Newb's please read.

My buddy has done some basic repair work on his truck a few times. Twice (I believe) when submitting the parts receipts for reimbursement the company gave him an extra $20 or so for not using the services of a repair shop for a relatively simple repair. While he did the repair himself to save time, the $20 was kinda nice, too.

 

I'm in the wrong end of the biz....Instead of buying a new road tractor...I should have bought a tow truck and hang out at Love's....

 

Even I.......the prima donna of vehicles can put in coolent. *sighs* I always figure if I can do it the rest of the world sure should be able to. You just put on your lil gloves and go be a driver. *nods*

I have to admit.....I was feeling mean yesterday morning and I sure did enjoy watching the driver at the Corrine W-M DC spend an hour trying to unlock his truck. I especially enjoyed it because I'd walked past him and two other lovely and special SPECIAL drivers as they discussed loudly how stupid Swift drivers are. They of course were parked right in the middle of the Swift area of the DC. I was so mean I didn't offer to help him. I normally would. I have a wire hanger that I use for toasting marshmallows over my little hibachie. to bad for him. He was a big ol independent peterbilt owner. A "real" driver. With no keys. muwahahahahaha

sorry. sometimes I'm just really mean. My husband wasn't pleased that I didn't wake him up so he could be nice and help. He's so much nicer than me.

 

I wonder....Do these companies offer to wipe the noses and rear ends of those drivers as well???


No wonder the NAFTA drivers are here....

They don't have to Bottom-feed.....All they have to do is wait for all of the steering-wheel holders to all "breakdown" at the same time....
I bet even the most mechanically challenged NAFTA driver can add coolant, add air to their tires, change a lamp.....and without having to consult their company.....

Not trying to defend the NAFTA drivers...but come on people.....Wake the Hell up before you find your az zes out on the street without a job.

 

*hates on you*

 

Had to do a double take to make sure i got the facts straight, YOU MEAN I MIGHT HAVE TO OPEN MY HOOD AS A TRUCKER? But there is hot stuff under there and its dirty, and my Armani jeans and t shirt might get ruined But seriously maybe the dude was too short to reach all the way up to the coolant resevoir.

Anyway another question, are most companies ok with driver performing basic maintenance i.e. tightening an alt belt or replacing a hose or cable, or do they get a little touchy about that?

Working class i see your a fan of fine food with foul language ala Mr Ramsey

 

Some of these companies bring it on themselves.

I drive for JB Hunt. The attitude there varies from terminal to terminal. The Little Rock shop will give you a transmission and a set of wrenchs if you ask for it, (well not THAT far, but they have given me a fuel filter and a filter wrench.) The Atlanta terminal on the other hand, they won't let you change a lightbulb by yourself. One time I got yelled at for popping a dashboard light out of my dash and bringing it in with me to ask for a new one. "NO! You aren't supposed to be in that dashboard, if you need a bulb, write it up and park it around back, we'll get to it in a few days." Needless to say I drove out of there with no bulb. Trying to get a gallon of antifreeze out of them is like pulling teeth as well.

Then there was the time my flasher (a $10 part that plugs into the fuse box) died on the Indiana Turnpike. The road service guy on the phone decided that it was a safety issue that my turn signals didn't flash, and I was towed from the Pilot in South Bend to the Freightliner dealer in Elkhart and given a hotel room, so someone "qualified" could change the flasher in my fuse box the next morning.

 

Every tractor at the company that I work for has about a $500 tool box in it for basic repairs, extra air and hydralic lines(we run lowboys), light cord, clamps, fittings, and fuses and all that good stuff to have as spares. We are also a very large wrecker company so we know better.

Drivers are expected to do simple repairs and most of us do not the so simple stuff too. I wish spring would get here so i could be driving my tractor everyday instead of a wrecker.

 

Well I tell you what, I have turned wrenches for 20 years. Worked my way up to Foreman of the shop. I don't carry much more then a leatherman in my truck because I will be ###### if I am going to spend money on tools for the truck or pack up my Snap-On stuff and bring it in the truck. If the boss wants me to fix little things on the road, then he better pony up and let me charge some basic handtools for the truck. Otherwise the wrecker guy will be called.

These were his exact words when I asked him about doing little fixes on the truck.

I pay you to drive the truck and pay the mechanics in my shop to fix the truck.

Now granted, I will poor in some fluids if needed or pop in a fuse or swap out a wiperblade but it stops there.

 

Look, the volubility of the driver depends on the fiduciary duty and relationship at the time of said mechanical disfunction would'nt you say?