It was a Thursday, and I was arriving to pick up a shipment in Bennington, NH. Everything like clock work. This pickup was more or less a Self explanatory “self serve”, where all I had to do was put my empty trailer in the dock, take time to sweep it out, sign the appropriate paperwork, and find my loaded trailer. I got as far as sweeping out the empty trailer, and ready to unhook from the trailer. That’s when I noticed a puddle and a line of fluid running down the pavement. When I looked into the engine compartment, I found a line running to the Turbo leaking oil down the right side of the Detroit Series 60 engine. To make sure of it, I started the truck, and saw I was not a drip, but a stream coming from one of the two lines that go to the “actuator” (a mechanism that controls the turbo). I also noticed it flying onto the exhaust pipe. Well, I was not going anywhere, let alone pickup a load with an oil leak that would just empty the fluid dry from the engine, and even do worse, cause a fire.

      It was just my luck that when calling for road service the cell connection was terrible. It was a struggle for the other parties to here me. But a mechanic was dispatch to my location. To not express desperation, our meeting started with “small talk”, about the cell phone issue. It is good, after all, mechanics come to do their best to keep you rolling. Why put his experience and meeting with you through misery? The situation not any better. After he looked at it, the lines were Dealer parts (meaning they were not just around the corner at another truck shop). It looked like I was staying overnight. I did give him the option of towing it to his shop, since I knew the appending weather called for rain, and heavy at times. But, he was doing his best to save me a tow charge, and would return in the morning with the parts. Believe it or not, my mind went back to the poor cell signal.

      As he left, I went online, and still had one bar to use with the internet. Slow, but acceptable. And, I went from driver to office work, and submitted the last loads information (this is done by scanning the papers into a computer file, and sending them to a file server. As an Independent Contractor, and a goal to regain establishment of HY Resources, I will never run out of work to be done.

      I awoke the next morning to rain. It first started light, then it went right into being heavy. Time went by, and it was time to see where the mechanic was…of course, I could hear him clearly. Rotten cell signal! I then used his number, and sent him a text message. He was on his way. Turned out his truck had a tire blow out on him. Arrival was just before noon. The good part was the rains turned to a light drizzle. Still, I wished I had a canopy onboard that hovered over the engine. At least it was warm enough.

      I watched him work, and the connections for the lines were in tight areas of the engine compartment. Small talk lead to asking about the oil leak. At the beginning of the summer, a truck driver was on break, when his truck caught fire. The fire burnt the truck to the ground. I always assumed it was an electric short. But after witnessing how my leak sent a stream of oil to the exhaust, it became very possible the early summer truck fire may have suffered it fate from the very same issue. Even my truck was idling and sending oil to the exhaust. Well, the work was completed, leaving only the mess of oil on the engine and ground to clean up. That was my job. The mechanic was covered in dirt and oil too. He had his own mess to clean. We talked about the leak, and he pointed out that the line wear, and should be inspected, and possibly replaced every 400,000 miles. He also pointed out to save money, I should invest money and carry a hose and clamps for another part of the engine, known to go on Freightliners. The mechanic was extremely informative.  Soon, I was ready to roll, but my load was reassigned, and it was back to the internet to find another load.

      Looking back, there were many things that came to mind, such as that early summer truck fire, my supplies (which for now includes an all purpose mat for cover, until I get an ideal canopy), and that weak cell phone signal. I realized that communication existed, but texting had more value. It was something to remember the next time. But the most important thing I will be practicing is checking the truck, trailer, and load when ever I stop, and look for issues “as they happen”. There are many rules to follow, and inspecting these three things before and after a days work is two rules stressed all the time. This experience made me realize that knowing as you go, and looking for issues during the course of any run was just as important, if not more. Typically, if it rolled, you go.  But in this case, that oil leak could have caused a fire, while with a load, and on the secondary roadways of New Hampshire.

      After seven years of driving the lessons are still being learned, and each lesson just as important as the last.