Basic truck care

Someone else's problem, huh? Guess the minute it takes to check the tires is just too much effort.

 

Yup. I'll kick um every time I hook up and get the tire changed if it's off the bead or add air if it's real wobbly buy at the end of the day I get paid by the mile not by the amount of tires I check. Maybe if trucking companies paid better drivers would care more.

I'd be willing to bet over 95% of company guys just kick the tires

 

Seriously guys? Do your pre trip. I know you get paid by the mile/load but what if that tire you didn't bother checking blows out and the tread flies into the windshield of a minivan full of kids that scares the driver enough to cause a tragic accident? Ive seen guys never even bother to check the fifth wheel/kingpin connection as well. Think about that next time you don't take the time to check out your equipment.

 

Draining air tanks is old school but still very valid. I have been in situations where sludge filled tanks made it all the way to the brake chambers and then eat away at the rubber divider allowing massive leaking into the spring chamber. You will know it when you approach a ramp and your total air pressure in primary first then secondary drains as fast as you are slowing leaving you to wonder if your spring brakes will activate halfway around the ramp.

 

You sir are going to kill someone with those wheels and tires. We used to check them for temp, air and nuts every three hours long ago.

If you have gotten that lazy I suggest you get with it. Your future and that of someone depends on it.

 

Im with you on this, years ago when i ran local roll off, (standard 10 axle pulling a pup) i had my outside rear dual done out by road service after catching a nail or something, the next morning all is well. I go about my day. Well 6 hours or so into the day, i get on the freeway, get upto 60... tooling along in the granny. Dont know why, but i got this feeling something was wrong. Couldn't shake it so i pulled over. #### me if i hadn't lost 4 lugs and 2 studs to a loose wheel! I must have barely felt it? I don't know why i felt funny but i dont dare think of what could have happened. It wasn't cheap to fix, but better than the alternative. I check my lugs several times a day.

 

I hated those wheels. They would shake the nuts sometimes. I swear a set of aluminums on there something light and premium would have solved it.

 

You are what is wrong with this industry. You simply aren't worth better pay. Your mileage pay includes everything that goes along with those miles, including pre, inter, and post trip inspections, keeping the glass clear so you can see safely, filling out log books, contacting dispatch as necessary, fueling the truck, etc. If you drive 60 mph@ 40cpm that's 24 dollars an hour. Holding a steering wheel ain't worth 24 bucks an hour. If you are too lazy to do your job completely you probably aren't even worth 20 CPM, so if you make better than that you have no room for complaint about pay.