What a year so far....

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by MikeAkaSyndrome, Jan 10, 2013.

  1. MikeAkaSyndrome

    MikeAkaSyndrome Light Load Member

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    Apr 29, 2012
    Ocala, FL
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    So our sordid tale starts the day before New Years Eve. Head to UPS, pick up load. Hook up to trailer, PTI. Turn signals work fine, no clearance lights. Hmmm, mess with pigtail, nothing. Literally nothing now. Wiggle pigtail, four ways work. We ask UPS if they can transfer load to a different trailer. Noone working today other than security. Take trailer to TA, sit all day. Yay they fixed it...or did they? We start the truck, instantly tells us its going to derate in 60 minutes. DEF guage is not working. Hmm, hook it back up to computer, clear code. All is well, for five minutes. Guage is still not working, and will now derate in 45 minutes. TA is adamant that this is nothing that they could have possibly done. Company maintenance is now instructing to leave TA and proceed to Volvo dealer. As we pull out of the shop, we see that the trlr lights STILL are not working!!!!!!

    New plan, take trailer to repair place, and then proceed to Volvo dealer next morning. No problem. NYE morning, get up, drop off trailer at repair shop across the freeway. Call company for tow to Volvo dealer because truck is now fully derated. One hour for newbie tow driver to show up, ninety minutes to hook it. Ride to dealer. Get a room because they are closing early, and it wont be done until tomorrow. So we come back, turns out that TA, who as we'll recall, "couldnt possibly have caused this", put two fuses back in the wrong spot. Ok, no sweat, all is good. See ya !!!!


    Next morning, get up, proceed to Fedex for empty, whats THAT light doing on again ?? Back to dealer we go !!! We sit at the dealer all day until about 8:30, at which point service manager comes over to us and says, "Hasnt anyone talked to you yet ?" .....aww crap. Turns out that somehow overnight, the need for a new computer harness, turbo, exhaust manifold and oil pressure sensor arose. So, long story short, 5 more days in a motel.

    So we get the truck back, finally. Grab us a new load, and head to CA on I5. When we get to the first incline, suddenly our oil temp isnt working!! Five minutes later, the buzzer starts flashing High Oil Temp and shuts the truck down. This happens 6 more times over the next hour or so as we are gambling that it is a computer error. All fluids check out fine, etc. Company now instructs us to proceed to next Volvo dealer, in Redding. Pull into weigh station enroute, get pulled for a level three. Everything was going fine until they ran the trailer tag. Turns out the tag doesnt match the registration, because the tag belongs on a tractor, not a trailer. Now Id like to add here that i always check to make sure the registratin is THERE, but never thought to make sure it matches...lesson learned.


    We get to the dealer finally, back in to unhook trailer, and now the jaws wont cut loose, we tried backing into it, pulling away from it, wiggle it, shake it, beg it, bargain with it, nothing. My codriver hops out of the drivers seat, shuts the door, and the window shatters. REALLY !?!?!?


    So, all of this and Im STILL not on a bus home ?? Somethings wrong in my head, i think....... I just wanted to share my story and show that no matter how much I love my job, and present myself that way on here, I DO have ###### days !!!!!!!:biggrin_2556:
     
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  3. Brianman72

    Brianman72 Light Load Member

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    Nov 19, 2012
    Houston, TX
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    What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger :biggrin_25514:
     
  4. jbatmick

    jbatmick Road Train Member

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    Dec 1, 2009
    hastings, Fl
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    That's trucking. Hang in there, things will get better.
     
  5. ralph

    ralph Road Train Member

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    Mar 1, 2009
    At The Key Board
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    What's all this down time pay?
     
  6. MikeAkaSyndrome

    MikeAkaSyndrome Light Load Member

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    Apr 29, 2012
    Ocala, FL
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    Out of 12 days, we ended up paid for five days. The clock reset each time we got the truck back and mac22'd
     
  7. vikingswen

    vikingswen Road Train Member

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    Jun 14, 2012
    In the Stratosphere
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    Wow, I guess when it rains it pores. Hopefully you are fully caught up on break downs for 2013 and don't have to worry about a thing the rest of the year. Good luck out there and hopefully it will only get better. Knocking on my faux wood Volvo table.:biggrin_255:
     
  8. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    Nov 1, 2010
    Burnsville, MN
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    Heck, you should be caught up for breakdowns until 2020!
     
  9. ralph

    ralph Road Train Member

    1,112
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    Mar 1, 2009
    At The Key Board
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    Talk in dollars and cents>How much were you paid for the 12 days lost?
     
  10. Anarcrothe

    Anarcrothe Bobtail Member

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    Aug 23, 2012
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    Seems like Murphy's law is afoot and that truck is hexed ta' hell!
     
  11. MikeAkaSyndrome

    MikeAkaSyndrome Light Load Member

    176
    53
    Apr 29, 2012
    Ocala, FL
    0
    As my wife said. It seems fate took the term"what else can go wrong", and ran with it!!!!!
     
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