What repairs are we allowed to do?

LOL. Level 3 is an inspection of you, not the truck.

 

I have actually in the past been told I was just a driver and a certified mechanic needed to repair. That’s when you pull out your heavy ASE certifications. Then they shut the #### up. Anything you are competent and feel like fixing.

 

I don't believe ASE is recognized in Canada.

 

that's when you ask him where in the green book it saids I can't

 

What's a green book?

 

FFS, so this is what we've become. Change a bulb? Gimme a moment to pull my pupils back to the front...

 

Ive been told the same "rubbish", by a fleet maintenance / service boss,after I asked for some spare bulbs,fuses. Just like it says on the old paper log.Extra fuses,bulbs CHECK."We Cant have you Company drivers ,just changing bulbs,there could be electrical problems to address". Really? The headlight bulb is 2 years old,I think its simply burnt ,sir. WTF

 

Plus, what mechanic won't simply replace the bulb anyway? Maybe the second one in a week they will look at wiring, but the first...

 

No way they can dictate WHO does the repairs on a truck, esp for something as simple as a headlight; that's ridiculous.

 

I'm kinda six of this and a half dozen of that on the subject.

I know there are people in this industry that came into it with no previous skills or knowledge about electrical and mechanical things or with any sort of aptitude for the job.
They don't know how to change a bulb, a glad hand seal, how to tighten a bolt, or how to drive a manual transmission, and truthfully, I don't want them driving trucks, let alone repairing them, unless they've been taught by someone that really knows what they are doing.

From experience, I never asked my employers for spare bulbs or seals or tools or anything else.
I carried box of each type of common bulbs for markers, tail lights and brake lights, plus a spare headlight or 2 in every truck I ever drove on a full time basis, a light tester and enough tools to fix most small things that might occur, lights, turbo, compressor, hoses, wiring, slave valve on trans and etc and etc.

If I had to replace a bulb or make repairs and used my own spare parts I would turn in a bill for double the retail price for a single bulb and sometimes $5.00 or $10.00 labour charge, even though I bought the bulbs in quantity for much cheaper.
I got my money most of the time, if I didn't get paid I would remove the parts I replaced and tell them their equipment was unsafe, better get it repaired.

Twice I've been told I couldn't make repairs.
Once at a scale in Cali, wanted me towed for 3 minor repairs, but I had a load of fresh meat so they had to let me go and show proof of repair before leaving the state.

You know how it goes, loaded a hot load of produce and had to be somewhere else.
Sure was beautiful on #50 from Sacramento to Carson City ate lunch and dipped my toes in Lake Tahoe.

Second time my provincial government did a $25.00 cash grab that required drivers to hold a certificate in order to be allowed to adjust air brakes.
Called the testing facility and talked to the tester for about 15 minutes.
Was a 23 year old civil servant that never drove a truck, let alone one with air brakes, who passed the course, applied for the position and was granted the title.
I asked him a lot of questions and decided he wasn't qualified to test me, still got my twenty-five bucks.