Truck Procedures

General Information

History

In 2008, Free Geek was awarded a grant from the Meyer Foundation to purchase a box truck with lift gate for pickups and deliveries. It was purchased on April 3rd, 2008. To view the original proposal, go to Truck Grant Proposal.

Truck Specs

• Year: 2004
• Make: GMC
• Model: W45
• Engine Type: 4HEITC
• Transmission: Automatic, 4 speed
• Horsepower: 175
• Brake Type: Hydraulic
• Gross Vehicle Weight: 14,500 lbs
• Box Height: 12'
• Box Length: 16'
• Box Width: 8'
• VIN: J8DC4B14647007318
• Plate Number: CN02974
• Fuel Type: (Bio)Diesel
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 30 gallons

Insurance

Free Geek's truck and drivers are insured by American States Insurance Company of Texas. All FG drivers must submit a copy of their driver's license to the insurance company and be approved prior to operating the truck. A current copy of our Automobile Liability Identification Card must be kept in the glove box at all times, along with the vehicle registration.

Fuel

Each driver shall have a copy of the gas tank key presented to them with the ignition & padlock keys. The tank has a 30 gallon capacity and runs on bio-diesel. Refuel the truck when the tank is at 25% or before any pickups covering long distances.

We generally patronize Jay's Garage, located at 734 Southeast 7th Avenue. They are open weekdays from 7 AM - 7 PM, and weekends from 8 AM - 6 PM. .

Pickups

Pre-Pickup Inspection

• Before getting in to the vehicle, walk around the perimeter and look for anything broken, bent or out of place.
• The back of the truck should be locked, as well as both doors.
• Windows should be rolled up completely.
• Look under the truck and check for loose wires or sliced lines (it's happened before).
• Observe the tire pressure visually; in warm weather especially, tire pressure will decrease.
• Examine the lift gate to ensure it is in working order

Starting the Truck

Begin by putting the key in the ignition and turning it forward three clicks until all of the lights on the dash turn on. Hold it here until the TRANS and ABS lights shut off. Turn the key back toward you again, then forward all the way to start.

On cold days, the engine can take up to 15 minutes to warm up. Be sure to give yourself adequate time to start the truck before your pickup shift.

The smell of biodiesel may be like roses to the environmentally conscious, but it is not particularly pleasant for the people working in the warehouse. If you start the truck and plan to leave it running in the lot for a while, be sure the warehouse doors are closed unless the coordinator in the warehouse directs you otherwise.

Leaving Free Geek

The warehouse keeps traffic cones by the inside of the garage door. Place four cones to the right of the truck, with the last cone placed in the parking space closest to the rear of the truck.

Check both mirrors and adjust as necessary. Be aware that the mirrors may shift as you drive.

Ensure that the back of the truck is closed and locked before driving.

Ensure that the lift gate power switch is off (pressed in).

If a pallet jack is required, ensure that the wheel is firmly ensconced in the boot (located in the back of the truck) and that the jack has been lowered.

Buckle your seatbelt!

Hand Signals - Back That Truck Up

Often times, loading docks are in awkward spaces and/or need to be backed in to. Both the driver and the passenger should be trained on proper hand signaling in order to provide assistance to the driver. Before driving, ensure that the driver and passenger are in agreement about which signals to use and when.

It is strongly recommended that anyone driving or riding in the truck review [www.honolulu.gov/hr/standardsforsafebackingandhandsignals.pdf Standards for Safe Backing & Hand Signals] for a detailed analysis of proper backing procedure.

Other Items of Interest

Nightly Truck Storage

• missing fuel separator
• door handles

This is a draft of a new or in-progress document, and is likely to have a few people specifically working on it. You may wish to check in on the discussion page to see what the purpose of the document is and who's working on it; then feel free to give this article love and attention if have extra of those things.

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