Waiting weeks for truck repair

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Babey Duck, Nov 6, 2021.

  1. Babey Duck

    Babey Duck Bobtail Member

    15
    19
    Sep 11, 2021
    0
    I reported that I was hearing grinding noise under my shifter to my dispatcher, breakdown department, and to the head of safety (also the vice president of company). I told them I had to refuse to pick up a load. I was told to get the load and I could go to a shop after.
    I was told to find a TA or something. But there was nothing I could locate online at the website they told me to check.
    I was about 100 miles from a shop on the route I would be on.
    I had just had the clutch replaced.
    The Kenworth shop that replaced the clutch told me there were missing bolts on the flywheel and that was the cause of why I wasn't able to shift.
    So clutch replaced, and the next day I saw transmission fluid leaking from the bell housing.
    I told my company and arranged to return to the shop.
    The shop said it was oil not trans fluid.
    Less than 12 hours later I hear the first of the noise.
    After a few more hours this was increasing. I deliver my load and say I cannot take a new load. I have no idea what this noise is. I've been driving manual trucks since 1997. Never ever having this experience. So I don't know what it is.
    They pushed me to take this load and I didn't even make it to a shop. The truck broke down in North Dakota in the sticks.

    Now I am in a hotel waiting. It's been a week, the load is impossibly late. I finally called the broker to get this load from me because the company is sitting on their haunches.
    The company is trying to get warranty to cover the repair.
    The result of driving with that noise was total catastrophic destruction to the transmission. I was cruising and the noise kicked up really loud for like a minute and then boom.

    I can't sit here for weeks for a transmission rebuild with no income. I will lose my apartment. I have only been home once in months. I want to go home and pack my belongings so I don't lose everything. I'm going to go broke here. I'm 1099.
     
    austinmike and D.Tibbitt Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. UturnGirl

    UturnGirl Road Train Member

    2,917
    12,145
    Jan 16, 2010
    Texas
    0
    It happened to me. Interestingly it was the transmission in a brand new kenworth. I was totally screwed because I had just gone through it with a used freightliner. Happily, I was leased on to jbhunt and they completely had my back. I picked up the pieces, went home for a week and came back out with them as a company driver. I survived.
    Be diligent in collecting all repair and maintenance records. When the lease company sends you a giant bill, don't pay it, dispute it with records. Responsibility goes back to negligent shops.
    It's a heckuva Loss for you, but you can land on your feet if you Don't Throw Good Money after Bad. And don't waste any more time.

    Best of luck.
     
  4. DUNE-T

    DUNE-T Road Train Member

    6,366
    14,939
    May 10, 2015
    Detroit, MI
    0
    Get another job or ask company to pay you for sitting.
     
  5. Mike250rs

    Mike250rs Heavy Load Member

    881
    7,077
    Sep 24, 2019
    Raleigh, NC
    0
    Do both.

    And not on a 1099
    Your employer doesn't appear to give 2 squirts about you.

    The load should have been repowered and you flown back to base (or home) after day 3.

    We have had o/o that pull our trailers that had weeks of shop time and the above is exactly what we did. Got load delivered so customer is less pissed and people got paid.
    Then, if we have an open truck, have ran the o/o as a company driver until his rig is repaired.
     
  6. Dennixx

    Dennixx Road Train Member

    4,126
    12,590
    Feb 13, 2010
    twin cities
    0
    My 2 cents.
    Get out of there and home any way possible.
    They are using you to try and save money on what may be warranty repair or not.
    I don't think you will be paid what your owed and everyday you can't work for a new carrier, whether 1099 or not, is another day your falling behind on your own obligations.
     
    Babey Duck, REO6205 and JoeyJunk Thank this.
  7. Kyle G.

    Kyle G. Road Train Member

    3,296
    16,740
    Jan 23, 2016
    Eastern Iowa
    0
    It has been a nightmare for us getting any repairs done. Between parts shortages and completely incompetent mechanics... the past few months we not only have had trucks sitting for weeks but we also have to take trucks back two or three times so they can “finish the job.”

    My truck was in recently for an exhaust leak. They had to order a part which of course took weeks. Then they finished it and never told us it was done. Then I picked it up, drove a few miles, and noticed a fuel leak. Turns out they had taken the turbo off to fix the exhaust, and they never tightened the #### fuel line when they reinstalled it!

    I understand a lot of people don’t want to work right now and these truck shops are suffering with staff shortages on top of parts shortages. I’m sure it’s stressful for them. What I don’t understand is why are the lazy incompetent ones at work and the smart hard working ones are staying home? I would think it would be the other way around?
     
  8. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

    17,737
    124,501
    Apr 10, 2009
    Copied in Hell
    0
    Had a truck that was fairly new. Company brains decided to cut the truck from 68mph to 64 and to de tune the engine from 450HP to 350HP. I warned them that you can only detune 10% from manufacturers spec. But I am just a dumb truck driver.

    A week later, the engine blew…at 119000 miles. They sent the truck to Freightliner in Dallas. I told them that I was going home. They wanted me to stay and wait on the truck. We settled on $120/day breakdown plus motel. I sat in the motel for 3 1/2 weeks. Warranty work is almost always put on the back burner.

    If you’re not getting paid, you didn’t negotiate.
     
  9. reeferwrencher

    reeferwrencher Medium Load Member

    552
    1,469
    Aug 4, 2018
    0
    There s no shortage of lazy mechanics
     
  10. Frank Speak

    Frank Speak Road Train Member

    4,283
    12,774
    May 3, 2016
    0
    Hitch hike home if you have to. Just leave and never speak to anyone from that company again.

    BE THE BEER!
     
  11. skallagrime

    skallagrime Road Train Member

    3,553
    9,062
    Apr 10, 2012
    Indiana
    0
    In 1990? Fine.

    today at 120$ a day, that better be with me at home, and pay for every day of the weel, not a motel. And they can pay me the motel bill too.
     
    Badmon and Babey Duck Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.