Truck recovery and when to say no to the company. (with pictures)

Indeed.

I recovered a rig in early June. Only issues with it were heavy smoker's tar and having to remove the driver's fridge for him (he had surgery last year for a shattered arm and couldn't lift it). Generally clean, although not as clean as I kept my trucks over the years. He was retiring for medical reasons and wasn't going to return the truck until the following week because he was waiting for his son in law to come help him get the fridge out. We really needed the truck back ASAP, so I rode down with another driver and got it, lifting the fridge out with the other driver.

We also had a driver retiring this week. After getting his last (short) load assignment, he shook all the dispatcher's hands and thanked them for treating him right. When he got to the Ops Manager, he told him he never planned on staying at one company for so long, but they never did him wrong, ran the place right and always kept their word. "Nobody does it better." He was told by the Ops Manager that the door was always open if he got too bored sitting on the couch... and we arranged for his transportation home Friday morning.

Give respect, get respect. Its amazing how that works.

 

I used to do recoveries for Swift surprisingly most were not bad at all. There were a few yeah not fit for a human

 

You dont have to punch back bro. Just say no. No I will not recover trucks. No I will not accept this piece of junk truck. No I will not be able to make it on schedule safely. No I cant do it (whatever ridiculous “favor” they ask. You will always get screwed. Can you pick up a driver for an extra $50… No. It will always be not worth it and they can find someone else or pay what its supposed to cost.

A trick I learned is to loudly sign the song ‘stand by me’ except replace all the words with…….you guessed it….. the word NO.

 

they'd have to supply me with a hazmat suit along with an oxygen tank before I got in that.

 

I was given a truck a few weeks ago that was broken, an ex trainers truck. It was horrible. On the bottom bunk it had two mattresses stacked that look like they have been out behind the Salvation Army for a couple years. I lifted the mattress up and found a couple pair of old panties, condoms that were used and some still in a wrapper, and what look like enough skin dandruff to fill up a sandwich bag. Everything in the truck was filthy and digesting and broke and they were just like, “give it a quick wipe down” lol

 

That sounds like a good candidate for a forced DPF regen.

 

You meant gas can and match didn't you.

 

This reminds me of the best part of working at a mega was if you cry and moan long enough when getting a truck assigned, you get in a new truck, everytime. The megas fleet trucks Im seeing on the road these days some of them have to be 5 years old at least, tho I have noticed some new trucks recently.

 

If you think that 5 years old is old, you would hate working for me.
I consider 5 year old trucks, fairly new.