Bidding Farewell...
My dearest darling Trucky will be leaving me soon. I was informed the other day that he is to be turned in by the end of the month. Trucky is a 2005 year model Freightliner Century Class that is apparently costing the company way too much mula to maintain. The company has been retiring all of the fleets' 2004-2005 trucks as quickly as they can. I had hoped that Trucky would be overlooked by some super miracle. But alas, our time together is shortly coming to an end.
I will hate to see him go, as we've been together since the very start. But honestly, it's time for me to meet someone new and exciting. Change is good, right?
Recently Trucky has been feeling ill and sluggish, anyway. I thought that the new alternator would have helped, but his condition is just not improving as I'd hoped. He has a terrible clanking noise under the hood which I am pretty sure is a bearing somewhere in there about to give up the ghost. So I suppose that our parting, while with sweet sorrow, is for the best.
I was asked today by my manager how I felt about checking out a 2007 UltraShift(TM) Freightliner Century Class. It's one of the automatic transmission trucks we have in our company fleet. Now I was reluctant to say yes right away. My manger told me that the truck had been in the hands of only one driver since coming into the fleet. But I still needed to know a few things.
1) Was the driver a smoker?
If the answer is yes, it's an automatic and definite NO. I am the worst kind of smoker there is, an EX-Smoker and I cannot stand the smell of tar/tobacco stained Anything!
2) If I get in the truck and HATE it can I re-trade for another manual shift truck?
If the answer is yes, then it's a go as far as I'm concerned. And a little while ago I got confirmation that the truck has been smoke free and that if I don't like it after I try it, I'm allowed to bail into a manual truck.
I've said since the beginning that I'd never be interested in driving an automatic 18-wheeler because I preferred to be in control 100% of the time. But knowing that if I don't like it, I can toss it like a used napkin, I'll take the chance without regret.
I'll eat my words of NEVER, but hopefully I don't have to eat anything else!
I will hate to see him go, as we've been together since the very start. But honestly, it's time for me to meet someone new and exciting. Change is good, right?
Recently Trucky has been feeling ill and sluggish, anyway. I thought that the new alternator would have helped, but his condition is just not improving as I'd hoped. He has a terrible clanking noise under the hood which I am pretty sure is a bearing somewhere in there about to give up the ghost. So I suppose that our parting, while with sweet sorrow, is for the best.
I was asked today by my manager how I felt about checking out a 2007 UltraShift(TM) Freightliner Century Class. It's one of the automatic transmission trucks we have in our company fleet. Now I was reluctant to say yes right away. My manger told me that the truck had been in the hands of only one driver since coming into the fleet. But I still needed to know a few things.
1) Was the driver a smoker?
If the answer is yes, it's an automatic and definite NO. I am the worst kind of smoker there is, an EX-Smoker and I cannot stand the smell of tar/tobacco stained Anything!
2) If I get in the truck and HATE it can I re-trade for another manual shift truck?
If the answer is yes, then it's a go as far as I'm concerned. And a little while ago I got confirmation that the truck has been smoke free and that if I don't like it after I try it, I'm allowed to bail into a manual truck.
I've said since the beginning that I'd never be interested in driving an automatic 18-wheeler because I preferred to be in control 100% of the time. But knowing that if I don't like it, I can toss it like a used napkin, I'll take the chance without regret.
I'll eat my words of NEVER, but hopefully I don't have to eat anything else!
Comments
Jessie, the drivers that have that attitude are going to have it regardless of what a woman is driving. I've had it happen when I drove a Peterbilt with a 10 speed. It's actually not that common anymore and most that do spout that stuff are just trying to start an argument over the cb just to pass the time. Gi-Gi is actually more likely to get the "woman driver" crap over the company she's employed by than having an automatic (not knocking them, I'm employed by what's known as a starter company myself even though 1/2 the drivers have been here 10+years).
Gabby
I have heard autoshifts can be a pain.. much more so than the manuals... however the auto will save tremendously on the leg for sure!
I didn't know schneider even had autoshifts.. although i'm not surprised since i've seen the Volvo 770's and Cascadias in the fleet! Those orange models are some sexy beasts!
As for anonymous....he clearly doesn't HAVE a big dick since he thinks having one is a cure for a truck you hate to drive and he's probably never been to West Virginia either...or he'd know that it's a BEAUTIFUL place and likely, a damn fine place to live!