setting a driver up to fail

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by passingthru69, Mar 3, 2013.

  1. passingthru69

    passingthru69 Road Train Member

    Well I was in Kernersville Fri. to get my ld. going to Davenport.
    Met another one of our o/o there. Nice guy. So we are kinda shooting the breeze and a young driver walks up and says can I ask a dumb question. I say no question dumb if you learn from it. Well it seems his boss flew him to Virginia Beach to pick up the trl\ trl. after a driver abandons it there.
    Poor guy does not know how to break down an rgn. Boss tgold him, call me and I'll tell you how to do it. Well when he calls, all he gets is voice mail.
    So the other driver and I go over and start telling him how it works. We made him do all the work. Better doing it hands on..
    Hoping he is getting one of the lighter units, Oh no. he gets a 350 model.. Biggest they make there for now..
    These you kinda need to be right on your mark. He's got a 7 axle setup. Problem is he has a short neck trl..
    He tries calling his boss again. Voice mail. His boss finally calls him back. Oh you got it great.

    His trl. has a 3rd axle lift. Well the vavle is shot and axle will not lower. We tell him to call his boss and get somebody out to fix it.
    He had unit to far to the rear. Told him he needs to bring it forward.. Has never ran one in his life. I remember my first lesson..He did not even want to do that.Scared, can't really blame him though.

    Why are these companies and small fleets doing this? This is a small fleet from Mn..

    We had no problem helping due to the fact he asked for help and was nervous/scared..

    The other driver and myself thought his boss should of at least just brought the trk/trl. back and showed him how to run the trl. and lding or come with him.
    We really hope he makes it to Il. with no problem. We told him about the low bridge on I40 and the tunnel.
     
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  3. DocHoliday

    DocHoliday Medium Load Member

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    Passingthru had it not been for you and the other driver this new driver might have been in deep doo doo.. Thanks for being a class act and being willing to step up and do what his Boss failed to do..
     
  4. critters

    critters <b>Late For Dinner</b>

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    see this type of thing to much these days,RGN's can be a pain even knowing it,let alone the first time being loaded and blind.Good JOB giving him a fast track course,really glad he asked.
     
    NavigatorWife Thanks this.
  5. passingthru69

    passingthru69 Road Train Member

    Well I had people help me over the years.
    He was polite and nervous.
    If he had been ####y we both would of walked away from him. Plus the other guy, I believe his dad would of kicked his butt if heard he did not help this young man..
    We just hope he gets there with no issues.
    If I did'nt have some things going on I would of made sure he got the air drop fiexed, but we needed to get going..
    Got him all chained, well we made it do it. We showed him how we did it and he studied it. Then tied his ld. down..
    Plus told him to tape the stack also
     
  6. passingthru69

    passingthru69 Road Train Member

    He got nervous when his neck board cracked and it dropped to the right some. I told him no problem. Just back it up and you will get it hooked up.
    #### I remember my first rgn. and I was with guys that had been doing for years.
     
  7. windsmith

    windsmith Road Train Member

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    My opinion? If a driver is not intelligent and resourceful enough to learn how to operate a RGN trailer on his own without ever having seen one, then he shouldn't be pulling one. It's a mechanical device, and it's not rocket science. Being resourceful includes utilizing available resources such as other drivers that have experience. He got the job done. :)
     
  8. critters

    critters <b>Late For Dinner</b>

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    funny how some memories,like First RGN load can stay so fresh in your mind,think maybe because we were as scared as he was.course things were a little different back then help was always close by.
     
    NavigatorWife Thanks this.
  9. critters

    critters <b>Late For Dinner</b>

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    windsmith, no it's not rocket science,but you do need to know what you're doing with these type of units,a lot can go wrong very quickly if you don't.
     
  10. windsmith

    windsmith Road Train Member

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    Agreed. If one can think on their feet, it's a non-issue is the idea that I was trying to convey.
     
    aiwiron Thanks this.
  11. Logan76

    Logan76 Crusty In Training

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    Not enough guys out there willing to help anyone...glad to see you guys stepped up and helped out that new driver!
     
    kerosene jockey and aiwiron Thank this.
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