The Day I Ran the Tehachapi Scales
It was a memorable day that only got better. This was a day in 1994 that the Northridge Earthquake hit Los Angeles and took out an overpass on I5 which closed the Grapevine for several months. I was driving for Schneider at the time and I had one of their International cabover with 320hp Cummins that was governor to 55mph. It started early for me that morning with my delivering to a warehouse in San Diego. I had driven down I5 from Northern Cali late the night before, slept thru the quake, but heard all about it while unloading.
Once empty, I was dispatched to pickup a load of office furniture there in Diego and deliver to Fresno the next morning. Well no one was going thru LA and up I5 that day, so I was routed out to Victorville, US395, CA58, thru the Tehachapi Pass, and back to CA99. Problem was everyone out of Southern Cali to the north was going this way too, and there was a 7-8 mile traffic backup at Four Corners, CA where US395 and CA58 meet. I waited thru that jam for who knows how long.
By the time I get into Mojave, I was needing a break. Plus word on the CB was the Tehachapi Scales were open and trucks were backed out onto the highway. I spent a few minutes there in Mojave updating my logbook and thinking why didn't California DOT take the rest of the day off. Mother nature had done her damage, so what more could CHP add?!?
I get on the highway and sure enough the Coop is open and there are at least 4 or 5 trucks stopped on the highway in the slow lane! Now, this scale has an uphill approach ramp which makes it difficult to get going from a stand still. Being truckdrivers, everyone is on the radio complaining big time about the injustice of the situation.
That is when I lose it!!! Instead of even slowing down(I was running light with this load of office furniture), I move into the fast lane and run pass the Scales and line of trucks!!! Now my blood pumping from my decision and I suddenly find I have a cheering section from all the other drivers on the CB. "Go Schneider! Go!" is coming over the airwaves! I am thinking the weighmaster in the his office can hear this and I am going to Jail. I am wanting my new fans to shutup and I am hoping my big orange truck could disappear!
Well, the next 10 or 15 miles go by very slowly and I am checking my mirrors knowing that there got to be a couple of state cars back there ready to jump on me any moment. But to my surprise, I never did get stopped. Oh, and all those big talking fellow drivers didn't follow my lead!
You know that what I miss about the road(Not driving commercially now, but thinking about it); Everyday was an adventure! Some better than most. Looking back now, that was one of the BEST!
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