Swift - Starting the New Year training with Swift 1/7/13 - A long read...

That's a great idea. I'm going to replace those doubles with some singles. It's amazing how much lighter the singles are compared to the doubles. It's not just the weight of the doubles but it's how big and clumsy those things are. Just trying to get them over both tires and lined up is a headache.

We were taught chaining waaaayy back in the Swift academy and then I had to chain also in Colorado that time but the Onroad guy was kind of coaching me since he brought me a bag of new chains. But this was the first real time I had to do it myself. It's kind of embarrassing but I guess I've been kind of lucky that I haven't had to do it more often. I won't complain. I actually had a guy come over while I was unchaining and he told me he had pulled up to chain when he heard that chains weren't necessary. He said he has never chained before and he's been driving for a while. I think there are quite a few out there who haven't had to chain. I know my 3rd mentor out of Laredo says that he only runs in the south in the winter and has NEVER chained.

I can't imagine anyone out there that gets excited about chaining. It's good exercise to run those around the truck but the hassle of doing it in the snow is what makes it really miserable. But I guess that's the whole point. I hope I don't have to do it again for a while.

 

I'm going to try and get a load down to Phoenix after this drop in Denver. I was talking to a guy today that has a 2014 (a freakin 2014!!!) Prostar he picked up in Phoenix. Apparently they have something like 15 brand new ones down there and I'm hoping to get my hands on one.

I like my truck most of the time but I wouldn't mind something newer.

On a preplan the other day, in the comments, it stated that this load going to California had to be delivered by a "California clean emissions certified truck" or something like that. I asked my old DM about this and she said to call permits. Call permits?!?! What do they have to do with this.

So I'm talking to this guy with the 2014 truck and I relay this story to him about the clean emissions thing. He said it was the little sticker on his drivers door. I don't have one so that answered my question right there - my truck is not clean idle emissions CA certified.

I asked my DM about the new trucks. He said that my truck wasn't up for trade in yet. He said he could route me down to Phoenix but they couldn't hold a truck for me. And I would probably have to put my truck into the shop with the litany of mechanical issues and hope they just say they will give me a new truck instead. My truck does have issues but it runs. I have 456,000 miles on it. I lose air pressure, when sitting, at about 1 psi per minute. So, after an hour my truck will be down to below 60 psi from sitting. My seat has an air leak so it constantly and slowly will sink to the floor. My front end makes a loud clunk when I turn the steering wheel to the right - if it is a slow sharp turn it sounds like something is falling off. Richmond and Sumner never fixed any of these issues when I brought the truck in to both places. Plus OK didn't fix it as well. My climate control is broken so that my air conditioning only blows hot. That was fixed a while ago but then it started up again. My turbo makes a weird whirring, whining noise not like the typical turbo noise. It sounds like it's crying sometimes. I don't have a bunk heater - it's just not there. I need drive tires. My jake break will stop working unannounced for no apparent reason - I have many hours to sit and think about what causes it to stop working and it is some weird algorism regarding the number of times I hit my brakes. I still can't figure that one out. The only way to reset it is to shut the truck off completely and turn the jake back on. My electronic announcement screen is crazy. It will flash my rear temperature controls alternately raising and lowering them on it's own and it tells me it's doing so. Then it stops. And there are some other things I'm probably forgetting. None of this is a huge deal but it's a bunch of little things I think the shops don't want to mess with. I love my truck and it's quirky but a nice new 2014 would be nice. This is my original truck from last March that I started with so it would be cool if they gave me a new one over someone just starting out solo.

 

I should add something here. I was thinking about my situation when I first started this thread before I left for the Swift Academy.

At that time I was separated from the #####, the STBEW ("Soon To Be Ex Wife"), at the time of me entering the Swift Academy. We were separated for 7 months and about a week.

Since that time and before, basically since she said she wanted to get a divorce, I have been hounding her to file. Originally it was out of principle that she file unilaterally since it was her idea to get a divorce to begin with. Then, over time, as I started this job and spent all my time out of state I hounded her to file because I couldn't being out of state so much and being as a court appearance was required. I was worried that this job would some how mess me up in getting back in time for a court date. So I hounded her and hounded her.

I lost track over how many times she stated she filed in some court or another, gave me fake names, fake phone numbers, excuses, stories, manipulations only for me to find out she didn't file. She used money, her roommate (now ex-roommate), her rent, her family, time and every other excuse of why she lied about filing. She threatened to kill my dog if I didn't stop bothering her about filing. This went on and on and on.

For the purposes of documentation on this little journal of mine, I can finally say she actually filed in Pierce County, WA as of two weeks ago and I confirmed it. She actually did it and only 19 months, 2 weeks and 3 days (or thereabout) after she said she wanted a divorce.

Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last....Sorry to use Dr. King's quote in this matter but it couldn't be more true. I've only been married once but I've never wanted to be divorced from something so bad in my life! Now 90 more days of "cool off period" and I will have it finalized. I'm going to celebrate this on my next hometime out in WA...

 

Aw man I hope they don't make me put it in the shop and wait to get it fixed before they would consider giving me a new truck. That wouldn't make much sense if I'm not getting the old truck back. I would be a little reluctant tho to take it up with my terminal manager if it makes my DM think I'm going over his head.

It sounds like talking to the terminal manager is the only way. I know there's not a "pecking order" but sometimes it would be kind of nice if they maybe gave the new solo guys and gals one of the more beat up trucks like I have and the newer trucks to those that have been around longer. I'm still fairly new, under a year, but it would be cool to get a new or newer truck if it was available. I'm also hesitant a little about putting my truck into the shop because I hate waiting around terminals. I crawl out of my skin at terminals. I know there are some that probably like to sit around in that day room watching tv and being social but it's just the way I am - I can't stand sitting around a terminal. I would rather sit around out on the road somewhere. The thought of days of sitting at a terminal waiting for truck repairs drives me nuts since I usually drop it in the shop on hometime and pick it up after.

 

This is a good idea. I'm debating getting one of those overall jumpsuits they sell at Walmart. I think they are Carhart but I don't know how often I would need to use it and then there's the space it would take up. I have some camo pants or jeans I could wear next time but I don't know if that would keep me warm. Maybe, like you said, some cheap rainpants would work best and I could store them away. I got a rainjacket already I just didn't think about using it.

I know I got some waterproofing spray on my list though for the next Walmart stop. Probably tomorrow night.

I would totally hike up my pant leg if it would get somebody to chain up for me. It probably won't work for me. Might get me sucker punched.