? for jon f mn ..... and other truckers

jCarroll

Well-known Member
Location
mid-Ohio
I've noticed that the tractors on semi rigs are (almost) always clean and shiny. Whereas pickups range from purty to pukey; cars from new to muddy.

Is there something about the trucking fraternity/business that keeps them clean?
 
Super trucker has it right, pride and a clean truck is less likely to be inspected. Plus it keeps the paint and aluminum from oxidizing and deteriorating and losing value. A poorly maintao ed truck can easily be worth $10,000.00 less agter 5 or 6 years.
 
People do tend to abuse pickups. When I was on assignment in Montana back in the 60's, the requirement for a pickup was that "It has to be able to jump a 4 ft. wash".

I sold my '91 pickup to a used car dealer from MN to use in his business. He paid a premium to get my 12-year-old truck. He said that most people can make a pickup look worse in 6 months than mine did after 12 years. He is still using that pickup in his business.
 

I had a triaxle dump truck for two years. I bought it used, two years old. It looked really sharp, partly because the dump body was painted the same dark metallic green that the cab was. It looked almost like a stretch limo with the six foot long hood. One of the biggest negatives to having the truck was the maintenance time which included washing. The first summer that I had it I got the frame cleaned up and waxed which made it wash off a lot quicker. It was mainly pride that drove me to keep it clean, but it just looked so good clean that I couldn't stand to have it dirty in good weather.
 
My BIL drives long haul OTR. He sometimes goes to CAL. Going into CAL. trucks are stopped and one requirement is that the truck needs to be clean. If not, it's a fine. And it just so happens just before the state line there are truck washes.
 
When i was a DOT cop I never picked a truck to inspect because it was clean or dirty. I think thats a lot of hooey. We knew the companies and who was running junk and who wasn't. For the independents we were looking for people we didn't know, trailer condition, where they were from. Trucks were always filthy in winter up here.
 
Not to steal the thread, but wonder how many will be parked on the side of the road today? Near zero here, with a high of 13 today, anyone not prepared is going to be jelled up and sitting. Most know what's going on with that, but every year the first super cold snap catches a few......

Paul
 
Being the Body Shop Manager for Truck Center Companies in Wichita, Kansas I see a lot of trucks everyday. The people that keep their trucks clean are the same people that service them regularly and fix any little thing that breaks or quits working.
With a new over the road semi tractor costing in the area of $150,000.00, more or less, it's as important to keep that truck looking good as it is to keep those new combines and tractors in tip top shape.
 
A farm truck is not a real truck unless it has stuff growing in the back-----and the front.
Richard in NW SC
 
Ever notice how clean the milk trucks are? Our creamery (Bongards) required the trucks to be washed after each load. Three loads a day, three washes a day. Drivers washed while waiting for the ok on the antibiotic sample, then they could dump the load. If not ok, the offending farmer paid for the entire load of milk. Clean trucks are an image thing for the product.
 
As an owner operator for me it's pride of ownership.

Breaking down on the road is brutally expensive. Wrecker bills, repairs from unknown shops, lost time and late deliveries. I regularly get my truck inspected and will do repairs before it fails.

I also believe a junk looking truck will get pulled over more often than a shiny new one.

My 1st truck was and older truck in cosmetically poor shape. I had it mechanically perfect. I passed all inspections but sure got pulled in a lot more than with my current truck. It's mechanically and cosmetically in great shape.
 
No,going into Cal.,it is not a fine for a dirty truck.However,it does help at the inspection staions,to have a clean unit,you won't get looked at as hard,but if you're leaking something like oil you can be in trouble.
 
Sign on back of sewer truck has a guy with just nose and eyes above a wall and says "up to your eyes in what?".
 
When i was driving and hauling heavy equipment I always kept my rig clean,deck clean of any dirt,rock that could fall off while hauling. Reason is, if your going to take the time to take care of your rig maybe the DOT want look at you so hard when you pass by. I learn this from my father from his lifetime of OTR Trucking and it seems to be a true statement.
 
Petroleum delivery trucks down here also. Just a pride of ownership thing to me and one can assume they run their businesses likewise.

Mark
 
Speaking of California, on business trips there I was introduced to rental cars that didn't get washed. First experience with that and understand why.

Mark
 
Don't forget the array of cans and the Blue Healer, farm jack, pail of oil, couple of coils of barbed wire, tool box with well used tools, diesel tank, and food wrappers.

What gets me is how those Healers stay on, not in the truck. Asked a friend that question and he said that he had lost the dog a couple of times but he wasn't hurt (luckily).

Mark
 

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