Want To Know Why There Are Bad Trailers Out There?
Topic 25011 | Page 2
Guess we’ll never know when the trailer was picked up....If it were me, I would be at a TA or Petronfor a 34-hour reset. You know, one with a repair shop. Good luck, Solo. Only another day and a half.
Goodyear guy came and left.
Said he can't address the lights w/o removing the underbelly of the trailer which could take as much as 6 hours.
Said I need 4 trailer tires replaced and that one of them will let go at any time now.
While he was here I lost a 3rd marker light, which means the short is making its rounds around the trailer.
Also said he sees companies make bad decisions all the time every day and why we see so many retreads spread around the interstate.
Going forward, I'll, unfortunately, have to be reactive instead of proactive (which means screwing the guy behind me, but fully understanding why I get a bag of ****...the driver before me chose to make the same choice). That's what I've taken away from this particular situation.
Always do the right thing. I have lost time, because other people passed the buck. My company compensates me for my lost time, and they know me as a reliable and safe driver. Maintenence calls me regularly to thank me for addressing issues when I find them. Don't get your career started off wrong. Never pass the buck. Take care of your business, professionally, reliably, and safe.
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Honestly, I’d have loaded Monday, then planned on getting it fixed that evening on my ten hour break.
That's what I did here, but instead of trying to have it addressed on my 10, I gave them an extra 24 hours to address it.
Take care of your business, professionally, reliably, and safe.
Can't get it done much better, professionally, reliably, or safer than off the clock on a 34, in a well lit, open parking lot where no other trailer can block access to my trailer with enough notice so that I can drive safely down the road to my con.
But every day is a learning lesson, which I like.
Can't get it done much better, professionally, reliably, or safer than off the clock on a 34, in a well lit, open parking lot where no other trailer can block access to my trailer with enough notice so that I can drive safely down the road to my con.
Hey Solo, you've got the right attitude when you say this...
every day is a learning lesson, which I like.
Here's something I tend to tell the new guys on my dedicated gig. "Don't try to figure out the best way to run the company. Your job is to run your truck in a way that makes you money." To do that you've got to learn how the company likes to do things, then you coordinate your efforts so they mesh well with their policies. Had I been in this situation, I would have planned on parking for my break at a Loves or a TA that has a mechanic shop and tire service. Because I already know that's where they will send me. None of these companies want to pay for road service if it can be avoided.
A big part of learning how to be successful out here is to learn how your company likes to operate, and then making sure you are making every effort to make it easy on them to keep you rolling. This is nothing more than a rookie mistake on your part, and a step in the right direction if you learn some valuable lessons from it. Don't try to figure out what you think is best. Always go with what they consider best.
TNT with 2 different trainers and the response to Trailer issues has been universal- unless it’s ‘life/death’ don’t mention it.
Four trailers so far with ABS issues... and the one time I tried to mention it on a drop trailer report- I got caught and admonished. Seems the ‘messenger’ is punished for reporting trailer issues. Ofc they want you to take it in... on your time/dime.
When I get out on my own; I’ll report it. That said if it constantly costs me revenue...
Sure, reporting reefer fuel level is easy...to fix; but ABS, tires, electrical... not so much.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
When I get out on my own; I’ll report it. That said if it constantly costs me revenue...
That is exactly what the 10 people before you who ignored the problem said.
Maybe because my father is a shop manager but I think every driver should report the problems, sometimes yes it will cost you time, if everyone constantly did it you would see problems diminish over time.
People ignore the problem because it is inconvenient to them and makes it the next guys problem, then complain when the same thing happens to them.
Really irritates me when I get these trailers that have the ABS issues and tires. A lot of these trailers need to have been serviced but since a lot of it is drop and hook they don't make it back to the terminal to get issues fixed.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
Really irritates me when I get these trailers that have the ABS issues and tires. A lot of these trailers need to have been serviced but since a lot of it is drop and hook they don't make it back to the terminal to get issues fixed.
I agree with that completely, JYD.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
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Advice For New Truck Drivers Driver Responsibilities Photos Trailers Truck Maintenance
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Honestly, I’d have loaded Monday, then planned on getting it fixed that evening on my ten hour break.