stops left. One in Metairie and one in Houma. Then I will drive my Big Truck back to Alabama, because I will not have to reload, and then I will be at home for the weekend before I head back to Georgia in my Big Truck.

So, how long you been driving?

I have been asleep...Now I am starting my day, that is why I am getting coffee.  ( I had to have a little fun with him) I then walked to the counter to pay, and he continued to ask redundant questions, altering the wording as if to confuse me.

If you have not figure it out by now, it was 3 am and he was a bombarding me with questions in order to find out my intentions because he suspected , perhaps that I was a Lady Of The Night. I mean, sure, why else would a woman be walking around the truck stop parking lot in the wee hours of the morning. Except to get coffee before driving off in her Big Truck to make her delivery in Metairie, Louisiana.

When I left the store, I noticed he was watching me...He even stepped outside so his view could follow me all the way to the truck...

As, I drove away, he was still staring intently, so I waved and tooted my horn.

It has been at least a decade since some figure of authority has confused my identity. The last time was in Oklahoma City, in broad daylight.....but that is another story.