FCC--Fremont Contract Carriers

I worked with a very annoying driver who talked non-stop. He'd drop and I would see him cranking it extra cranks, but I couldn't stop him because he never shut up, and I was afraid if I did interrupt, that would lengthen the time I had to listen to him. At the time, I drive a Volvo, so it was lower than the others to begin with.

 

The last few days, I get this when coming here.

 

Took a van home for hometime. So left with a van.

Got a Cheap-N-Heavy from Greeneville TN to Hutchins TX that delivered yesterday.

Picked up at TMC Houston. (Is is normal after hours to pull your trailer out of one of the 3 designated doors and to put your empty trailer into one of those doors?) I raised my landing gear too high for my drop swap and drop.. swap.. and had to do some extra cranks.

Load is due for Omaha, will drop in CB and head to Fremont for a flatbed to take a load of poles to Dothan AL

 

I go to a place every now and then that is just about inconvenient. The life sciences place in Dallas.

 

The problem with dropping trailers too high is due to outdated training or in some cases outdated drivers that refuse to learn new ways (lol). Back when trucks had spring suspension, the ride height was lower when you were hooked to a trailer than when bobtail. Back in those days drivers were trained to crank the landing gear until it touches the ground and then keep cranking a few turns. Then when someone else tries to hook up to the trailer it won't be so low that the truck has trouble backing under. Spring suspension doesn't like to compress as easily so this was important.

For as long as I've been driving (since 2017 to be exact) and probably at least a decade or two before that, all trucks have had auto leveling air suspension. The ride height never changes whether you're bobtail, pulling an empty, or pulling a fully loaded trailer. However, on my permit test there was a question about dropping a trailer and I specifically remember the correct answer being that you are supposed to keep cranking after the landing gear touches the ground. Luckily, I was later taught how to properly drop trailers, but from my experience a lot of drivers never are.

When I drop a loaded trailer that is getting unloaded at a customer (so the next driver is most likely going to hook to the trailer when it's empty) or when I drop an empty trailer, I crank it down until it touches the ground and then crank it back up 2 cranks to leave a slight gap. When I drop a loaded trailer, but ONLY if I know another driver or I am going to hook back up to it while it's still loaded, I will crank it a little bit after the landing gear touches the ground. Usually until I hear the truck airbags start to hiss a little. If you leave a gap with a loaded trailer, it just makes it harder to get under it again if you're hooking back up to it while it's still loaded.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.

 

I drop loaded or mt about 1in or so off the ground. Then dump the suspension. If i have a harder time backing under a loaded trailer then i dump the suspension then its easier and it lifts the landing gear off the ground. I prefer that way so i can start cranking in high gear.

 

Exactly, except surely after these decades, and this was true of what I started driving in 95, it has been long enough for pretty much every driver to know to leave a gap between the landing gear and the ground. I'm hooking up an MT right now at Airlite and, once again, it's so high, I slide under without making contact with the trailer deck plate. It's not my imagination, it's not an exception to the rule; it is the rule--drivers are dropping trailers too #### high, most of the time.

 

Couple hours late, but anyone running 24 west in Kentucky before you hit the scale, watch out for the deer all over the road.

I made friends with 2 of them earlier today. I forgot to go back and get their insurance information. But I left them and a fog light for yall!

 

Got to Fremont yesterday right at 5pm. Went into the shop to let them know I was here. Rick told me I may have to be the one to run to Omaha for parts, no problem.

Around 6:15 they sent me to freightliner, got back quarter til 8. By 9p the truck was done. New front bumper and left side bracket installed. Good as new.

During my safety phone call, Travis said, "did you know that you hit a second deer with the trailer?" Yes, yes I knew about the second deer.

Essentially I saw deer number one coming from my left side and was able to slow down enough to let him pass. What I didn't see in the blind spot behind my mirror was the two that was chasing him. Still slowing down I was able to steer slightly away from the deer as to not center it in the grill (no, no jerky yank of the wheel, not my first day) which saved a lot of damage on my end. Which clipped deer 2. Deer 3, definitely didn't make it as I had the trailer axles drawn together in tandem and he went under.

So if my post was before was slightly unclear. I was the one that left all the deer in the road

 

I'm back in Fremont gotta get to work. Miss my wife already and the baby.