Want To Know Why There Are Bad Trailers Out There?

Well, I'm just finding out.

So I have a trailer w/ market lights that went out the other night. No biggie. I just simply removed them so they wouldn't be a DOT issue. I also have 2 trailer tires (same bud rim) that have retreads coming off that need replacing.

I thought I would take PREVENTIVE measures and send in macros to have both issues addressed while on my 34. This way there's no impact to a shipper or a consignee or my clock in any way.

Nope, since the tires aren't flat, I need to roll into a shop...meaning I will lose 1 load worth of rev to the truck and lose time on my clock deadheading to a tire shop Monday after delivery.

I was told that the policy of this Pilot was they won't allow a competitor tire shop on the grounds. I walk into the Pilot and ask to speak to their manager on duty. A very nice lady (mgr) said they have no shop on site and no such policy. That I can have anyone come on grounds and have anything repaired.

I relay this back to my road repair...and the truth comes out. They prefer to not pay for a mobile repair if the truck can roll into a shop, which I understand (If I was on the clock).

So this is where my greenhorn status needs to be given a lesson. So the cost of mobile tire repair WOULDN'T be absorbed in a load? I'll miss a load of rev to the truck since I'll now need to go to a tire shop Monday afternoon (and not to a shipper).

Here's the kicker. They said they can't send a vendor to the pilot due to no-compete policy, but they're sending a vendor to the pilot to fix my trailer lights. Want to guess where this vendor is coming from? GOODYEAR! A TIRE GUY IS COMING TO REPLACE MY LIGHTS BUT NOT MY TIRES!

The lights aren't even a DOT issue anymore since I removed them and in fact, would only be an aesthetic issue at this point. Hardly worth the cost of weekend mobile dispatch.

The tires letting go during my 300-mile drive to my consignee tomorrow COULD be an issue to way more than just the cost of replacing the tires where I set now.

Veterans, help me to try and understand what I'm clearly too new to see.

TL:DR

Wanted to take preventive measures to address issues with my trailer. Company RR wants to do them during the work week and not during my 34 reset. I find out why drivers wait for catastrophic failures before contacting road repair, and not take preventive measures. If they're going to lose money/clock, they may as well wait for whatever the issue is to physically keep them from moving.

Any company will want you to drive to a repair facility over a road service call. Road service will start at $150 just for showing up. Your 34 hour reset is incidental.

They are sending road repair out to replace 2 lights...from Goodyear. A tire guy/road service from Goodyear has been dispatched to replace 2 trailer running lights that aren't a safety or DOT issue (I removed the lights from the trailer and duct taped the pigtails inside the rub rail).

The two tire re-treads letting go on my 300-mile drive to my consignee tomorrow are both DOT and safety issues that won't be addressed until Monday.

After you’ve gotten some more time in, you’ll find that it may not always make sense to you what the company wants to do with their equipment. However, they pay the bills and own it. That is the bottom line.

I have wasted some time having to have problems fixed that previous drivers didn't have fix nor report it. I don't always do it such as if I notice it during a post trip while I'm dropping a trailer but I report the defects, or report it to the shop if I'm at an OC. I don't try to push the problem off onto another driver when it happened during the time I had it, etc.

Goodyear guy came and left.

Said he can't address the lights w/o removing the underbelly of the trailer which could take as much as 6 hours.

Said I need 4 trailer tires replaced and that one of them will let go at any time now.

While he was here I lost a 3rd marker light, which means the short is making its rounds around the trailer.

Also said he sees companies make bad decisions all the time every day and why we see so many retreads spread around the interstate.

Going forward, I'll, unfortunately, have to be reactive instead of proactive (which means screwing the guy behind me, but fully understanding why I get a bag of ****...the driver before me chose to make the same choice). That's what I've taken away from this particular situation.

Going forward, I'll, unfortunately, have to be reactive instead of proactive (which means screwing the guy behind me, but fully understanding why I get a bag of ****...the driver before me chose to make the same choice). That's what I've taken away from this particular situation.

This is your takeaway? How about contacting your dispatch when you get a dud trailer from another source? Did you have this trailer, along with the problem issues, prior to picking a spot for your current reset?

This is why I am so glad OD doesnt use retreads, they spend the money on new tires.

Personally if the Goodyear guy told me tires where that bad I would call my break down department and tell them, off to text pictures and see to what they say. Try pointing out that if the tires fail it could cause more damage to trailer and would have to be replaced on the side of the road instead of safe truck stop.

Haven't had many tire issues on the road. However, CFI will do what it takes to keep us rolling. If that means sending someone to replace a tire, it's a quick phone call and short wait and I'm rolling again.

Here is one of the photos I sent to road repair.

Either way, I'm being routed to a Fontaine dealership after I make delivery on Monday that will hopefully be able to address the electrical short and replace the failing tires.

Who knows how long that all could take, but I know it would be a moot point if it was taken care of today or tomorrow and instead of not being productive Monday pm by going to my next shipper , I'll be on the clock at a shop.

Oh well, such is life.