Good Night From II

Was told today that they have way more freight than they need due to the storm. Little worried about where I am delivering now. That Walmart idc. Was told might just grab a load out of there. Chance to get a mt trailer, hard. The blitz has started

 

I'm at the Manteno terminal.

I got here early this morning and put the truck in the shop to fix a few issues.
I was told it would be late this afternoon or tomorrow before they could get me in, but I got in at around 1300.
My check engine light turned out to be a clogged DEF filter, and they took care of that today. But there is still the bunk heater problem, a leaking rear end gasket and the bit inspection to go. Hopefully they can do it all tomorrow.

From where I started from I had the choice of either here or Gary. They were both around 50 miles away.
But, I hate the Gary terminal and I've had pretty good luck here in the past. The drive to Manteno is much more pleasant, and that is much of the reason I don't like going to Gary. Also, the shop here seems easier to get in to and out of quickly.

Don't tell anyone. It'll be our little secret.

My truck is getting a bit old, so I guess I should start expecting more problems from it.
Still, it has been the best truck I've had. A couple days in the shop every few months is way better than I've been used to in the past.

 

Manteno, still.
But my truck is all done now.

I was sent a pplan this afternoon, but my truck was still in the shop... and in shop status. I'm not sure why they are sending pplans while the truck is still in the shop.
I called my DM and got it removed, with my PTA being reset to 0600 tomorrow.
I wasn't about to accept a load tonight after being up all day sitting around.

Hopefully I'm good through the winter months now.

 

Here in Knoxville, TN. Was pushing to try and get to VA early on Sunday because I was told lots of freight. Then when tried to message my DM on Friday to make sure that there was still the freight and he was going to do like he said and hook me up with something decent, he never bothered to reply has far as any answer. This morning called the number that I was given for the planners, and they have none there, at least who ever picked up the phone. I mentioned what I was told about plenty of freight and he knew nothing about it and when he said that we would send a message to the area planners, knew that I was in trouble, so I redid my PTA for Monday and decided that I was not going to push it. Then get a pplan this afternoon, with a pick up of today and deliver on the 12th to the Target DC in Amsterdam. Was not having anything to do with that. Get in this area and they want to keep you in this area. I think my DM and I are going to have a come to Jesus moment on Monday. This is the 3rd time that I have had a weekend delivery and he has told me that he will take care of me and hook me up and left me out to dry. I think that right now on Friday's, IGH is more concerned with getting the GLR drivers home and finding them their loads.

 

I picked up a Costco load today and just after I got on the road my engine went into regen.
They had done a parked regen at the terminal, but it wanted more.
And more, and more.
435 miles to Omaha, and for all but 2 hours it was regenning.
I'm at the TA. When I got here I did a parked regen. Let's see how it does tomorrow.

I really got into it with a planner at Manteno this morning.
He calls me at midnight asking me to accept to pplans that are already late. He said to just do a Mac 22 to update the times.
I accepted them and went back to sleep.
He calls again at 0430 wanting me to do the Mac 22 with correct times. So now I have to get awake enough after a broken 5 hours of sleep to plan the trip and send a Mac 22.
The pplans were confusing me so I called him directly. It turns out that the second plan was the one I was supposed to pick up first.
I couldn't get back to sleep after that.
I went in and got cleaned up, then went to the window to ask for this guy.
He was just leaving and would not talk to me.

Longer story shorter, the 2 guys just coming on got me off those loads and set me up with 2 that are much better and that take me through the weekend. Very helpful.

So I deliver my Costco load and hook to the mt.
I pull it out to close the doors and check the trailer out and I find some recent damage to the right side frame rail just above the tandem. A 9 foot scar with about a foot of the rail gone completely, several rivets gone too.
I'm thinking that a trailer did it while backing in the next dock, and I found fresh scrapes on the rear of the trailer next to it. It had just happened.
I did a Mac 52 and called claims. I was on hold for nearly an hour before I took off to come here.
I wanted to speak with them so I could tell them of the other trailer, which was also a Swift, but I got tired of waiting.
I was sent a claim number and I'll swap it out when I get to Edwardsville terminal to fuel tomorrow before my next pick up.

What a day...

 

I was at 60 or more for most of the day. Even most hills didn't get me below 56.
It has been in a near continuous regen mode all day, and it is far from normal. The longest amount of time it hasn't been in regen today was about 60 minutes.
They changed the DEF filter in the shop, which was what the check engine light was for, and I'm wondering if that has something to do with it.
The check engine light is back on.

I really hate the idea of putting it back in the shop again this week. I've lost 2 days already in this pay period, but there may not be a choice.
I'll talk with the shop people in Edwardsville about it to see if I can complete my load back to Morris, IL.
From there I can always head back to Manteno if need be, because this can't be good for the engine.
If it is something very bad, the load will have to be repowered.

This weeks check was killer, so at least I'm not hurting for money.

 

Yup, back in the shop. This time Edwardsville.
I got in the pre-qual line at 1130 and finally pulled it in at 1630. I had been the 6th truck in line.

The second shift had just come on, but they don't have anyone that can work on the DPF system. So I'll wait for morning and hope I get in more quickly.
He said they should have all the parts in stock, even the DPF filters, so hopefully it'll get finished tomorrow.
But it is the DPF filter this time. It finally got bad enough that they have to fix it. Hooray!

 

Still at home. Jury duty was cancelled so I could go back out at any time. However, my mother-in-law has outpatient surgery on Wednesday so I'll stick around through Thursday to help my wife with the kids and household.

 

Isn't it nice to have some leeway with your time?