CRETE - A Year in Review

You should quit all that wandering--it's hard on the body and you may get lost. Just sit and wonder instead.

 

I don't think you will have to do orientation and all, but may have to see their doctor to get released back to work. Then you will get sent to pick up a truck. Not positive, but a friend of mine had something like that after med leave.

 

Exactly right, I was out 2 mos 5 years ago, once I had been released for duty by my doctor, just had to call my terminal and get the ball rolling on a truck. It does depend on what medical reason you were taken out of service...if it were an injury, I don't think you have to re-take your physical, but if it's something like a sleep apnea or diabetes type thing...you might have to see one of Crete's doctors for a new physical.

Well, they came through for me getting me home. I am scheduled to renew my CDL so I have to take time off for that...and that was like pulling teeth. I cleared it with my terminal manager(which was the easy part), who suggested I schedule an appointment that would cement my time off, which I did, and informed her...but Op's had other plans, and the same day I set the appointment, I sat until 9 pm on Tuesday waiting on a load before they pplaned me on 2 loads, the 2nd delivers on the 27th at 9am, 2 hours away from home(same day as my CDL appointment which was 1 pm). So after a brief struggle with dispatch about it, I figured it was easier to reschedule my DMV appointment to later in the day, just in case the consignee isn't in a speedy mood to unload. I have been fighting even more than usual with getting answers to my Q/comm messages...and nothing, including unloading a serious case of 'snackbar' attitude on them seems to help....I'm about to give up and go back to being the serious thorn in the side like I use to be...seems as though that is the only thing they respond to...even if it means getting in a little more trouble once in a while. I'm thinking about changing my userId to Mr.Wallenda (you know the "flying Wallenda's", the one's that walk the tightrope) since I am constantly walking a tightrope between getting along, and getting in trouble.

Haven't heard much from JDZR lately, I wonder if he's just taking some holiday time off, or if he finally jumped ship like he was thinking about.

Anyway...Merry Christmas (and if that phrase offends you...sorry, never have been PC, never will be, and I refuse to say Happy Holidays just to keep from offending those are that sensitive )

 

Greetings from Edmonton, Alberta! Where it's a brisk -5F, cold enough to literally almost freeze your fingers off (as mine nearly did). I could feel the cold literally radiating through the cab walls. My floor was my refrigerator; all I did was put my perishables on the floor and they kept plenty chilly even though the cab was warm (ruined my bananas, though).

Had a little excitment during my stay up there. The cold contracted the gladhand seals and my service air connection dropped off at some bump in the road. Of course, I didn't know that until I was trying to carefully slow down on snowy/icy roads to make a right turn... and discovered I didn't have enough braking power to make the turn! I said, "Oh, shucks!" (or something similar) as I cruised straight through the intersection instead and pulled off at the first place I could until I could stop shaking. I was really fortunate that I didn't jackknife with no trailer brakes on that ice.

Folks, that's pucker power! It was a while before I could turn loose of the seat! I got out and looked, and there's the blue hosing dangling... I replaced the seals at -5F and my hands hurt from the cold so bad that I lost feeling in them getting back into the cab. Man, that's lethal cold!

I now have a mini-bungie cord around each gladhand connection, so I'm positive I'll never have that experience again.

In any event, I'm now back in the states and enjoying the new found heat of +30F in Washington state.

I'm staying out this Christmas so that others can have family time. My Christmas wish for those who are in is for much quality time with friends and family. For those who are out, like I am, I wish for us great memories in reflecting on the good times past and an act of kindness to a stranger who doesn't expect it.

And for all of us, peace on this troubled earth, good will toward our fellow man.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

 

Tarp a load at -10F and see how you feel.lol

 

I bow to you, sir, and am quite happy to acknowledge that you are a better man than I. For that reason, I choose to live a tarp-free life.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah to all my fellow Acklie drivers! I hope everyone is where they want to be, and enjoying this holiday!

A quick note I wanted to pass on --

I have a International ProStar, and I noticed that there is a substantial leak around the doors - specifically, where the door panel meets the door itself by the window, there is a gap of about 1/2-3/4 inch that lets air in.

I was driving across Missouri Wednesday morning heading east, there was a cold north wind blowing, and cold air was pouring into the truck.

I had a delivery to a Home Depot in St. Louis that morning, and while they unloaded the truck, I did a little shopping. For a mere $1.98 you can buy four pieces of pipe wrap insulation for 1/2" pipes.

Two of these cut to fit, will nicely stop 99% of the cold air blowing in the truck! You can use the leftovers from the two cut pieces to pack around the CB radio and eliminate that draft, and also put a piece or two on the doors for the cabinets to stop them from vibrating and rattling.

I recommend this to anyone having problems with cold air leaking into the International - I think this is the best $1.98 I ever spent!

Now, if I could just figure out a way to make my Coleman cooler fit in the cooler cut-out where it's supposed to...

 

Exactly the reason I haven't made the jump to a flatbed company...

 

Just kidding

 

if your crawlin you better get off before you cause a wreck .