Parking with yellow valve only? Lack of training? 5 backs total before they are upgrading me.

I have been part of these discussions for years. In my view, I never remember parking with my trailer air supplied, even in the cold. First, if you are yanking an old trailer most likely the dang thing is going to have at least a slow trickle air leak. I very rarely parked and kept my engine running.

As far as the training goes, with all the 6-month super trainers out there, the OP most likely has learned all they are going to learn. My words sound cold, but I do stand behind them. This business right now is sink or swim. If you have the basics down you will make it. If however, you are an accident waiting to happen, you won't. If you are not ready I council you DO NOT OPERATE SOLO! If you do so and it turns out you were not ready, the results might well cost you dearly!

 

Training is the worst anyone will go through in this industry. They learn nothing at all in most cases that would interfere with the load getting to where it needs to be.

Once in a while in cold and wet frozen type situations you need to keep the trailer brakes clear. Again only on tractors with four parking brake chambers. Today's trucks may only have two which to me compromises everything. I would never tolerate a truck with just two chambers.

 

I always thought the yellow valve was defrost, and red was heated defrost?

 

I thought the yellow one recharged the blinker fluid

 

As others have noted, parking with the tractor parking brake is fine.

BUT, any loading or unloading, you MUST have the trailer air evacuated so the trailer spring brakes are set. Always. Your trainer was very wrong about that.

 

If I run an air ride trailer I never pull the red button when parked, unless it's while I'm unloading or I'm parked for my 10. Then again, my truck has 4 parking brakes. Spring ride trailer I'll pull the red button. Reason being is a loaded air ride trailer takes a while to air up after the suspension drops, and when the suspension drops the trailer pushes forward against the tractor, and if the tractor brakes are set it puts a lot of strain on the kingpin/5th wheel. When I evacuate the trailer I leave the yellow button in and wait until it's done pushing the tractor forward, then I set the tractor brakes. That's just me though and I'm sure a lot of people will disagree

 

Ride the brakes and you heat up the drums which causes the snow and ice to melt and pool at the bottom of the drum which then freezes.. i find not using the brakes at all before parking then rolling back and forth after 10 minutes works every time.. That way your not handing off frozen brakes to the other driver who gets your trailer..ps in 20 plus years I only had to bang on drums on trailers others dropped .

 

Ask for a day of practicing your backing at the truck yard, and then spend all day practicing your backing. Do 45° until you get it right 3 or 4 times in a row, then do 90°, then do blind side, then go back to 45°. Slide your tandems up or back, and do it all again. You’d be amazed at how much better you’ll be after a solid day of that!

 

On a freight shaker, but not on a Pete.

 

First and foremost, use your brain and think.
Never get in a rush to do something. That is not the same as goofing off.
When you start rushing, getting worried about being slow or what ever, you lose focus and miss things, that’s when the trouble starts.
If you have any doubt about something, STOP.
Make sure it safe and out of the way to do so if your driving.
Get out and look. 10 times if need be.
If I can see your trying and doing the right things, I may not like the waiting, I will not fault you for that.
Time and practice, you will get better.
If you find things just don’t seem to be working, STOP. Take a minute and a deep breath.
Never worry about what the other guy is doing.
Focus on what your doing. That’s all that matters.
If it takes 20 minutes today, ok. Think about what you did and could you do better. Before you know it, it’s only going to take 3 minutes.

We ALL have rough days. It happens, accept it, move on.

The brake knobs.
If you look at them, you will see that the Yellow one says “Parking Brake” and the red one says “Trailer Air Supply” when you park, if you want, only pull the yellow, or you can pull both yellow and red. Not a good idea to only pull the red. If your disconnecting the trailer, the tractor could roll off. In cold weather ( freezing temps) it generally is best not to pull the red knob. The trailer brakes can freeze and lock. It can be a real problem. If you are parked on a steep slope, it is a good idea to pull both knobs, red first, let the trailer settle a minute or 2 then the yellow.

One of the best things you can do, is get systems down. Do things the exact same way every time.
You lower your chances of making mistakes by doing that. Check lists are a great thing.