*Crash Bang Whomp* - Single Axle Daycabs

Tuesday morning, August 12, 2008, Joe had to leave early to get a screw out of one of our pickup tires. He went from one tire repair shop to another in Council Bluffs, IA. THEY wanted to drive our pickup into the bays and Joe would not allow them to. They stated their insurance would not allow non employees to be in the bays so off Joe went. He finally found a place that let him back up to their bay and the tire got fixed.

My cynical mind thinks this foolishness is because of all the people that want to sue. In my opinion there is an enormous amount of idiots running the streets. Screaming and hollering for every hang nail they get to a lawyer.

It was after 9 a.m. before we got to Penske Truck Leasing in Omaha, Nebraska to hook up trucks. This has been our third time to get trucks from them. Single axle day cabs. Groan and sigh.

On the plus side, there is only one rear axle to chain up on the trucks we will be towing. There are no fairings to strap and secure. Our length is quite a bit shorter than normal so turning radius will be better. Hook and unhook will be less of a chore.

On the down side, these trucks are the roughest to ride in. Every bump in the road is felt, and every pothole or rut causes these trucks to skitter in the lane like a spooked horse. The work it takes to keep these *#%& trucks in our lane is constant.

These trucks are Internationals. I absolutely, positively, without a doubt, HATE to drive an International. They were built for off road use in the 1930's and have not changed much. Stiff, rough, and bone jarring.

These trucks are going to Crestwood, Illinois about 430 miles away. They are automatic transmission with no clutch so I don't have to figure out how I'm going to keep my butt in the seat while I bounce around pushing the clutch in to shift from a dead stop or a panic stop.

There seemed to be a problem with one of the trucks I had previously delivered. It seems the place that had bought the trucks had found damage on the underside. The oil pan had been dented quite badly, causing the oil plug to be crimped in the dent. Also, one of the tie rods had been extremely bent. I was blamed for the "Decking Damage". We don't deck so I don't understand how I could have done the damage that was found.

This trip we are going right on the delivery site all set up. In the past we had got there on Sunday evening and unhooked in their driveway. Leaving the trucks parked overnight in their driveway to return Monday morning with the keys and ready to be checked in. This time we showed up so they could see how we deliver the trucks. I sent Joe off to do the explaining how our boom and trailer works and to show these people the front end of the trucks don't leave the ground when we have them. I guess he did his job, the manager there could see that we did not "Deck" the trucks. We'll see what transpires from this. I'll either lose some pay in the future with our dispatcher because of this mess or I'll never hear a thing about it again.

At noon on Wednesday, August 13, we drove into the delivery site, creating quite a stir as usual with gawkers. The manager came out and watched us unhook for about 15 minutes then he and Joe disappeared into the building for the next 10 minutes to discuss the previous damage.

When we got unhooked the manager went to each truck and looked at what I had written up for damage. I had to leave on the pretense of changing from my greasy clothes to my street clothes. He was not happy with the condition of the trucks he had received. We had not done the damage, but he had been guaranteed these trucks would be in excellent condition and ready to go to work. The A/C went out of Joe's truck about an hour into our trip. Upon hearing this the manager got a look on his face that sent me off looking for a bathroom and leaving Joe to deal with him. Yes, I know. "Bawk, bawk, bawk" (chicken clucking sound).

Once we got delivered it was back to Omaha, Nebraska for us to get some trucks we had, originally, been dispatched on by another one of our dispatch offices.

This business is competitive by nature. Several Driveaway companies doing the same job. Their customers are not different than other customers, they jump ship and go to the next available Driveaway company for one reason or another. Sometimes the reasons are known only to the customers themselves.

That said, on Tuesday we were considering trucks out of Pennsylvania going to Rhode Island. We had not confirmed we would take the trucks. The main consideration was how far would we have to deadhead to get trucks once we delivered in Rhode Island. This same dispatch office called us on Tuesday and told us of trucks out of Omaha, Nebraska going to Clint, Texas - a suburb of El Paso. Yes we would take those.

About two hours later we got a call from the dispatch office that these trucks were pulled because we would not be able to get them in time and they wanted to go with someone else. That trip was off and the Pennsylvania to Rhode Island were still on.

Later Tuesday afternoon we were called by one of our other dispatch offices. We were asked if we wanted to go back to Omaha, Nebraska to get four trucks. Joe says "Let me guess, they are going to El Paso?" This surprised the dispatcher "How do you know?" he asked. Joe told him how he knew. Needless to say, we did commit to these trucks.

So once unhooked in Crestwood, Illinois Wednesday afternoon we headed for Omaha - again. Joe called our first dispatcher and told him we were going to Omaha. Joe was asked "Where are you going?" Joe's response was "You don't want to know". With shock and some frustration our dispatcher said "You going to El Paso I take it?" When Joe said yes, I guess there were some "#$%*!" words from our dispatcher upon hearing this bit of news.

Come Thursday our bodies are going to remind us of having taken the single axle daycabs. We will be stiff and sore. I have bruises up and down my legs and on my shoulders from those trucks.