A trucking brotherhood, you’re joking?

[greg334]

The other day I got a load from Roanoke Virginia to Naples Florida – paid really well (even with the DH out of Florida) and I didn’t have to spend Thanksgiving on my butt staring out the window or in the rain or in the cold weather for a few days, I could drive.

Well after driving all day Thursday and getting about 60 miles from my drop off (that is another story soon to be told) I decided to layover for the night at the pilot outside of Port Charlotte Florida. I pull in there and there sits a fire truck, police car and what appears to be a large crowd of people milling around a truck. I hoped no one was hurt and sat waiting for them to get out of my way. As I sat I scanned my gauges and noticed my volt meter was very low so I kicked up the idle and nothing happened. I knew it was one of two things, a bad alternator or a broken fan belt – I hoped it was the latter.

It turned out that the fire truck and police were there to put out a fire in a cab of a nice and rather new Kenworth. No one was hurt and from what I could see, the truck is scrap.

I finally got a spot to park (waiting for the fire truck to move and another truck to park), pull open the hood and pull out my fan belt. I ended up parking in a dark part of the lot the only available spot at that time, nothing else open and very glad I had plenty of batteries and lots of flashlights with me. I know that this is going to be a long night but I figure that with a little help I can get it done within an hour (I have a spare belt you see). I checked the fan belt before I picked up the load and saw the usual perpendicular cracks but it was in good shape and wonder why it snapped.

So as I start pulling out my tools, there is a group of “truckers†standing in front my truck talking about the fire and how they helped and yadda yadda yadda. I am now taking my A/C belt off in the dark and not one of them ask what is wrong even when I asked them to move a little so I can get by them. Most of the work would have been easier just having someone just held a flashlight when I was putting on the belt and someone to talk to.

I get the replacement belt on and they are still talking. One mentioned that it is important to watch out for other truckers and help out when they have problems while I am standing on the right tire and frame, struggling with the ratchet on the idler pulley. I can’t get a solid grip on the ratchet to pull it far enough over because of my hands being a little on the weak side. I had to make 4†to clear the alternator pulley to get the belt on but only could get 2. I had to pull the ratchet from a position just under the fan pulley to almost to the air cleaner and having a plastic fan with sharp and untrimmed edged, I cut up my arm.

After ten attempts trying to get the 4†need to put the belt on, I stop and took a rest. Drenched in sweat and in a lot of pain (cut and burned my arm) I stopped, at the same time the group of “truckers†left without saying a word or asking if I needed any help.

I worked on this for an hour more as other “truckers†walked passed me not one asked or even said hello. At one point I had some idiot walk up to me and ask me for a pen and when I told him I had no pen, showed him my arms full of grease and dirt and he called me a liar and walked away.

After an hour more, I gave up to rest. Feeling abandoned and p*ssed off at the fan belt, I said I would not give up and rather hope that I will find the strength (or intelligence) to get this done.

I called T-Hawk to see if he had access to the internet (of course he did) and if he could look up a couple things for me but he suggested I ask around or get on the CB seeing that this is turkey day someone would help out, which I ended up doing. No one would, to be exact I offered to pay anyone $50 to help out and the response I got was not nice to the offers. I than asked the Pilot people (as he also suggested) if there is someone I could call, but surprisingly if you are stuck down here, good luck they had no clue who to call but at least tried.

So I went back to my truck and the guy in the next truck finally came over and asked if he could help. He just got back from the shower, dressed really well and said that he could hold a flashlight for 10 minutes but had to go after that. He climbed on the tire and held the light so I could see what was wrong. After ten minutes he said good luck, climbed into his truck and left but now I knew what I could do to solve the problem.

With his help, I could see what I needed to do. The first thing I had to do was secure the belt onto the fan and the crankshaft pulley. I did this in the dark with my cheap but rather sticky duct tape; this took me about 30 minutes to do in the dark. Than I had to remove the alternator bracket bolt (no easy task at all in the dark) and loosen up the alternator pivot bolt so I could gain the needed 1.5†to get the belt on the alternator pulley. I got back on the tire, got the ratchet on the idler pulley and pulled as hard as I could. I struggled holding the ratchet with one hand and pulling on the belt to make it over the alternator pulley with the other at the same time trying to balance myself on the frame and bumper. It finally made it. I then pried the alternator up, which is a two man job when you are trying to put a bolt back in but sat on the tire, put my foot on the bumper and pulled up with my arm at the same time pushing up with my knee. I finally got that all back together. I put the A/C belt back on and secured the compressor, connected the fan clutch back together and tied down all the lose ends. Took my tools back the locker and lost one socket in this process. I checked and double checked for tools, extra parts and any thing else and found out that I am one notch off the idler pulley, which makes the belt really close to the idler pulley frame.

I started it up, checked again and then let everything warm up. I shut it down and went to wash up, which took me only 30 minutes and a container of GOJO.

Now as for the people who did help, I thank all of them but as for the brotherhood of trucking – it’s dead! This illustrates my point that it is long dead and never to come back. Out of maybe 35 people who walked around, passed, stood in front of my truck or saw me and what I was doing, one stopped to help – that’s pathetic.

As for the delivery, that is another story to be told.

 

[layoutshooter]

Sounds like you had a very bad day. I guess things should always be looked at on an individule basis. I have had a few problems on the road and have had help from other drivers most of the times. I don't know why no one would help that night but it is ALWAYS bad when people act that way. Layoutshooter

 

[sixwheeler]

Maybe next time join in the conversation with those " "truckers" " for a minute, say hello yourself, and ask one of them to hold the flashlight for you. Bet you a buck everyone of them would have helped out or at least, offered some kind of advice.

 

[greg334]

>Maybe next time join in the conversation with those "
>"truckers" " for a minute, say hello yourself, and ask one
>of them to hold the flashlight for you. Bet you a buck
>everyone of them would have helped out or at least, offered
>some kind of advice.

Sorry I left that part out. I did say hello, and I did try to talk to them but I was ignored when pulled into the spot. I am a rather friendly person and courtious but I do find that when I say hello and don't get a response but stare, I shut up. The same with a couple who pulled in next to me, I waved and said hello but they didn't even respond.

 

[sixwheeler]

Theres just no accounting for people sometimes. You know they ve got these shop lights at autozone that'll run off your ac in your truck with very long extension cords and hooks on the light itself, to hang somewhere for just such an emergency.

 

[elway]

The sad thing is even after this experience. Greg you seem like the kind of guy that would help those 35 people that didn't help you and thats the sad part. Because i'm not sure i would after that night. Because trucking in general has became doggie eat dog and i have milk bone under wear

 

[Streakn1]

When we drove 18 wheelers, which we did for many years, we found that many of the other drivers were willing to jump right in and offer their help. You didn't even have to ask. If there was a brother/sister trucker working on their truck at the truckstop or sitting on the side of an interstate they would be asking "do you need help driver?"

Now that we chose to be "Expediter" in a "Little" DR-unit they don't consider us as being "Drivers", or worthy of being in the same class as them. Now when we park at the truckstops we get glared at,cussed out and shot a bird for taking up a truck space they feel should be for "trucks". Excuse me, we drive a class eight truck and have a CDL with full endorsements to. We just chose not to haul a 53' reefer around anymore or haul cheap freight and deal with anal grocery warehouse employees as we did for so many years. We even get told "why don't you go park out front with the rest of the "RV's". Trust me, when we can, we do since so many of them can't back into a space without hitting another truck! These are the same people that once embraced us as part of their "Brotherhood"!

Although there are a few good drivers out there ( many of our friends still drive 18's), what we see as the majority in their part of the transportation industry makes us not want to be a part of their class or "brotherhood".

Let me close by saying to the E-units in expediting, you like us took a step up in trucking and are an important part of a very professional group of drivers!

 

[chuckwagon]

Being somewhat of a rookie at expediting I will say that when I first went out I stayed to myself and everyone left me alone and did not say anything to me.
I was hating it - I was by myself, alone, bored, etc.
But, when I would say hi, MOST others would say hi - to those that didn't oh well! I would keep saying hi till someone would make my day by saying hi back and maybe striking up a nice conversation.
Yea, it sounds like those guys had their own little clik - move on, not all of us are like that.
I go out of my way now to strike up conversations, say hi, etc - it sure the hell makes being on the road alot more enjoyable.

 

[FAMILYEXPDT]

www.truckdown.com


I never ask the truckstops. If you have someone you can call with internet connection use this site. It is free. User name is guest and password is guess. You put in your city and what you need (ie. towing, onsite repair, garage) and it will list numbers and names to call. I used it just recently when one of our trucks pulled in TA at Greenland, nh and their starter died. This TA did not have a repair facilty. I had someone there in 15 minutes who replaced the starter in the lot and was only about 50 bucks more expensive than a garage. I love this site.



-Charlotte

 

[sixwheeler]

That is a cool site, easy to remember the name too...thx for sharing that.

 

[Bruno]

Greg you should have called me I would have tried to help you on this.
I know how it is putting a belt on in the dark when the motor is really hot and it burns your arms. Greg I'm sorry you had no help but if i was there I would of helped you until it was done.

 

[rode2rouen]

Greg, not to be a smartazz, but did you consider ASKING one of the drivers who were standing there to give you a hand??


Rex

 

[lanier1]

I think he already stated he did ask for help.

I agree with Streakn that we are looked at as somewhat less than a "driver". For example, I always try to use my headlight signals when appropriate when being passed on the road, especially at night. It always amazes me when I don't get the flashing thank you response from the passing truck (I'm rarely the one doing the passing). I do understand that sometimes they may not have seen my headlights go off and on. I have particularly noticed that the UPS drivers almost never respond. On the other hand, as Tenn hawk can attest, I needed a jump on several occassions and had no trouble finding someone to help. Although I asked a "driver" only one of those times. On Thanksgiving day I stopped at a rest area in Illinois and a "driver" yelled something at me as he was walking to his truck. I didn't catch what he said the first time but did the second. He told me I needed a bigger truck. He was smiling and seemed like a nice guy but the sentiment was the same. I told him I liked my truck just fine, especially when it came time to park at the truck stop. And amen about the guys that have a hard time parking. I have seen several trucks get hit too.

I try to be friendly to everybody and have never had a problem. I don't hesitate to park where ever I can but always try to be courteous. I follow the same rules they do for the most part.

Thanks for that link Family. Looks like a good thing to have access to.

Greg, my truck number isn't a secret so if you see me come say hello. That goes for everyone.

99 FL 70 with a red frame and big white dog named Leo (usually asleep in the sleeper and not seen).

 

[Tennesseahawk]

I don't think the brotherhood is dead, but it is dying. I've helped, and have been helped by many big trucks. I've had a 53'er pull in awkwardly and partially block the main lane at the truckstop so they could give me a jump. I got a free jump from a tire guy on call, then lent my cables to another driver so yet another truck could jump him. And I've had someone knock on my door to tell me I'm leaking something under the hood, then came back to help find it after his shower. I'm amazed sometimes by the kindness you find, but more disgusted at the lack of compassion, as Greg experienced. You definitely had a coal day, bud.

"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas

 

[letzrockexpress]

I forget who uses the avatar "MEAN PEOPLE SUCK", but I think this is something like what they were refering to.... Seems like I remember an old episode of " Davey and Goliath " that went something like this story too. It was a little shorter though

 

[rode2rouen]

>I think he already stated he did ask for help.
>


My bad, I just re-read Greg's original post and I had mis-read the paragraph where he mentioned calling THawk.

I would recommend that Greg invest in some sort of flash light or trouble light that has a clamp or hook or magnet on it for situations like this. I have one of those Zillion candlepower rechargable spotlights (less than $20 at Home Depot). It's big enough that you can wedge it into places so the light will hit what you're messing with.


Rex

 

[ATeam]

Regarding the treatment big-rig drivers give straight trucks, it seems to me that a discourteous big rig driver is discourteous to all. The one that cuts me off after passing usually does the same thing to the next big rig he passes too.

I can think of several times where big-truck drivers have approached me on their initiatave and offered help. The most recent was when I was at a truck stop getting ready to shower. Before going inside, I wanted to put something in the back. Finding I forgot the padlock key, I set my shower bag down behind the truck and returned to the cab for the key. While there, I remembered something else I also wanted to bring to the back but it took me a moment to find it. In that short time, two drivers, thinking I was getting ready to drive, came to the cab and warned me about the bag behind the truck.

There have been countless times where big rigs have changed lanes or flashed me in to help me in my straight truck get where I wanted to go. While the ones that cut you off tend to be remembered longer, keeping the good ones in mind make life on the road a little more pleasant.

Regarding the "brotherhood," I wonder how much of it in the "old days" was borne out of necessity. Today, most drivers have cell phones and many have Qualcomm connections with people who can help them. It's not like you are leaving someone stranded on the side of the road any more by passing him by. Also, a good number of the trucks stopped roadside today are there because that particular member of the brotherhood decided that was the best place to take a leak.

Safety issues also enter in. There was a chilling story in The Trucker newspaper recently about a truck driver who stopped to help a woman on the road who was standing next to a stopped car with a tire iron in her hand. An accomplace appeared out of nowhere, pistol whipped him and later shot him, putting that driver in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

 

[davebeckym]

Letsrockexpress, it was a woman who put the white lines on the highway. It was on Paul Harvey a couple weeks ago, a lady in California lived on a dangerous highway and took it upon herself to paint lines on her highway. The state of Ca. liked it so much they decided to do all the highways.

 

[letzrockexpress]

Thanks Dave, I did not know that. The line though is from my favorite song. It seemed apropriate as a signature so that is why I use it. I should probably change it now that I know the truth but that would change history and we can't have that can we?

 

[TeamCaffee]

We have also not had problems in our "little truck". We have found most not all big truck drivers to be helpful they are no different then we are. We have had expediters snub us along with big truck drivers. But, when Bob pulls out his ladder to work on light he also becomes the most popular guy in the lot with all drivers. Everyone needs to borrow that ladder to clean their exhaust pipes. Bob spends a lot of time working on our chrome so he also meets lots of drivers asking questions about our truck and our job.