Need advice for tomorrow..

Discussion in 'Report A BAD Trucking Company Here' started by telcobilly, Feb 21, 2010.

  1. telcobilly

    telcobilly Medium Load Member

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    I didn't want to plaster this co name in the Bad Co forum. I was dropped off at my assigned tractor (2009 Prostar) for USA Truck this past Fri afternoon. 6 of the 8 drive tires are almost bald, the other set being on a mismatched rim. The hood is badly cracked causing the left mirror and headlight to bounce while driving. The plastic bumper is about 25% broken off. There are scrapes down both sides of the truck. The batwings are bent and inside was filthy and reeks of cigarette smoke. The prev driver abandoned it. I sent 20 digital pix to the lady who assigned it and she has forwarded the pix to a fleet manager.

    I'm pretty sure I will have to bobtail it to Ohio (115 mi) from Indy tomorrow. I sat all weekend and with all of the issues, I see a long wait to get it fixed. I'm going to insist on 6 new tires, and a new hood as the truck is assigned to the west coast where they have no facilities.
    Should I refuse to even drive it at all? I'm worried about being pulled in to a scale and put OOS.

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    Last edited: Feb 21, 2010
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  3. GuysLady

    GuysLady Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    NO! Not just "NO" HELL NO!! I would trust those tires to cross the street!
     
  4. musicmaker

    musicmaker Medium Load Member

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    I dont see any cord showing on the tires so the tread depth which you would have to measure will tell you whether its safe to drive or not, The other cosmetic damage I'm not sure of.
     
  5. bubba mark

    bubba mark Medium Load Member

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    You know what's going to happen? They are going to have you drive that piece of garbage back to Vandalia for them. Then they are going to give you a different truck because it will take them days to fix that one. That's the way those idiots roll.
     
  6. misterG

    misterG Road Train Member

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    Bubba, that doesn't sound like such a bad plan on the face of it. Ya know, transport a bad truck to trade in for a decent one.
    Other than having to take chances with scales and rolling stops to check compliance and safety. Which looking at the tires, I would have to say don't comply.
     
  7. telcobilly

    telcobilly Medium Load Member

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    Thanks for the input, I kind of figured I was the recovery man for them. The truck was TOWED to a LTL co where I was supposed to pick it up at on Fri. Truck wasn't there and it wasn't located until the afternoon. To say that I was disappointed and upset would be an understatement! I had to have the truck jumpstarted and have tried to clean it up to make it tolerable just to sleep in it. I don't want to risk my safety stat score or CDL to drive this truck to Visalia tomorrow. Just wanted to check with other drivers as to what they would do.

    more pix:
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  8. telcobilly

    telcobilly Medium Load Member

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    That's the problem I have, if I get pulled in and ticketed, don't I get in trouble for driving an unsafe truck, no-one was holding a gun to my head?
    With the enforcement the way it is (esp Ohio), I'm not real keen to do that. I haven't made one red cent here at USA Truck yet.
     
  9. misterG

    misterG Road Train Member

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    That's a quandary Telco. Personally, I don't know what I would do in your shoes. We had a couple trucks like that for a while, and every time I would tell the boss, he would say something like "Do you think money grows on Trees?" Mind you we would have like three of four tires showing thread, and he would replace the rear two.
     
  10. Rollover the Original

    Rollover the Original Road Train Member

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    I can't believe a real truck driver actually DROVE that POS to where you picked it up! BUT to live like a PIG? Goes to show you that we ARE our own worst enemies! I hopethey charge the previous driver every cent of the damages! Sorry but there is NO excuse for 6 tires and the fender BUT the innside? I et I've sat next to him before in the diner trying to eat MY dinner but smelling......


    Now MY advuce is if the tirs are at LEAST brought up to minimnum debth take it but INSIST on a different truck unless they pay you maybe &150 cleaning charges! I wouldn't charge less than $200 and I do it on the side! Thats a 8 hour job as I see it!
     
  11. LodiKen

    LodiKen Light Load Member

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    IMO and i am a Newb as a Newb can get but Man its not worth your CDL to Drive that Ticket Trap .:biggrin_25513:
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2010
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