CRETE - A Year in Review

I have a serious love/hate relationship with this International. I love the traction control. I am delivering in Liverpool, NY...it's snowing, it's slick, and I backed right in with only a few pull-ups...the hate, is why it took a few pull-ups...it's too light on the steers...turn the wheel, just goes straight until you tap the brakes a bit to shift the weight forward. I watched a Werner try 4 or 5 times to back in straight, he must not have traction control... And a DOT foods truck had to try 4 times to back his trailer into it drop location(I would guess he was empty). We shall see how good it does w/an empty wagon here shortly

 

supersnackbar,how long have you been with crete, just curious............

 

Last thanksgiving was 8 years.

Actually this Cornbinder does pretty decent running in snow, except the aerodynamics do one thing...no matter how what tricks you try, the wipers still ice over worse than my old Century. In fact, worse than any truck I have ever driven. This truck would be a real good candidate for those heated wipers.

I am on one of the longest trips I've seen for a while. P/u in Fulton, NY(which was a hoot to get to from Liverpool, NY in the snow pulling an empty wagon.) Headed to Phoenix, AZ 2450 miles, 1 load....that is if I can ever get out of the Lake Erie snowbelt. Between Waterloo, NY and the toll booths in Buffalo the roads were clean enough to run speed limit...between Buffalo and Harborcreek, PA(roughly 85-90 miles...there were times we were down to 25 mph and the lead truck was clearing the drifts with his bumper because I only saw 1 saltshaker the whole time. It took me over 3 hours. The snow was almost as heavy and deep as some of the storms I have been in out west. If it had been Cali...they'da closed the road, or had us hang a full rack of iron.

 

Ss...come on down. The weathers fine here in Ok. I'm heading to Dallas for a weekend sit. I'm better of here than sitting up north where it is cold. My del is Monday and I was informed that it could not deliver early...whatever.

 

Well...it's finally official....I'll be in Spartanburg on the first of February to begin a new chapter of OTR. I'm optimistic that I can gross anywhere from 8 to 12% more annually at Crete than I did at SNI. At the very worst, I'll break even with a much shorter commute between the yard and my house.

 

SS, When you get to Phoenix stop in and see ET! lol

 

SS,
Had same problem with icing on I-80 from PA to IN. Problem was aggravated by malfunction in Washer system. It was not frozen, but had debris clogging the orifices. On a new tractor? WOW. All better now, out in the plains. Hope WY is not too windy, very light load.

 

Weather dot com currently shows windy in Cheyenne so slow down and drive safe.

 

Good Luck. Are you O/O, company...or what?

 

Just checked the weather for the rest of my trip.....nothing but a smiling sun...and in Phoenix on Wednesday....73 degrees. Wow! I may just have to call in sick after I'm empty and just lay around in the sun getting warm w/o a jacket or gloves. It'll almost be like home, except home this weekend was in the upper 20's and lower 30's at night.