Padlocking Trailer Doors

So at Swift will they supply my first lock set or am I responsible for buying all of my own locks from the beginning?

At swift you'll get an "enforcer" lock set which is a padlock and kingpin lock. The set is $80 if I remember correctly, and they deduct if from your pay. If you lose it you'll have to get another and they'll deduct it again.

Old Dominion has us lock any trailer loaded or empty, it discourages thieves and people from playing in them. I've found 2 bonus locks people have left laying in the yard, if we lose one they are supposed to charge us $10 for a replacement.

Are they all keyed the same or something? Or is the key not removeable until the lock is locked?

Old Dominion has us lock any trailer loaded or empty, it discourages thieves and people from playing in them. I've found 2 bonus locks people have left laying in the yard, if we lose one they are supposed to charge us $10 for a replacement.

Are they all keyed the same or something? Or is the key not removeable until the lock is locked?

The ones for the trailers are all keyed the same and the key will come out anytime.

We also have locks on all the terminals that are used on the gates at smaller terminals, and the lock boxes for the key into the drivers room, they are also all keyed the same but with those the key only comes out if it is locked.

Old Dominion has us lock any trailer loaded or empty, it discourages thieves and people from playing in them. I've found 2 bonus locks people have left laying in the yard, if we lose one they are supposed to charge us $10 for a replacement.

Are they all keyed the same or something? Or is the key not removeable until the lock is locked?

The ones for the trailers are all keyed the same and the key will come out anytime.

We also have locks on all the terminals that are used on the gates at smaller terminals, and the lock boxes for the key into the drivers room, they are also all keyed the same but with those the key only comes out if it is locked.

Oh, OK, I was wondering what good a lock would be without the key. Now I know to collect them. :)

Here's a reason to lock all the trailers. Suppose you have those giant paper rolls (theft proof b/c of size + weight) or a trailer load of fertilizer. No problem so why padlock it?

But you get a trailer full of 70" flat screen TV's. Wow! Several $100,000 in back! Lock those puppies up for sure!

If you follow this program, the padlock on the door is simply a come-on for thieves - since you only padlock the good stuff, they will know which trailers to get into.

But if you lock up every single trailer - fertilizer or TV's - that eliminates the bull's eye at the back of your trailer.

Had a conversation with my old trainer about this. He was leaving the Prime terminal with an empty and had forgotten to put his lock on. He was told they can't allow him to leave until he put the lock on. They said not only is it a company policy but it's a seldom enforced law/regulation post 9/11 that all trailers but be locked in transit.

Honestly I have no idea if that is true or not, but I keep my lock on all my trailers empty or loaded anyway. I don't want any surprises next time I open those doors.

Are they all keyed the same or something? Or is the key not removeable until the lock is locked?

That my company all padlocks are keyed the same.

And to answer an earlier question about if I've ever left a lock on a trailer. Unfortunately yes during a drop at a Walmart Distribution Center. If you've ever delivered there the trailers are really tight together. It was my first month driving solo and so it took me forever to get the trailer in the tight spot. Just as I was pulling up to the front gate to leave I remembered the padlock was still on the trailer so I had to turn around and do the drive of Shame back to the drop area. I'm a bigger guy and I literally had to almost crawl to the back of the trailer to get the padlock because the trailers were back to back. Just one of those things to remember when you do a drop.

Junkyard Dog, drive of shame...lol. At least you remembered it before you was 300 miles down the road!!

I've ever left a lock on a trailer. Unfortunately yes during a drop at a Walmart Distribution Center.

So far I have never left a lock on trailer mostly because I check the trailer out to make sure none of the tires blew out, checking the lights and what not before I unhook. This has truly helped me remember, otherwise I'd forget it all the time 🤣