Truckers Report Jobs

Find Trucking Jobs

Company Driver Company Driver Dry Van Dry Van Flatbed Flatbed Refrigerated Refrigerated Specialized Specialized Owner Operator Owner Operator
More Trucking Job Searches ⌄ Fewer Trucking Job Searches
⌃

Dropped a trailer after hooking it

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Freight Hawlin' Bosn, Jul 24, 2009.

Page 3 of 3
  1. Jul 24, 2009 #21
    PharmPhail

    PharmPhail Road Train Member

    3,084
    1,125
    Nov 7, 2008
    NC
    0

    the one I use more is "I AM an A-hOLE!"
     
    PharmPhail, Jul 24, 2009
    PharmPhail, Jul 24, 2009
    #21
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Jul 24, 2009 #22
    Freight Hawlin' Bosn

    Freight Hawlin' Bosn Bobtail Member

    11
    1
    Jan 15, 2009
    Illinois
    0
    No yard jockey trucks. The drop lot is off site from the warehouse, so they had me using the regular sleepers and compact sleeper Volvos.

    FHB
     
    Freight Hawlin' Bosn, Jul 24, 2009
    Freight Hawlin' Bosn, Jul 24, 2009
    #22
  4. Jul 24, 2009 #23
    Freebird135

    Freebird135 Road Train Member

    1,527
    906
    May 7, 2009
    In the air conditioning
    0
    #### that sucks, no hydraulic boom lol your crankin landing gear all night then
     
    Freebird135, Jul 24, 2009
    Freebird135, Jul 24, 2009
    #23
  5. Jul 24, 2009 #24
    dino6960

    dino6960 YOUDAMAN

    1,347
    4,583
    Jun 25, 2009
    florida
    0
    pharm,did you check your fithwheel yet?????and yes thet a good gag to pull but make sure the doolies are down and air line are unhooked and electical and after you make that wide trurn and realize that your trailers not there hehehehehe (topgun flyby) where did it goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo:biggrin_25519:
     
    dino6960, Jul 24, 2009
    dino6960, Jul 24, 2009
    #24
  7. Jul 26, 2009 #25
    wsyrob

    wsyrob Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    5,769
    5,463
    Sep 14, 2007
    Winston Salem
    0
    I once got to the yard late one night and for some reason didn't release the red button before getting out of the truck. I was in the habit of pulling the fifth wheel release, then unhooking the air lines and finally cranking down the landing gear. I always do things the same way in the same order. Its easier not to forget a step. I have changed my order to unhooking the air lines then pulling the fifth wheel release.

    I got a pretty good scare that night when my trailer rolled about halfway off the fifth wheel as soon as I pulled the release. It was freshly greased and I was parking on a slight hill. I almost jumped back in the cab to pull that red button.

    We often get tanks that are dropped too high. Always check with a flashlight. If you can see any daylight between the fifth wheel and bottom of the trailer you may have a high hook. The fifth wheel will look closed but its below the bottom of the pin and not hooked. You can sometimes tell if you don't feel the trailer lift as you come under it. High hooks can pass the tug test but bounce off going down the road.
     
    wsyrob, Jul 26, 2009
    wsyrob, Jul 26, 2009
    #25
    KO1927 and davetiow Thank this.
  8. Jul 26, 2009 #26
    CURTWAYNE

    CURTWAYNE Medium Load Member

    465
    68
    Jun 4, 2008
    LITTLE ROCK, AR
    0
    Don't be afraid to grab that red gladhand, and unhook it. Just make sure you have a good grip on it.
    By the time you could've gotten into the tractor to pull the red knob, the trailer may have slid right off the tractor.
     
    CURTWAYNE, Jul 26, 2009
    CURTWAYNE, Jul 26, 2009
    #26
    davetiow Thanks this.
  9. Jul 26, 2009 #27
    CURTWAYNE

    CURTWAYNE Medium Load Member

    465
    68
    Jun 4, 2008
    LITTLE ROCK, AR
    0
    The last company I drove for had a magic dollar figure. If you were to do some damage that couldn't be explained by mechanical failure, they would terminate you if the repair bill was greater than their "magic number".
     
    CURTWAYNE, Jul 26, 2009
    CURTWAYNE, Jul 26, 2009
    #27
  10. Jul 27, 2009 #28
    Darkschneidr

    Darkschneidr Light Load Member

    296
    77
    Jan 31, 2009
    Phoenix, AZ
    0
    For me, it's a visual inspection when I hook up a trailer, I don't bother with the tug test because even then I wouldn't trust it. I make sure the jaws are locked around the kingpin properly by climbing under the trailer and looking at the back of the fifth wheel with a flashlight.

    When on the road and I walk away from the truck (or even when I've been parked) I still get out and check to make sure the release arm wasn't pulled by some ##*clown.
     
    Darkschneidr, Jul 27, 2009
    Darkschneidr, Jul 27, 2009
    #28
  11. Jul 27, 2009 #29
    Freight Hawlin' Bosn

    Freight Hawlin' Bosn Bobtail Member

    11
    1
    Jan 15, 2009
    Illinois
    0
    In this case, I filled out an accident report and was terminated before I found out the results of the investigation or determination of damage cost. Manager told me that morning of the incident that he was going to have the equipment inspected and I expected to be informed of the final determination. That didn't happen.

    FHB
     
    Freight Hawlin' Bosn, Jul 27, 2009
    Freight Hawlin' Bosn, Jul 27, 2009
    #29
  12. Jul 27, 2009 #30
    onelikeseabass

    onelikeseabass Light Load Member

    139
    25
    May 31, 2009
    Somewhere in great 48
    0
    I check the release lever every time in/out of the cab. Just a quick glance to ensure some jackhole didn't pull it. During pretrip I always get under the trailer and verify that the jaws are closed around the pin. It's just not worth it to skip this and potentially lose my job.

    In my opinion there is no excuse for a jumped kingpin. You, as a professional, are supposed to back up to the trailer, *stop* before making contact, get out of the cab and ensure that the trailer apron is going to make contact with your fifth wheel half way up the ramps. If you have to crank the trailer down a little, so be it!

    The only way you'll ever have a jumped kingpin is because of your own laziness or unwillingness to do the job correctly.
     
    onelikeseabass, Jul 27, 2009
    onelikeseabass, Jul 27, 2009
    #30
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

    • Page 3 of 3