ASKING FOR A FRIEND--CLEARANCE LIGHTS...

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by truadvocate, Jun 10, 2018.

  1. truadvocate

    truadvocate Light Load Member

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    Here's the situation...

    With 2 days out from a customer, a "friend" noticed clearance lights out on trailer.

    Just so happened to be at a Petro and got authorization to get the work done, but alerted dispatch that OTD would not be possible if released from shop after a certain time. Sure enough... Petro's estimate was after that time.

    Prior to telling anyone about the lights...

    Would you have just stuck to daytime driving hours with no lights on so that the non-working clearance lights would not have been noticed UNLESS pulled by D.O.T. for a light inspection which has NEVER happened... so far OR...

    Would you have done what my "friend" did and reported the issue which resulted in my "friend" getting stuck on a load that is now tied up and causing my "friend" to lose a day of rolling?

    Asking for a "friend."
     
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  3. okiedokie

    okiedokie Road Train Member

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    Just because it's daylight doesn't make it ok. They still have to work. So tell your "friend" there it is.
     
  4. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    I would have rolled with it. I say this from personal experience.
     
  5. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Lights according to the FMCSA Regulations prescribing basic required locations and factory installed are supposed to work period. We used to carry a box of spares for all lights so when one went out, we dropped a new one in so it worked and some wiring as well as rubber tape etc. small tools etc.

    Lights must work always. No workarounds.

    In short day or night if DOT man wants to see those lights, flip em on. Let's see which if any of them are burned out....(Fishing for revenue...)

    There is another part two of my thought.

    To have a truck in a shop anywhere. Means lost time against expected arrival time. Dispatchers, Managers, Brokers, Drivers, Customer and his traffic department, warehouse man, or god help us the JIT auto parts factory that is running out of parts... waiting on you to fix it.

    It is the worst stress imaginable. If it is broke TAKE. THE. TIME. TO. FIX. IT. THERE. AND. THEN. Never mind the cries of you rolling yet? YOu moving yet? Get going yet? etc. Fix the appt times and re trip plan after the damage is done to time lost at shop.
     
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  6. truadvocate

    truadvocate Light Load Member

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    Yeah, but...

    LOL.

    I'll relay this to my "friend."

    #Cuss words

    LOL
     
    okiedokie Thanks this.
  7. truadvocate

    truadvocate Light Load Member

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    #EXACTLY!

    Thank you.
     
    x1Heavy Thanks this.
  8. truadvocate

    truadvocate Light Load Member

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    I think my "friend" was so tempted to roll the dice on this one, but totally thought better of it.

    Screwed up a 3500 mile week!

    Awwww...

    The stuff dreams are made of, but...

    Getting popped by D.O.T. and spending that extra cash and some on a ticket plus getting shut down until another trailer, forklift and authorization to break the seal arrived...

    Just doesn't seem worth it, you know?
     
    okiedokie Thanks this.
  9. speedyk

    speedyk Road Train Member

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    Run 'em and don't forget to keep them turned off. Take care of that customer and then...

    ... fix them, it's about as elementary as wiring can get. I was working for a place that would just twist the wires together and tape 'em,and this was in their main shop. I could have done a nice crimp in the same amount of time.

    Get yourself some replacement bulbs or LED fixtures, a decent stripper, crimper, crimps and shrink tube. You can replace a fixture faster than the time it takes to wait at the repair counter, and if you do it right you'll never worry about it. The first one you do yourself you'll save the cost of all those tools.

    What happened to the generation that could fix their own stuff? Change a lightbulb without watching youtube first?
     
  10. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    I don't get this.

    Doesn't anyone ever read the FMCSA regs they are supposed to have with them?
     
  11. truadvocate

    truadvocate Light Load Member

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    #GASP!

    Clearance lights... up top...

    Do you know how high up off the ground that is?

    How would I... uh... my "friend" get up there even if the materials and tools were available?

    Still...

    Asking for a "friend."
     
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