Hi everyone, today I was on a special assignment. I was doing some road work today for the company. I had 3 primary objectives today. It was quite the day, the first part of my day was me fighting with my handheld which ultimately didn't do what I wanted it to do in the first place which made me frustrated, however that's just minor annoyance really doesn't mean much, not for today's assignment anyhow. Actually it was a fun day today out on the road.
So I showed up to the yard and hopped in the truck I had today which was a spare truck that was being used for some internal transfer work.
So I grabbed the spare truck and took a 50' volume trailer down to a relay point and unhooked my trailer and grabbed a loaded trailer from the relay driver.
Then I set out to the warehouse so I got on the interstate and took that straight to the turnpike I was beepopping down I-80 in the 10 year old International spare truck, which normally aren't used for road operations, but it's what happened today.
So it was a good 82-83 degrees outside and I'm on the big turnpike with all the big OTR trucks and the old truck I had didn't really have the best Air Conditioning system so I just rolled down the windows and I'm zipping along best I can with everyone else (trucks only go so fast) miles are flying by click click click click click click click that's all money in my pocket.
I tried to use the CD player in the truck, but it was broke and just ate my CD oh well so I was listening to the radio until the I lost reception which took awhile, but I was zipping along and finally I hit the Pennsylvania-Ohio border and it starts to get hilly no problem. Up down up down big swopping hills up the hill down shift hit the pedal vroooooommmmm the truck goes and the turbo charger is howling. The GFS Internationals have a very distinct sound to them you can tell it's an International just by it's sound. Anyhow vrooommmm and up the big hill and then right at the top of the hill it levels out and then a big giant down grade and you gain speed and the Internationals the break pedal is always rock hard where the Volvo's the break pedal is softer and easier to apply, how the Internationals have a trick that the Volvo's don't have, that's right an engine break.
So I'm going down the big swooping hill and and instead of riding the break I hit the #3 button and then hit the engine break on button and buddddddd budddddd buddddd the engine break comes on and starts holding the truck back pretty cool really, you can't use the "Jake" break on ice or in rain, but with sun and 83 degrees it's a different story. So swoop down the hill and back up the hill and I go "gee it's getting a little hot in here." So I look at my temperature gauge uh oh I see the water temp for the truck starting to go up, not good. So I said "Well I'm not getting stuck here I'll make it to the warehouse."
So I put the heat on floor and put the heat all the way to max and the fan all the way to max and watched the temperature gauge start to fall off. Actually I was able to cycle it on and off. So I wasn't roasting like a baked potato, still zipping along though it was kind of fun though.
Anyhow got the warehouse and unhooked the trailer in the dock went inside and did my paper work.
You know it's different when you work for the companies private fleet like I see all the big freight trucks parked in the pit waiting to be called in for a dock and I just rolled in right in no problem able to cut in line and go right to a dock after all there expecting me. Although I noticed the LTL day cabs they seem to get those guys in NEMF they let him right in, it's the sleeper truck load guys that have appointment times and stuff and have to wait or what ever.
Anyhow back it into the dock our warehouse is so nice the receiving side has tons of room really modern meant for big sleeper trucks, you can get set up to back really easy and just back it right in. So I went off and backed the truck right in real nice. Then went inside to stand in line and the woman who works the window let me cut in line and go into the office where I was able to do my paper work my self. When you work for the companies own fleet they let you do all sorts of cutting ha-ha. This is all new to me because usually I'm the one waiting ha-ha.
So I go to the shop at the warehouse and ask them if my truck was done and it was, so I trade in the almost over heating rattely International spare for my regularly assigned Volvo. Which I am happy to report has new steer tires, fifth wheel grease, A/C service, they fixed my seat and put in new air break control. Also I think they changed the oil and did some other odds and ends. Anyhow I hooked up to another 50' trailer that was empty and took that one back to Cleveland with me.
The ride back in the Volvo was like driving a Cadillac back air conditioning was nice and cool, CD player works very well, my seat was fixed nice and comfy it was actually a lot of fun well the whole day was a lot of fun. It's fun being a utility man sometimes because you get to do special assignments.
So I showed up to the yard and hopped in the truck I had today which was a spare truck that was being used for some internal transfer work.
So I grabbed the spare truck and took a 50' volume trailer down to a relay point and unhooked my trailer and grabbed a loaded trailer from the relay driver.
Then I set out to the warehouse so I got on the interstate and took that straight to the turnpike I was beepopping down I-80 in the 10 year old International spare truck, which normally aren't used for road operations, but it's what happened today.
So it was a good 82-83 degrees outside and I'm on the big turnpike with all the big OTR trucks and the old truck I had didn't really have the best Air Conditioning system so I just rolled down the windows and I'm zipping along best I can with everyone else (trucks only go so fast) miles are flying by click click click click click click click that's all money in my pocket.
I tried to use the CD player in the truck, but it was broke and just ate my CD oh well so I was listening to the radio until the I lost reception which took awhile, but I was zipping along and finally I hit the Pennsylvania-Ohio border and it starts to get hilly no problem. Up down up down big swopping hills up the hill down shift hit the pedal vroooooommmmm the truck goes and the turbo charger is howling. The GFS Internationals have a very distinct sound to them you can tell it's an International just by it's sound. Anyhow vrooommmm and up the big hill and then right at the top of the hill it levels out and then a big giant down grade and you gain speed and the Internationals the break pedal is always rock hard where the Volvo's the break pedal is softer and easier to apply, how the Internationals have a trick that the Volvo's don't have, that's right an engine break.
So I'm going down the big swooping hill and and instead of riding the break I hit the #3 button and then hit the engine break on button and buddddddd budddddd buddddd the engine break comes on and starts holding the truck back pretty cool really, you can't use the "Jake" break on ice or in rain, but with sun and 83 degrees it's a different story. So swoop down the hill and back up the hill and I go "gee it's getting a little hot in here." So I look at my temperature gauge uh oh I see the water temp for the truck starting to go up, not good. So I said "Well I'm not getting stuck here I'll make it to the warehouse."
So I put the heat on floor and put the heat all the way to max and the fan all the way to max and watched the temperature gauge start to fall off. Actually I was able to cycle it on and off. So I wasn't roasting like a baked potato, still zipping along though it was kind of fun though.
Anyhow got the warehouse and unhooked the trailer in the dock went inside and did my paper work.
You know it's different when you work for the companies private fleet like I see all the big freight trucks parked in the pit waiting to be called in for a dock and I just rolled in right in no problem able to cut in line and go right to a dock after all there expecting me. Although I noticed the LTL day cabs they seem to get those guys in NEMF they let him right in, it's the sleeper truck load guys that have appointment times and stuff and have to wait or what ever.
Anyhow back it into the dock our warehouse is so nice the receiving side has tons of room really modern meant for big sleeper trucks, you can get set up to back really easy and just back it right in. So I went off and backed the truck right in real nice. Then went inside to stand in line and the woman who works the window let me cut in line and go into the office where I was able to do my paper work my self. When you work for the companies own fleet they let you do all sorts of cutting ha-ha. This is all new to me because usually I'm the one waiting ha-ha.
So I go to the shop at the warehouse and ask them if my truck was done and it was, so I trade in the almost over heating rattely International spare for my regularly assigned Volvo. Which I am happy to report has new steer tires, fifth wheel grease, A/C service, they fixed my seat and put in new air break control. Also I think they changed the oil and did some other odds and ends. Anyhow I hooked up to another 50' trailer that was empty and took that one back to Cleveland with me.
The ride back in the Volvo was like driving a Cadillac back air conditioning was nice and cool, CD player works very well, my seat was fixed nice and comfy it was actually a lot of fun well the whole day was a lot of fun. It's fun being a utility man sometimes because you get to do special assignments.
