CRETE - A Year in Review

I think you're right. If I remember correctly, the 12.7 Detroits had bad cooler issues when they were 1st introduced w/egr...they too had coolant issues.

 

When I first started driving at Central Reefer my trainer had a Century that would drink antifreeze like nobodies business. They never could fix it properly and he finally just gave up and traded it for a Kenworth when his lease ran up.

 

the numbers look good. but the constant battle to get home and rude people in office is what ended me working for them...... respect cant be bought

 

You are right on that one. Respect must be earned...just because the person has a fancy degree and an important title does not mean I should respect them. I have more respect for my fleet manager and a few of the operations people than most of the suits. The exception to that is Mr. A...who's reputation among the few drivers still here that worked with him garners a lot of respect...because he earned it by treating the drivers right.

 

<Poking head in and waving> WAZAAAAAP!?!!?? Sitting at Pilot in Dalton GA because the shipper thought it would be funny to take 3.999978653029107 hours to load me (Celadon gives shippers 4 hours free...and thanks to GPS you can't cheat to get detention). I Houred out scaling the load. Gotta be in Laredo on the 19th, and I have 24.5 hours total on my 70 to get it done thanks to a nice long driver assist load in Atlanta this morning. At least they paid me 40 whole dollars to give up half my hours for the day. Still, it beats sitting around with my thumb up my butt. Later! <Quick soft shoe step then shuffle off to Buffalo, exit stage right>

 

The ProStar I had at Crete started drinking antifreeze one day. After several attempts to find a leak I put it in the shop for repairs at my next scheduled PM. The PM got done no problem but the antifreeze deal turned into a long process. Turns out the cooling sensor went bad in it. That's a warranty item and Crete Shops won't work on those items. Truck had to be taken to a Cummins Shop and they have to tear down into the motor to replace that item. Takes most of a day once they can get it in and actually start the work on it. I spent 3 days in the Hotel while they did mine. Truck worked just fine after that item was replaced. Good Luck with yours.

 

I just figured out what the 'no idle' heater in my truck sounds like. If anyone has ever used a router (with a dull bit) or a panel planer (wood working equipment). That's what my heater sounds like...and just about as loud. I have to keep my tv at about 3/4 max volume just to hear over it. It winds up, and fluctuates and vibrates randomly, winds down, winds up fluctuates and vibrates randomly, winds down. Almost like having you next door neighbor trimming trees and using one of those big commercial chippers....all night long.

 

That's what mine sounded like last night. Good thing I'm in Indy today. I feel like this is my home terminal. I've been to my home terminal twice, but I've been here like 8 times in my short time thus far with Crete.

 

Heading to Atlanta from Summer Shade, KY with a heavy load of Kingsford. Gawd, I hate these backwoods routes....

After I get unloaded tomorrow, I get to do all my annual stuff...physical, fill out forms, get IFTA and HUT stickers for truck....gonna be a fun Friday friends!

After turning in just over 1200 miles last week (home a couple of days), I'll turn in about 3500 this week, so 4700 in what is really just about a week and a half.

 

I've been to one of the Kingsford places...you're right...those back roads almost gave my Shetland ponies a hernia.