Schneider

When I was on bulk side, high hook was auto fire.
They pulled lease off of a guy who highhooked in Houston yard.

 

I can't speak to the internal valve issue, but for the other parts:

What was/is wrong with the tablet on the GPS? How did you load it up - typing in an address, using the customer code, the active dispatch, or nav me? Did you preview the route once it loaded? Did you pull up the customer on Google maps satellite and see where the truck entrance is and compare the last few steps?

If you trip plan the right way, you will rarely end up in the situation you did. Avoiding the first mistake would have left you with 2 additional hours to deal with the customer/valve. One mistake tends to compound and cause other mistakes, which leads to disaster. When I do accident reviews, almost always the actual accident had very few alternatives. It's the choices the driver made in the lead up to the accident that eliminated options and 'caused' the accident.

One thing I try and hammer into my trainees is "give yourself time". Time to trip plan, time to pretrip, time to drive slowly, time to unload, time for yourself. New drivers tend not to give themselves time. They don't build buffers into their NAT, so they end up rushing because they are late.

We all did it. Most of the stupid things I did my first year were because I was trying to get too much done in too little time. Had I been in the same position you were once I got to the customer I would not have started the off load unless I knew there was time to get the while thing done. It sucks telling the customer "sorry, I'll be back tomorrow ", but it beats the heck out of leaving half full.

As you go forward, give yourself more time to everything the right way. It takes FOREVER, but it will pay dividends over the long run.

 

It will be like riding a bike. Just take it slow and avoid gear mashing. Just push it gently into gear while giving it gas and it should pop right into play. Try and look up a gear to speed chart to better help with recovery if you lose the gear. Just need to look at speed and slowly raise rpm while pushing it slowly.

Good luck!

 

Don't ever let them (or anyone else for that matter) rush you. You need to have a systematic approach to everything you do. From pretrip to route planning, have a set in stone routine that's done the same way every time. Don't let anyone break you out of it and your chances for mistakes will drop significantly.

 

I've been driving big rigs and fifth wheel RV's for years, never heard of a high hook until I read it here on this site.

 

Never considered that. I always check Kingpin locking jaws after I hook so there's no way I would attempt to move with a high hooked trailer.

Besides all that, it just sounds and feels different when high hooked vs properly locked.

 

Are y'all telling them when you high hook or is someone snitching?. The one and only time I have seen another co worker high hook, I grabbed my wood block and helped the dude out. Can't fathom what would be be gained by dropping the dime on him...even if I didn't like him I would just drive on by and pretend I didn't see him in trouble.