Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by JohnBoy, Apr 10, 2013.

  1. jarhead0311

    jarhead0311 Road Train Member

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    Dropped my totes of syrup on the yard and now a 34 til Monday. Run hard all week then a 34 on the weekend, way I prefer things, lol!
     
  2. ExtremeUnction

    ExtremeUnction Road Train Member

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    Back on the road. HQ paid me for a deadhead from Memphis to Ashdown (just outside of Texarkana), then ate the miles for me to run down to Shreveport.

    They told me I could drop the empty trailer I was hauling at Ashdown, but it's a paper mill and they want all trailers to be spotless. I wasn't in the mood to deal with that on my way to Shreveport, so I just stayed hooked to the trailer. Yesterday I left Shreveport, went up to Ashdown, dropped the empty there, and hooked an empty reefer someone had brought there (presumably by mistake, since this place won't load reefers), and headed to Forrest City.

    An hour or so down the road, a truck pulls up next to me and motions me to roll down my window. I did so, whereupon he informed me that I had two flat tires. I pulled over immediately, and sure enough, both tires on the passenger side rear axle were shredded. It wasn't a blowout, because I've had one of those before and there's no mistaking the sound. So I'm not clear at all what happened. I'm guessing the tires deflated somehow (maybe a TIS problem?) and then just got shredded on the way. They weren't visible in the side view mirror, either. No clue when it happened, nor how long they'd been like that.

    There was some other damage as well. Mudflap was gone, mudflap bracket was bent, TIS was gone, and the metal panels above the tires were warped and bent. Presumably all that happened after the tires came apart. So after the tire tech came out and replaced the tires, I called HQ and told 'em I needed to take the trailer to West Memphis for repairs rather than taking it to Forrest City. They agreed, and I dropped the trailer there with a shop ticket.

    Currently hauling something to Savannah, GA. It's a drop, due Tuesday night. I'll have it there tomorrow morning. Coulda got it there today, but I've really been having trouble with drowsiness today, so I knocked off early. Tired of fighting my urge to sleep.
     
  3. Finfn1372

    Finfn1372 Road Train Member

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    Coming off hometime tommorrow,gotta get up to the shop,looks like a def issue.
     
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  4. jarhead0311

    jarhead0311 Road Train Member

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    34 up and no loads except a bissel going to walmart in Grove City which don’t drop til wed. DM trying to see if can drop it on the swift yard up there so Im not sitting here another day.
     
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  5. Finfn1372

    Finfn1372 Road Train Member

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    Hanging out in Frystown,got a delivery in Allentown in the am.
     
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  6. Rolladawg

    Rolladawg Light Load Member

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    EU, with apologies for being a few days late I was sorry to learn of your Mother's passing. As others have mentioned, it's the best for you, your Brother and - with respect- your Mother.

    Take care.
     
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  7. ExtremeUnction

    ExtremeUnction Road Train Member

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    Been my week for tires.

    Yesterday, delivered a load in Savannah. Guard shack told me to pick up an empty in slot A23.

    I hooked to the trailer, 7822, and did my pre-trip. Grabbed my tire thumper and administered a good thumping to all the tires.

    Got around to the passenger side and went to thump the right front inner tire. And there was no thump. Because there was no tire. Just some shredded sidewalls. I guess the last driver to pull the trailer had a blowout and didn't know.

    Called Breakdown and explained to them that trailer 7822 needed a new tire, but the trailer was going to be unattended because I had to get down the road to another shipper. Hopefully they were able to effect repairs despite my absence.
     
  8. jarhead0311

    jarhead0311 Road Train Member

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    Dropped my load of vacuum cleaners on the swift yard and grabbed an empty and sent to Aleris to reload dropping on the Wytheville yard and next is live load gatorade at the Shelton warehouse dropping in Lithia Springs, Ga. Always nice when things run smooth and know what Im doing one after the other load wise.
     
  9. ExtremeUnction

    ExtremeUnction Road Train Member

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    Truck is in the shop. I've mentioned before that I have to top off my coolant every few weeks. Been doing that for four years, the entire time I've had the truck.

    I have tried to get it fixed a couple of times, but the shop either couldn't or wouldn't fix it. I spent a month in a loaner for no reason because my truck still had the same problem when I got back into it. After that happened twice, I just said "Screw it" and stopped trying to get them to fix it. Their money, their truck. If they'd rather fork over $28 every few months for coolant instead of fixing the truck so they don't have to, that's their business. It's kind of annoying, but it beats driving a loaner for no reason. And so it has gone for a few years.

    Topped it off Monday, which was about the time it was due.

    Then I had to top it off again yesterday, less than 24 hours later.

    That was sufficiently unusual that I am going to try once again to get it fixed.

    I don't think it'll actually be fixed. I expect that I will drive a loaner around for a month, and will then get back in the truck and will still need to top it off every few weeks.

    But hope springs eternal.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2023
  10. RebelChick

    RebelChick Road Train Member

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    I have heard that if you talk with the new terminal manager in RVA, things get done. Or at least they have for a friend who still works there. Maybe give that a try.
     
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