I made it to Gary this morning to get the truck fixed, but guess what, no parts, seems as though they have had a "rash" of clutch failures and the ordered parts haven't arrived yet. So they give me a old worn out 99 truck with 800k on it, just ragged out.

They want me to remove all my things, including my equipment, from my old truck to this one, and when my old truck is fixed, put everything back again. Now does anyone realize how long it would take to transfer all the equipment? Add to it, they have me a load due to load in less than an hour, up in Chicago. I tell them I can't do it with having to swap equipment over. I told them if they were going to make me change trucks, why not just put me in a new one that I will be able to keep for a few years, since I was promised a new truck when I started then they told me to drive this one for a couple months, so I figured I am about due for it, and what better time.

But it didn't work, they just said to grab enough supplies to finish the load I was assigned and head out. Don't have time to make sure I got everything, just have to leave. So here I am, worn out truck, no cb, no xm, no gps, and I just realized I forgot my bedding supplies. People I must admit that I am right on the verge of leaving this company. I know these things are part of the job, but man, they HAD the parts yesterday where I was, 3 hours, 3 $%^ hours and ALL this would have been avoided. I would have not lost my miles, the truck would be fixed, no swapping equipment, driving out of my way, being stuck in Chicago traffic, no lack of personal items the list just goes on and on. I would really love to know how much money they would have saved by paying for fuel to come to the terminal and fixing it there compared to the garage working 3 hours with parts they had in hand.

Anyway, I have to run up here into Chicago and pick up a load, and then I am on my way home, maybe things will perk up for me there, I can only hope. But Chris says that there is a winter storm advisory out, so that should be nice. I don't get the weather this year, 5 days ago there was 7 inches of snow on the ground, that lasted 2 days, then there was 2 60 degree days, and a 70 high yesterday, and today there are winter storm watches out, I dunno.

I really want to make things work with Roehl, I do like them in a lot of ways, but how in the world can I keep letting days like this happen? The only thing that keeps me from really wigging out is the thought that most if not all companies would have got a band aid patch to get to a terminal to save money. But I also think that there are companies out there that would have been different, maybe their maintenance department was better, maybe dispatch would have fought for my new truck I was told I would have by now, and maybe just maybe, there is a company that would have just paid for the repair over the road and have been done with it, and this is the place I would like to be.

Maybe I am just frustrated I don't know, but I do know I just want to put today behind me and start fresh tomorrow(if this heap will start that is). Sorry for all the ranting, but I had to vent a little, I will try and update tonight to see if I can make it to the shipper on time in this heap, more to come!

 

Roehl is beginning to bother me on their repair. How can this company get away with this or are the drivers just condition not to make waves?

 

Exactly BB! I realize there are some issues that Novacane has pushed back at Roehl, but this maintenance and repairs deal doesn't sound right. Maybe they are doing this just to push her out? I don't know, but it wouldn't fly for long. Gotta pay bills and earn a living and what she is getting isn't getting it done.

Longsnowsm

 

I know some Roehl drivers and none of them ever complained of Roehl maintenance.

 

"Just one more chance. Just one more chance."

That's what they are expecting you to say and you're doing it.

I would seriously consider looking around for something else.

 

I disagree. In my opinion this company has no idea what they are doing to the driver's life. They are blissfully oblivious. Which is a shame.

 

how long have you been driving for Roehl to make this "Blissfully "Oblivious"??

 

I notice she got a heap of a truck "99" gee, ours in antique but it is maintained. Guess that's the difference between O/O and company truck, ya think? :wink:

I don't know what to make of any of this but when they told me to drive without a stack I would have found myself a DOT and reported the issue but then she agreed with them. Then we have a clutch issue....now since I work on our truck can't give me the "out of parts" story. Ever hear of next day air freight, Saturday delivery? Expensive....sure but keeps a truck rolling too. :roll:

Novcane are you at the Gary terminal? If so, welcome to Indiana don't like the weather wait 15 minutes it will change. Only state I know you can go from defroster to a/c back to heat all within a 8 hour period or less. My understanding Indiana even had a tornado ripped through the state last night...okay people this is really odd it's February. :shock:

 

Don't believe she was told to drive without a stack by Roehl.

 

My patience is wearing thin..........
Ok, so I left in the hoopty, and found out even more I didn't like about the truck, like no jake, now this isn't a big deal, while training, I wasn't allowed to use it, but I will be the first to admit it is very handy. It doesn't have power windows, again no big deal, but these won't roll down without a breaker bar attached. The left turn signal works sometimes, and sometimes it don't(mainly when I really need it to). It also won't idle at normal operating temps, when it gets to 185, the check engine light comes on, and the truck shuts off, and since there is no icon I will have to get up through the night to keep restarting it. Half the dash lights don't work either, and the seat doesn't lock, it will slide back and forth about 3 notches worth, so that's really fun. Oh yeah, and the wipers suck! lmao

I finally make it to my shipper to pick up some rolls of steel, got loaded with minimal problems, other than having to back across four lanes of traffic into a garage bay. After leaving I found out how important a turn signal was when mine quit working in the middle of Chicago. I wound up not being able to get over, and going about 50 miles out of my way cause there were no decent places to turn around, so I took the bypass, no exit numbers, what kind of interstate has no exit numbers, just names of roads(maybe I just couldn't think straight at the moment, I dunno).

I finally made it back to the Gary terminal and went to check on my truck, and the evening shift mechanic told me he would look the place over good to make sure there might be a clutch laying around they forgot about, and that they already had my old one out, and the drive train, so I can't sleep in it(thought I might sleep in it since it was in the warmth).

I told them about my current truck and the fact it would shut off and not keep the cab warm, and they more or less called me a liar and told me to prove it, so I am now sitting waiting for the truck to heat up enough to shut off so I can prove it to them. If they see that there is a problem, they said they would either get me a hotel room for the night, or swap trucks yet again, so my long day is getting longer, and since I have been told a hotel room was doubtful point blank, I'd say I will be having a bad night.

At this point, I am not even going to say anything about my log book for today, but it was really hard to squeeze everything in needless to say. Ahh, hopefully tomorrow will be wonderful, maybe I will wake up after restful nights sleep, and my truck will be finished, and my trip home will be perfect...........oh, I was dozing off there for a minute, well I gotta go, wish me luck everyone, I need it.

p.s. if they are doing this to try and make me quit, they are doing a good job, I have been given so much grief over being a flatbed driver without the proper equipment between the legs, that I am starting to believe it, maybe I am not cut out for it after all, and this is the first time I have ever doubted myself.