Trapped In California

Our shops are not open 24/7 because there aren't enough mechanics/technicians. They close at 11pm and open at 7am and closed Sunday. They do run 24/7 on skeleton crews during the coldest part of winter due to increased service calls. Crazy huh.. but if something serious they'll send us to a dealer or if its basic repair to TA/Petro.

My truck is back in the shop for another 5th wheel issue and a bad motor for the driver side window. So yesterday I was supposed to deliver a load but because of delays at the shipper and later at D.O.T weigh station, and not having enough drive time, the load got reschedule for today. However I was assign to a load going to Utah. Unfortunately when I went to uncouple the 5th wheel locking jaw wouldn't open. I was told that debris had gotten stuck in the locking jaw area. Now the window motor issue. At the last shop when I was there I told them about the issue several times. I finally got the clearance to roll. I asked about the window and basically got blown off, I asked a second time in very direct forward manner, and was told the window motor hadn't been replaced . I was told it would be day or two if I wanted to wait I had been sitting long enough and wanted to get rolling. The window was still working raising it was extremely slow Well yesterday one of the mechanics lower it and it wouldn't go up. So I am currently waiting for that repair

My truck is back in the shop for another 5th wheel issue and a bad motor for the driver side window. So yesterday I was supposed to deliver a load but because of delays at the shipper and later at D.O.T weigh station, and not having enough drive time, the load got reschedule for today. However I was assign to a load going to Utah. Unfortunately when I went to uncouple the 5th wheel locking jaw wouldn't open. I was told that debris had gotten stuck in the locking jaw area. Now the window motor issue. At the last shop when I was there I told them about the issue several times. I finally got the clearance to roll. I asked about the window and basically got blown off, I asked a second time in very direct forward manner, and was told the window motor hadn't been replaced . I was told it would be day or two if I wanted to wait I had been sitting long enough and wanted to get rolling. The window was still working raising it was extremely slow Well yesterday one of the mechanics lower it and it wouldn't go up. So I am currently waiting for that repair

They should swap out trucks to keep you moving. Or at least get you a loaner. With my limited experience, that's what's been offered to me when my first truck was down for more than a couple days.

As a person with a smaller/medium sized company I would say this is still crazy. Typically, if a truck is going to be down for more then 48 hours, we will fly/rent a car to get a driver into another truck. Its only happened 3 times in the 5 years (I know since I also somehow became the travel agent for my company), but the only thing worse than a sitting truck is a sitting driver. Worst case scenario - we can rent a truck.

What you're going through sounds like a mix of inexperience and a very poorly run trucking company.

Okay so first it was trailer issues, then 5th wheel issues and than more 5th wheel issues Than it was the issue with the driver side window motor. Now I am back to having trailer problem. My problem is there are no trailers available. I have been bouncing around southern California since 11am. Sure Bob tailing is fun, even stopped for lunch from one of those food trucks. Now I am sitting at a business waiting for a possible trailer to be unloaded. I was told maybe between 6 and 7, then the warehouse guy goes maybe later, much later, maybe not unload tonight

Down and out again due to the 5th wheel But wait it gets better. My AWL warning light keep coming on and then going off, all day long. Then it decided to stay on. I call maintenance and a DM , I was told it will clear eventually and we will arrange for the truck be service. So I am at a shippers dealing with these issues when I started up the truck and I hear this warning sound, I am checking the air pressure, I am looking at the gauges, the digital display ( which is blank, it's never blank) I turned the truck off, and waited for five minutes, went and try to get the 5th wheel to release, nope Turn the truck on and again it's a loud screeching warning sound. The digital display screen starts flashing multiple icons, and warnings including an engine warning and a low coolant warning. I checked the coolant this morning it was perfect, I get and notice a trailer of liquid coming out from underneath the truck, I opened the hood and I am nearly bone dry! I am was like I drove for a total of 3.5 hours today the rest of the time I sat waiting on information on an empty, for nearly two hours I have been calling various people about the current issues, I am currently waiting on a few phone calls

We have 24 hour mechanics, detail shop, tire bay and wash bays. I cant imagine having to wait in line for repairs. It would drive me.nuts.

I just had an air leak, and I called the shop 24 hr ahead and told them I would.be there in the morning. I got right in. I was shocked to.find some didnt have this and doesnt want trucks getting repaired outside of terminals. I was also shocked to.find out that other companies dont allow drivers in the shops. i get to watvh the mechanic and ask a ton of questions... i have learned a ton.

We have 24 hour mechanics, detail shop, tire bay and wash bays. I cant imagine having to wait in line for repairs. It would drive me.nuts.

I just had an air leak, and I called the shop 24 hr ahead and told them I would.be there in the morning. I got right in. I was shocked to.find some didnt have this and doesnt want trucks getting repaired outside of terminals. I was also shocked to.find out that other companies dont allow drivers in the shops. i get to watvh the mechanic and ask a ton of questions... i have learned a ton.

24 hour shops? Why can't "the biggest trucking company in the country" do that? And getting a repair done right away? Forget about it. There's a backlog at almost every shop. And yup. We can go to the shop desk. But not into the bays. If we do, they have to stop working on our truck.

Thats quite surprising that your shops aren't 24 hours. Even my smaller company (150 drivers I believe) has their shop open nearly 24/7, only shut down midnight til 7am sunday morning due to only having 30 drivers going out Sunday. We're also allowed to be near mechanics but I understand why many companies don't allow it (safety).

Okay so around 4am the road side mechanic shows up. First thing I told him about was the coolant leak, after about ten minutes of looking over stuff, he tells me, your water pump needs to be replaced. So we move on to the 5th wheel. I explained that I can't get the locking jaw to open , I gave a brief run down about my recent problems with it, hoping maybe he has a trick or something he can teach me. He gets down and makes several attempts to pull it, nothing happened. So he spent a few minutes inspecting it, and then has me pull on it, he gets down on the ground and looks at from underneath. For several minutes he has me pull and release, the release arm. He finally stood up and goes you said you had already been two maintenance shops to have it looked at? I said yes the last time was Thursday. And they let you take it? Yep. What did they tell you was wrong? Debris. It's not , you have a bad release arm. It's loose, it's catching on stuff. Guess what? That is exactly the same thing I told the second shop. The road side mechanic goes on to tell me that my whole 5th wheel needs to be power wash, and then rebuilt, he said it was in bad shape. So he gets an idea about getting it uncouple he has me pull on it while he did something with the release arm, he comes over and pulls on the release arm and we hear the locking jaw open.. So he tells me he is going to call to have the truck towed. So he leaves and I wait for a tow truck. Around 7:30 am my phone rings, it's some guy from the 24 hour maintenance hot line. He asked if I made it to the terminal? I said no, he asks me why not, feeling lazy (lol) I said I was told to it was going to be to be towed.. I hear him mutter something and he goes hold before I go and waste $200 or $300 on towing you let's see if we can figure something else out. He tells me add water to the coolant tank that should get me back to the terminal , Then he goes I see that the mechanic who came out made a note of a faulty release arm and said the ,5th wheel needs to be rebuilt. We need our people to look at it and actually decide what needs to be done, We really can't go by the opinion of some road side mechanic. Then in a very patronizing voice he goes on to tell me something about the locking jaw and how they are designed so in case of a malfunction the locking jaw won't open releasing the trailer It's probably debris which is causing the problem I go did you just say it's probably just debris? He goes yes, minor issue While he is going on I am thinking honey and vinegar, honey and vinegar Finally I had enough, after all the maintenance issues, being down and I think I must have been running a fever or something, because I was freezing had my jacket on, while other people I could see wearing just t shirt, any how I was thinking that whole honey and vinegar thing and Then hot sauce It's not bleeping debris, the mother bleeping release arm is bleeping loose as for the company mechanics you seem to hold in such high regard, two different bleeping crews couldn't figure out the release arm is bad Oh by the way locking jaws are a mechanical object which have been known to malfunction and drop the trailer, I had it happen to me at a shippers I could hear him stuttering and I went sir I am extremely sorry I know you are not responsible, I have been dealing with various issues with the truck for several weeks. I know you are busy and doing the best you can. I really felt bad He assured me that this time the mechanics would take care of it.

Now as far as as who I drive for I am going to give you a riddle "the color red and king Arthur and blank of the round table Until next time