Calex Express....My New Home!

Well here's an update, but before I get started, remember this phrase.
"John, your truck is ready, go pick it up at the dealer" This phrase will become a major joke, just wait.

I left North Bend Wa as soon as I got my dispatch last Wednesday. I drove down to Jubitz T/S in Portland and camped out until the next morning when I left to get to the nursery 30 miles west of Portland. I called the shipper for directions and was told by the lady to please not follow my GPS as it takes you on a small dirt road not made for big trucks. She said if I follow her directions I will have no problem getting to her nursery, and if I should get lost to call her and she would come get me. Very nice if I do say so. I followed her directions to the letter and arrived at her nursery, which was on her property that was located on top of a mountain with the most spectacular view I have ever seen. I pulled into her driveway and stopped where it said to stop which was right at her front porch to her house. This woman came out and asked me how I like my coffee, I told her 2 sweet and low with extra cream. She came out a short while later with my coffee and a homemade raisin muffin. I was totally blown away by this. She told me where to park and she would call her crew to start loading me. Just as I was finishing my coffee and muffin about 10 farm workers showed up and started loading my trailer with 4050 individual potted Blue Spruce Christmas tree's that were 2 feet high. They weighed about 10lbs apiece so I figured my load would be right at 41,000 pounds. I was done loading in about 4 hours, thanked the lady for the coffee and muffin, then proceeded to gingerly come off the top of this mountain right side up. Gary was waiting for me at our fuel stop in Troutdale so I got there and weighed the wagon. I was dead on about the weight of the load, but the axles needed to be adjusted. I was 37,000 on my trailer and only 27,000 on my drives so I slid the trailer back and got it all legal and ready to ride.

We left Troutdale and planned on making it to Boise for our break. After climbing all the hills including Cabbage we got to Boise, parked and went to bed. The next morning we fueled, showered and headed to Laramie for our next break. My truck is running good, out pulling a bunch of trucks and is a real pleasure to drive. We make it to Laramie and go inside to eat. When we got back to the trucks the temperature was down to 39 degrees. Time to run the APU on heat for the night.

We get up at 5am local time and get ready to leave. I start my truck and drive over to the fuel island to get a cup of coffee and brush my teeth. When I get back to my truck my air warning gauge is screaming and the red light is on, no air! I walk over to the shop and get them to come over to my truck and we decide that the air governor has crapped out. I told Gary to go on without me and I will meet him at the 168 mm in Iowa. An hour later with a new air governor I'm headed east again. I make it to Newton Iowa and find the last spot at the Love's.

We wake up early, check out all fluids, clean our windshield's then leave. I make it exactly 5 miles down the road and my transmission fault gauge lights up like a Christmas tree, just like it did last month when I was suppose to go to California. I called the weekend emergency number and explained what's going on to the mechanic on duty. He instructs me to go to Walcott and have them disconnect the battery cable's and do a battery service to reset the computer. There was a 2 hour wait so I went in and got a haircut and showered. I got back to my truck just as they were ready for me and was out in an hour. I left and made it 8 miles down the road and guess what? The same thing happens along with the engine fault sensor. This time the truck shut down so I had to coast to the shoulder and call back to the mechanic. In the mean time, I shut the truck off and waited 10 minutes then restarted the truck. This worked and I made it to the rest area just east of Morris Il to use the bathroom. When I got back to the truck and was leaving the rest area the same thing happened. So I stopped on the shoulder, shut the truck off then restarted it to clear the computer. This worked and I figured at this rate I won't ever get to Connecticut. I made it to Gary In for fuel and then left hoping nothing else will happen. I decided to take the turnpike instead of rte 30 only because there was more Volvo dealers along that route. I made it to the Ohio toll plaza and as I was waiting my turn to go through the EZ-Pass lane my truck craps out again. I stopped right in the toll lane and shut the truck off to reset the computer again. It worked again and I left. I make it to the 118 mm and at highway speed the same thing happens. I made it to the shoulder of the on ramp with the hopes no one would run into the back of me.

As I was waiting on the shoulder guess who shows up? Not one, but two Ohio State Patrolmen, with lights flashing behind me. I walk to the back of my trailer and explain to them what is going on. I told them all I need to do is make it 18 miles to the next service plaza and I was going to sleep. They said that one of them would escort me to the plaza in case I should break down. I said fine and I go back to the truck and hear on the CB about this Calex driver that was handcuffed on the eastbound side at the 118 mm. Come on folks, can't you come up with something better than that? He followed me into the plaza I parked and got out to thank him. I went to bed with the hope of making it the last 78 miles to Youngstown to the Volvo dealer.

I woke up at 6am and left. I don't believe in what I call Foxhole Prayers but I did mention to him to at least let me not have any problems for the next hour and a half. He must have felt sorry for me because I made it to the dealer without a problem. I had called Melanie at the shop to tell her what was going on and to call the dealer to let them know I was on my way. She did, and when I arrived I dropped my trailer and they put me right in the shop. Now the circus starts.

They hooked the truck up to the computer and download 3 full pages of faults. They then did what is called an E-Service with Volvo who gets all the information via computer and diagnoses the problem. That took all day and finally they came back with loose connection on the wiring harness to the transmission and to tighten everything up then take said vehicle on an extended road test. The dealer told me that without it happening while in their shop there was nothing they really could do and that because the truck is still under warranty and that Volvo is paying the bill, they have to do what Volvo say's. They said that it would be ready to be picked up in the morning. This is where I become somewhat of a pain in the arse. I asked them that what Volvo is saying is that they rather trip over a quarter to save a dime. I also asked what happens if I leave and breakdown 50 miles from here, they said to call a tow truck. Wrong answer pal. I got a motel room and called them early this morning, and guess what I was told? When they tightened everything up and road tested the truck the truck crapped out on the mechanic. This time they couldn't get it to clear so they had it towed back to the dealer. Way to go Volvo!

I now had the head of safety involved along with the head of the shop and explained to them what Volvo said. They told me the same thing, Volvo is paying the bill and they have to do what they say. I then explained to them what the cost of a tow bill would be if this truck craps out coming out of the GW Bridge toll plaza. I know how much it would cost, around 1500 dollars. At this time they got a call back from Volvo saying that it's an Eaton problem with either the software or a transmission wiring problem. So they spent the rest of today sending an E-Service to Eaton. Right now I'm in another hotel with my thumb stuck somewhere. I'm really not happy, the load is now late, I'm not making money, my truck is no closer to being fixed and I want to go home.

I was told tonight before I left the dealer that it can be one of two things with the transmission, a software problem or a wiring harness problem. The software issue isn't a big problem, the wiring harness is, like 5 days worth of work. I hope it's the latter, that way I will secure the trailer for another driver to pick up and get a cab to the airport and fly home until I get the call from Calex or the dealer that the truck is ready. This really sucks and I'm about over it now.

Remember my opening phrase? "John, your truck is ready, go pick it up at the dealer" We own the Volvo dealership and they couldn't fix the problem. I can't wait till the next time I'm told that.

 

They are all automatics except for 15 of them. Yes you are right on all counts. You will fly into Philly then switch planes to either Allentown or Scranton.

 

"John, your truck is ready, go pick it up at the dealer"

I heard it again. Yesterday morning around 9:30am I got the call, and I was at the dealer hooking up to my trailer. There was something wrong with it, I wasn't imagining anything. The night before they found the problem, 2 connectors at the end of the Transmission wiring harness that goes into the computer were worn out. 2 $5 connectors took 14 hours of shop time to find. I left the dealer and drove straight to Westbrook CT, 488 miles across PA, NJ, and the Cross Bronx into Connecticut, Not a problem one. They also updated the software and it now shifts a whole lot smoother. I delivered this morning and now am sitting at the Petro up from the terminal. Going home tomorrow.