Truck Driving Jobs

danj_otr · #1 04-25-2007, 03:56 PM

On Sunday, April 15th, my turbo blew out on my truck on I-40. I sat for 6 hours waiting for a tow. I have a couple things I wanted to mention.

1) Being how big we are, I got really upset with the number of big trucks that blew right by my truck w/o slowing down or moving over. I have a problem with people putting my life at risk when they know that I am there. Not to mention that a big truck on the side of the road is a huge traffic hazard as it is.

2) Do not expect the repair process to be pleasant! After almost 2 weeks of being broken down, I have lost around $1500 in pay, and what we get for breakdown pay does not really do much aside from give us a little something.

3) When you call the shop, don't get lippy with them, they have your truck, and you piss them off, it will be like giving a DOT officer attitude. You have to be patient.

4) If it is warranty work, there may be dispute on who pays what and what percentage of the work is paid by who. This will extend your down time.

With my truck being broken down, I have, in my opinion, tried to remain professional, calm, yet assertive (with my DM), and it has helped to get them to just deal with the issue and get the truck worked on!

Just my 2 cents!

Jimbpard · #2 04-25-2007, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danj_otr

On Sunday, April 15th, my turbo blew out on my truck on I-40. I sat for 6 hours waiting for a tow. I have a couple things I wanted to mention.

1) Being how big we are, I got really upset with the number of big trucks that blew right by my truck w/o slowing down or moving over. I have a problem with people putting my life at risk when they know that I am there. Not to mention that a big truck on the side of the road is a huge traffic hazard as it is.

Yeah I always appreciate that too when I'm out there on the shoulder of I-376 near Pittsburgh while trying to tighten up my straps and some of you super trucker assh0les (you know who you are) dont even think about moving into the center lane even though there isnt a damn thing stopping you. It's gotten to be a question of do I pull off to tighten my straps so my load dont fly off and kill someone behind me or Do I say hell with it and wait till I can get somewhere that is "safe" for me and I dont have to worry about being killed and hope the load doesnt leave the trailer.

just_froggy · #3 04-25-2007, 09:12 PM

Eww, 376 is a nasty road. Any road in the 'burgh is that way.

Mr. Ford95 · #4 04-25-2007, 09:26 PM

I've found a pleasent way to deal with #1. Guy moves over, I give'em a wave. Guy don't move over when he could have, I give'em the finger. Even cars that whiz by get it because in some states your breaking the law if you do not move over or slow down due to a vehicle on the shoulder or a police officer on the shoulder. If the vehicle is obviously unattended(see a shirt or something similar hanging from the window,) that's different.

BigBird01 · #5 04-25-2007, 10:37 PM

Glad im not the only one that makes mad. Im not flatbed but there have been a couple of occasions that I pulled off the shoulder to check stuff out and 1 time broke down. People don't care I think they play a game in there head to see how close they can get without hitting you.. I always get over if I have time and can or I slow way down so im not flying by them. I love the people that go off on me for getting over into the middle lane or something because I slowed them down with my 65mph truck. At that point I don't care I rather slow someone down for 3 secs then kill someone on the side of the road.

RVs are terrible to the one day I was broke down NOT 1 RV merged over

GMAN · #6 04-25-2007, 11:20 PM

I have had to duck under my trailer a couple of times because of trucks and cars getting too close. Some jerks seem to think it is cute. It is dangerous and can kill someone. If you are one of those who likes to play games like getting close, imagine how much fun you will have if you were to hit and either injure or kill someone. I fail to see the thrill of deliberately trying to get close to someone who is on the side of the road. I try to pull off where I can get farther off of the pavement as a safety measure. It is usually better to get off on an exit, when possible, so traffic is going slower.

Malaki86 · #7 04-26-2007, 12:28 AM

I agree 500%!!! I was broken down on the side of I-79 just south of Washington, PA. I managed to limp my truck to the bottom of a hill in a straight stretch, just so others could clearly see me sitting there.

Well, even with my triangles out and a service truck behind me with his flashing lights, hardly anyone moved over. The mechanic was almost hit a couple of times.

I wanted to stand near the front of the truck and throw rocks at the idiots who wouldn't move over when there was nothing in the other lane. This includes trucks as well as cars.

#8 04-26-2007, 12:46 AM

Why do you think Scotts Law's have been passed by so many states that way if you are hit the person that did hit you can be charged and lose their license for around 6 months here in IL. I for one always moved over for all broke downs and cops if possible in my truck or in my POV.

danj_otr · #9 04-26-2007, 12:58 AM

I was in between 2 exits, and the 2nd I didn't have enough ponies to get there. So I literally stopped just after the WB 100MM, put my triangles out, then proceeded to call AZ State Patrol. I figure if I where to get hit, the bears know I took measures to prevent an accident.

I was so close to the lane that I had to pull my triangles from the sleeper berth access panel as it was not safe. Pretty much the whole time I got into or out of the truck, I was on the passenger side, or out in the grass on the shoulder.

Even with a wrecker out there, no one bothered to move over.

Striker25 · #10 04-26-2007, 01:33 AM

Yeah I always appreciate that too when I'm out there on the shoulder of I-376 near Pittsburgh while trying to tighten up my straps and some of you super trucker assh0les (you know who you are) dont even think about moving into the center lane even though there isnt a damn thing stopping you. It's gotten to be a question of do I pull off to tighten my straps so my load dont fly off and kill someone behind me or Do I say hell with it and wait till I can get somewhere that is "safe" for me and I dont have to worry about being killed and hope the load doesnt leave the trailer.

Just a story that I wanted to share with you all!

A few years back the owner of a local flatbed company saw one of his trucks on the side of the road,so he pulled over to see what was going on. He walked around to the passegers side of the truck where his saw that the driver was tightening down his straps. He asked the driver why he had put the straps on with the rachet end on the passenger side. The driver told him that he felt alot safer securing the load without having to worry about being picked off by a car or truck.

From that point on any driver securing a load, had to have the working end of the straps or chains be done from the passengers side of the truck and all of the trailers that had the straps permanetly attached where moved over to the passengers side. Just some food for thought!!!!