Random LTL Rants (all are welcomed)

Naptown, I meet Columbus drivers pretty regularly and haven't had an overweight load. And while I will definitely scale at my home terminal if I get a trailer that's at least 18k, very rarely will I be overweight on an axle just because it's 18k. I've had plenty where I'm showing 20-22k but am not overweight on an axle. It all depends how it's distributed. I just wanted to say that because 18k doesn't almost guarantee you'll be overweight on an axle.

I can relate to your relay experience though. There are certainly some irresponsible and lazy drivers out there.

 

Yep. Whether a botched relay or getting equipment that should've been flagged or fixed. But hey, that's what a pre-trip is for, safeguarding yourself from other drivers, not so much equipment breakdowns!

 

first rule of trucking

Cover Your ###

 

What!? You don't like drifting it around the curves?

 

Not another feeling in the world quite like a light coat of snow, bout 31 degrees out, turn that wheel and........ ummmm hey truck, i did tell you to turn............ anytime now............ oh sure, now that im so far out i look like a rookie scared of the paint...

 

This was the list of faults found on one of our "spare" trucks recently.

Wiper switch faulty (have to fiddle with it to make it start and stop)
Speedometer works when it wants to.
Odometer works when it wants to.
Torn mudflap.
Red emergency line from tractor to trailer is stretched out and rubbing on the catwalk, getting pinched between the catwalk and trailer while turning.
Wipers are falling apart.
The air dryer is spitting as many as 10 times before it stops and continues to build air.
The registration is 2 months overdue.
Drive tires are getting to the point of needing to be replaced.
Voltage meter jumps around, then settles down for a few minutes. To begin jumping around again.

The boss doesn't want to fix it and then gets mad when we sideline the truck, and refuse to drive it.

 

Now, to be fair with my boss.
I have replaced the wiper blades.
I found the registration paperwork, under a mountain of other papers and updated it.
I got a new emergency line today, so I can replace it tomorrow.
But the rest of the stuff, he needs to address, but doesn't want to.