While driving last week in Louisiana, I had a truck pass me and get back into the right lane ahead of me. I heard a loud noise against my windshield and noticed a star shaped chip the size of a quarter on the glass. Apparently, a stone must have dislodged from one of the tires on the truck ahead of me. It happened so quick that I didn’t even see the object that hit the windshield. At that moment, my heart sank thinking to myself… “How much time and money will this cost me today?”
The chip was large enough that any DOT officer could take issue with the damage. I realized at that moment, I needed to get this fixed very quickly. Many times a small shatter will grow into a much larger crack which could mean replacing the entire windshield.
The next Freightliner dealer en route was “Beaumont Freightliner” in Texas. I made a phone to them explaining the situation and to see if they had anyone available who could take care of this issue. I was informed that the dealership didn’t make those types of repairs. However, they use a nearby company called “Safelite Auto Glass.” The man from the dealership provided me with their phone number. I called and Safelite was happy to assist me. They even offer a large parking lot suitable for tractor/trailer parking. The job took less than an hour and I was on my way. The cost was a reasonable fee of $75.00. Had I needed to replace the windshield, only half would require replacing as the Freightliner Cascadia has a roped in – two piece windshield.
During my one hour visit to Safelite, I learned they can repair cracks up to the size of a one dollar bill. Also… something to note, a service representative explained to me that if you’re unable to bring the truck to their location for a repair, they will send a service person out to your location. This is valuable information for the future.
I was glad to be nearby one of Safelite’s locations for a quick repair of the damage. Thanks to everyone who assisted me and allowed for a short delay on my trip.