Traveler to the Rescue ~

 Butch is - as usual - taking the long way home.  By way of CA, AZ & to Tacoma, WA.  He was running out of hours on his 70-hour clock.  He had just enough time to navigate mid-day traffic through Seattle & get to the TA Travel Center, just east of North Bend, with 49-minutes to spare.  By the time we talked in the evening, he'd started his 34-hour reset. He'd been driving in rain for two-days.  In the evening, I received a text with the Google Earth image below.

Butch's map~

Yes, in case you're asking, Big Brother, i.e., most trucking companies, know exactly where their semi's & trailers are at all times.  You can see the icon in the top left corner of the image with Butch's name, truck number & trailer number.  In the bottom right corner, is another icon which had the same information on another truck, which had broken down on the eastbound side of the I-90.

A Volvo~

Butch was asked if he could go pick up the trailer & bring it back to the truck stop.  That required filling out paperwork for the TA.  Truck stops do not allow trailers to be parked on the premises without being attached to a semi.  He also had permission from the company safety person, to drive on Personal Conveyance.  Butch unhitched & left his trailer where he'd been parked before bobtailing to find the driver, truck & trailer.  

Traveler, on the eastbound side of I-90

When Butch researched later, he found that in WA state, it is illegal for a towing company to haul both the semi & trailer.  This was a surprise, since when he had broken down in TX pulling a hazmat load, the tow company had towed both semi & trailer to the Kenworth dealer in Dallas.

May 26, 2022 - Big Red being towed~

It still takes a big tow truck to take a semi anywhere.  If they have to come back for the trailer, the fees can range upward of $2,000.  The liability of leaving a trailer unattended along the side of an interstate would be daunting enough & an open invitation to thieves. 

Tow truck arrives~

The tow truck had to get the Volvo into towing position & move it forward.  That gave Butch room to back Traveler & pick up the trailer.  Butch only had to drive up one exit, to turn around & return to the TA.

Tow truck picking up the Volvo~

When he pulled in, every single spot was taken, except for a few that were blocked off & marked reserved.  As he was circling the lot, one of the employees drove up & after hearing of the breakdown, told Butch he could park the trailer in one of the remaining reserved spots.

 Butch was impressed with how accommodating the TA was to the entire event.  This particular truck stop is one of the busiest anywhere.  Trucks are usually parked for miles along the off ramps, on ramps & along the edge of I-90, especially in bad weather.  

Butch & Traveler were back in their parking spot by 8:30 p.m., Traveler mumbling something about Volvo's.  :-)