Good Night From II

You know what they say about bad luck? If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. When I left the house on Sunday, I found a flat drive tire on the truck. Since it wasn't popped off the rim, I drove 20 miles down to the flying j and aired it up. Planned to get it fixed soon, just kept an eye on the pressure until then. So last night I stopped for the night at a Loves in southern Ohio and when I get out of the truck, my left front steer is flat. Just had that tire replaced two months ago. So I call Onroad and get both tires fixed. Ok. So that's bad luck, but not a big deal since it was all easily fixed. BTW, they put another new tire on the steer and put my spare tire (which just happened to be a used steer) on the drive.

Fast forward to this morning, I idled the truck because it was just hot and humid last night. Got up for a shower and turned the truck off. (If you're not in it, turn it off.) When I got back to the truck, the #### thing won't start. The real start of my bad luck. Walk over to the shop and they are closed. The fuel desk says the techs will be there at 7 am, 15 minutes later. I'm there at 7 and when the tech shows up I let him know I needed a jump start 20 minutes ago. He says ok, I let him know where the truck was and go back to the truck. 20 minutes later I see him and the other tech dumping trash. WTF?!?! Apparently it was more important to empty the trash around the parking lot than to get me rolling. After raising hell about that, the tech that came to jump start me didn't even know how to hook up the cables. Once I finally got the truck started, I bring it to Columbus because now I'm afraid to even turn it off, and they say they will get to it tonight. They didnt look that busy, but you can't argue with the shop. So now I have to tcall my load to Joliet and lose my load to MN. If it weren't for bad luck.......

 

Ferriss, I feel your pain. Let me guess; your student is a twenty-something millennial? Because I have one of those right now.

Can't drive worth crap. Tailgates, slams on the brakes. Turns out she totalled her car a week before orientation. No respect for the truck; I have to clean up the cab every time I go on shift. Used up the three boxes of tissues I had on board, then buys one box that she keeps with her.

I'm allergic to cigarette smoke. She said she smoked "one or two a day". Lights up every time she steps of the truck, and absolutely refuses to use Febreze on herself. (Then tells me to "just get over it; it's not that bad".)

I can go on. I thought that the saying that millennials have no respect for anyone but themselves was a bit exaggerated. Silly me.

 

I would have thrown her off the truck for THAT alone!

 

Throw her off the truck ... I can guarantee you that she is rolling down the window and smoking while you're in the sleeper.

Your experience and Ferris' is why I can not cost justify becoming a mentor. That and the lawyer bills for a murder trial.

 

First of all thank you for the responses and advice.

He quit. We were rolling down 15 south (just past parowan,) he pulled over to the shoulder and said he was going off duty, I talked him into going to the rest area just 10 miles down the road.

He said "today you talk too much" (he's Somalian, that's an exact quote.) Then explained how I kept correcting him, and gave me the lame excuse of how he's new and shouldn't be expected to maintain proper speed like I do.

Well folks my job is done, I guess I'll sit in the corner and just say nothing, since new drivers make mistakes and shouldn't be expected to meet professional standards.


I'm calling driver development first thing in the morning. He dosent need my advice. I've already started fostering my defense incase he trys to get me in trouble, last 3 students already said they'd go to bat for me. Although, it appears he isn't all that angry or anything, we had a very civil conversation about it all (if you don't include me having to bite my tounge off.)

 

Born under a bad sign by Albert King, one of my favorite songs to play. The last time I was in Columbus they told me something would "get fixed tonight" it got fixed two days later. Make sure the shop guys there know your checking up on thier progress.

 

Definatly very similar especially in the driving department, leaving trash about. Though he did clean up when asked. Granted I know intimidate him a bit, just by me being me, and even trying too not intimidate him.

I will agree with Steve and Mystic, she's showing blatant disregard for your health and blatant disrespect. I'd warn her to stop acting that way, and if she didn't, she would be gone. I'm sure she's used to trampling on people, I'd have no problem telling her to find another doormat.

 

Oh I know they have the data, they even have camera footage, he triggered it a time or two. The Qualcomm actually gave him verbal over speed warnings, something I didn't even know it did till I started training.

 

Yes, but then both low beams suddenly stopped working. After my delivery I had to drive to the TA with high beams.
I'm picking up a can load in Golden, CO tomorrow so I need to get the trailer inspected at the Denver terminal. I guess they'll have one more thing to fix. Hopefully they have a quick fix, like a fuse or breaker. I couldn't find a breaker for the low beams in the cab fuse/breaker box.