Rollovers

Driving any load requires judgement on both safety and driving with prudence to protect the cargo.

If I understand correctly, it means that, regardless of who loaded it and how the cargo was loaded, the driver is expected to deliver the load on time and undamaged. And consistent with the theme that I am learning on this forum, taking personal responsibility as a driver. The attitude of the failures in trucking would try to excuse a rollover with "the load shifted on me, because they didn't load it right."

I'm struggling, but am I starting to "get it."

I think you are getting it. It’s the reason these carriers don’t throw an entry level driver on a load without training/mentoring.

Finesse through turns, stopping gradually, and not slamming the dock all contribute to protecting your load.

Ask any of the active trainees; driving a load is a different kettle of fish than tooling around in an empty.

Rob draws a conclusion:

Driving any load requires judgement on both safety and driving with prudence to protect the cargo.

If I understand correctly, it means that, regardless of who loaded it and how the cargo was loaded, the driver is expected to deliver the load on time and undamaged. And consistent with the theme that I am learning on this forum, taking personal responsibility as a driver. The attitude of the failures in trucking would try to excuse a rollover with "the load shifted on me, because they didn't load it right."

I'm struggling, but am I starting to "get it."

I second G-Town's thoughts.

As you stated, "... the driver is expected to deliver the load on time and undamaged." Go to the head of the class! An easier and more general statement is "Guess who's holding the steering wheel?" On the road, whether it's because of your speed, the way you drive the truck, the weight of the axles or total weight, this is all on you. That's why the Pre-Trip inspection , your routing, and knowing the weight of your load and truck are so important for your career.

Ask any of the active trainees; driving a load is a different kettle of fish than tooling around in an empty.

Yes, it certainly is.

They call me Miss Daisy cause I am always below speed limit. Getting there 10 min earlier is just not worth the risk.