OFF THE ROAD

Haven’t posted for sometime since I’ve been busy dealing with problem after problem.

Since the posts about the turbo failure on Sprinter #2, a lot has happened. On his next trip out, the driver of Sprinter #2 rear ended a semi trailer at a stop light. By his own admission, he wasn’t paying attention. The driver of the semi evidently didn’t feel the impact and simply drove off. The Sprinter couldn’t give chase as it was sitting there puking coolant from the ruptured radiator. The deer bumper was pushed back forcing the coolant fan assembly into the radiator. He was under load at the time about 100 miles from his drop. Since there was no other unit in the area to repower the load, Tri-State opted to tow the Sprinter to the drop. To the surprise of both Tri-State and myself, that 83 mile tow cost $877.00. That cost is under dispute, but it was still deducted from my settlements. We managed to seal the radiator enough to get the truck back home, and the driver bore the cost of the repairs. I couldn’t turn it in on my insurance since there was no police report, and the repairs were less than the deductible.

Next, the Idlebuster was installed on Sprinter #3 and it was butchered. It has amounted to over $2,000 out of pocket in lost revenue and repairs. Add to that the $600 Sprinter #3 needed in normal maintenance repairs. Of course I submitted invoices to Idlebuster to be reimbursed for my losses. Up until last Thursday, they ignored me. After complaints to the Attorney General and Better Business Bureau’s in Ohio and Florida were completed, I had their attention. I was contacted by one of the owners and I should have things finalized soon.

I found a good driver for the International (He’s a Jarhead too, so we get along) and after a fiasco in NJ, things are working out. His first good load took him to Newark, NJ and Tri-State tried to force him into NYC from there. One was an idiotic load deadheading 41 miles into Jamaica, Queens for a 21 mile load. They tried two other loads into NYC before I finally got in touch with the fleet coordinator and made it plain that none of my trucks are going into NYC. The catch of all this was it happened after 1700 and it took until 0900 the next morning to straighten it out and a load was lost since the driver was put on eight hour refusal status.

For a brief moment there, all four trucks were running and the hope was we would stop bleeding money. I scheduled the surgery on my shoulder since it’s been in bad shape the last few weeks. Enter another problem with the Idlebuster. A fuel line pops off and stops the truck in its tracks. Repair was quick and the shop didn’t even charge anything for it, but another load was lost and another tow bill was incurred.

Think it’s over? Nope. Driver on Sprinter #3 quit the day after the fuel line popped off. So, I’m back to three trucks running and one is sitting in my driveway waiting until I find another driver. I can’t postpone the shoulder surgery since mine is the last surgery that the doc is doing until late November. Surgery is Tuesday, so I won’t be posting much if at all since I won’t have use of my right arm for about two months.

So, the ship took a couple of torpedoes but I’ve got the patches in place and the pumps are running. She’ll right herself in a few weeks. I’ll find a driver and get this shoulder fixed and be back on track.

I sure am going to enjoy those drugs tomorrow.