On Sunday, I broke down in SE Indiana. Here I am 1 1/2 miles past a truckstop. The wheel seal is smoking and oil is running across the bottom of the engine and on the cross member. Ok, I get on my trusty cell phone. The phone is showing 3 bars...GREAT! All I have to do is called dispatch and help is on the way!

WRONG!!

I soon as dispatch answers the phone, the connection with the cell tower goes to 0 (thats zero, none, nada) bars. I try to call back, same thing. 3 bars before the call, 0 when they answer.

After about 30 minutes, I revert to "old school" measures. Since I have been trucking 15 years, I was very aware of what needed to be done. The temperature is in the high 30's, so I put on my heavy coat, put out the triangles, and start hoofing to the truckstop 1 1/2 miles away. From there, I call dispatch. They had been trying to call me (they have caller ID) but when I answered, it would go dead.
So help is now on the way.

The moral to the story is this for you newbies and vets alike:

1) Dress like you are going to breakdown. Have temperature appropiate clothing ready to make that hike. Shorts and a T-shirt would not have cut it.

2) All cell phones have dead areas. Don't rely soley on the cell phone to help out!

3) Ask if the company has satellite communications. While annoying and frustrating, this would have been a very welcomed evil

Have a safe and profitable new year.