Hey I’d like to kind of clarify a few things about my situation.
1. I have not raised a huge stink to my company or even complained directly to them. I’m sure if I hit them up and demanded I get home or get back to the yard they would probably comply. They are not forcing me to stay where I’m at.
2. Neither the company I work for Nor I knew this was gonna turn into a 20 day event. Of course I would’ve said no had I’ve known that upfront. You know how it goes with mechanical work. “A few days more, a few days more, a few days more,” I doubt had they known it would run into around 20 days, they would’ve opted for this as a solution. But it’s kind of a situation where “he’s been there that long, what’s a few days more“. Plus they’re not open on The weekends where my truck is at.
3. Yes, we’re out on the road doing OTR weeks at a time and a nice hotel stay seems pleasant. And it is, I enjoyed the first two days of this mini adventure wanna be vacation. Lol trust me after two days, it’s no longer fun. Even if I was in a place where there was lots of things to do, I’m not a big drinker or partier and pretty much anything I would be doing with cost a lot of money anyhow. So it has been like being in jail.
4. I do like the company I work for. I’m not gonna quit over this. I might go in and talk to them when I get back and just kind of nudge them a little bit about how you know I make usually around $1500 a week not $500. Lol but yes I realize this cost them money same as it did me. But, they are a trucking company and they know these things happen.
5. My biggest mental dilemma is of course my hours are gonna be fully reset and they might look at it like “wow you were on a three week vacation“. Mentally I’m ready to get my rear at home for a few days. Of course I won’t do that because I need some fat checks after this. But you know how it is you kind of get in a rhythm driving out there. I am definitely not in that rhythm right now. got stuff to tend to at home. So I might drive for a week and then once my 70s up I’m going home.
6. I will say next time this happens, and I know there will eventually be a next time, I will be upfront and say 2 to 3 days and then we gotta come up with a Plan B.
9 days of breakdown!
Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by Lennythedriver, Aug 19, 2022.
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A gold star & a cookie for ya @JudgeOxbow and Another Canadian driver Thank this. -
Another Canadian driver, Speed_Drums and Lonesome Thank this.
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I have been a day cab driver for 20 years, luckily I have never had this situation happen to me despite driving a 2011 International Prostar for 5 years. I do run most of the East Coast staying in hotels 1-3 nights a week.
One night on the way to Boston the high pressure fuel pump housing cracked near New Haven CT. It was spraying fuel everywhere but still ran ok, parked it at a hotel for the night. Called road service to take a look at it the next morning, of course they couldn’t help me. Had it towed to the nearest dealer and grabbed a taxi to a Penske location and rented a tractor. Just had to push back all my deliveries a day.
Another time I was heading home from Boston on a Friday night, heading West on I-84 near the NY/PA line when I heard a loud pop pulling a hill. I pulled over to investigate and found a lot of smoke rolling from under the hood, I couldn’t figure out what happened as it was coming from behind the engine where I couldn’t see. I called my buddy who also happens to be our company’s fleet manager, he said to try to limp it to the closest dealer which turned out to be in Scranton, PA .
I drove it despite being down on power, but about a half an hour from Scranton the cab started filling up with black smoke. I rolled down the window and stuck my head out to be able breathe, but just then the sky opens up and starts dumping buckets of rain 10 minutes from the dealer. It was either stick my head out the window and try to see thru the stinging rain, or keep my head in the cab and breathe the noxious fumes seeping in.
Somehow I made it to the dealer and then had to wait 2 hours for my buddy to pick me up. Luckily he was available to come get me as my daughter’s birthday was the next day and I definitely wasn’t missing that.
I feel like your company should be paying you much more. I ran for a propane company for a couple of winters. One year they decided to give me a sleeper truck despite me being home every night. First and only sleeper truck I have ever driven, ironically it was also a Prostar. A couple days after I got it I was rolling around the Baltimore beltway loaded and the truck just died after hitting a particularly rough patch of blacktop. I get out and pop the hood and find a rusty front shock broke and knocked the fuel line off the water separator.
It was a Saturday and the only mobile mechanic they could get to come out there was in this raggedy pickup with an air compressor bungeed in the bed. He wire ties the shock out of the way and fixes the fuel line. After consulting with the company’s shop manager they make him remove the shock completely so it doesn’t do anymore damage.
I was able to complete the load but I really didn’t like driving around with no front shock even though I couldn’t feel any difference in handling. I started having problems with low engine power the following Monday, and found the mechanics jerry rigged fuel line was crimping causing fuel starvation.
The company had me take it down to a dealer about 30 minutes from my house. It was in the shop for 4 days and the company paid me $200 a day to stay home. Worked out well for me as it was hunting season, and they even paid me mileage for my wife to run me back and forth to the dealership.Another Canadian driver and Speed_Drums Thank this. -
Another Canadian driver Thanks this.
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sits 65 feet ahead", I get a big laugh over this because I know, from the minute a driver is hired, a file is kept on him just in case he becomes a "thorn in the side".Last edited: Aug 24, 2022
Speedy356, bryan21384, Another Canadian driver and 2 others Thank this. -
Paying $100 a day AND not getting anything in return. Is losing money for them both.
But guess what? Some companies actually do take care of their drivers. I'm a perfect example of when they do.Another Canadian driver Thanks this. -
Another Canadian driver Thanks this.
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If they are paying you $100/day, why are you only getting $500/wk instead of $700/wk.
Another Canadian driver, born&raisedintheusa, lester and 1 other person Thank this. -
God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!
The absolute sheer driving force of our national economy - without truck drivers, our entire national economy would come to an absolute standstill - if not outright be dead.
Over the mountains, through the woods, into the valleys, coast to coast, from sea to shining sea - truck drivers can and do go anywhere and everywhere, every day, every night, all year round.Another Canadian driver Thanks this.
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