Three Important Steps To Take Following A Truck Breakdown

When you're a commercial truck driver who notices that something is amiss with your vehicle, it's imperative to pull over as soon as you're able. While it might be tempting to continue on to the nearest repair shop that services commercial trucks, doing so could compound the issue and make it take longer and cost more to repair. When you can find a safe spot to pull over — for example, the shoulder of the highway — you should get the vehicle safely stopped and perform three important steps in advance of calling a mobile truck repair service that will dispatch a technician to look at the problem.

Stand Out To Other Motorists

Your first priority should be to take a series of steps that will help your big rig stand out to approaching motorists. Leaving your hazard lights blinking is important, but you should also take other measures — especially in poor-visibility situations. Commercial trucks commonly carry fluorescent traffic cones, so grab these and set them behind your vehicle on the shoulder. If you have road flares, you might also wish to light them and place them on the road behind your truck. Doing so is especially advantageous at night.

Make The Necessary Calls

If you work for a trucking company, you should call your dispatcher as quickly as possible to relay what has happened. Depending on what you're carrying, the dispatcher will need to make immediate plans for your cargo. For example, if you're pulling a refrigerated trailer that is no longer staying cold, the dispatcher may opt to send another truck with a functional refrigerated trailer and begin the process of transferring your cargo. If you're an owner/operator, you should call your destination to relay the information that you're experiencing truck problems and won't likely be arriving on time.

Attempt To Diagnose The Problem

Instead of just calling the mobile truck repair service and asking for help, you should take a few minutes to attempt to diagnose the problem. Doing so can be key for saving time — if the repair technician knows what the likely problem is, it's more probable that he will have the right replacement parts and necessary tools upon reaching your location. Your trucking experience and training should make you adept at performing a basic assessment of the vehicle and even noting the symptoms of whatever issue you're dealing with. Once you've done so, you can call the repair service, such as Arizona Fleet Service.

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