Flatbedder Driving Van For First Time...help

My company is having me pull a van for the first time...been driving a split axle...even in training...so i have a few questions...

I have an appointment time to pick up a preloaded trailer....will this trailer already have a seal on it or do i put it on myself...

Whats the point of a seal if i put it on and break it myself?

How do i need to adjust my backing for a van versus a split axle....i have to remember to open my doors before i back in...lol

Any other comments which might help would be appreciated...

Thanks!

What??!! There's no seal on a skateboard load??!!

Seals can go either way depending on the shipper. Just go with the flow. Somewhere on the bill it probably says something like

SHIPPER LOAD AND COUNT

This takes those factors off you, though it's possible you may have to install load locks.

Also you may have to padlock the doors. That wouldn't hurt anyway.

On delivery, same thing. Maybe the guard checks the seal, maybe you need to cut it off yourself. (I always lay the broken seal inside the van doors just in case anybody asks.)

Oh! And welcome to the world of serious backing. Obviously vans get loaded/unloaded from the back, pushed into a dock. Of course a drop or hook is easier and quicker.

As for the rear axles, I can't talk about the driving/steering, but they may need to be moved to limit the weight on the drive and/or tandems. How heavy is the load, or do you know?

On seals depends on the shipper some will. Have it sealed others will seal it at the guard house, others will give you a seal, and sometimes you have to have a seal and put it on. You need to wright the seal number on the paper work and most places will check to make shere it's right when You arrive. Backing I assume it's a 53 foot? First off depends were your axels are. If there slid all the way forwards you need to remember about your tail swing. When making sharp turns and when backing, you have to get your trailer axels around what ever your backing around. Because your axels are together you can pivit and turn much sharper. Remember to make shere your 34k or less on trailer and drives. And set your kingpin to axel length correct for the most restrictive state you will be in. I think that covers it.

Errol and I must be in the same time zone usually he is up 2 to 3 hours before me.

Errol and I must be in the same time zone usually he is up 2 to 3 hours before me.

What'r time zones to truckers except as an excuse for being one hour late or early?

I'm mostly CST.

Here is a few tips for legalizing the load: if you can see how the van is loaded and it is a heavy load, slide the tandems so the center of the rear axle is under the end of the load. When you get it weighed if your drives are overweight slide the tandems up towards the drive axels. If the trailer tandems are overweight slide them back. When your backing a van always GOAL. Watch your tail swing, and as always back on your sight side.

You may need to slide the tandems to the rear when unloading also. Regarding seals, I've had a couple of places that wanted me to break the seal and take it into the office before getting a dock assignment. Kinda odd. When in doubt, ask them. Each place has their own peculiarities.

Whats the point of a seal if i put it on and break it myself?

If something turns out to be missing and you can tell them you put a seal on at the shipper and it was intact at the receiver, you will have helped them by narrowing down the list of suspects to 1.

I am CST right now Errol as well are you running the South? Or North?

I am CST right now Errol as well are you running the South? Or North?

Regional. I go mostly OK/TX to VA/GA & States between exclusively. Most of my time + home in Memphis is done CST.