Hauling Pups

The first set I ever pulled was during my interview with UPSF,.....I got the job,............

 

Not a matter of knowing it "ALL"
Point is I know of what I speak based on "EXPERIENCE"
I latched my first set back in 97 during the UPS Strike,with nearly 10 years previous driving experience the transition was easy and proficiency came quickly.
I pity the rookie with such lame retorts,it only confirms
and or validates my previous claim/statement.

There is a reason y'alls first day in Driving School "DIDN'T" involve "DRIVING".
Just having a bucket full of "want to" didn't have a bearing whether a key was put in an ignition now did it?
No ,you were instructed on all the things to do before turning the key right ?

Harsh ? thats what they all say once they get a real taste of real trucking.

 

Good post. Learn all you can from someone that's been doing it for some time and learn how to hook and unhook your set. I pulled three of them and the last trailer NEVER crossed the line. Sure it's going to move a little and if it really moves alot then it's loaded wrong or the set is hooked wrong. You might want to get yourself an extra pair og air lines and a light pigtail. The trailers always get corrosion in the light socket so you can carry a can of WD-40 and spray the socket and pigtail when your lights are not coming on like they should.

 

When did you get the job?

 

im glad i live in a doubles only state

 

I speak from "experience" also. You are not the only one here that pulls pups or have years of "experience". I do know that the new drivers I have come across during my years, most feel no need to ask questions and truly want to learn. It was good to see this guy ask and really wanted to learn some things and you replied pretty snobbishly in my opinion. Although unlearned drivers sometimes give us "experienced" drivers a bad name out here, so do drivers who do seem to think they know it all and hence get called a "supertrucker"...unwilling to share or teach someone who really wants to learn....so yea, it was harsh when the guy was just asking advice.

 

My thoughts:

1) Absolutely no tailgating/following to close etc.
You may have gotten away with it with a regular tractor tralier or in your car. But no more with doubles. Try to keep at least 1/4 mile between you and the vehicle in front of you. i know this is not always possible but try.


2) Establish your own routine for hooking up a set and don't deviate from it.

a) in my opinion, the most important things are the pintle hook must be latched properly and securely, the second trailer must latch properly with the second fifth wheel on the dolly and the safety chains must be hooked up properly. Everything else, if there's a problem will be obvious as soon as you try to move.

b) if your set is put together by the jockey, you still check everything as if you hooked it up. The jockey isn't responsible for what happens on the street.

c) try to get the heaviest trailer in front.

3) Go around corners extra slow to the point where it feel like it is too slow--almost annoying. In linehaul and most doubles type jobs you often don't get to see how the trailers are loaded. So, i would go around corners extra slow.

 

I started in March,.....

 

Surprised someone hasn't mentioned this, and I don't even haul pups, lol.

When hooking up to a pup, make sure the fifth wheel is slid further back than it usually is when the tractor pulls a 48+ trailer. On pups, the landing gear is closer to the nose of the trailer and during sharp turns...the gear can french kiss the mud flaps of the truck, causing damage to the tractor and / or landing gear of the pup.

 

Your turn radius is not as wide as a single trailer because your set has three pivot points for doubles and 5 for triples. I would make a 90 ° right turn and look out the passenger window and see my last box!

I don't think the brakes work much different than any other truck, you just have to make sure you have no leaks around your gland hands. It all boils down to how they are loaded. On ice or snow of course it's alot different. I would go down the grades much slower and use the trailer brake with just enough pressure to keep the set straight.

I was the same way with hooking the set. Except I had to unhook the middle box and hook the last box all on uneven dirt. Sometimes you could push them but without a pintle hook you're screwed in alot of places. I did get it down to 15 minutes thou then I got the call to a much better and safer job hauling gasoline.