Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

thank ya'll for helping me make up my mind now central dont sound so bad...lol i guess they are the best of the worst

 

Like anything else it is what you make of it. If you go in with low expectations then things only get better. When I started, I wasnt expecting a whole lot, so it didnt seem so bad to me. LOTS less stress from my last job!

 

Same here, except I'm reminded of my last job every time I go into a t/s. At my last employer, my last 6 months was spent as lead support tech for IEI products (we were their parent company), which makes those keypads you use to get into the automated showers and the access control system that controls the keypads.

About a month before I left I got a call from a networking guy from Pilot. Apparently when they install those systems they used test codes to test the system and the codes had not automatically cleared. Somebody passed those codes around and people we're stealing showers. Took us 8 hours to clear the codes from the system. Needless to say that problem was fixed.

And before anyone asks... NO, there is not a way to cheat that system at the keypad (except maybe to rip the keypad off the wall and start shorting wires to trigger the maglock). Each code is randomly generated (except at TA) and assigned a single use access at that specific keypad. When you enter the code, it is sent back to a master server (which can be onsite or offsite) for verification, if the code is valid the master server grants access to that location. Once entered it is cleared after a short time period and can no longer be used. Maintenance codes are changed frequently.

The only way to cheat the system is to be logged into the master server for that location and assign a code for a specific door.

In a small way I felt bad fixing it knowing that I was leaving to do this. But if it wasn't me then my cohort in MI would have, and we we're a bit competitive about the big contract support calls.

 

I wish I was worry free.. Sometimes I have panic attacks from worrying.. But my family is with me in the truck.. So I can work thru them...

Well the people at kenworth are rude here in denver.. They are just rude and unwilling to work with me on having my dog.. Either she stays in the truck or we stand outside in the cold....

I just gotta get to thermo king now...get that alternator fixed.. And get 600 miles from tom to wed at midnight.. If I can't.. My week is shot and this will be thw seventh week with less than 200 for a check....

 

HAHAHA hacking for a $10 shower.... but yeah... This job is cake compared to the face to face customer stress. I came from IT and pharmacy. I couldnt take someone ######## at me for something that isnt my fault and I just unload on them and refuse to help them with their problem. I just check my driver id number on the TA shower tickets to find which shower i am in. Once i stole someone's shower by going to it and pressing 5767*. They really need to randomize that code. I did make sure it was on the screen for at least 5 minutes though!

 

Speaking of TK, did you see their new tri-pac e? Doesnt use fuel. It's a battery operated tri- pac.

 

Nice, kinda like our battery powered heaters.. I like that.. But unless its solor powered.. How could you use it for 10-12 hours at night without running the truck to charge the batteries..

I worked at walmart before here.. It was stressful because I worked over night general freight(toys) amd on weekends.. Stupid 16-22 year olds would love to come in and terrorize me by bouncing balls and runnin their arms down thru our merchandise...stupid kids....

I wish I had the stability that wal mart gave me..the days and weekends off.. I miss that a lot...

 

They went to really strong batterys, and there are several of them.
Another company is making one that uses Lithium Ion batterys (like in your cell phone).
Those cost allot more but they charge faster and hold the charge longer than the gel batterys. Also that unit has shore power so you can plug it in and charge it.

 

Pictures on TK facebook show a bank of 6 batteries. When you run the truck, the batteries get charged, when you shut down they are used to operate climate control and charge the truck battery.

 

#### that was just wrong!!