Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Don't worry about it with that shipper. They are so organized over there, they could teach Abilene a thing or five and Abilene would still be way behind them. Never have had any issues with their loads (and I haul a lot of their freight since they are one of my usual coming off home time loads).

 

From givens you're either hauling forklift parts to Berea KY, 4-wheelers to various stores, or engine parts to Riverview MI (my latest load), or other consignees. It is very carefully documented before it's loaded. Customs is involved and everything. Just to make you a little more skittish about them! LOL

 

Just unloaded and consignee signed...without opening crates either.

I did get a chuckle at givens though. There is a metal detector you have to walk through to get on the dock and a security guard sat watching it.

I walked through, it went off as I knew it would and he didn't bat an eye. On the way back out, same thing.

I think maybe his job is to guard the chair he was sitting on and not the building contents.

 

It was car parts to MI. Pretty easy load at only 28k and nothing that can fall over or roll around.

The consignees dock was a little tricky. One of those indoor ones that is so dark you can't see the vack of your trailer.

I got it in by "feel" though.

 

sputtering issues sounds like trucks trying to drop an injector if an injector is sticking it will dump too much fuel in when you call for power and try to smother the truck out

 

Bwahh! Made me think of the movie Grease and that song ONJ and JT sing when she dresses like a tough chick and he a jock. "Feel your way!" LOL

 

Actually, I was going to post that I just had an awesome run up to Hartford, CT and back... Mostly daytime driving too.

I ran up 301 to the Philly area which took 6 hours so I was an hour late for the drop but that was assumed when I left the yard. Then left that drop around 7am and didn't hit NJ until after morning rush hour... Smooth sailing across GWB too... And poof I was at the second drop in no time...

Then coming back I was delayed at the GWB for 30 minutes but other than that it was smooth sailing all the way back to Richmond for two drops.

I guess if you can miss rush hours it's a good day drive too... Or I was just lucky... LOL

 

Oh, all was smooth except for adjusting the rear tandems this morning under a heavy load... I came north very light. I spent well over 30 just trying to get them to slide back... I was 35,600# and nothing would move them. I could move three of them freely in and out... But they would not retract.

So I risked it and ran all the way to Richmonnd heavy on the tail end... Nervous at every weigh station... First one gave me a pass, last one gave me a green light, and one or two in between were closed... Whew!!!

Again, I am getting way too lucky on the tickets lately... I better not push my luck much harder.

 

My thinking as well as another possibility. (Still rather convinced it's fuel related) When I got to the dealer I asked what was done to the truck. At first he (The service manager) said he didn't know. I asked, well can you find out so I have an idea what to keep an eye on? I mean for all I knew it was there for a center link ... lol ... He flipped thru some papers and said they replaced "A" injector. I didn't question him but I thought, "A" injector? Normally, when replacing any you do them all. Oh well, at that point it was still just about getting it started.

Bill had it detailed today and it looks much nicer inside. Met and talked with Joe and he said it hasn't been in for the mechanical issues yet. I'll go over tomorrow again and keep track of what's happening. My 2 days home time are on me for the motel but anything beyond that I'm billing Abilene under breakdown if this is to be my truck and it seems it is. Hope it's fixed and running good from here but I suspect I'll be working out some kinks as we go along. We'll see.