Tough Call...What Would You Do?

Ok I got it:

Strap your student to the reefer with a makeshift harness, a toolbox and a new water pump. Proceed to drive as he works frantically to fix it. Check your mirrors constantly to ensure he doesn't fall or drop anything, and periodically yell at him out your window, "20 minutes left!" "10 more minutes!" Etc.

When you arrive, if your student is worth his salt, the pump should be fixed, with temp back to normal. Act as if nothing has happened and continue on with your day.

The first thing I'd do is hope I never get The Persian Conversion as a trainer. :)

If it's already that far out of temp range I'd expect it to be rejected at WM, so my priority would be fix the trailer and move on to the next load. Of course, what I would actually do is contact my DM , give him all the info and my proposed solution, and then do whatever he says.

And this scenario is exactly why I chose dry van over reefer. It would really bumm me out to have a load spoil.

Personally I would get the reefer repaired. What if there's an accident on the road and you're stuck for those 2 hours anyways? And by the time you make it there the freight ruined AND your reefer isn't fixed? Now you waited those 2 hours you could have spent waiting on repairs in a traffic jam with destroyed freight.

Ok I got it:

Strap your student to the reefer with a makeshift harness, a toolbox and a new water pump. Proceed to drive as he works frantically to fix it. Check your mirrors constantly to ensure he doesn't fall or drop anything, and periodically yell at him out your window, "20 minutes left!" "10 more minutes!" Etc.

When you arrive, if your student is worth his salt, the pump should be fixed, with temp back to normal. Act as if nothing has happened and continue on with your day.

PC, the only problem with this is that we're talking about a reefer driver here. He probably doesn't have any straps or ratchets to secure the trainee, or anything to make a harness out of, other than a handful of bungees. Plus, Daniel B. has not been through securement training, so he might not know where to pop out the rivets on the bulkhead so he can hook the straps and ratchets.

On the other hand, it is a short trip, so he could just risk it and use the bungees.

I didn't read the above responses before I typed this....

I would

1.) Contact Road Assist and explain -- as well as tell them I got no alarms on the refeer or the qualcomm - cause when it alarms, that qualcom goes off all freaking night -- which could mean there is an electrical issue as well. 2.) Notify dispatch of RA recommend (after a blown tire, two tires with nails and two bad reefers, i realize RA does take our opinion into account). 3.) make sure all contact is in WRITING on the qualcomm so im not blamed for anything--- they can say whatever they want on the phone. in writing is different.

My choice would be for me to deliver and then get FM to change the appointment time of the 01. Because no alarms rang, we have no idea how long the temp was set at that point. It could have been five minutes or five hours. They will either accept or reject, so I'm either leaving or calling claims and throwing away some product.

Worst case scenario, they give the next job to someone else, and I get the reefer fixed. More awesome scenario would be that I would be fairly close to a Prime terminal and can drop it for repairs and pick up another load or at least an empty.

And... honestly.. i probably would have been up earlier to go to the bathroom and would have checked the reefer on a walk around while checking the locking jaws/release handle since morons have been pulling them lately. I've been paranoid about that since I saw two different trucks pull away without their trailers at truck stops.

Ok for a more serious answer.... I have never pulled a refer so this is just a guess on my part. I need to know a few things first....

1. Where is the temperature sensor located? I assume that it is at the front of the trailer probably close to the ceiling to keep it from getting damaged.

2. Where to they take the temp reading from when you drop it off? Is it at the rear of the trailer through that little inspection door?

3. Is there a shore power option on the refer?

I have seen several refer type trailers that have a shore power option that could be used to keep the load cool until it is time to go if there is a place available to plug it in. If the temp sensor is near the ceiling in the front of the trailer and they take their reading at the rear near the floor there may be enough temp difference that you are ok but it may not last that 2 hours. If you are in Montana then you can just open the doors to cool it off... LOL

Ok I got it:

Strap your student to the reefer with a makeshift harness, a toolbox and a new water pump. Proceed to drive as he works frantically to fix it. Check your mirrors constantly to ensure he doesn't fall or drop anything, and periodically yell at him out your window, "20 minutes left!" "10 more minutes!" Etc.

When you arrive, if your student is worth his salt, the pump should be fixed, with temp back to normal. Act as if nothing has happened and continue on with your day.

OMG!! This is exactly what my TNT trainer would say... right after, "You know this is all your fault" lol

Ok for a more serious answer.... I have never pulled a refer so this is just a guess on my part. I need to know a few things first....

1. Where is the temperature sensor located? I assume that it is at the front of the trailer probably close to the ceiling to keep it from getting damaged.

2. Where to they take the temp reading from when you drop it off? Is it at the rear of the trailer through that little inspection door?

3. Is there a shore power option on the refer?

I have seen several refer type trailers that have a shore power option that could be used to keep the load cool until it is time to go if there is a place available to plug it in. If the temp sensor is near the ceiling in the front of the trailer and they take their reading at the rear near the floor there may be enough temp difference that you are ok but it may not last that 2 hours. If you are in Montana then you can just open the doors to cool it off... LOL

OMG.. u have me laughing. I'm not a freaking mechanic. The damn thing is broke! Shore power options??? Ur thinking way above my pay grade. And yeah, Montana... the damn trailer is probably warmer on the inside. smh

Ok I got it:

Strap your student to the reefer with a makeshift harness, a toolbox and a new water pump. Proceed to drive as he works frantically to fix it. Check your mirrors constantly to ensure he doesn't fall or drop anything, and periodically yell at him out your window, "20 minutes left!" "10 more minutes!" Etc.

When you arrive, if your student is worth his salt, the pump should be fixed, with temp back to normal. Act as if nothing has happened and continue on with your day.

Yeah, because if he drops something it will probably be one of your tools. That would suck. You forgot the part about ignoring the screaming and crying. Should not need any securement as there is supposed to be a catwalk on the frame of the truck and the side fairings should be enough to keep him from falling off if his reaction time is good. Corners might be a little fun though... Now you see him, now you don't.

Good going folks. I'll post the answer in a few hours! Stay tuned!

Good going folks. I'll post the answer in a few hours! Stay tuned!

Awesome. The suspense is killing me and I am out of Snickers bars.