mistakes that let everyone know youre a rookie

Not making sure the trailer height is adequate before backing under it

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i was a rookie grain hauler left the tarp open and was pelting cars behind me with corn as i am going to the shippers now i drive van and so far so good mr murphy has yet to bite me in the butt but i will be ready for the PTA murphy

 

IMHO Donner isn't that challenging a pass. The problem with Donner is that there are so many downhill sections that are interspersed with flats and uphill grades that some of those downhill sections can get on you in a hurry if you aren't prepared for them. The infamous 2008 rollover was likely caused by the trainee getting into top gear on a long flat straightaway with a slight uphill (that you can see), following by steep winding curves. Once he failed to downshift and was out of gear...

 

Even though I have been doing this for almost five years some days my backing looks like I have only been out a couple of weeks. Just this last Sunday picked up at a place I have been to before a dozen times and they always have me back into the same dock with my empty and pull out my loaded one right next to it. Well usually I can do it in one shot with maybe one pull up but last Sunday it took me a good 15 minutes. I felt all dumb especially with the loader waiting for me with the seal and paperwork.

 

Hey I've been doing this for a long time and most of the time I can nail a back without thinking about it. But when I have a open spot with like three doors open on both sides of me I cant back to save my life. I was at a TA in LA and I went to park in the very back I tried every way I could think to get it between the lines but it just wasn't my day. After I went inside and ate I came back out cleaned up my back and got it between the lines. But if you put me in a situtation where I have to put it between two trucks...EASY WORK!

 

Most drivers I've seen put too much emphasis into backing, especially rookies. If you worry about putting your truck into a hole, you're going to give yourself performance anxiety and spend 15+ minutes trying to back in. Just don't worry about it and put the truck into the hole without getting technical. If you're relaxed, you'll drive better.

 

1. Forgetting to send my Macro 46 at th end of the day.

2. Clashing gears on a down shift while revving too high

3. Forgetting to shut off the Jake Brake

4. Log violation because you still can't figure out how this split break thing works.

Those are my 4, and i've done others

 

Amen to that!!

 

Ain't it amazing that these were sent by the same company that doesn't allow texting.

Wife & my 1st driving job was with Crash & Roll Stunt Team. Had the bol & loose leaf logs on the dash as we parked for the night. It was windy at the TS. We both opened our doors at the same time. All the paperwork was blown across the parking lot. Had one driver angry at me for crawling around under his trailer. He laughed when I explained why.