Profile For Susan D.

I believe you. These new trucks are extremely sensitive. When I first got my new truck, the first couple of weeks were awful. I got my truck with under 20 miles on it. My maiden run, I was practically in tears as it slammed on the brakes at every overpass having me going 35 in a 70 on the interstate. At least it was in the middle of the night so wasn't much traffic. As soon as my dispatcher and our shop manager came in that morning, you can bet I was on the phone with both of them raising bloody hell. My truck was taken to freightliner to have the sensors recalibrated. It was determined my truck had been towed "nose up" from Mexico, someone had left the key on and the sensors had gotten all out of wack as they'll develop a memory of sorts. After it was recalibrated it got marginally better and continued to drastically improved over the next 15k miles.

That said, I frequently get collision avoidance (and a couple time a stability event) alarms when having to buttonhook a really tight turn in older large cities, narrow tight cloverleaf ramps with guardrails, and even a plastic bag/trash blowing across the road. However, I've never been questioned about any of it. Only tenured experienced drivers at my company are given new trucks.. we earn the right to drive them based on seniority, safety, and running them productively. As bad as the sensors were out of wack, I don't believe I've ever had that many but I've not been counting.. mostly it was the adaptive cruise and collision avoidance system slowing down the truck substantially (not hard brakes) where I KNEW I was a road hazard, hence the meltdown calls before I'd even driven it 1k miles lol. Despite all that, it was simply mostly basic alarms that would quickly clear and go away and not the critical event thingy that pops up on the Qualcomm.

These new trucks safety systems are something else but at my company, I wasn't the only one complaining. Over time, we're getting more accustomed to them and learning how to not fight the darn things so much and just let the truck do it's thing.

I've been in a loaner for 2 weeks (an older manual without all that stuff) and I almost hate to admit it but I kind of miss the collision avoidance system in my new truck lol. The system does fantastic at pacing leading vehicles and maintaining a safety cushion in front of the truck. I actually miss the @$!% lane departure system. That's super handy in heavy fog and rain when there's lower visibility. Even with glare from daytime rain where it can be difficult to see worn out lines the radar still "sees" them. Anyway my new truck is repaired now as of last Friday, but I'll have to get this loaner back to iowa and get a ride back to jeffersonville Indiana before I can get back in it since they want the loaner back in Cedar Rapids.

I also decided I'm SO HAPPY that I got my new truck before the 2020 volvos came in. I rode with another driver who has one up to Indy when I was headed north to get this loaner truck. I then got in the truck with my other half to get to Iowa. Those volvos, while nice, are absolutely crazy. You know how you know your going to need to change lanes, traffic is heavy, and there's cars beside you but you put on your signal hoping someone is going to open up room and let you over? Our volvos.. if you do that and there's a car beside you, it starts honking the horn!!! That would make me crazy having to deal with horn honking.

I agree with the others, that if you really feel like you were wrongfully terminated, to file a grievance asap with the powers in charge. If everything you're saying is factual, your sensors surely had to be out of whack.

Are you working at Amazon, now? You know, after 1 year, they'll pay for your cdl.

Probably seen my company do that lot.. I know I sure have seen tons of them also.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Kwik Stars and Kwik Trips in the upper midwest, but I don't get up that way too often.

Loves has the easiest parking, with spaces that seem like they're a mile wide, but they don't have reserved/paid parking and tend to fill up too early so I rarely stay at one.

Newer Pilot/Flying Js are my favorite actually. Awesome showers, larger/more parking generally than Loves, and they do have reserved parking (I tend to run later in the evening). Cannot stand the smell of that Cinnabon crap though.

The TAs and Petros are generally the largest truck stops by far with say 150 to 350ish parking spaces, but most of it is that nasty blindside angled parking with narrow isles. Awesome repair shop, showers are usually nice, but the restaurants are nothing to write home about. I despise "Country (No) Pride and not a big fan of Iron Skillet either.

I like staying at the mom and pop stops. It's a nice change and I've found some real gems.

It's awesome because I park, drop my trailer and check in at the shop if anything needs attention on my truck.. even this crazy loaner truck that I'm still driving. As slow as freightliner in jeffersonville IN is, the "slug puppy" might be out of commission a few more weeks and this poor 2016 needs some TA love as whoever its been assigned to previously, didn't make sure the little things were looked after and it's showing its higher mileage. I only get to Cedar Rapids when dropping off a trainee, so TA is my friend lol. Sadly we don't fuel there very often so I do tend to pay for showers or wait and get a free one on a 30 minute break at a pilot or loves.

Absolutely GTown. The other night I had a load to pick up in Columbia MO after I delivered some of those lovely paper rolls to Belleville IL. I noticed when fueling at New Baden, IL that I had a headlight out. Was still daylight so I shut them off, drove the 20ish miles to deliver my paper and while waiting there, I swapped the high and low beams (same bulb) to get down the road temporarily, park and buy some spares. Voila! Let there be light!

But not so fast.. as I'm driving towards Columbia and it's becoming dark, I realize it wasn't the bulb, but some sort of electrical short in the headlight. I'd hit a bump and that headlight would flicker off and on. So i take my 10 hour break at the Petro at Kingdom City (22 miles from my next drop and hook, because we have a national account with TA shops. Turns out the pins were corroded where the bulb plugs in. Fast easy repair and no downtime for me.

While I prefer other truck stops, I frequently break at Petro or TA because of my companies preference for their shops... just makes it easier. We have a tire account with them too.

Jim, I'll let Brett speak for himself.. but him in a boring 9 to 5???

What about a fire truck or possibly a farm tractor trailer that stays within 150 miles? No cdl needed on farm trucks, am I correct? I know Kentucky doesn't require it for farm trucks. What about other states?

If I'm in the Miami area, I actually get on I75 and head off into the swamp to the Seminole reservation truck stop on snake road.. yes, it's out of the way, but it's safe, extremely quiet, and those ladies make some of the best empanadas. My youngest loves their alligator bites.. me, I'm not so much a fan of alligator meat.

Exactly, and if you realize you're over your head you can easily switch divisions to try something new.

Me neither but there's always that chance. Sometimes it's good to have a 2nd set of eyes. For those of us who's companies use these shops for on the road repairs, it's a good thing.

It could be because we don't recommend new drivers pull tankers? We do have a few members who do but I think they drive for mega carriers with multiple divisions. Don't think we have any Keenan or Oakley drivers.

Both Pilot and TA are doing free mid trip inspections from May 6 to June 6, 2019 in anticipation of International Road Check 2019. Not sure about Loves.

I don't have a clue what an 02 or a 90 is. If the meatloaf is the best in the restaurant, are they serving it in the parking lot too?

I know I'm being a smartazz. Its been a long day and I'm tired, but I was serious about the 02 and 90 whatever that is.

Lol even if I were a guy, I don't think I'd want a naked stranger serving my food. Do they wear hair nets? I wouldn't want pubes in my food, or maybe they all was? At least there is parking and showers.

I worked in healthcare for 20 years. I don't buy or drink them. You'd not believe the numbers of people who end up in an ER from drinking those things and having serious heart arrhythmias. I belong to the group who believes they should not be sold at all.

That said, my kids love them. I wouldn't allow them to drink them until they were adult size teens and then only in extreme moderation. They liked the monster ones.. can't remember which flavor.

Oh the horror on non color coordinated trucks and trailers. Looks almost as good as me delivering green and yellow Penns Best trailers lol.

It's a pain for sure as most my stuff is in my new truck at freightliner being repaired and I'm running with bare minimum supplies.. had to borrow a broom to sweep a trailer in Carlisle Friday.. luckily I parked next to another west side truck and borrowed his. You just don't realize what all you really need until you don't have it.

Excellent point LDRSHIP. My ex would, at his convenience (and immediately after he had serviced everything on the truck) pull into an open scale and demand an inspection. He'd roll out with that nice little sticker knowing DOT couldn't inspect him for a few months. I'd not recommend anyone but a certified mechanic like he is pulling that off. And of course you should remember... he CHOSE the scale to do that at.