First Breakdown

Well, first truck breakdown at least.

I got a load out of North Carolina within an hour of my last post. I drove back to the terminal, picked up my paperwork and hooked up to my trailer. I did my pre-trip inspection and was ready to go.... but my truck wouldn't start.

The driver parked next to me came over and he said it sounded like the fuel pump wasn't kicking in. I had no idea what was wrong, but the starting sounds didn't sound right. I walked to the other side of the lot to find one of the shop guys and asked him to come take a look at it. I went in to tell the dispatcher what was going on and why I hadn't left yet and he told me to keep him posted.

The error message just said "Check: Engine Fault" which could be any number of things. Another mechanic from the shop had to come out and bring the computer thing they use to diagnose stuff. They sprayed starter fluid in the air intake, which allowed them to start the engine (and let the main pump take over... something like that). They didn't have the part they needed to fix it and it would have taken at least a day or two to get it if they ordered it. They asked where I was headed and I said Detroit. They told me to call ahead to the Detroit terminal and ask them to order the part (and arrange to have it repaired there. A lady at the Detroit terminal handled all of that, including getting permission from the main office to get the repair done there. That terminal doesn't have its own shop, there's a mobile mechanic service they use for all their work). They gave me a can of starter fluid so that I would be able to start the truck if it wouldn't fire up.

I went in and talked to the dispatcher, sent the necessary QualComm messages and away I went. I didn't have to use the starter fluid to start the truck any of the times I stopped. I got to my delivery around 4am and had the amazing fun of trying to park when it's raining so hard that you can't see anything in your mirrors. What should have been maybe a two minute parking job took about half an hour. They unloaded me and I pulled into their gravel side-lot to take my ten hour break. I drove to the terminal early in the afternoon. The mechanic was scheduled to come out around 3 (which is when I'd guesstimated that I'd be there). I had time to take a shower and finish my trip envelope.

I explained the problem, left him with a key and went to the driver's lounge. Some guy from the main office was supposed to call me and explain various benefits that I'm eligible for now that my probationary period is ending. He called at four. Didn't finish with all we needed to, so he arranged to call me again on Monday afternoon to finish up.

I went out to check on the truck and the mechanic was gone. He'd left his little trolley (that you use to work under the truck), but his truck was gone. I went back to the driver's lounge to wait. As it turns out, the problem was that the bolts that hold the fuel primer pump (or the piece in the way of it, not sure) were stripped. The mechanic thought it was a problem with his sockets, so he went to buy a new set. The bolts were too stripped for him to get off.

He had talked to the terminal manger and the main office in Montana. They decided that he should leave the part with me and they would find me a load going to Georgia. The idea being that I would deliver the load and then drive to the Georgia terminal and have the shop there complete the repair.

I drove to Cleveland early Saturday morning for a live load. Everything was fine until I was driving through Kentucky and the truck suddenly stopped accelerating. I wasn't going to make it up the hill I was on, so I pulled off onto the shoulder. I got as far to the edge as I could, but it only left about a foot of space between my truck and the closest lane of traffic. And it was pouring down rain, so visibility was poor. I put my flashers on and ran to put out my triangles.

I called the 24-hr breakdown number and he gave me the numbers of two local shops. The first one I called, the mechanic was able to head out straightaway, which was good. He came out in a pick-up truck and took a look. His shop was at the next exit, about four miles further south. We tried to drive the truck there (staying on the shoulder until I got up to speed was the plan) but it wouldn't rev above 1200 rpm, so I couldn't go any higher than fifth gear. I stopped on the shoulder and put out my triangles again while he drove back to the shop to get his wrecker.

He came back out and they got it all hooked up. Got back to the shop (which is right next to this little mom and pop truckstop) and he unhooked it and told me where to park it. For some reason, the truck was now idling at 1000 rpm. It was a little weird trying to park when the rpm wouldn't go any lower than 1000. Like parking in high reverse, essentially.

I got the truck parked and called the breakdown number again and let them know where I was and that the shop couldn't look at the truck until Monday. So I will be spending the weekend in a small town in southeast Kentucky. I asked the weekend dispatcher if there was another driver who could deliver the load (delivers just west of Atlanta, Georgia on Monday. It's a drop and hook and it has to be there before noon). She said she'd see if there was a driver available in the area. I'm waiting to hear back from her so that I can call the broker and let them know what's going on.

While I was sitting at the Detroit terminal, I called to make a payment for my CDL school loan. They had some special going this month where they will match any payment you make this month that's at least $500. Instead of paying the usual $250, I sent in $500. That, in addition to some other bill payments, pretty much cleaned out my bank account (a little short this month since I took 6 days off at Christmas). I figured I'd just be broke for a week. Really glad I stocked up on groceries when I was in North Carolina because otherwise I'd be screwed.

That payment matching thing was just too good to pass up.  Going to make another payment at the end of them month for as much as I can.

This is a cute little truckstop. They have free wifi, which is nice. I don't get a strong enough signal in my truck, but the cafe said they didn't mind if I sat in here with my laptop.