Running with JCT, Part Deux

I have a 16 Pete, at 70mph I was averaging 6.96mpg. Slowed down to 60, averaged 7.38 for December. I know it's winter and we have all these different blends. I still haven't found the sweet spot I guess. Be safe out there bro.

 

This 2015 freightliner auto netted 8.6mpg @ 62mph while crossing from the yard at OK along I-40 to Las Vegas.

 

If any of you guys are headed towards the east coast over the next several days heads up.. Major snowstorm will be impacting areas from Kentucky to northern Georgia over to north & south Carolina North western parts and up to the northeast.. Forecasted to have up to 3 ft of snow and ice..

 

A ray of sunshine you are....*continues plotting route to Pennsylvania*

 

You tell Pittsburgh I'm coming! And Jonas is coming with me!!!

 

If you spend a few hours and read threads 1&2 you'll get a lot of questions answered.

I've been running recap going on 6 weeks now. I highly doubt, in fact, I would almost guarantee you won't get 34's in Utah at home. Unless you live in SLC I doubt you would get by the house much at all. Depends on if you live right off of the 15 or 80. I've been out since the middle of Nov but that's more so because I took off three weeks prior to that then spent a week down with a bottom end repair.

Earnings. Count on $1,000 a week if you are willing to work. More if you run yourself like a rented mule. I don't, too old for that crap. Just make sure to maximize the drive line, don't burn hours on lines that don't pay you!

If you stick around and pay off the truck then you have the value of the truck to offset the crap earnings we get, and that makes it more worthwhile. That and the extra $700 or so a week from no lease payment if you make it to payoff date.

Don't plan on too much time off. Really. It kills the mojo.

Three months experience? JCT use to require 3 years; I wish they still did.

JCT is a good step from company to owner-op because if you can't make it work here, you won't make it as an o-o. Not trying to dissuade you, just giving honest feedback. I have no plans to leave (yet?), I like the place....except for the low pay.

Really, the main attraction here is the no credit required, walk-away lease. Its a basic no frills company spec truck.

What do I like? They don't ever hassle me. Seriously. They send the pickup/delivery details and I handle it. I don't call them and they very rarely ever call me. I plan my route and fuel; they don't tell me. I take time off when I'm ready and return when I'm broke...or something like that

TA

 

PM done on truck. Have some starting issues the last few days, so I had the batteries tested. Turned out had two dead batteries. So, had all four replaced with 925CCA Alliance batteries. It's the same brand that Frieghtliner used and is an upgrade from the 730CCA that came with the truck. Went with the 925 because they were $20 cheaper per batteries vs the same brand with 760CCA.

Breakdown didn't like my choice, but they did respected my choice. They wanted Interstate, but the TA in OKC in Council Rd don't carry Interstate. They were the orginal batteries, so they were two years old which is pretty good life considering the load on them and extreme cold weather.

Now, at the W & B for APU PM and figure out why I have been having so much trouble with a/c power fluctuations and the HVAC not working. I pulled in the shop and the tech pulled off the cover and told me most likely was a belt issue. He was able to take the belt off by hand. I asked how right it was supposed to be and he had me check the belt on a new APU. I couldn't even push down on the belt. So, hopefully it was just the belt and is a massive failure on the JCT shop and the Tulsa carrier shop.

 

Mine lasted a tad over 200k. Was really happy with that. Had them replaced with the Red Tops they have at the yard. Great price and high CCA.

 

I was talking to the tech here and apparently he has seen JCT trucks with Carrier APU's that have inverters installed. And he actually recommended that since I cook in the truck that it would be better for the life of the generator to have a good solid inverter.

So, next time I am at the yard, I'm going to some asking around that if I buy the inverter, if they install it.