Have you ever been running down the road, everything seems fine when all of a sudden BOOM… there goes a tire, or the check engine light comes on, or the truck loses power and you have no choice but to pull over and stop?
What do you do now? It’s most important to make sure your truck is in as safe a place as possible, considering the circumstances. The next thing would be to set out safety warning devices. The FMCSA states in part 392.22(b)(1) the warning devices must be placed as soon as possible, but in any event within 10 (ten) minutes, as prescribed in 392.22(b)(1)(i),(ii), or (iii); this will describe placement requirements depending on what type of road you are traveling.
Next, contact your carrier. Loaded or empty, they need to be kept in the loop as to the situation. They also may have access to breakdown services that can help. If they can’t help or don’t know who to call or you would rather take care of this yourself you can go to www.truckdown.com/ . This site and others like it will have all types of road and shop services in the area you are in.
Ok, now you know who to call but before you do, get out, open the hood and look. Look for oil, fuel, and coolant leaks. Check the oil and coolant levels and top them off if you carry extra. If your oil level is way over full DO NOT start the engine - it may be full of fuel or coolant (very bad thing) and severe engine damage could result. If you are not sure what the problem is, check the fuel level; I mean take the fuel cap off and look into the tank. Sometimes the gauge isn’t as accurate as we would like it to be. Look at the underside of the truck for any drips off the rear axle, as anything that leaks from the engine or transmission will gather on the rear axle. If either the oil or coolant was low and you topped them up, you can try to restart the engine. If the engine was making strange noises DO NOT start it. If it starts and the check engine light goes out; low fluid level was probably the reason for shutdown. You still need to find out why it was low and get it repaired. Look for leaks, drips and spots on the road under your truck.
Now that you have figured out what the problem is it’s time to make a call. If this is an engine problem I recommend using an engine shop; that is what they do all day every day. What do you tell the service person on the phone? Answer all the questions the best you can; if you don’t know the answer ask if there is a way you can find out for them. The most common questions-
- Your name.
- Your company name - the name on the door or box.
- Your unit number.
- Your location - for example- I65 northbound between mileposts 38 and 39 be as exact as possible.
- If you know what the problem is; tell them what you know and how you determined this. Also if you have a part number for the broken part give them the number so they can bring the part with them, saving them from making two trips and saving you time and money.
- Truck make - Freightliner, Peterbuilt, Kenworth.
- Truck model - M-2, 379EX, W900
- Year of manufacture - This can be found on the driver side door post.
- Truck serial number/V.I.N - also found on the door post.
- How are you going to pay? Everyone wants to get paid.
- Are you going to need a wrecker? In most cases the shop you call will have or have access to a wrecker to get you towed to the shop. They can call for you or you can ask for the number and make the call yourself.
- Give them a brief story of what happened - I was driving down the road when the truck started running very rough, the check engine light came on the truck lost power and died. The oil pressure and temperature were normal.
- They may want the engine serial number - there is a tag on the engine itself or the information is on the driver’s side visor on most trucks, the transmission info should be here also.
If it’s a tire problem, know the answer to some specific questions. What is the…
- Tire location - steer, drive, or trailer
- Tire make - Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear
- Tire model - XZA3, M726, G395LHS
- Tire size - 295 75 R 22.5, 11R24.5, 11R22.5
- Tire load range - G,H,L
- Also, what type of wheel - Aluminum or steel?
The above information can be found on the sidewall of the tire. If the tire is destroyed look at the tire on the other side of the same axle.
This is pretty much what you will need to know if something should happen. The cost of a tow starts around $250.00; roadside repairs are the most expensive. Doing your preventive maintenance could help to avoid this expensive situation. With that being said, even the best-kept vehicles have their moments; so you should have an emergency plan.
- Have a dealer locator (truck and engine) in the truck - you can get these from the dealers.
- Find and bookmark websites that have breakdown services listed (you may be able to get these from your carrier).
- Know who pays for the repair – Warranty, company trailer, or your truck/trailer.
- Know how you are going to pay for the repairs-your credit card, cash, Comdata, T-Chek, or maybe you have a charge account.
- Know what discounts are out there for you through your carrier or other associations like TAB bank or maybe OOIDA.
- Know how to use these discounts before you need them.
You may also need to find out what to do with the freight if loaded; your carrier may tow you to the customer if close enough or to a transfer site. Either way, do what the carrier says - they need to take care of their customers so you will have something to do after being repaired. :)
Lastly, know when the Good Samaritan rule applies and when it’s best to decline help from other drivers. It won’t help if you get deeper into trouble than you started if your helper doesn’t know what he or she is doing.
The main point it to stay calm as anyone out here very long will sooner are later find out what it is like to be stranded beside the road.
Comments - Tell us what you think below
Vince
18 Dec 2009, 19:06
18 Dec 2009, 19:06
This is a great article. I think that this article should be part of
orientation for everyone!
Jim
18 Dec 2009, 20:55
18 Dec 2009, 20:55
All good info,but I do have to take exception to this statement.."do what
the carrier say's".
The companies don't always have the best advice,and some of it is downright absurd.
Case in point,a few years ago we blew the turbo on our truck in Baton Rouge,LA.this was only a few months after Katrina had hit. The company wanted to tow us from Baton Rouge to New Orleans to make it easier for them to transfer the freight to another truck.
We told them in no uncertain terms were they going to have us towed to a place where the dealers that were still in business were completely swamped with water damaged trucks,and our little turbo problem would most definately be put on the back burner.
So stand your ground,if the advice the company is giving you just doesn't make sense,than refuse to do do it.
The companies don't always have the best advice,and some of it is downright absurd.
Case in point,a few years ago we blew the turbo on our truck in Baton Rouge,LA.this was only a few months after Katrina had hit. The company wanted to tow us from Baton Rouge to New Orleans to make it easier for them to transfer the freight to another truck.
We told them in no uncertain terms were they going to have us towed to a place where the dealers that were still in business were completely swamped with water damaged trucks,and our little turbo problem would most definately be put on the back burner.
So stand your ground,if the advice the company is giving you just doesn't make sense,than refuse to do do it.
greg334
19 Dec 2009, 09:56
19 Dec 2009, 09:56
It is a good article.
For many out there in EO land who are accidental expediters, they don't understand that this is a business and sometimes they are driven to get things done for the company while endangering themselves or further damaging the truck. There are times when a flat tire should be a PITA, but it is a panic filled situation for the elderly couple making this out as a paid vacation or someone who has never had a flat in their life.
REMEMBER THIS IS A BUSINESS and you should not try to mitigate losses if it means doing more damage to the truck or putting yourself in danger.
There is one flaw of the article that sticks out badly and can be a big problem if the advice is taken.
Bob advised when checking fluid levels, to top off the levels if they need to be topped off.
DO NOT TOP UP THE LEVELS.
Leave the levels alone. If topping off say the oil level gets the engine started again, then this may not last and it may get you into another situation even worst than the first one. If the coolant level is so low that it shuts the engine down, then it could mean more than coolant in the oil. It is best to leave it alone.
Some Mechanics want the levels left alone to help with the diagnosis of the problems, while others don't. Each mechanic has their own way of looking at things and if it is say a cracked head where coolant is leaking into the exhaust, then topping it up may not mean much and the problem still exists.
Unless you know what you are looking for, looking for a leak may be a hard or near impossible thing to do in the dark or on a wet day. Knowing what could be the problem and telling a shop or tow truck company or your company may not be the best thing to do. Assumptions are made, there are mechanics who listen to whats wrong with the truck then only look for those problems while passing by others problems - I know this from experience.
With that said, DO NOT assume that the oil pressure was fine before the truck stopped. Sometimes you may not notice fluctuations in oil pressure, other times the split second before the engine stopped there may have been a drop in pressure that you didn't see and with the declining RPMs, you see a drop and assume it was normal.
If the engine shut down, ASSUME there is a SERIOUS PROBLEM, DO NOT assume that you can move the truck and unless you are a mechanic, then consider it a day, consider you lost the load and get professional help.
The truck system is there to protect the engine, it is setup to tolerate some of the dumbest drivers on the road and a major amount of neglect. Many of the systems will indicate a problem with a Check Engine light, other times it just stops. If a STOP ENGINE light comes on and the engine stops, there is a seriousness to the problem that should be addressed by a mechanic and only by a mechanic who has both the knowledge and the tools.
I have only seen three cases where the engine shut down because of low fluids and neglect by the operator not to top them up - all having to do with low oil and the lack of knowledge by the operator on how to properly check the oil.
With the average contractor being contracted to one of the big companies, your obligation is to the load if you under a load and if the company tells you to get towed to the delivery, than do it. If they want to transfer the load, then do it. Unless they are paying for it, then it is your show after that so it is you who needs to decide what to do with your truck.
The "Good Samaritan rule" only applies if someone decides to stop. In this industry today, this is sometimes short of a miracle, but if someone does stop, don't refuse help. Make sure that they are out of the way, meaning safe and let them see what they can see. It sometimes is good just to have someone there to lessen the stress while other times it may be a case where they see something you don't.
One last thing - if it is an engine problem, take it to the shop that works on the engines alone - not the truck dealer. If it a Cat 3126, take it to a Cat dealer or if it is a Cummins ISC, take it to the Cummins dealer and so on. They have access to the parts and to the knowledge to do the work right where some of the truck dealer mechanics are 'do alls' within the shop and may not work on the engine enough to get it right.
This is also posted in the Forum
For many out there in EO land who are accidental expediters, they don't understand that this is a business and sometimes they are driven to get things done for the company while endangering themselves or further damaging the truck. There are times when a flat tire should be a PITA, but it is a panic filled situation for the elderly couple making this out as a paid vacation or someone who has never had a flat in their life.
REMEMBER THIS IS A BUSINESS and you should not try to mitigate losses if it means doing more damage to the truck or putting yourself in danger.
There is one flaw of the article that sticks out badly and can be a big problem if the advice is taken.
Bob advised when checking fluid levels, to top off the levels if they need to be topped off.
DO NOT TOP UP THE LEVELS.
Leave the levels alone. If topping off say the oil level gets the engine started again, then this may not last and it may get you into another situation even worst than the first one. If the coolant level is so low that it shuts the engine down, then it could mean more than coolant in the oil. It is best to leave it alone.
Some Mechanics want the levels left alone to help with the diagnosis of the problems, while others don't. Each mechanic has their own way of looking at things and if it is say a cracked head where coolant is leaking into the exhaust, then topping it up may not mean much and the problem still exists.
Unless you know what you are looking for, looking for a leak may be a hard or near impossible thing to do in the dark or on a wet day. Knowing what could be the problem and telling a shop or tow truck company or your company may not be the best thing to do. Assumptions are made, there are mechanics who listen to whats wrong with the truck then only look for those problems while passing by others problems - I know this from experience.
With that said, DO NOT assume that the oil pressure was fine before the truck stopped. Sometimes you may not notice fluctuations in oil pressure, other times the split second before the engine stopped there may have been a drop in pressure that you didn't see and with the declining RPMs, you see a drop and assume it was normal.
If the engine shut down, ASSUME there is a SERIOUS PROBLEM, DO NOT assume that you can move the truck and unless you are a mechanic, then consider it a day, consider you lost the load and get professional help.
The truck system is there to protect the engine, it is setup to tolerate some of the dumbest drivers on the road and a major amount of neglect. Many of the systems will indicate a problem with a Check Engine light, other times it just stops. If a STOP ENGINE light comes on and the engine stops, there is a seriousness to the problem that should be addressed by a mechanic and only by a mechanic who has both the knowledge and the tools.
I have only seen three cases where the engine shut down because of low fluids and neglect by the operator not to top them up - all having to do with low oil and the lack of knowledge by the operator on how to properly check the oil.
With the average contractor being contracted to one of the big companies, your obligation is to the load if you under a load and if the company tells you to get towed to the delivery, than do it. If they want to transfer the load, then do it. Unless they are paying for it, then it is your show after that so it is you who needs to decide what to do with your truck.
The "Good Samaritan rule" only applies if someone decides to stop. In this industry today, this is sometimes short of a miracle, but if someone does stop, don't refuse help. Make sure that they are out of the way, meaning safe and let them see what they can see. It sometimes is good just to have someone there to lessen the stress while other times it may be a case where they see something you don't.
One last thing - if it is an engine problem, take it to the shop that works on the engines alone - not the truck dealer. If it a Cat 3126, take it to a Cat dealer or if it is a Cummins ISC, take it to the Cummins dealer and so on. They have access to the parts and to the knowledge to do the work right where some of the truck dealer mechanics are 'do alls' within the shop and may not work on the engine enough to get it right.
This is also posted in the Forum
Bob
19 Dec 2009, 10:09
19 Dec 2009, 10:09
Jim,
I do agree with use common sense on the towing but while under a load you need to do what the carrier tells you to or you could be charged with hijacking the freight. This is an extreme but it could happen. If you have this situation clearly explain your reasons to your carrier for not wanting to use the plan they suggest if they insist your options are limited.
Greg,
I have to disagree with you strongly with not topping off the fluids for this reason; experience has taught me top off the fluids find the problem and let the right people know. This may save you a tow bill. If the leak or the problem cannot be solved temporarily by topping off fluids then a tow will be necessary and you can then call it a day. The bottom line is use common sense and inform the shop of exactly what has happened.
I do agree with use common sense on the towing but while under a load you need to do what the carrier tells you to or you could be charged with hijacking the freight. This is an extreme but it could happen. If you have this situation clearly explain your reasons to your carrier for not wanting to use the plan they suggest if they insist your options are limited.
Greg,
I have to disagree with you strongly with not topping off the fluids for this reason; experience has taught me top off the fluids find the problem and let the right people know. This may save you a tow bill. If the leak or the problem cannot be solved temporarily by topping off fluids then a tow will be necessary and you can then call it a day. The bottom line is use common sense and inform the shop of exactly what has happened.
cheri heppner
19 Dec 2009, 20:11
19 Dec 2009, 20:11
Great info, thanks for writing it.
Judy Avery
19 Dec 2009, 20:19
19 Dec 2009, 20:19
Great article! Thanks Bob!
Martin Adson
20 Dec 2009, 11:56
20 Dec 2009, 11:56
Bob Caffee
I think you truly wrote a dynamic article. Those who are new to the industry should take heed in the message re: breakdowns.
Unfortunatly, a non-driver attemted to tarnish your writings with un-found, unprofessional nonsense.
ABSOLUTLY: TOP UP THE LEVELS
Of course you'd top of fluids. The 3126 is well known to self protect shut off once coolent levels drop.This has happened to myself and many others. But, you'd actually have to be in the trucking industry to know this type of information. So obvious, this person is not.
Only sit at home "wannabees" would use words like, paid vacation. Quite insulting this low-life would dare suggest that's a title we'd use in our profession.
Anyone who's driven OTR, knows quite well that general type truck repair centers out number engine shops 20:1.
There are many dealer personnel who are quite proficient with just about all engine Mfg's. Once again, only a driver "who actually drives" would know this kind of information.
I think you truly wrote a dynamic article. Those who are new to the industry should take heed in the message re: breakdowns.
Unfortunatly, a non-driver attemted to tarnish your writings with un-found, unprofessional nonsense.
ABSOLUTLY: TOP UP THE LEVELS
Of course you'd top of fluids. The 3126 is well known to self protect shut off once coolent levels drop.This has happened to myself and many others. But, you'd actually have to be in the trucking industry to know this type of information. So obvious, this person is not.
Only sit at home "wannabees" would use words like, paid vacation. Quite insulting this low-life would dare suggest that's a title we'd use in our profession.
Anyone who's driven OTR, knows quite well that general type truck repair centers out number engine shops 20:1.
There are many dealer personnel who are quite proficient with just about all engine Mfg's. Once again, only a driver "who actually drives" would know this kind of information.
Henry Albert
20 Dec 2009, 18:02
20 Dec 2009, 18:02
Very good info Bob. I really liked the part about knowing where you have
discounts and more importantly knowing how to use them.
Henry Albert
Henry Albert
Ray and Colleen S.
20 Dec 2009, 18:52
bob this little article saved us $275 this weekend! Lets just say a little company in Seville agreed to pay the tow - Thanks!
Ray Ray and Colleen
20 Dec 2009, 18:52
bob this little article saved us $275 this weekend! Lets just say a little company in Seville agreed to pay the tow - Thanks!
Ray Ray and Colleen
