Is Roehl ever going to get any new equipment?

Audible air leaks are now an out of service violation. This was a recent change from the CVSA.

 

LOL, it seems like every other van I see looks like it should be put out of service. Then again I see more sitting in St. Paul Park than I do at any of the terminals.
On the other hand, most of the 40### are out of service, except for the two that I got back to back on relays. The first was off-tracking and the entire bed was bent. Literally, standing at the back it curved about 2 inches to the driver side. The second one was ok except for the old landing gear, but it worked!

 

The heck you talking about? It's already like that now...

I picked up a load (late because of dispatch), and the darn trailer tire had such bad separation I could fit my entire hand under the tread. Not even joking, my entire hand. When I picked this load up, it was 9PM on a sunday night. How many places are going to be open? There was a truck stop 20 minutes down the road some mom and pops place and I told maint I might as well shut down there until morning. He said OK and also mentioned that this tire was reported 10.. TEN. Days ago. Why didn't you have that driver get it fixed? Now I was tired so I didn't say anything about it.

Get there, send in a message saying I'm shutting down due to tire problem. 5 minutes later, "Did you call breakdown?", another message 2 minutes later (I didnt respond to that dumb question) "Why are you shutting down you have all those miles to run". So I called in, surprised by how nice this guy was actually for a after hours support. So I'm not going to bad mouth him, told him if the expectations required by Roehl is to run with a outside tire that is about to blow then here is the keys. Also mentioned if the tire did blow that the cost of hiring after hour repair shop would outrageous. He agreed but told me he got off the phone with maint and they had a truck stop I could stop at 70 miles down the road to get it replaced.

First thought, why didn't you tell me that. Second thing is the friggin place on 301 in baldwin FL. That place is ALWAYS packed. But oh well, I drove there no issues, checked in. From 11:30P to 2:30A I was waiting on my tire to be replaced. (I've been up since 7am that morning waiting on a dispatch from hometime that didn't come in until 5p). So needless to say I shut it down after it got fixed and after being woken up 2 times to move my truck and yes it was 100% my fault on the places I parked (so tired I didn't care (and no I didn't block any one in)). 12:30p rolls around I started my day was getting along pretty good, avg great miles. 6 hours in I get a message asking why I took a extended 10hr break.

"CSR wants to know why this load is going to be late and why you took a extended break".

I'll end my story there. I'm not bad mouthing any one or any of the dispatchers.. But come on. Alittle communication goes a long way. I shouldn't have to call in or send messages about every little thing 2 different times just to remind people. That is a waste of my time and yours. I don't have email, you do. Use it. // end vent / rant.

 

You should have pointed out to dispatch that if you were 100% legal you were on duty until 2:30 and couldn't move until 12:30. I would have also pointed out the lack of sleep due to lack of parking, that the trailer had a bad tire that maintenance had known about for ten days and that I didn't get the load until the last minute. Chances are they would have just come back with a message that they need to know what to tell the customer, then would have told you to drive safe and legal.

 

I should of but I was just wanting to get that darn load over with ya know.

And Mic, from my understanding you aren't legally allowed to touch those brakes. Unless I am mistaking you have to be certified. Then again a quick 5 minute fix verses a 2 hour wait at a truck stop or some back woods repair shop that maintenance sends you to.. Hard to judge if adjusting those brakes aren't worth doing it yourself.

(we can't say d-a-mn ?)

 

Yeah we can adjust the slack adjusters. It's in the DRG on how to do it. They'd rather us adjust them then get put OOS during inspection.

 

Been there, done that on all the above issues. On the brakes I know Roehl backs them off a half turn, but I was always taught a quarter turn. If the brakes are supposed to be self adjusting then manual adjustment gets you by temporarily, but the vehicle still needs to go in for service. I once picked up a trailer that had a brand new Roehl inspection, yet I had to take it in for almost $300 worth of work to make it legal.

 

Lantern, same thing happened to me once. Had to have work done on the truck and was asked by night dispatch why I took an extended break. I told them about the maintenance. They just responded with, "you need to call and let us know". Sorry but my dispatcher sent an email to y'all plus csr. They never check their email.

 

yeah , been through some of the same issues, and I will send in a detailed messege on the quallcom. either they dont have room for foot notes on each load or they dont take the time to add the note or to look to see if there is a note. But I wont waste time calling to inform them, always document notes on the quallcom that way you CYA !

 

Lantern just make sure to mention safety and things find a way of working out. I was 10hrs late because I had no AC and tried to sleep in a 95 degree truck... told em I was not safe because of the sleep issue and theyi would get it there when I felt safe. So really even tho you feel its a waste of time (which it is) just message them or call em. COA! Lol