Newbie with USA

A lot has been squeezed into the last week. While sitting at W Memphis on Oct 1st I was dispatched on a load to Conway, AR, no problem. I did tell my dispatcher that I wanted to go to Van Buren after delivery for a 34-hr restart. Right after dropping my load off in Conway I get my next load assignment. A 500 mile run to Gretna, LA, a hot load that had to deliver by 0700 the next morning. When I reminded my dispatcher that he said that he would try to get me thru V/B for a restart I was told that his computer showed that I had enough hours to complete the run. It was such a tight timeline that I had to drive non-stop from Conway to Gretna (right outside NOL), just so I wouldn't go over my 14. I got to Gretna at about 12:15, after having to drive down the tightest truck route in a while which lead to quite a fireworks display later on, but that's another post, and shut down for a quick nap across the street from final. At about 3am I went over to see if I could get unloaded early. I was told that I wasn't scheduled to be unloaded until 1300, and that there were other trucks ahead of me. They did take my cell number and told me that they would call if they could squeeze me in early. Thank goodness they had a parking lot for truckers to sleep at. At 11am I was able to head back and get unloaded. I then went back to the lot to finish my break.

 

Like I said in the previous post, the road to the plant that I had to go to in Gretna, LA was a tight one. Two lane road with parking on either side in a residential neighborhood. When I went thru the area the first time it was tight but I made it thru. The way out was a different story. It was about 7pm and I had just made my turn back onto this small street (Lafayette ST) and was heading towards US-90 business. Right after passing some power lines I heard a noise and as I looked in my pass. side mirror saw the most incredible blue lights shooting off the side of my trailer. That's right, apparently the top of my trailer snagged one of the lower power lines. After I pulled into the next block I turned the hazards on and was told by a resident that the police had already been called, so I waited and then call the accident hotline. The officer filled out his report and told me that I wouldn't be ticketed because as far as he could tell I had done nothing illegal. When the representative from the safety department called me, I was still on the scene with the officer and let the two of them talk. I was then told by safety that since i was on a legal truck route, a truck route that USA told me to take, that it more than likely would not be listed as a preventable accident. I finished up with the officer and went on my way. The next day I am told by my dispatcher that I have to go to a safety class, and a call from safety lets me know that this may be listed as a preventable even though, as far as I can tell, I was in the right. I was on a legal truck route, a route that USA assigned, and was not ticketed for any wrong doing. I was told by safety that since other trucks had gone down the same route and hadn't hit that wire that they were investigating whether or not I could've done something differently. They even asked me if there was something about the suspension of my T/T that would've made it taller. I as tempted to tell them that I had tricked the truck out with monster truck tires and hydralics, but they probably would've believed me. Now I have to wait to see if this will be charged against me even though the officer and the first safety person I talked to said that the wire should've high enough for my truck to get under without any problem. I have already made up my mind that if they do say that this was preventable I'm appealing it. I'll keep you guys updated.

 

Well it's been a while since my st post, but this is what happened with my latest misadventure in driving. Sure enough, safety listed the accident as preventable and I appealed it. Guess what, I won. It's kind of a hollow victory since I still have two preventable accidents with USA but I'd rather have two than three. Other than that I've been put into another truck, 1247 this time. 1352 had a bad egr valve and some other problems that required it to go to the dealership. 1247 isn't too bad, but I did lose my power locks/windows, and no longer have the built-in inverter. That sux. I did get an APU though. There are two plugs in the sleeper that are only supposed to work while the APU is running but they are broken. The APU that I have is apparently one of the first test ones. It is so big that when I'm hooked to a trailer you can look in my mirrors and see the tractor leaning toward the passenger side. Also if I go over a railroad track to quick I could probably take it clean off the side. I'll try to be better about posting and everybody be careful on the road. Se you out there.