Strange but True
Need a Laugh? These “Strange but True” stories were sent to Automotive Fleet by fleet managers, drivers, and fleet management companies. Have a strange, but true story? Something so incredible it couldn’t have been made up? Share your stories with Automotive Fleet. E-mail: Lauren.Fletcher@bobit.com.
Snake in the Dash
A fleet manager took a maintenance call from a driver who requested service for his vehicle. He complained the air conditioner was not blowing any cold air.
Only after the local maintenance shop forwarded photographs did the fleet manager learn the reason for the problem - a 4-foot-long yellow corn-snake had wound its way into the dashboard ducts, essentially blocking the air from blowing through. After the dashboard was completely removed and the (harmless) interloper extracted, the driver was on his way.
Bull Bars Aren't Just for Looks
A fleet manager works for a company that owns newspapers, including two based in Texas. In those Lone Star state areas, according to the fleet manager, the vehicle of choice is a Dodge Sprinter.
One of the Texas business units covers a large territory. Early morning travel increases the likelihood company vehicles will encounter wildlife in the road.
After several costly repairs to Sprinters due to deer strikes, the fleet manager suggested building a prototype bull bar. He recommended a heavy-duty custom-made model that could offer protection from deer.
A local machine shop created a sturdy bar that stretched the width of the front of the Sprinter. Once the prototype was authorized, bars were manufactured to outfit the entire fleet.
One morning, the fleet manager received a call from the circulation manager, announcing the bars had been installed on all the Sprinter fleet vehicles and, hopefully, "We'd no longer be plagued by high body repair expenses at the 'hooves' of deer."
That same morning, a fleet driver had encountered a deer in the road. The driver swerved so severely he left the roadway, clipped a road sign, slogged through a ditch, overran a fence post, and finally came to rest in a pasture.
When asked why he'd swerved instead of just hitting the deer, he replied, "I didn't want to mess up our nice new bull bar."
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