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...My Life as 'Drive away' driver
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Trip 49c - Chevy - Box Truck ... to Denton, TX 7/30/04 - Friday, I'm up and have the cab called and waiting by 7 AM … as I'm waiting for the cab I see the shuttle go past … guess I should have checked them out, I had passed on them because they weren't running when I got into town last night … turns out they would only charge $5, but there may be a delay if you don't call ahead, the cab cost $15. My truck is sitting in the drive when I get there … I sign off and the guy goes out to start it for me … doesn't start and he has to charge, then jump start it. More bad news, the gauges aren't working … on my own vehicles, no big deal … but from my one DOT inspections I know that's a no-no so I call dispatch … then Chevy. First they suggest I disconnect the battery, wait 10 minutes and re-connect … that is supposed to re-set the computers … not this time. Because I've been flying lately I haven't been carring any tools so I bum the needed wrenches off another drive-away driver. He's already to hook up his tow vehicle to his truck when they tell him 'no' … they've decided the trucks not ready … after a bit they find another truck for him to take and he's gone before I am. Hours later I find another driver to talk to … this guy drove a chassis in and is not happy … he quit his OTR (over the road) job because someone told him there was better money in drive-away. (Other than a recruiter, who could say such a thing.) He's only been driving three weeks and thinks he's loosing money on every trip … towing … All I could tell him was … 'Good Luck.' Finally they decided to have me towed … 70 miles to Dallas … more waiting and when the tow truck does get there … one of the huge ones for towing semi's and motor homes … he has to wait for a service truck, he's got a flat. Once we are hooked and on the road he asks … 'Are you sure it's not just a fuse?' (No, not sure … but I sure hope not!!!) Unlike the dealers in my hometown who couldn't get to my truck for hours (which is why I'm here) … this place had two guys looking at this truck before the tow driver had his stuff put away … "Should only be a couple of minutes if this works" was what they told me. A couple of hours later they changed their mind … 'we can't get the computer program to re-load.' Graff Chev - Grand Prairie, huge place, lots of people, seemed to understand customer service. Leg 4 - Trip 49d - Chevy - Box Truck ... to Fort Worth, TX |