Long couple of weeks (equipment related)
I hate when things go like this...
2 weeks ago on a Friday (heading home for the weekend), my starter screwed up - just plain out wouldn't start - then, about 30 minutes later, it was fine. Got to the shop late friday and told the mechanic, plus did a write-up on it.
Came in Monday morning and the truck was in the shop for a PM. I told the mechanic again to check the starter out. Had to use a 'loaner' truck to pickup my load, then come back for mine.
Left Monday for an overnight run. No problems.
Left Wednesday to pickup a load about 70 miles from the shop. After being loaded, guess what - starter is out again. Now I'm irate. A local driver came over to help me and found a loose connection on the starter. Got it started and headed right back to the shop. The shop foreman asked me if the truck was running. When I told him it was, he told me to go ahead and make my run but not shut it down. I flat out told him I wasn't moving the truck until it was repaired. The starter had a broken bolt for the ground. Also, while the truck was being repaired, I was just passing the bull with the shop foreman. I mentioned that my windshield would need replaced soon (pitted + a tiny crack). This will come up later in this post.
Hmmm - you'd think that someone in the shop would've caught that after being told about it at least 3 times in a matter of 5 days when the truck was IN the garage.
Headed back out on Sunday eve with a haul to Glen Burnie, MD, with my next load picking up in Cockeysville, MD. When backing into my parking spot at Cockeysville, one of the maxi's on the trailer decides it's had enough and blows out. T/A to the rescue (with the shop bitching about the $488 bill).
On the trip back to the shop after unloading, within 10 miles of our shop, I hit this huge pothole on the interstate. Well, remember that 'tiny crack' I mentioned earlier? Now it extends from one side of the windshield to the other. Guess what the shop gets to do when I get in.
Off until Thursday eve.
Came in Thursday eve to pickup a loaded trailer to haul to Jersey. Ok - I know that there are supposed to be lights on this thing...
Took 2 hours to locate the problem (rubbed/corroded main harness) in the trailer. Ok, now I have to take that trailer back to where it was loaded, come back and grab another trailer, get the load swapped, drag the disabled trailer back to the shop then go get the newly loaded trailer and finally leave 5hrs late.
I'm home now and don't have to leave until Sunday night. I'm just afraid to see what'll happen next...
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