Driving OTR with US Xpress

Discussion in 'US Xpress' started by Wedge, Mar 24, 2012.

  1. Wedge

    Wedge Road Train Member

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    I show up in person whenever possible................but that's me.



    Make sure you stay "pro-company" once you do speak to someone.
     
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  3. Wedge

    Wedge Road Train Member

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    Hello There. :biggrin_25511:


    I'm back out on the road after a 5 day break at home. I'm in Champaign, IL after delivering a trailer load of pallets to Kraft. It was a re-powered load for a driver who was scheduled for home-time. A nice 598 mile run with plenty of margin. I have a pre-assignment that will pick up on Sunday at 1930 in Edwardsville, IL and deliver on Monday at 1230 in Dixon, IL, paid miles: 388. I don't care much for the 24 hours of layover waiting to pick up this load, but that's the way it goes sometimes.


    Of course it would've been nice if there were mtys available at Kraft. :biggrin_2552: Eh. Gives the planners something to panic over.




    I did have kind of a rough start to this road session. First thing that happened was my coffee pot, which comes home for a thorough cleaning, was subject to a "chain reaction". When I was transferring my gear from the car to the truck, my clothing bag that was on the seat, tumbled off onto my bathroom bag which was on the floor, which in turn bumped into the coffee pot which went sailing 4 feet down to the pavement.

    :biggrin_25521:

    Nothing broke to my amazement (plastic body and the carafe is made of stainless steel). I picked it up put it in the truck for closer scrutiny later on. Put my gear away, grabbed the loaded trailer and headed toward IL.



    I was on I285 (the western leg) heading north to the I75 junction. I make my exit off of 285, slowing down for the sweeping left turn which goes under 285, I'm in the right hand of the 2 lanes. Heavy Friday afternoon Atlanta traffic, bumper to bumper but moving.

    What do I see appear in my lane? A WHEEL ASSEMBLY!:biggrin_2555:


    I say assembly because it had everything: tire, wheel, lug nuts, hub, I'd be willing to bet the wheel bearings were still in there......looks like it came off of a small trailer.



    And, it's not in the middle of the road so that I could skillfully stagger it and surprise the guy behind me. No sir. It's perfectly lined up with my right side tires.


    OK. Decision making time......I got a few seconds.:biggrin_2551:


    Choice 1: Stand on the brakes, pop the yellow and red knobs and hope for the best............I was going around a curve at 30 mph......................that's not gonna work out for anybody except the evening news folks.

    Choice 2: Move into the left lane................I wouldn't mind, but the guy in that Mini would have experienced a "change of state".......that being from a solid to a liquid.

    Choice 3: Carefully try to navigate around it to the left and.......BOOM! ......BOOM!



    Ok.......so it was less than a few seconds. Got that sucker with the steer and drives



    Hmmmmm............Still rolling........At least I missed it with tandems. Thank God for off-tracking.




    I looked in the mirror expecting to see a vapor trail from the wheel launching itself down onto the local street below.............nope. That thing didn't budge. People must have been running over that thing for hours, pounding it into the pavement.



    I pulled over as soon as I found a spot so I could check out the right side of the truck, convinced that I wiped out the underside of the valence and running boards.


    Nothing. Must have stayed air-born long enough to clear the body parts.



    Great day so far. What's next? Alien invasion: Battle for Atlanta?



    Drove for 5 hours, about half way, and called it a day. I stopped at the rest area on I24 in Burks Mill, KY.


    Time for coffee. Need to look over this coffee maker.......seems intact......no cracks anywhere. Best to add water slowly, just to be sure..........add a little........no leaks......add a little more......looking good........put in 3 of 4 cups.......dry as bone.......put in the rest of the 16 oz bottle.......no leaks.



    Ah. At least I'll get to enjoy a fresh cup of cof..............what the.......(water pouring on pull out desk/drawer, floor, me, carpeting........<grabs coffee maker....tosses out window>.....water on seat, dashboard, in my boots).



    There. Now it's really broken.



    I shouldn't have to go pick that up.........I had a bad day! :biggrin_25516:





    .........Stupid coffee pot.





    Argh!.........where'd I put that wet vac?






    Thanks for reading.
    -Wedge
     
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  4. NoCoCraig

    NoCoCraig Road Train Member

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    I cannot wait to read your book
     
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  5. SAMMY6969

    SAMMY6969 Medium Load Member

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    Nov 12, 2011
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    Wk end.fm,s...sux!!! Had a 1000 mile load on me,put on friday bye my fm..who sux2..drop at yard pick up 1000 mile run,great no need to mess with wk end fm who all suck..right in the yard 1000 mile load was taken off me..no reason nothing..so im pissed asked repetedly why why..wken fm who all suck!!! No responce..then beep beep..wken fm who sux..give me a 150 mile load drops monday at noon...ok the rest starts with f*******!?*****!!*****!!@#!!!!!?&%%@@#....i dont take it....i eas also told bye a smart ###..heres a load no one will take this one from you..my responce*******&&%@@@!!!@!@ was also told u will take this load asap....my responce now was lol lol..stop lol....woke up this morning 900 mile load..thank you...my time with us xpress is coming to a end..no way will i continue to be pissed off everyday...fighting for miles..im now looking ..goal.
     
  6. NoCoCraig

    NoCoCraig Road Train Member

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    Have you tried contacting management? The Facebook page?
     
  7. vinsanity

    vinsanity Road Train Member

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    Why are you getting so upset? Stuff happens. My first question on that 150 mile run would have been what's my drop number since you were near a yard.

    Are you really responding to them like that? No wonder you aren't doing well.
     
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  8. Wedge

    Wedge Road Train Member

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    Griffin, Georgia
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    I'm getting plenty of time to work on it, Craig. Truck's in break-down mode again.

    Picked up an mty this morning, headed east to my fuel stop in Springfield, IL: CK Eng light on, DEF light flashing away, tank's fuel of juice. Most likely a bad DEF pump.



    I should have kept the coffee pot and thrown the truck out the window. At least I knew where I stood with that, water leak and all.
     
    biggare1980 Thanks this.
  9. sammycat

    sammycat "Oldest Hijackerette"

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    DITTO!!!!:biggrin_25514:
     
    Wedge Thanks this.
  10. SAMMY6969

    SAMMY6969 Medium Load Member

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    Nov 12, 2011
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    Ok I GV U ONE DAY ONE DAY.OF ME FINALY HVING ENOUGH...YOU KNOW BITEING MY TOUNG..DOING WHAT EVER US X WANTS.TILL YESTERDAY..WAM...SO DONT BE QUIK TO JUDGE..I HV BEEN SO patient ..JUST HAD IT YESTERDAY...IM SHUR SHUR EVERYONE HETE CAN ACCEPT THAT...I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR SOME IDEAS...THANKS
     
  11. Wedge

    Wedge Road Train Member

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    Griffin, Georgia
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    Second day of breakdown.

    Detroit Diesel is directly involved. This DEF problem is being a pain. The pump's working but they can't clear out the trouble codes.


    Hoping for a break.
     
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