Glad I moved over to Poly Trucking

What free stuff are they giving out?

 

You are correct...I was one of three drivers that had to do a road test. The other two were current drivers that had to do their yearly road test. I was the one incognito in non-Poly clothes. The driver that gave me mine had that exact truck when he first hired on. He said the a/c system worked great, if you hung a sheet in front of the top bunk and enclosed yourself in a cocoon. The problems are low coolant (no signs of a drip) and a cracked flex pipe between the DPF and the muffler. There is a writeup on the floor, but it didn't show anything on it about the exhaust or a coolant leak. I hope it isn't an EGR cooler. There is another driver cleaning out his truck while we were waiting on my shuttle to the Hotel...another Cummins powered Prostar.

 

It's driver appreciation week. Free food and lots of free drinks. In addition, they are doing a free bag hand out. Nothing major yet...Free is always good!

 

I saw them handing out hats today.

They had a crock-pot full of hot dogs and chili, a cooler full of various drinks and chips. Free for the noshing.

 

Oh, ok. Maybe the truck being cleaned out is something to look into. Always better if you can speak to the person that had the truck to get the whole scoop on it. I think you will be just fine in the end. Let me know if I can help you with anything.

 

Other than the batteries, has it been a decent truck????? My assigned truck has issues. Jerry got a call from the shop today, it needs a water pump(on a Cummins) and it's on national back order....plus, there is coolant in the air tanks and in the air compressor. Last time I checked, the air compressors on these aren't water cooled, they are oil and air cooled. But I have never driven a ISX Cummins, the last Cummins I drove was the N14. So Jerry is pulling what little hair he has left out trying to get me another truck. The guy who we thought was cleaning it out has only given his notice, he was only parking his truck off to the side yesterday, so he hasn't officially gotten out of it. So Jerry is talking about putting me into a loaner until another truck is available...but, once again I see people springing into action and trying hard to take care of the driver...something I am almost unfamiliar with having done my time in Crete Purgatory the last 10 years.

 

Day two of orientation. I will have to stop by Office Max or Staples and buy a case of pens and a case of legal pads. When ya'll posted that there is a lot of paperwork to do with the loads, I didn't imagine the amount of information that has to be done and sent in...I need a secretary!!!!!! But I'm still glad I made the switch. Everyone I've had to deal with here so far has treated me in a kind, polite and very pleasant way...it does indeed feel good to be treated like a person again!!!

 

You'll have the hang of it in no time SSB. The paperwork is a little pain in the ### but nothing too major. I would say snag this old FL up but it looks like I am stuck running the Las Vegas to Washington gig for a while longer. Picked up a load of grass seeds where JD picked up last week and heading back to Vegas with it and almost assuredly will pick up another Washington load. Taking the back roads through Oregon so going to be a strong day of driving tomorrow. Made it to the Detroit Dam on OR22 tonight. Very pretty place to take a 10 hour break. On a worse note another long day due to the coolant hose going to the APU rupturing this morning but I managed to get it taken care of in pretty fast order so another thing the next driver of this old girl doesn't have to worry about

 

You will have it all down just fine in a few trips out here. It seems like a lot at times because if you don't stay on top of it every day it can build up to a major chore in a few days. Getting a good truck will most likely be your biggest headache for now. Take it from Majestyk...I believe he's had truck issues since the day he started here. Not sure how he does it. Got some patients on him for sure. He's been through a few trucks since he's been here. One truck on it's last leg to another and another(Lol). He does a mighty fine job keeping himself in the wind somehow. Sure hope you and him have some better luck from the truck gods or something. I saw your truck being moved from the shop to the truck line today. Not sure what they were doing with it. Think it was around 13:30 when I saw it being driven from the shop. Good luck with your last day of Orientation.

 

Thanks, it's just been a long time since I had to remember to write down my mileages on a trip report...I'm guessing it's been 15 years or so...but once I get into a regular routine it'll all come back. (sorta' like falling off a bike...once you learn how, you never forget). I will be glad to get back into a more predictable routine...this transition has me waking up a 3:30 am every morning and not being able to stop going through things in my head until the alarm goes off at 5...I have a hard time living on 5 hours of sleep anymore...I guess I'm not as young as I use to be.