ISSUE
The truck that has your shipment on-board has broken down, and has limped, or been towed, to a repair garage.
ACTION
- The carrier has advised us of the situation, and we will advise you.
- The carrier will normally investigate the availability of a short-term rental truck to allow it to complete the trip while the repairs are done, and of the availability of using a rescue truck. The practical reality is, however, that because of the structure of the intercity trucking industry, neither option is usually possible or feasible.
- The garage will give the carrier an estimate of the length of time require to repair the truck. But they probably can’t even start the repair until they receive the parts they have ordered, and that may take 2 days. Based on this information, the carrier will develop a plan for the freight. Not always, but in most cases the truck will be repaired, even if it takes a few days, before a replacement truck can be brought into service.
- Once the carrier has a plan, we will advise you of the revised ETA for your delivery, and we will keep you updated regarding progress.
EXPLANATION
Almost all highway tractors are well-maintained – without a reliably functioning truck, a driver cannot make a living, and maintenance programs and results are audited by government inspectors and by insurance companies on a regular basis.
However, trucks are subject to heavy use – perhaps as much as 6,000 miles per week – and many hundreds of engine cycles per day, particularly when operating in hilly or mountainous regions, or with heavy loads. The result is that parts can and do fail, despite full preventative maintenance programs.
IMPACT & TYPICAL RESOLUTION
They will be a significant delay, typically 2 -3 days. The truck may take just hours to repair and get back on the highway, but it may take several days for a key part to be delivered to the repair shop.