Do not use t.a tuckstops!!!!

This may be true for this particular TA but I would like to remind everyone not to judge all of them by this one bad experience. I am writing this from the TA on Quebec Rd in Commerce City, CO where Greatwide stranded me, and I want to tell everyone what a great group of people work here. They have been super! Everyone here including the servers in the restaurant is super nice!

I ran out of fuel about 150-200 ft in front of the fuel isle night before last. They hooked up the service truck and pulled me up to the pump, and did not charge me. In addition, the service tech was nice to me while having to do it despite the fact that it was beginning to rain and was in the 30's. After I got some fuel put in, the truck would not start. Having to leave the parking lights and flashers going so I would be visible to trucks turning in off the road had apparently pulled my battery down. Again, they came to my aid even though they know I have been here for 10 days and have no money. Then, he had to just pull me into one of the bays and let it sit and charge for a while to get it to start. They have been like Angels in disguise to me.

The staff inside have been equally great! This is a very hard situation. I am almost 1000 miles from home, broke, have next to no fuel, have my cat with me, and have pay from six loads Greatwide Truckload Management still owes me. These people have made me feel like there is still someone besides my family who cares what is happening and have tried to help make it easier to tolerate. There is sooo much more I could add to this, from different ones buying me a cup of coffee to another one giving me a ride up to the local Wal-Mart pharmacy, not to mention the manager who allowed the clerk to use his car to take me there and allowing her to leave during her shift to take me. At least THIS TA is a good place to lay over or spend the night. The showers are very clean and the restrooms have been very clean every single day.

The security people are even nice. In addition, there are no "sales people" knocking on my doors in the middle of the night to offer "commercial company". This is not the only TA that I have spent time at that has truly nice, interested, engaging people working for them. Another one is in Florence, KY. Just outside of Cincinnati, OH. However, that makes another complete post on its own.

Thanks for reading!
4/15/2012 3:07:41 AM

 

If you seem vaguely competent, you can cross the little yellow line in most places. That is not a slam toward you personally in any way. Just in general ins co's have to keep out walking lawsuits from that stray hose clamp on the floor that someone has to sue because they tripped on it.

If I have to have something done in a shop, I will not sit right over the techs shoulder. But will be right there in the area. I know more about my truck, what has been done to it, what it is doing, problems etc. that can be narrowed down explained on the spot. Techs become parts changers if all they have to go by is a sentence or two on a work order while the driver is mia to them.

Hope things work out for the original poster of this thread.

 

Ok, I'll bite.. How can you be stranded by a company if you still have a truck that you are sitting sleeping in?

You say you have no money, but you are putting in fuel to run a trk.
Please enlighten us, or did I miss a post about this so called stranding?

 

I assume there's more to this story. In any event, stranded 10 days? Without going into detail, there's a lot of things you can do to get some money, especially while you still have their truck.

 

You still there? I'll buy some fuel from you so you can get some food to eat. Hell, I'll buy enough fuel from you so you can get home. I'll even call Greatwide and fill them in on where their truck is.

All kidding aside, tell us the rest of the story.

 

you coulda even rented a truck. How dont truckers have 15k+ laying around if something goes wrong?

 

company or O/O?

 

Happens everyday. Like when Arrow folded. They had drivers that lived in their trucks that had no home, yet when push came to shove they couldn't round up enough money to get on the running dog. Let's see, absolutely no expenses except maybe a cell phone, yet not even a pot to urinate in or a window to through it out of. Priceless!

 

Well a company driver shouldnt have much to worry about than enough to get home with. a O.O should have the money incase brake downs happen, you still never know when your motor is going to go.

 

Well thats kinda on them then.