What things are the driver responsible for replacing/fixing?

I’ve replaced mudflaps, lightbulbs, trailer lights, air line springs under trailers, easy stuff like that, just because I didn’t feel like waiting around. Also, I carry contact cleaner for when the pigtails get dirty. Other than that, my company has an account with Love’s/Speedco, and I get things fixed there (or back at the terminal).

 

Mudflaps can be problematic with simple hand tools but now they have a few good rechargeable impact guns that would be useful; so would some fasteners too. Those smaller nuts N bolts manage to rust solid in a short amount of time and break instead of coming lose.

Starts to get beyond simple repair quickly when you stock up on P B Blaster, how do you rechahge the impact battery...

 

Had to do a minor repair on my bike trip to the India a few years back.

 

Catch 22. If you're not paid to do it then why do it? On the other hand are you willing to lose 200 miles because you're willing to sit and wait 4 hours for someone to come and make a 10 minute repair?

 

I like your kind of thinking, I thought all was lost with the new generation. You’ll do just fine.

 

And if a mechanic tightened up the 4 bolts holding the mudflap on and it falls off and hits someone you're still going to catch flack for it anyways.

 

There was a time drivers were expected to know how to adjust brakes and how the air system operated. They don't even teach that stuff anymore.

 

That’s only part of the problem. Usually, the night and weekend office people are AFRAID to make decisions. Even on the simplest things.

Also, most decent repair shops close at 5pm, so you will have your usual truck stop repair with one dude that will actually work and everyone else has thumb in butt. A TA shop can have no trucks in the bay, workers there watching porn or tiktok videos, and a service writer who will tell you at 8pm that they will have a tech available at 5am. For a simple fix.

You’re looking at a possible 12 hour delay.