Today's delivery - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

DavidC · 06-06-2008, 09:01 PM

We are starting a small garage reno so asked for the roofing delivery today. Crew is scheduled to start tomorrow. As requested the driver called to tell me he was coming and my partner and I left another job to help unload.

We were waiting when he drove past the first time. Flagged him down on the next lap.

Granted it's a narrow driveway, but he couldn't hit it to save his life. He settled for 1 wheel sorta in the drive and the rest of the truck on the neighbors lawn. When his front wheel hung up on the curb he gunned it, digging a rut in the yard next door.

He finally bumped over the curb and repeated the process when the front wheel got hung on the other side of the sidewalk. At this point partner was screaming for him to stop. He shuts down, gets out, starts complaining about this f.... peice of sh... making a screaming noise all the way. This is going to have to be close enough, what a fr.... week I've had, I did this as a favor, they gave me this f..... old truck, they can pick up the fr..... thing, cause I'm going home.

He calls the store on his push to talk and reports the truck as down. Then gets out his cell and call girlfriend to arrange a ride. Meanwhile I'm trying to suggest to him that we open the hood 'cause it won't stop smoking and it's getting worse.

Reluctantly he agrees. We each grab a side an lift the hood. Sure enough there some part spewing a noxious looking steam. (the wrecker operator later called it a shutoff) Mr. Handy Driver starts working the 2 phones again and it starts spewing flames. He's calling frantically, mostly for a ride.

'cuse me, shouldn't we call the fire dept. ? Talking to his girfriend he turned to me and nodded. I dialed 911, we threw dirt on the fire and extinguished it, the fire dept. shows up and collects the info on the incident and who owns what. The guys girl shows up.

As he's walking away he half turns and says. "you guys have all the time you want to unload."

Fire dept. leaves, over dressed for the heat if you ask me. Partner and I start to unload. The wrecker shows up and the driver helps us unload before hooking up and towing the truck away.

The customer, the neighbor (also a long time customer), the cheerful firemen and the helpful tow operator have overwhelmingly restored my confidence in the goodness of most human beings. The driver did inspire me to call the store.

I'm promised a call back. The first contact did call me back to report his efforts and that he left voicemails with the owner and my sales rep. They also are good people so I expect them to return my call.

So I decided to rant with a long post.

Good Luck
DAve

MALCO.New.York · 06-06-2008, 09:20 PM

Wow!

Jason W · 06-06-2008, 09:23 PM

Sorry, but LMAO! Take 12 beers and call me in the morning!

DavidC · 06-07-2008, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason W

Sorry, but LMAO! Take 12 beers and call me in the morning!

Sorry, I tried but 8 was the best I could do. Almost missed the morning as a result, that's why I didn't call.

Actually it really is very funny. I'm sure I'll enjoy it much more after I'm done being pissed at this guy.

Good Luck
Dave

Tscarborough · 06-07-2008, 02:50 PM

Sounds like an unemployed driver to me.

**Double-A** · 06-09-2008, 02:00 AM

I hope he got a ride. I'd hate to think he'd actually have to take care of the companies assets until the wrecker driver got there. Poor guy. I predict he'll be a statistic come Monday.

Well, at least you got your materials.

Don't mind the burn spot folks. Its a customized driveway at no extra charge.

**genecarp** · 06-09-2008, 06:13 AM

thats the kind of stuff we deal with, you could not make up a story that good if you tryed

Cdat · 06-09-2008, 06:31 AM

Did you repair the neighbors lawn? After all it was your fault right?

DavidC · 06-09-2008, 02:56 PM

I got a call this morning from my sales rep at the supplier. He spoke with the driver over the weekend, he didn't deny anything. It also sounds like he didn't offer any remorse, but I speculate.

The rep promises to speak with the owner and will let me know the outcome.

It turns out that the driver is not a driver. He was originally hired to assist in outside sales. They decided it was better that he assist with in store sales. He is currently out of town for 2 days of training.

I hope it's not the tractor trailer driving school.

Edit: Yes, I was over there Saturday to repair the lawn.

Good Luck
Dave