Breakdowns On The Road

What is the procedure when your truck breaks down or you have a tire blowout

What is the procedure when your truck breaks down or you have a tire blowout

You call your company and they have a repair truck come out and fix it or send a wrecker truck to tow it

Tom, I broke down Thursday afternoon (today is Sunday) Coming down Sandstone Mountain in West Virginia my truck dropped a valve. Once I got to the bottom of the mountain I called our Breakdown Department. Every large trucking company will have one of these that are available 24/7, in fact this is one of the many advantages of going to work for these large trucking companies, they are prepared to provide you assistance out on the road no matter what may come up at any hour of the day.

They asked me a few questions about what happened so that they could determine whether I could keep driving or not and then decided that my assessment of the damage was correct. They sent out a wrecker who carried me to the nearest authorized dealer for repairs. They also arranged for a hotel for me to stay in while the truck is being worked on. Now, since I can't move down the road they arranged for another driver to come and get my trailer so that it can continue on to it's destination. Also I start getting what is called "Breakdown pay" now while I'm stuck in the hotel. They contacted me yesterday evening to let me know that the truck repairs will require a lengthy time so they are arranging to get me back to the terminal so that I can be issued another truck.

They have handled every little detail, and paid me for my trouble. Granted, you can't live off of break down pay, but it does help cover your meals and expenses while waiting to figure out what's next. My main point in giving you all these details is so that you understand that these large trucking companies are prepared for this. When you've got a couple thousand or more trucks out there on the road you have to have the structure in place to deal with this type of stuff at all hours of the day and night because you've just got so much exposure out there on the highway.

Coming down Sandstone Mountain in West Virginia

Awww. Such a little mountain and you had something break.

Little, yeah right. I hate going down or up that mountain. And the next one is not a barrel of laughs either. Very long.

Good luck Old School. Hope you are on the road soon.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S

The procedure I was told in the school (once you are stopped anyways) is to turn on your four way flashers, set out your triangles according to what sort of road you are on, and then go back to the truck and turn off your flashers (don't want to run your battery down), then report what has happened with as much detail as you can.

Is this correct?

If you break down and have to get back to a terminal to be issued another truck what happens to your belongings? Do tlyou go get the new truck and drive it back to the old truck and move it all?

That's what they are doing with me - we had a terminal that was about 250 miles away and they decided that would work. I think otherwise they will try to route you back toward the truck within a few days with some freight so that you can pick up your stuff.

Is this correct?

Mistelle, it sounds like you've got it.

I70 in West Virgina and Maryland, and I40 in North Carolina and Tennessee are horrible for trucks. Great drives in a four wheeler, but after spending last week driving those two highways, give me the Rocky Mountains anytime. Up and down, shifting constantly, crawling up the steeper ones and trying not to be a runaway on the down side. Pain in the rear.

Tracy, welcome to my world.

That is our normal route to travel just about anytime we have a trip going to any points east, northeast.

Over the last 5 years, I have traveled that road at least 400 times. Maybe more.

The much better route, even though you have tolls to pay, is the PA turnpike. I don't know what the cost is for trucks, but the time and energy saved. Plus the fuel cost have to be a lot cheaper. PA has some hills, but not near like I 68 and I 70.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S