What needs to be done to attract more women drivers to the industry?

[Getfit Tommy]

My method for sticky tandems is two-fold: If the handle pulls and latches but the pins won't release, I tap the pins with a 4 lb hammer. If the handle won't pull out far enough to latch in the release position, I pull it out as far as it will go and snap a vise-grip on the shaft of the pull handle right up next to the slide rail. Then, I go to the cab and give the trailer a push backward and a pull forward. Usually, that's all it takes. If not, I pull the handle out again, and move the vise-grip up the shaft. Might take a few cycles, but unless something is broken, it'll move the pins.

Some spray oil like WD40 on the moving joints helps, too.

I refuse to have anybody hold that pull handle out while I put the truck into gear. I refuse to hold that handle while another driver puts the truck in gear. It's one of the stupidest ways to get hurt or killed because it's completely unnecessary...

I have seen guys pull tandems Out from underneath the trailer completely off the frame rails...

I've even seen some guys drop a Driveline

there are many many ways of handling sticky tandem sliding issues


and they all require patience and wisdom

 

[patriciajnsn]

It was more towards @Injun and her comment about a $5 can of wd-40.

You can really kill paychecks *****ing and crying and getting a shop to do everything for you.

Or you can save yourself $100+ on your paycheck and turn in a receipt for a stupid fuse or couple of butt connectors to get yourself back on the road.

Ok back to @Injun and her comment.these trailers were made in the 90s very old and rusted out a hundred cans of wd40 wouldn't have work.I pleaded with my boss to either fix his trailers or scrap them.At 32 cpm and took a pay cut at the time i would not bust my ass or back to do any extra fixing on anything and not get paid for it,your crazy if you think anybody would.Its not like I didn't try to move tandems before taking it to shop and always ask my boss first.

 

[Electric Chicken]

A lot of ours are from 1994. It's sad really.

 

[patriciajnsn]

A lot of ours are from 1994. It's sad really.

I have asked my boss repeatedly to fix his trailers,i might as well been talking to a wall.Drivers should not have that much trouble and stress with their equipment so I look at it as they deserve to have to pay to get something done at shop when your request goes ignored while at their shop.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Yeah USX is gradually putting more and more brand new ones into service. But I give them some credit on the old ones...if people take the time to write them up for repairs they DO fix them. We just have too many assholes who don't care and leave it for the next guy.

 

[Electric Chicken]

One of my random jobs for extra cash is taking defective trailers out of the warehouse lot and shuttling them to the dedicated repair lot they have set up down the road.

Me and another driver moved 7 just a few days ago, and one of us is moving a couple just about every week.

A while back I pulled one on one of my routes and dropped it straight into that lot instead of taking it to the warehouse.

Gotta have a culture of caring, which unfortunately doesn't exist here.

 

[patriciajnsn]

Yeah USX is gradually putting more and more brand new ones into service. But I give them some credit on the old ones...if people take the time to write them up for repairs they DO fix them. We just have too many assholes who don't care and leave it for the next guy.

That's good the shop does look at write up sheets.Some stops even though you write it up and then tell the head mechanic you still need to talk to your dispatcher then he will call the shop.In my case we didn't have a write up policy just tell mechanic but many things never got done.

 

[Electric Chicken]

We don't even have those. We have a computer system we can flag them with and they go to central command which dispatches a local mobile repair team they contracted with.

It's easy and mostly automated. So there's no real reason to not flag 'em.

 

[patriciajnsn]

We don't even have those. We have a computer system we can flag them with and they go to central command which dispatches a local mobile repair team they contracted with.

It's easy and mostly automated. So there's no real reason to not flag 'em.

When I drove for kb those mechanics were dam good,always got your stuff fixed right away unless it was a part that needed to be ordered

 

[patriciajnsn]

It was more towards @Injun and her comment about a $5 can of wd-40.

You can really kill paychecks *****ing and crying and getting a shop to do everything for you.

Or you can save yourself $100+ on your paycheck and turn in a receipt for a stupid fuse or couple of butt connectors to get yourself back on the road.

After scrolling back and reading your other posts you make it sound like everything should get fix by the driver when you have no clue what's happening with their equipment.Well mndriver sorry to rain on your parade but not every driver is mechanically inclined like you are and most drivers don't carry an entire tool set with them.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I'm mechanically inclined to the point of removing the motor and transmission from my car and successfully reinstalling it after making repairs.

I would have no qualms with fixing my truck as an owner operator. So it's not that.

What it's about is not having tools with me, and not being free labor to make up for my employer's cheapness.

 

[mndriver]

Then we will have to disagree on this point and move on with life.

IMO, part of being a driver is being mechanically inclined enough to make things operate enough even when it's broken to get it to the shop.

If that means having a 3/4" gear wrench and a cage bolt to cage your brakes and a zip tie to kink an air line, then you need to do it.

I'll gladlypay a driver $50 to do that to save a $900+ service call or wrecker bill to make a repair in a shop instead of a risky road side.

All the tools I need are in that single box. From a filter wrench to wiring tools.

Everything I've needed to at least get the truck off the road and into a shop.



From a blown / broken airline from road debris to a ruptured air chamber. I've even replaced a bad alternator at the start of 18 days on the road for the apu. Just to save the trip out.

So really it's bout attitude.

I care enough to say "I can"....


And I see you and @dchawk81 crying "I can't"......

I guess 14 years as a mechanic in the army guard with shoe string support and being the one the operator turned to with excuses taught me more than I care to realize.

 

[Electric Chicken]

You're talking about taking it to the shop and so are we.

You still didn't tell me where in a slip seater day cab that barely has room for lunch and a briefcase I'm supposed to keep my toolbox.

 

[patriciajnsn]

I'm mechanically inclined to the point of removing the motor and transmission from my car and successfully reinstalling it after making repairs.

I would have no qualms with fixing my truck as an owner operator. So it's not that.

What it's about is not having tools with me, and not being free labor to make up for my employer's cheapness.

All that fps into what i'm trying to say.Who wants to kill themselves fixing someone else's broken down stuff for free.then there is other things that a driver knows nothing about that it's wise to have shop fix it.Back to the tandems,some things are impossible to move even with two other drivers helping.Alot of my bosses trailers were like that.Certain things only a shop can do because they have the right tools and a special spraay for tandems.Two of those times I had TA move tandems they didn't charge me but the other time it was $25.00.

 

[mndriver]

I'm mechanically inclined to the point of removing the motor and transmission from my car and successfully reinstalling it after making repairs.

I would have no qualms with fixing my truck as an owner operator. So it's not that.

What it's about is not having tools with me, and not being free labor to make up for my employer's cheapness.

Again, "can do" attitude.

@patriciajnsn is going to blow a gasket.

And excuses from you two.

As I and a few others have consistently stated. Drivers have the power to change things. You have to ability and support of law to tell cheapskate employers "no".

But are too damned timid to do it.

 

[Electric Chicken]

Again, "can do" attitude.

@patriciajnsn is going to blow a gasket.

And excuses from you two.

As I and a few others have consistently stated. Drivers have the power to change things. You have to ability and support of law to tell cheapskate employers "no".

But are too damned timid to do it.

View attachment 35526

Don't even know what you're talking about now...

 

[Electric Chicken]

Again, tell me where in a slip seater day cab that barely has room for lunch and a briefcase I'm supposed to keep a toolbox.

 

[patriciajnsn]

Again, "can do" attitude.

@patriciajnsn is going to blow a gasket.

And excuses from you two.

As I and a few others have consistently stated. Drivers have the power to change things. You have to ability and support of law to tell cheapskate employers "no".

But are too damned timid to do it.

View attachment 35526

Ya ok no since arguing with someone that knows everything and all the drivers should be at your level in trucking.

 

[mndriver]

All that fps into what i'm trying to say.Who wants to kill themselves fixing someone else's broken down stuff for free.then there is other things that a driver knows nothing about that it's wise to have shop fix it.Back to the tandems,some things are impossible to move even with two other drivers helping.Alot of my bosses trailers were like that.Certain things only a shop can do because they have the right tools and a special spraay for tandems.Two of those times I had TA move tandems they didn't charge me but the other time it was $25.00.

I am not implying you must fix it.

But you need to have the Mechanic aptitude to get a piece of equipment off the road and into a shop.

If an employer can't/won't fix it, then hit them where it hurts.

If he's too cheap to pay you to make a repair to save a $1200 wrecker bill, he's too cheap IMO to work for period.

I'll pay a cab to come and get me to get a $20 radiator hose and $150 worth of antifreeze and water to replace a blown hose before calling a dispatcher for a wrecker.

It's cheaper, faster and less headache than. Getting a wrecker to haul me to a shop.

 

[Electric Chicken]

BTW I busted my head open, had to get staples in my scalp at the nearest ER, got a taxi back to my truck, and still delivered the load on time from being "too timid."