It's a Team's Life

Driving Partner

I started contemplating the other morning as I was driving in heavy traffic that was traveling fast about how the Cascadia and I act as a team. As I maneuvered around and with the traffic I realized all of the work the Cascadia was doing, that I now take for granted. After leaving the city we get into the hills. I have my cruise set at three below the posted speed limit and my CC Band Switch set to the lowest setting. The truck really goes to work to control our speed up and down hills.

The day starts with a pre trip around the outside of the Cascadia. The switch is then turned to the on position and the truck does a self-check to make sure everything internal is ready to roll. We have a few extras on here such as the lane departure warning system, each component is checked, and we hear the sounds that all is working. Next on the dash I see what I call the red exclamation point go out and I know the DD13 is ready to come to life. The engine starts easily and quietly and this can be deceiving to how much power we are sitting behind. I enjoy how deceiving the sound of this engine idling can be. I know how much power we have when climbing or when picking up speed to pass another vehicle.

We also have besides our lane departure warning system, adaptive cruise, and collision mitigation that we use as an aid in our partnership of getting all of us down the road safety. As the Cascadia merges with the morning traffic the transmission goes to work skip shifting through the gears quietly, smoothly, and efficiently to get us up to our cruising speed. Next the lane departure system (LDWS) goes to work to let us know if we are to close to the white lines on the road. The collision mitigation starts monitoring our following distance and if on cruise the collision mitigation monitors the car in front of us to keep us at a safe following distance. All of this happens quietly unless we get out of our safe zone. An alarm then lets us know (If the turn signal is not on) that we are getting near to departing our lane. There are times when in construction areas when we have to keep crossing the white line and the LDWS can be shut off for fifteen minutes with the flip of a switch.

All of the above sounds great and as if the truck is doing all of the work... NOT! We are still in control and we as drivers can see what is happening. We know sometimes that the truck can be a little to sensitive. So I admit sometimes I think our truck is alive as was the robot Number 5 in the movie "Short Circuit." Sometimes when the collision avoidance system goes off, I put my foot on the throttle so that the truck cannot slow down as there is no need to panic. I imagine the Caffcadia throwing up her hands and saying "LINDA, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT why won't you listen." I usually say out loud to the Caffcadia "Calm down I have this" when she realizes yep I had it, we are both ok and she calms back down.

There are other times when going down a mountain with steep grades on dry roads I will have my cruise set at three under the recommended speed for trucks. The truck says to me "Linda, relax I have this". Most mountains do not go straight down and both the compression brake as well as the DD13/DT12 controls our speed as we go up and down the grade until we safely reach the bottom. I am still in awe of how this truck handles hills and mountain grades, up and down.

From my captain's chair I observe the curved dash in front of me reading the gauges, and making sure everything is operating, as it should. I look out the windshield and the side windows checking the mirrors to observe that everything to the side and behind me is as is should be. As I scan the dash, the Caffcadia is still performing her job. I glance, at the GPS's to ensure we are on the roads we need to be on. Then I scan the side view camera to make sure nothing is hidden from view on my passenger side.

The driver, the Cascadia, and all of our safety equipment is to insure that other motorists, our freight, and us all get to our destination safely. The feeling of sitting in the drivers seat working as a partner with this truck is a joy and why everyday I enjoy my job as a truck driver. I cannot wait till it is my turn to drive.

Bob & Linda Caffee
TeamCaffee
Saint Louis MO
Expediters since January 2005
[email protected]

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