Running with JCT, Part Deux

I hope so. Wanna know why? I know JCT will simply apologize and make it right. They are great that way. Mistakes DO happen. Anywhere. Including me. The mark of our characters is NOT that a mistake was made. Everyone makes mistakes. It goes with that whole "human and not God" thing we all got born into. The mark of our characters is how we deal with the mistake once it has happened. Do we point the finger of blame, attempt to deflect and put everything and everybody ELSE at fault? Or do we say: "Oh $#!+. My bad. How can I make this right?"; then actually execute on THAT!

Been my experience JCT is of the latter character. That's good to know, as it has been my experience ATBS is of the former. Unfortunately, given my first encounter with this situation - I think it's gonna be on ATBS not executing the cut-off order, and I'm gonna have to fight THEM for restitution. I got records, though. I ordered cut-off on 11/22/14. Anything after / They owe me as they did NOT produce their product for me. Even if JCT did pay them in error.

We'll see. Alpha can tell ya. You DON'T want me bringing' Uncle Clyde to Denver and prancing him into ATBS. I can say Right Turn, Left Turn and he can deliver 'em so fast the Colorado Highs won't even know what hit 'em.!! And they say the Mary Jane has no side effects . . .: I'm going w/ bloody nose and disorientation as a profound side effect. At least it's not anal seepage like that allergy drug. I guess THOSE folks figured a drug to route the out south instead of north was better than sneezing. I ain't buyin' neither, though. Somebody owes me some money! I'm bettin' it ATBS and they gonna have to be dealin' w/ anal seepage from nose problems if I have to get Uncle Clyde to collect!

Watch and see!!

 

My APU gave me a scare this morning. I didn't start it at all yesterday and I go to start it this morning and it wouldn't start. It did finally start on the third try. Guess my apu don't like to cold start.

 

You have a Carrier on that truck or is it a TK? I know that they changed over to Carrier's just don't remember at what #. LOL


Well after a big SNAFU with Walmart and then having to sit in line for a washout in Oak Grove (Swift driver locked his keys in his truck while in the wash bay) I finally made it home at 830 pm last night. Haven't decided yet when I will come back out yet. But until then you all have fun and be safe on those roads out there.

 

How does that even happen???

Everyone should have a minimum of 3 keys. One in the ignition. One in their pocket. One hidden on the outside of their truck (like engine compartment).

Btw, if any of you don't have spare keys, our parts department makes them for free.

 

Mine too and I'm the same way about my posting - usually. Personally (seriously speaking) I think it IS the relief valve. I tend to try and deal with life's frustrations with humor because most of what frustrates me - I have little control over. I totally get that whole, philosophical; "control is an illusion" thing. Feces doth occur, and on a right regular, routine and daily basis in trucking. Once in a Blue Moon - something just "clicks right" and the energy flows the way it should and the result is something nice, fun and perhaps a tad entertaining to some. I don't know about others, but when that happens it lets me go to bed with a smile; when, given the day I had (like everyone else has) I should be like that guy pacing; on his cell phone and gesturing wildly, probably about the same thing going on w/ me at Yuma Express Colling (yes mis-spell intentional - y'all know why; those that aren't JCT; It's cause it's mis-spelled in our company data base, so all messages come through mis-spelled.). Y'all know how "produce row" is on the Gila Ridge. So, I stress relieve in a healthy way by doing what us grown up kids do: play w/ my friends on the playground. For some reason, once in a while something clicks and flows. It's nice when that happens but I am at a total loss to have any explanation as to where it comes from.

Darla's Carrier APU did that twice too. She only had 180 hours on her and it was down in the single digits w/ wind blowing hard and I had just come out of warm weather (FL). She stuttered on the first two tries, then caught on her third. Little faster the second time it happened. Gave me a moment of . . . pause. No problems since then, even in the super cold. I think (no data what-so-ever to back this up) it was a NEW and cold thing. Esmeralda is new too. Stands to reason her APU is. I think maybe their (APU) engines gotta get broken in good too, before they free move and pop like they should. Just a thought.

Locking yourself out can be relatively easy to do. Elbows and coat tails are BAD to hit locking pins, buttons etc. BEING locked out is a Rookie mistake. First mistake is not getting in the habit of NEVER locking the truck by hitting the pin or button on the way out. You ALWAYS lock your truck from the outside with a key. You are begging to lock your key in the ignition if you are in the habit of locking it manually from the door controls, on your way out. Second, as you SO correctly pointed out; you MUST assume that will happen one day and have external key(S) - plural - in place. It has happened to all of us, or at least most. Something hit something and your key is in the ignition and you are locked outside. I'll spare y'all the story of my Rookie lock-out (on the FUEL ISLAND!); other than to say: Thank GOD my Old Pete 379's lock was so wallowed out the old driver (fussin' at me the whole time) behind me I was blocking had a big ole key ring and his HOUSE KEY (yes house key) opened my door. He told me the solution (in bearded, mumblin' cussin').

"Listen Kid: These old Petes like to lock themselves. They just will. First, you NEVER lock the door pushing the !@#$% pin down. Always lock it with the ignition key. That way you know you got it in your hand when you lock it. Make THAT a habit. Next, get spares made. You want one in the ignition all by itself and use THAT one for everything; one in your wallet, one on your key ring on your belt I see you got and one under the hood. Zip tie it to the dip stick. Something. Travel w/ your window down an inch or so. You need to be able to hear outside and what's going on that all them gauges don't know about for one and keep a fifth wheel puller on the back of you cab so when you didn't do all things I just told ya to . . . you can slip THAT in the open window and grab the door handle with . . . HA! House key worked!"

Whole lot more to that story, but relative to this . . . I'll let the rest pass. Turned out to be a GREAT learning experience for me over a bowl of (yuck!) banana pudding (sorry Alpha and Clyde - just never acquired the taste) and a long cup of coffee (best on I-81, till they franchised to T-YUCK!!-A) at Ms. Berky's at the old Lee Hi t/s in Lexington, VA.

To this day, guess how I roll key-wise? Have I locked my ignition key in the truck since? YUP! Have I been locked out my truck since? NOPE! Has it ever taken me more than 30 seconds to recover from that DANGED! moment? Nope. Camaro mentioned Swift?! Kinda brings to mind Rookie and Training deficit.

 

Well I just got the news I was approved so I'll be there on the 3/2. I'm pretty excited

 

Welcome and feel free to ask questions.

Also, make sure you do all your modules BEFORE you go to orientation. It makes things so much easier.

 

Ya I'm gonna get them done well before I head out