Finally Getting My Truck Back After A Month Or Two Of Being In Loaners

Finally getting my truck back. It feels like its been forever. The loaner Ive had last has been an International LT. Cummins x15, 10 speed auto. Comfortable enough truck, or at least probably was when it was fresh. The drivers seat is dished in badly, Im guessing the previous driver exceeded the maximum weight rating of the seat. Never could get comfy in it. The foam had settled down to the consistency of wet cardboard. The metal framework in it came to resemble an ancient torture device. The jake brake can only be engaged by applying the service brakes, manual mode only works until 35 mph, after which it just screams in panic and beeps fervently at you. From a design perspective, I believe the design team took from a conceptual point of two Volkswagon Bugs mating, leaving it with very strange aerodynamics. It definitely likes to wander around and investigate the other lanes, the shoulders, basically anywhere its not really supposed to be in response to any breeze. The steering system appears to have been designed sometime around the first world war, so it has a tendency to really wander a lot.

All in all, though. It functioned well enough. I didnt hit anything with it, I produced safely and got my jobs done. The cabin has some nice features, but in general the entire truck has the feel of a worn out sofa from the late 70s. After about an hour of sitting in it, Id realize how painful it was. Now I have to go the process of reacquainting myself with all of Edna's idiosyncrasies and the work arounds for them. Her (Kenworth T680) flaws are far fewer and much easier to manage than the loaners I drove.

At the end of the day, Im grateful for the experience of getting to drive different trucks for a while and seeing what works and how to adjust my driving to them. Also, in the future, I will pack much lighter for loaner trucks, bringing just what I need to get by with and immediately switch to a loaner instead of waiting for mine to be fixed.

Davy, enjoyed your description of the loaner truck and it’s propensity to go where it shouldn’t. Sounds like my first Frightliner. The one I have now I am very happy with and would hate to switch to a loaner for any period of time. Glad you are getting your Edna back.

Davy;

That's hilarious, actually!

Kinda reminds me of the 'loaner' International that Tom USUALLY gets stuck with, when his is down for repairs, too. Only, it's a daycab & it's a manual. They pitch it to HIM because many of the drivers can't drive one. Company klunker, methinks.

THIS loaner he's in, is NEWER & NICER than his 'issued' Mack, and he loves it; he's actually getting kinda salty that it's NOT his standard issue, hahaha! Who knows. . . he might start 'chirping' to corporate about such. (I would! As long as he's been there, tbh.)

They just recently lost the mechanic at our barn, to a DUI . . . so they've not even TOUCHED the wiper motors on his truck. He doesn't even know 'who' his mechanic is, right now. Sheesh..!

Hopefully you & Edna will carry on, in harmony, as you each get re'acclimated to one another !!

Safe driving, y'all!

~ Anne ~