It's a Team's Life

Driver Pull around back

Knowing that a Pre-Trip and Post-Trip had been performed my heart still always skips several beats when I hear those words...  I play the "What If" game all the way into the inspection bay.
 
This recently happened in New Mexico on a bright beautiful day and as I pulled over the inspection pits in bay 2. I was hoping I would be just as cheerful when I pulled back out.  Our Cascadia looks brand new on the surface and underneath even with 240,000 miles.  As I was stopping I could hear the inspectors talking about the painted lettering on our tires and how nice they looked. 
 
The officer asked for all of my paperwork, including our last bill of lading of where we just delivered.  When I told her we were using an EOBR she asked that the logs be faxed to the scale.  Next they tested our headlights, turn signals. 4-ways, windshield wipers, and horn which all passed with flying colors. 
 
Next I was asked to release the brakes and pump the brakes till the alarm sounded that I had low air pressure, which worked perfectly.  I got out of the truck to open the hood and show the officer our secured fire extinguisher and also our triangles.  While I was doing this one of the female officers went down into the pit to inspect the brakes and undercarriage of the truck.
 
I could hear her underneath the truck saying "This is absolutely beautiful" several times and THEN all of the sudden she went silent and her head popped out from under the truck asking for help.  The officer I was speaking to went back and called another officer over to look.  I was wondering to myself "What in the world have they found that has them so puzzled and then the light bulb went off in my head! It was our chains".  I stepped back to that area of the truck and asked if they were looking at the OnSpot automatic tire chains?

 

 

They all turned and looked at me as if I had two heads... Those are what?  Two of them had been truck drivers and the older one looks at me and says please tell me these are a brand new item.  Nope these chains have been around a very long time, and we all start talking about how the chains are deployed.  They are still a little puzzled over how the chains actually work so I get them a brochure and DVD explaining the chains and also a brochure about Team Run Smart. 
 
This inspection is like many others we have had where the discussion turns to questions about our truck and expediting.  All four of the inspectors talked about how much they liked our truck, how well it was set up and cared for, and to have a great day. Due to Bob's diligence in inspecting the Caffcadia she is always in top form and the inspectors have always expressed appreciation for a well-maintained vehicle. 
 

 




As I was pulled away from the scale I had a smile on my face for several reasons, the inspection went perfectly, I was able to meet four very interesting DOT inspectors, share information with them, and they saved us some money as that is one less inspection we have to pay for.


Onspot Web site

Coops Are Open Web site

Bob & Linda Caffee

TeamCaffee


Saint Louis MO

Expediters 8 years been out here on the road 13 years

[email protected]

 

Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle; 


Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;


Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;


Expediting isn't just a job, it's a business.