Major Catch up!!

Well, instead of being super trucker, I have been super slacker when it comes to this blog. So, here goes a major catch up session.

TRIP #7
From Laredo, after another significant layover, I got this run that picked up in Eagle Pass, TX. Deadhead, 116 miles. The pick up location was right at the border. The guy that loaded the truck, said if I looked just beyond the road and the grassy area on the other side, was Mexico.
I did see a unique vehicle there. It was a Chevy Tornado Truck and it was one of their company vehicles. Looked like what an El Camino would have looked as a compact car today.
Delivery was Rainbow City, AL., 1064 miles away. But the trip was not without trouble.
I had made a fuel stop about midway to Houston. I was in the passing lane, had cruise set at 75 and was about to pass a semi. As I reached the nose of the semi, the truck pulled past me. I then noticed the engine light came on, I was loosing speed. I moved over to the side of the road. The engine quit before I could get the truck stopped.
I shut off everything and waited a minute or two, and tried starting it. It ran, and sounded normal. As I started moving again, it shut down again. This repeated 2 more times. I was approaching an off ramp, got off the hwy and stopped at a convenience store, and shut it down.
Called the boss, and got out and looked at the engine. Saw nothing out of the ordinary, and cranked it back up. The boss called back and said he found a dealership in Houston that was open all night. I told him the truck sounded normal, but engine light was still on. We decided I would try to get it to Houston and get it looked at.
Before I could get there, boss called and said he called the dealership and they don’t have a sprinter tech on duty. By now, the truck was running normally despite the glowing engine light, so I just kept going.
After a fuel stop in Mississippi, I noticed the engine light had gone out, and the truck was still running normally. Total drive time was 18 Hrs, 40 Min.

TRIP #8
After about a 5 hour rest, got a load that picked up in Huntsville, AL. Deadhead, 89 miles. Was supposed to pick up at 2300 est. Got there at 2200 and was told to wait until 2300. Wasn’t loaded until 0045.
Delivery is at Griffin, GA. The delay at pickup caused the original delivery appt to be pushed back, but I missed original time by only 15 minutes. Drive time, 6 hrs 41 min.

TRIP #9
Got a load picking up in Columbus, GA. Deadhead, 79 miles. Delivery to Bowling Green, KY. So close to home, I could smell my mom’s biscuits. 416 miles, with drive time of 6 hrs 43 min.

TRIP #10
Got a short little run, picking up in Franklin, KY. Picked up 4 55 gal drums of gear oil.
This load was heavy. This load had me concerned. The barrels were on a wooden skid, and shrink wrapped. I knew that wrap would do nothing if something happened.
Stopped at a Walmart and bought more ratchet straps. When I got done, looked like a spider web covered the barrels. Made it to Athens, AL with no problems. 166 miles, 5 hrs 30 min.

Hung at Athens, GA for about 4 hours. I wanted one more run before going home for Christmas. But, no load was available, so I deadheaded home. About 300-350 deadhead, didn’t record the miles.

Had a good time and got some great gifts for the truck for Christmas, Siruis radio and a sleeping bag was just a few of them.

Went available on the board on 12/26/09. On 12/31/09, got a call about a possible run that would pick up 01/01/10 in Indianapolis, going to Sacramento, CA. I had plans with my wife for New Years Eve, and this would change those plans. Well, we didn’t get the load.

On Tuesday, 01/05/10, after no run from Murray, I relocated to Louisville, KY. Still no run by afternoon on 01/06. Dispatcher recommended going to Indianapolis. I got there by 11 pm est. Went to sleep.

TRIP #11
When I woke up at around 8:30 am, about 3 inches of snow was on the grown. Got a call a few hours later for a load picking up in Marion, IN. What should have been a 1.5 hr trip turned into 2.25 hrs. due to the road conditions. I was nervous about driving in the snow, although I can handle it. I wasn’t sure how this truck would behave in snow. The 1200 pound load I had helped out a lot. Enroute to Sapulpa, OK.
Once I got back through Indianapolis, road were actually in good shape. Had no road trouble at all-just TRUCK trouble.
As I was coming through Springfield, MO., the truck once again shut down with engine light flashing.
I pulled over and got it running, went a few feet, and it would die. Limped it to a convenience store.
Couldn’t get in touch with the boss. Looking at the engine, couldn’t see anything wrong. Got it running without shutting down. Continued to Sapulpa, OK. However, top speed was about 65. Stopped a lot to check on engine, finding nothing. This made me about 30 minutes later that the Appt. Dispatcher for the broker company seemed satisfied that the load got there safely.
Drive time for this load was 15 hrs 24 min. 723 miles.

The owner contacted me and said he called an Autozone about reading the code and engine light. I found one and went there. They found 5 codes, saying “you need a mechanic” (I wanted to say, NO S**T!!) However, their reader also found code for 4 other vehicles while reading this truck. How trustworthy is that?

TRIP #12
While at Autozone, I got called for another load. Picking up where I just delivered at Sapulpa, OK. And delivering where I picked up in Marion, IN. Same locations each end. Delivery wasn’t until Monday morning, so owner and I decided to get the load on board, and find someone to work on the truck. Perhaps it could be fixed quickly and I could still make the delivery.
I went and picked up the load. Owner called and said he found a dealership and they were expecting me.
Got to the dealership at around 1pm cst. By 4:30 cst, the service manager said they thought the problem was a wiring harness inside the engine, and they would need to tear down the engine to determine what part was needed, and it would be Tuesday before they would have the part. That wouldn’t work for the owner and me. It was decided I would limp the truck to Marion, IN, and get service after the delivery.
This made the trip kind of tricky. I couldn’t get over 65. Also, the truck couldn’t maintain speed on inclines.
Due to the cold weather that was taking over the whole country, I decided I would drive during daylight hours in case the truck quit. Also, due to the size of the load (the load took up most of my sleeping area. No room for laying down.) and that the truck wasn’t running well enough to heat the cab area while idling, I ended up getting hotel rooms along the way.
I got to the destination about 30 minutes early and was able to get unloaded. As I approached Marion, I passed a Dodge dealership in Noblesville. I saved that location in the GPS.
I went to that dealership, Kahlo Dodge in Noblesville, IN. These guys were so much better that the dealership in Tulsa, OK. Got there when they opened. By noon, they had determined the particulate filter was clogged. The filter and sensor with it would need to be replaced. Won’t have parts until Tuesday morning. Spent the night in a hotel.
On Tuesday morning, had the truck back to the dealer early. Parts were installed. Upon returning from the test drive, another engine light and sluggish running. Code reader said that an actuator near the valve was bad. Part will be there in the morning. Another night in a hotel. They kept the truck to have it torn down when the part came in next morning.
On Wednesday, their shuttle driver was about 30 minutes late picking me up. When I got to the dealership, I was told the mechanic broke some clips that hold the part in. Parts ordered-won’t be in until Thursday. This time, the dealership bought the hotel room, and gave me a 2006 Dodge 4-door 4x4 truck to drive. Very KEWL.
On Thursday, as I approached the dealership around noon, I saw my truck leaving the dealership. Got inside, the service manager said the mechanic was on 2nd test drive to make sure all was good. Finally, the truck was ready. The mechanic and my boss, recommended driving around the town to make sure the truck would perform as expected. I called the dispatcher and went available.
I drove around town and the truck was BACK. It had power! It had speed! No loads, so I slept at Walmart.
Friday morning, I decided I would go to the Pilot that was about 15 miles away. I just had pulled into a space, when the phone rang. It was the dispatcher.

TRIP #13
Pick up was in Franklin, IN. About a 30 minute drive got me there. Was loaded by 1330 est. Was told by dispatcher that delivery was Monday. Delivery in Grand Rapids, MI. GPS said a little over 5 hour drive.
I called the company. They close at 6 pm est and are not open Saturday or Sunday. Arrived approx 8 pm est. 281 miles, drive time 5 hrs 13 min.
I have been hanging out at walmart. Debbie did talk me into getting a room for one night, so Saturday night, I stayed in Extended stay hotel.
Now, as I type this up, I am at the delivery location. Going to stay here tonight, Then go available in the morning. Hasn’t been a bad weekend. I think the dispatcher should have tried to get me this load earlier and I could have been unloaded.
Now, this blog is UP TO DATE!!