Refusing a back.

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Brandson, Apr 25, 2015.

  1. Brandson

    Brandson Medium Load Member

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    Just browsed through a thread about difficult backs, and thought about some of the ridiculous situations I've been in and heard other driver's talk about. I'm lucky, I've had some backs that sucked, but nothing that took more than a minute or two of headscratching and a lot of GOALing to take care of, with some whining on the side. But these inner city stories and whatnot that I hear about, going over curbs on city streets to get into a place... When do you just say no?

    That's my question here, have you every gotten to a customer/dock been told what you need to do and the limited space, etc you have to do it and said "Hell no!"?

    Too many customers designed for day cabs and shorter trailers. Of course dispatch and customer relations couldn't care less. "Another guy did it, so you have to too." I'm talking from a company driver perspective, every load is the same for me pretty much, so maybe this doesn't apply to owner ops, but I don't like getting screwed into some ridiculous scenario that a 70 foot long vehicle should not need to be in. No one gives you extra credit because you hit your tractor on a building because it was a tough back, lol.

    At what point do driver's stand up and tell customers and dispatch that you're not going to back your 53 foot trailer with a sleeper cab at a customer that was tightly designed for old trailers and/or daycabs? "You can order your Pickup/delivery with pup trailers."




    For the super truckers, I'll listen to your input, but I'm not looking for old fashioned ego Bull #### about how manly and cool you have to be to do this job. It's a job. Just. A. Job. Every idiot you see in the truck stop can do it.
     
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  3. Arkansas

    Arkansas Medium Load Member

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    I'd say that if I couldn't do it without tearing up the equipment then I wouldn't do it. However if everyone else unloads there then I'm gonna do it also. Knock on wood, I've been to some hard to get into places but I've never been to a place that I couldn't get into yet.
     
  4. Pinqui

    Pinqui Light Load Member

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    I have refused once or twice due to impossible clearance or the likelihood of being stuck. I am usually only asked to drop and hook so I don't get into that very much.
     
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  5. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

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    I suppose you also expect to be paid for not performing your job? I guess that's what you get when you hire a boy to do a man's job.
     
  6. DrtyDiesel

    DrtyDiesel Road Train Member

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    I pass by places all the time in Jacksonville where you bump the dock and the truck is blocking part of the roadway. Some places there are columns and support beams in between trailers where you only have a fee inches of space to spare on each side.
     
  7. flyingmusician

    flyingmusician Road Train Member

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    Part of the job. Suck it up and do it. If the guy with the sleeper and the 53 got in there before you, then you're expected to as well.

    We do a lot of tight streets/docks. Sometimes it takes a few minutes to assess and figure out the right setup but haven't seen one yet I couldn't hit and most of these places I'm talking about were designed when cabovers and 45's were the norm. Had a few I had to unhook from once I got in just so I wouldn't be blocking the street.

    Biggest piece of advice I can give on those is pull up the google map and get the lay of the land before you get there and if it's really tight, pull the 4-ways and park on the street and walk back there and look and check it out first before you blindly drive into/behind a store/dock area and can't get back out.

    Welcome to the big leagues lol
     
  8. Shaggy

    Shaggy Road Train Member

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    Have to realize thousands,Have did it before you. Unsure of the situation? Get with co-workers on the horn, Ask inside how other drivers do it. Verity of ways to make a successful back. use all the tools available.


    I'll attempt every possible way to get into a new location un familar with, Reason is, I don't over think it. 600 pull ups or 1 back up. Never get frustrated, always resources
     
  9. flyingmusician

    flyingmusician Road Train Member

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    Jamestown, NC
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    Yep thats a good one too shaggy. We do that all the time if it's somewhere we haven't been to. Get on the horn or on our thread here and get the 411 from other guys who have. Can be priceless advice.
     
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  10. Shaggy

    Shaggy Road Train Member

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    Many think asking inside is a blow to your self confidence as a driver, Negative! It's a learning experience for yourself and coworkers getting it right and not damaging crap the first time. . New accounts use caution. Pay the experience forward.



    Flyingmuscian: youns do a excellent form of communication in your thread. Although being OTR, still a dang fine job using this platform using tools. Always read your employers thread, it's a good read and up to date on quirks :biggrin_25522:
     
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  11. MNoutkast

    MNoutkast Medium Load Member

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    Feb 24, 2012
    Elk River, MN
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    Never refused backing into a dock, I highly doubt I ever will. Trucks did it before me and will do it after. Now refusing to pull into fields with an end dump is a different story. Refused plenty of times until there was a tractor their to pull me back out.

    I back into a dock in Minneapolis all the time with a 53' and tractor with condo sleeper that USF refuses to put a day cab and 40' into. It's all in what a driver is comfortable with.
     
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