Changing Trucks: The Unloading, The Reloading

Davy said he lost his dash cam in the process of changing trucks. So I wanted to bring this topic up in a separate thread.

Cut to the chase, I love driving but I hate the unload/reload process when changing trucks. I shouldn’t have to do it, but because of having 9 breakdowns in 4 months, I ended up playing musical trucks.

My next to last breakdown went this way: Truck has 5th breakdown. Company rents a car, unload. Go to Gary, IN. Load another truck. Newly assigned truck breaks down before even getting out of the yard. Company says to unload truck, rents another car and has me drive to Green Bay. Unload car, load yet another truck. Go back out on the road and get sick. Company needs the truck for another driver. Get rental car, unload truck while sick.

Ooops, messed up and posted before I was ready. It wasn’t my next to last breakdown, it was the last one. Also, my M.O. is living in the truck so I carry a lot of stuff with me. Moving in and out is a big deal. And has been pointed out, something always gets lost or broken in the transition. It would make a big difference if there was a second person to help, but I’ve never had that luxury. I know PackRat just changed trucks. What was that process like?

And the real annoying thing about it is that I’ve never been paid for any of that time and effort.

It was great....NOT! I always hate it. Every single time the weather is not hospitable: cold, rain, hot, snow, etc.

I got the newest one on an 18 degree day with blowing snow flurries in Columbus, OH. Took about four hours to load the stuff that I'd brought to orientation. Yesterday, I loaded the second batch of gear on at White's Petro in Raphine, VA and it was raining all day and night. That took about six hours.

One more batch to go the next time I'm off for a few days.

It takes me 3 minutes

It was great....NOT! I always hate it. Every single time the weather is not hospitable: cold, rain, hot, snow, etc.

I got the newest one on an 18 degree day with blowing snow flurries in Columbus, OH. Took about four hours to load the stuff that I'd brought to orientation. Yesterday, I loaded the second batch of gear on at White's Petro in Raphine, VA and it was raining all day and night. That took about six hours.

One more batch to go the next time I'm off for a few days.

Dang packrat I guess we can see where you got the handle from lol. It takes me about 6 hrs to swap trucks and I've had to do it 4 times in a year and a half. 2 trucks broke down and 2 got sold.

It was great....NOT! I always hate it. Every single time the weather is not hospitable: cold, rain, hot, snow, etc.

I got the newest one on an 18 degree day with blowing snow flurries in Columbus, OH. Took about four hours to load the stuff that I'd brought to orientation. Yesterday, I loaded the second batch of gear on at White's Petro in Raphine, VA and it was raining all day and night. That took about six hours.

One more batch to go the next time I'm off for a few days.

Dang packrat I guess we can see where you got the handle from lol. It takes me about 6 hrs to swap trucks and I've had to do it 4 times in a year and a half. 2 trucks broke down and 2 got sold.

I can live out of my truck for 45 days at a time, only leaving for fuel, showers and the bathroom.

I hate it. I was in loaners for ba couple months, lot of similar stuff, renting cars, hotels, chain trucks in the lot. I did a couple recoveries for them too. I got paid handsomely for it all, even got meals reimbursed.

Mine were full swaps but I didn't bother setting my music studio up in the loaners. Like most of my stuff I developed a system for it eventually. 4 duffle bags, 2 backpacks, electronics cart, and exterior hardware. The duffle bags are clothes, food and misc, kitchen gear, bedding.

I got it down to roughly about 2 hours for a complete swap and then about 2 days of trying to deal with the loaners issues.

Ughh damn typos, I'm tired.

*In loaners for a couple months

* Change trucks in at the yard.

They put me in a brand new truck about 6 months in. I had hustled everything over. Fridge, mattress, microwave etc.. I drive the truck around to the office and notice it won’t idle due to hood not being latched.

Had to take it to the shop where they said the wiring needs to be fixed by FL.

Then proceeded to do it all over again to another new truck.

It is beyond my understanding how a swap can take a few hours. This year I drove three trucks. Every time I was able to park my personal car right next to these trucks. Mattress and fridge always stayed. I did move microwaves, toaster oven and grills. It never took me more than 30 minutes.