I got tired of dealing with my freight company. The billing issues, poor communication, high rates, and "gotcha" due dates caused me to find alternatives. I assumed, for whatever reason, that I needed a CDL to rent a large box truck, but I called Enterprise anyway to check into rates. I have a corporate discount card and a rental history with them, so they're often generous with rates and little giveaways (like no deposit).

I made a reservation and headed over to pick up the truck. As always, the Enterprise girl at the counter was hot. She asked me if I liked my Crossfire, and I told her I loved the car but the dealers were crap. She noted the same worries when her boyfriend bought his Jeep.

Anyway, here's what I got:
http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3455.JPG
http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3456.JPG

International truck of some sort. Diesel with a 4-speed + OD. Its well over 30 feet long.

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3457.JPG
It took me a moment to find the filler cap, and of course I parked on the wrong side of the pump.

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3458.JPG
Diesel was $2.09.

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3459.JPG
Big pumpkin underneath.

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3460.JPG

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3461.JPG
Driveshaft

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3462.JPG

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3463.JPG
At first, I couldn't figure out how the heck to get moving. I sat there in the street with the transmission in drive, revving while moving nowhere. Finally I located the big yellow PARKING BRAKE knob on the dash, which I pushed in to release.

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3464.JPG
http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3465.JPG
Bunch of dials.

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3466.JPG
It has... a radio. AC was painfully cold.

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3467.JPG
Breakfast

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/SSPX0797.jpg
My brother's place was on the way, so I picked him up at school for a quick lunch. I carved out a parking space at Burger King.

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/DCP_3468.JPG
I managed to back it in correctly on the first try!

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/SSPX0793.jpg
120 miles later, I got back to St Louis. This is the questionable neighborhood where I warehouse my goods.

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/SSPX0794.jpg
Backing in this time, I nearly banged up an Escalade. I was asked to go around back.

http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/SSPX0795.jpg
http://www.q45.org/cpg/albums/userpics/10001/SSPX0796.jpg
Unloading. The truck was a lot more than I needed.

It was plenty powerful, though it did struggle up inclines. 0-60 took about 7 days, but it got the job done. Fuel economy ended up being 10mpg with a full load, which I thought was impressive.

I wish the horn was louder. That was a disappointment. :(

The spring-supported big rig seat was fun, like climbing into a Caterpillar. Over bumps, the seat bottomed out a few times, at which points I yelped in pain. And over a large pothole, the seat bottomed out then topped out, causing my head to crash on the (thankfully) padded roof.

I managed to navigate through downtown streets. Making a wide right turn, I forced a few cars to back up so I could get by.


Freight company for 7200 lbs, 250 miles round trip: $549
Time used: 5-minute phone call

Driving a truck from Enterprise, 15 cents per mile @ 286 mi: $152
Diesel fuel cost: $60
Lunch and snacks on the road: $10
Total cost: $222
Time used: 5 hours

Total savings: $327

I'll be doing this a few times a year for a total annual savings of $1500. That buys a lot of bacon! I need to get a ball cap and flannel jacket if I want to fit in at truck stops and rest areas.

You should take that to Chicago tomorrow. You to the valet desk "I'm ready for my International". :histeric:

I've driven an even longer straight job that I rented from Uhaul. 1988 Inter-trash-onal with a 5-speed manual box, a radio that made static, and an air con that made "RRRRRRRR" noises and precious little cold air. It got stuck on grass, couldn't make it over 57 MPH unless it was dropped off a cliff (The dashboard shift pattern suggested changing up from 4th to 5th at 45 MPH. It could not reach 45 MPH in 4th. It tached out... well, it just wouldn't rev any more, it had no tach. It was an horrible piece of shit, so I'm very glad for you that you got a good truck. You can drive anything up to like 42 feet long or some ungoldy number of tons on a regular lisence. Only very large straight vehicles, busses driven commercially or with passengers, and "combination" vehicles require higher grades.

My girlfriend lauds you for drinking vitamin water and suggests you try the "XXX" flavor. I like it too even though I am a soda man at heart. The unknown lump labeled "CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH", however, frightens us both.

I rented an almost identical international job when I moved, from penske I think. It was also automatic, and made cool big rig noises, no air brakes though. The governor was kind of annoying, it would only go 72mph, but had plenty of power left to go a lot faster.

All these pics and none of teh enterprise girl. not the makings of a quality thread...

She noted the same worries when her boyfriend ..

:owned:

I rented an almost identical international job when I moved, from penske I think. It was also automatic, and made cool big rig noises, no air brakes though. The governor was kind of annoying, it would only go 72mph, but had plenty of power left to go a lot faster.

We are finding out that apparently non-CDL Civilians aren't *supposed* to get a truck with airbrakes. Congratulations Jesda, you now have enough experience to work for J.B. Hunt.

Looks just like the one I rented many years ago when I emptied out my 3 bedroom Apartment and bought a house. The loading/unloading sucked, but driving that behemoth was fun. :)

I guess we all have a story....I rented one like that from Penske in 2002 and drove from IL to FL

While on detail in the Navy I had to drive a bus. Through the French Quarter. Friggin NIGHTMARE.

When I moved back to the Bluegrass from Maui my dad flew to Houston to help me drive the 28' UHaul with all my stuff in it back. US59 from Houston to Texarkana in that rig was just plain ol dangerous.

And Jesda, the only thing anyone wants to see is pics of the rental car girl.

Back when Katshot (dad) was working for A-1 Limousine I would work there during the summer as a detailer. I started working there when I was 14 years old and that was probably when I drove the biggest thing I ever have driven to date. A party charter bus that seats 56 people. Basically the same size as any other charter bus you see on the road and I remember getting my butt chewed out by dad for moving them around in the parking lot. Hey my boss told me too lol

The biggest thing I ever drove was a K 4500 Kodiak when I worked at Southview. Something like this...

http://www.mobilityvansales.com/handicap-vans-sales/used-vans/van_ad_photos/mobility_van_sales_106882_1.jpg

The biggest thing I ever drove was a K 4500 Kodiak when I worked at Southview. Something like this...

http://www.mobilityvansales.com/handicap-vans-sales/used-vans/van_ad_photos/mobility_van_sales_106882_1.jpg

A guy around here has one in silver. I'm really not exactly sure as to why anyone would need a personal vehicle that big but those are some big ole trucks!

The Kodiak is stupid. The girls in the picture, hopefully, are kinda dumb as well. Dumb girls are good.

any truck over 26,000 pounds GVW or that had air brakes requires a CDL
non-commercial vehicles are exempt, so your 40 foot motor home can weigh more and have air brakes

Years ago, I remember seeing a 60 Minutes segment about NYC taxi driver school. The instructor showed a slide a Ryder box truck and said something like "The first time this driver drove a truck like this is NOW. Stay the heck away from him."

"Biggest Thing I Have Ever Driven".

Hell, Jesda, I thought you'd become a chubby chaser

The Kodiak is stupid. The girls in the picture, hopefully, are kinda dumb as well. Dumb girls are good.

The Kodiak gets better fuel econ than a Hummer. And it is bigger, so if you've got more money than brain, it is the "Smart" choice. Still, I'm not sure if I'd buy one or not if my bank account suddenly grew some zeroes. Would much rather the same cab pulling a motorhome-type chassis.

I have driven an 18 wheeler tanker truck when I worked for Air Products, but the biggest thing I have ever driven was a submarine.

I have driven an 18 wheeler tanker truck when I worked for Air Products, but the biggest thing I have ever driven was a submarine.

That's awesome! My cousin was a Navy man; he drove the friggin' Battleship Missouri. He drove it aground, even, under orders from a captain who wasn't captain for long after my cousin warned him twice that they were going to run aground. It took like 2 weeks to get it unstuck; voice recordings vinicated my cousin and led to that captain's departure.

When my dad was in the Air Force, he had a millitary lisence for just about everything with wheels or crawler treads, including tanks, cranes, busses, etc. This was awesome until it led to him being called upon to move random vehicles around. He "lost" his lisence on transfer to a new base, and when asked what he could drive when asking for a new one at the new base, he said "Uh, a pickup truck..." Thus ended being called at 2AM for a bulldozer that was where it shouldn't be.

Marko Ramius would not be amused...

So what was the cargo?

I used to have a class B CDL and drove a 10 wheeler for my dad's business for a couple of years. The horns on our trucks were plenty loud, and the work was hard with long hours. Nothing like chugging down the road with 40k pounds at 60 mph to give you the feeling you could crush anything that got in your way. :D

dead hookers...

It would be better if it was a cabover...

dead hookers...

They were live while I had them.

dead hookers...

I was thinking it was full of bacon

They were live while I had them.
no happy ending for you.

The biggest thing I've driven weighs 477,000 pounds and goes Mach 1.2. The B-1B bomber. And, it has 3 bomb bays, for a lot of bacon. Or dead hookers. Or napped-finished leather, or a variety of fabrics with a brushed finish.

The largest P.O.S. I've driven on the highway was another Inter-trash-onal 5spd diesel from Uhaul. Be wary when you call the Uhaul guy and he says "I've got a deal for you!" It could go 61mph tops--57 with the AC on. The worst part was that it would turn itself off while on the highway! The ignition key barrel was mounted on the flat dash--loosely--and the hot wires would come loose with normal driving vibration. The first time, I called Uhaul service. 3 hours later, the guy shows up and had to use my tools because he didn't have the right stuff. The next time it happened, I called again, but took a look at it while waiting. A retarded kid could have done a better wiring job. I redid all the connections on the back of the switch, tightened up the mount, and got back on the road. It started happening about 4 hours later, but by then I could just reach under the dash and reconnect it while coasting.
Besides the huge waste of time, every time the truck shut off the AC would too (Texas in the summer). This woke up my 1 year old son, who was otherwise snoozing peacefully with the vibration of the truck.
I bitched when I got to San Antonio and got all my money back. Still wasn't worth it.

I also drove transit buses for the University as a college job. I did have to get a CDL for that.

I drive a Town Car L. it's big.

I remember seeing a 60 Minutes segment about NYC taxi driver school.

If there is such a school here, then it needs to get blown up with a bazooka or shut down immediately cause they're doing a HORRIBLE job. They must be teaching them things like want to change lanes.. just run the driver off the road, 3 lane changes and/then using your brakes to get someone to rear end you.. ETC. :rant2:

If you want a NY taxi driver to stay away from you, just drive an old semi tractor that looks worse than their taxi's do, they stay far away ;)

the biggest thing I have driven is a train with 6 cars

the biggest thing I have driven is a train with 6 cars

I have "driven" a 135 car 10,000+ ton coal train while I worked for UP. Its just such a pain to actually steer the damn thing.

Biggest thing I have ever driven was a 45 ft sail boat. I have flown an ultralite airplane and several large tractors. I have also pulled a few trailers but that is nothing special. However, the best experience I ever had was on a train. I know a few people at the Illinois Railway Museum and I got to ride on the front (right above the coupler on the walkway) of a freight locomotive doing 72 mph. I had one hand on my hat and the other was welded to the handrail. :)

Depending on how you define biggest, mine would be:

Heaviest: Fully loaded semi.....legally 85,500
Longest: Tractor/Planter/Tow behind tank combo....when running down the road its 76 ft long, while in the field its 40' wide
Tallest: 9760 JD Combine

As you might guess I'm a farm kid

The biggest thing I've driven weighs 477,000 pounds and goes Mach 1.2. The B-1B bomber. And, it has 3 bomb bays, for a lot of bacon. Or dead hookers. Or napped-finished leather, or a variety of fabrics with a brushed finish.

The largest P.O.S. I've driven on the highway was another Inter-trash-onal 5spd diesel from Uhaul. Be wary when you call the Uhaul guy and he says "I've got a deal for you!" It could go 61mph tops--57 with the AC on. The worst part was that it would turn itself off while on the highway! The ignition key barrel was mounted on the flat dash--loosely--and the hot wires would come loose with normal driving vibration. The first time, I called Uhaul service. 3 hours later, the guy shows up and had to use my tools because he didn't have the right stuff. The next time it happened, I called again, but took a look at it while waiting. A retarded kid could have done a better wiring job. I redid all the connections on the back of the switch, tightened up the mount, and got back on the road. It started happening about 4 hours later, but by then I could just reach under the dash and reconnect it while coasting.
Besides the huge waste of time, every time the truck shut off the AC would too (Texas in the summer). This woke up my 1 year old son, who was otherwise snoozing peacefully with the vibration of the truck.
I bitched when I got to San Antonio and got all my money back. Still wasn't worth it.

I also drove transit buses for the University as a college job. I did have to get a CDL for that.

Damn dude thats badass! Im kind of into planes and helicoptors and what not and the B1 is probably one of my favorites. Such a gorgeous plane! My desktop at work for many months was actually a pic of a B1 parked at Ellsworth. Nice to see more Iowans joining on here! Kind of disappointing that I dont have much time to get on the forums anymore though. Anyhow, thanks for your service dude!

The biggest thing I have ever driven was the old family econoline, a 29 foot boat or my old 1973 Delta 88.

The biggest thing I've ever driven is a John Deere combine.