On the fence - New trucks, thinking about leaving job

OK I have been with the current company for about 6 years or so. I started out with a pos Volvo that was always in the shop. They got rid of the truck after I was in it for a little over a year and they got me an 04 379 to run. Although the power of the bridged c15 kinda left me hanging many times, I really enjoy the truck. The ride is great, the looks are awsome. I usually feel good about going to work and actually enjoy the truck for the most part.

Well earlier this week I was called into the office by the person in charge of purchasing the trucks. We had a nice discussion but it boiled down to that they are really not intune to buying anymore hoods(379/389 or W900s). They cost more etc. he was really pushing International on me as they have purchased 3 Prostars and they seem to like them. Now I have spent some time in one of the Prostars and I really hated the dash layout and cab ergos. Not to mention that they got the smaller sleepers with the curtain between the cab and the sleeper. There is about 6 inches or so of floor space when the curtain is pulled. I have a thing with tight spaces, ie closterphobia.

The other option was the Pete 386 but also with the small bunk. Again a super small bunk with little to no floor space and the bed is so small in them that my arm hangs off the side of the bed when laying down. Now I don't camp int he truck alot but there are times when the big boss will send me out for a few nights so the little larger bunk ie a 64 ish bunk seems to work for me currently. Would love the 70 inch with the fridge etc but it is not really needed in my case.

Now a 4th option was another International but instead it would be a Lonestar. IMO better looking then the Prostar but then I am back to the same cab layout as the Prostar. No place for a thermos like in the 379, I have yet to find a cup that actually fits in the cup holder, Not to fond of the steering wheel controls or the layout of the dash. The pass seat is so far away that you can't really use it for holding things that you might need though out the day such as clip board etc. I hate putting things on the dash so that is completely out.

They are not even looking into KWs due to the higher prices of them.

I have been thinking alot about this upcoming change. I know it seems silly but I hate the ideas they have to the point that I even applied for a different job doing maint work in a facility here in town.

Here is the deal, If I don't feel happy about the equipment I am running then I won't be truely happy with the job and I would dread going to work every day. I have to park my behind in the truck for 10 to 14 hours a day and have to either live with it or find something different.

I have a thing about looking cool going down the road. It helps my self esteem and makes me feel good.I take better care of nice or cool looking equipment since I have alot of pride in it.

I can see their point in one aspect. The 04 379 that I am running never gets above 3.5 mpg pulling the trailers and weights we pull. We are permited to run 105,500 lbs in ND and about 99,000 lbs in Minnesota in the winter or 97,000 in the summer. The trailers are not the most aerodynamic trailers either. They have a lot of ribbing on the sides and external frame work along with flaps on the live bottom belt that hang down and act as air brakes when going down the road.

I know some people look at a truck as a tool to do a job and nothing more. When I was turning wrenches my box was filled with 95% Snap-On tools. I started out with Craftsman but I hated their tools and upgraded to Snap-On and also upgraded to a larger box with bearings etc. Again Snap-On.

I look at the truck as both a tool and a toy at the same time.

 

There are some good things about the job I applied for. Health, dental and eye insurance are something that they have that my current job does not. That along with save me 10,000 a year in out of pocket expense. I did some figuring with the hourly wage and my last two years at the trucking and there is less then a 5,000 dollar difference between the two.

The other thing is it is right here in town and the place is about 1 1/2 miles from my house rather then 10 miles from my house (the truck company yard). I can pedal my butt to work and maybe shed a few trucker belly pounds. LOL.

I am going to beat my own drum a bit here. I feel as though I am an asset to the company. I have never refused a run, always did what was needed without being asked to do it. When the boss calls me and says he needs an extra truck running a particular run, my only question was how many days I should pack for. NEVER so much as scratched the a truck muchless wreck one like many of our drivers. I have never asked my boss for money. We have alot of drivers that borrow money. He has offered it to me when times got tight but I told him no. The 04 379 that I am driving looks better then some of the 2010s and 2011s that we have because of how I take care of the truck.

I am going to open up my options for now and stick with checking out other jobs within and out of the industry. I may even look into dusting off the tools and getting back into the mechanic field.

 

I have spent time in a Prostar, they suck big time. They look like a pacman coming at you and are some of the dumbest looking trucks on the road next to the Cascadia.

I hated the dash lay out, hate the buttons on the wheel, The Erogonomics sucked compaired to what I am running now. The ones we have do not have the curtain around the front, just the curtain between the cab and the bunk, which gives less then a foot of floor space to work with when trying to get dressed in the morning and also adding to the closterphobic issues I have. The ride sucked on bothgt he prostar and the 386s that I have driven even though the 386s were 2010s and the prostars are 2012s. On the long hoods the cab area is a little farther back then being so close to the front axle which is why I think the ride sucked.

Also too much plastic on the outside etc. I do alot of off road work in the summer pulling a belly dump. All them fancy skirts would get busted up like they do ont he Volvos we have that also do dump work.

I ride a Harley so exterior looks are important to me. If I just wanted nothing but ride then I would have gotten a Wing.

Say what you want about them just being trucks, I have chatted with others driver in our company and they tend to agree with me on this. They just were not willing to open up other job options because they really have no other experience other then driving a truck and they don't know what they could do.

I on the other hand have other trade experience which gives me more options.