The State of Misery....er... Missouri
September 20, 2007 - Thursday
I hate Missouri. Never really been a fan but today reinforced my hatred for this godforsaken state. I spent the better part of the day lost... following directions given to me by both my company and locals.... all of them...WRONG!
The day didn't really start out well. Last night I had gotten to one of our Operations Centers in Indianapolis just in time to get a big scare. I applied the brakes at nearly 7 stop lights, praying the whole time that I didn't lose too much air pressure. I had a leak and it was scary. For those of you who aren't big truck savvy, trucks have air brakes, nothing like the brakes on a car. If you have an air leak, once the pressure dropps to a certain point the brakes will set on the tractor or trailer or both. I was nearing that point with every push of the brake pedal.
So I took the truck into the maintenance bay and they scheduled my tractor for work but they couldn't get it in till today. So they gave me a loaner so I could still take the load I had to St. Louis today. This morning I get up and transfer most all of my stuff to the loaner truck and go hook up to the trailer with my load in it. I started to pull out of the parking spot and it started...the leak!
Turns out the leak was on the trailer only and I was able to get it fixed there at the OC this morning before I got out on the highway. It could have been a very scary ride had I not gotten it fixed. So anywho...
I was pushed back another two hours while I was getting fixed and finally left Indy around 8am. Things were finally going good. I cruise happily along listening to the chatter on the CB radio all the way because the radio in the loaner truck doesn't work. I make it to my destination around 1pm.
When I went to the security shack to check in they informed me that I had to slide my tandems (the trailer tires that is) all the way back. This makes their job of unloading the trailer easier and less risky for damage to the trailer and their loading equipment. I got out of the truck and went back to pull the lever which releases the pins holding the tandems in place. There are 4 pins... only three would release.
Turns out the one that was being stubborn wasn't just being stubborn...it was broken. So they refused to accept my load. I had to call my company and request maintenance. Luckily there was a place right around the corner I could go to and get fixed. Unfortunately... to get there, I had to go the long way around due to one way roads. Of course......I missed my turn and ended up lost for about an hour. Finally some nice guy in another big truck realized I was lost and radioed me on the CB and told me to follow him. He was too kind... and he got me to where I needed to be with relative ease.
So I get the trailer fixed and am finally able to go back to the consignee (load receiver) and drop the load. No problem... Finally! Something easy! BUT then they wanted me to pick up an empty trailer that wasn't there. So I found one that was acceptable and called in to tell them I wasn't getting the one they wanted me to.
Then it was break time. I was headed to the St. Louis OC, by direction of my company.... big mistake. They took me in the opposite direction I needed to go getting me lost for nearly another hour. But finally I threw their directions out the window (not really... I don't litter). And found my own way by calling out for SOS on the CB. Those guys out there fall all over themselves to help a lil' lady out. LOL
So anywho...here I sit at the St. Louis OC. I've talked on the phone a bit and played around online. I'm not sure I am gonna learn this Vista crap very quickly... but I am able to do the basics...
Now that I'm mobile you'll be hearing a lot more from me. And once I get some batteries for my camera you'll get to see some of the stuff I see out here on the road.
But for now... I must sign off. I need to get some food in my belly and some zzzz's in my brain so I can wake up refreshed in the morning to do it all over again!
God bless,
Gi-Gi Roxx
I hate Missouri. Never really been a fan but today reinforced my hatred for this godforsaken state. I spent the better part of the day lost... following directions given to me by both my company and locals.... all of them...WRONG!
The day didn't really start out well. Last night I had gotten to one of our Operations Centers in Indianapolis just in time to get a big scare. I applied the brakes at nearly 7 stop lights, praying the whole time that I didn't lose too much air pressure. I had a leak and it was scary. For those of you who aren't big truck savvy, trucks have air brakes, nothing like the brakes on a car. If you have an air leak, once the pressure dropps to a certain point the brakes will set on the tractor or trailer or both. I was nearing that point with every push of the brake pedal.
So I took the truck into the maintenance bay and they scheduled my tractor for work but they couldn't get it in till today. So they gave me a loaner so I could still take the load I had to St. Louis today. This morning I get up and transfer most all of my stuff to the loaner truck and go hook up to the trailer with my load in it. I started to pull out of the parking spot and it started...the leak!
Turns out the leak was on the trailer only and I was able to get it fixed there at the OC this morning before I got out on the highway. It could have been a very scary ride had I not gotten it fixed. So anywho...
I was pushed back another two hours while I was getting fixed and finally left Indy around 8am. Things were finally going good. I cruise happily along listening to the chatter on the CB radio all the way because the radio in the loaner truck doesn't work. I make it to my destination around 1pm.
When I went to the security shack to check in they informed me that I had to slide my tandems (the trailer tires that is) all the way back. This makes their job of unloading the trailer easier and less risky for damage to the trailer and their loading equipment. I got out of the truck and went back to pull the lever which releases the pins holding the tandems in place. There are 4 pins... only three would release.
Turns out the one that was being stubborn wasn't just being stubborn...it was broken. So they refused to accept my load. I had to call my company and request maintenance. Luckily there was a place right around the corner I could go to and get fixed. Unfortunately... to get there, I had to go the long way around due to one way roads. Of course......I missed my turn and ended up lost for about an hour. Finally some nice guy in another big truck realized I was lost and radioed me on the CB and told me to follow him. He was too kind... and he got me to where I needed to be with relative ease.
So I get the trailer fixed and am finally able to go back to the consignee (load receiver) and drop the load. No problem... Finally! Something easy! BUT then they wanted me to pick up an empty trailer that wasn't there. So I found one that was acceptable and called in to tell them I wasn't getting the one they wanted me to.
Then it was break time. I was headed to the St. Louis OC, by direction of my company.... big mistake. They took me in the opposite direction I needed to go getting me lost for nearly another hour. But finally I threw their directions out the window (not really... I don't litter). And found my own way by calling out for SOS on the CB. Those guys out there fall all over themselves to help a lil' lady out. LOL
So anywho...here I sit at the St. Louis OC. I've talked on the phone a bit and played around online. I'm not sure I am gonna learn this Vista crap very quickly... but I am able to do the basics...
Now that I'm mobile you'll be hearing a lot more from me. And once I get some batteries for my camera you'll get to see some of the stuff I see out here on the road.
But for now... I must sign off. I need to get some food in my belly and some zzzz's in my brain so I can wake up refreshed in the morning to do it all over again!
God bless,
Gi-Gi Roxx
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