Unwritten Rules of Trucking?

When walking in front of an idleing truck, make eye contact with the person at the wheel. At night I carry a flashlight in the TS to avoid being served as the next roadkill special.

As far a someone pulling the 5th wheel for me, I always set my trailer brakes 1st. Puts tension on it.

 

You are right about fuel island etiquette. And maybe some newbies will develope good habits after reading what you said. Even stories of drivers being stabbed with a knife by another driver won't deter some of the idiots out there though. There are people who will park in the fuel island, grab their gym bag, and get a shower. I've also seen drivers go inside for a sit down meal. Here's the real deal: If your business takes longer to perform than it takes for the truck behind you to fill up, then you are being rude, very rude. If you don't care whether you are rude or not, you don't belong in the human race.

The good thing about having a CB is that you can turn it off. I turn mine on about once a month. If you wait for a door assignment at a facility that requires a CB, it's usually better to tell them you don't have one. That way you can sleep instead of listen to chatter, while waiting to be called on your cell phone. You're also less likely to miss a door assignment that way.

 

Don't park in the truckstop overnight with your headlights on! Pull off the scale before getting out of your truck to go and pay. (and don't park blocking the scale). Save your hand exercises for your truck not the shower room. Get in, soap up, rinse off, get out! There's no reason for a 45 minute shower while people are waiting!

 

You COULD rename this thread...................

Unwritten Rules of Life !!!!!

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................Ron White is right !!!!

 

Have you seen some of the drivers at these truck stops? 45 minutes isn't enough some times...

 

reading these post as a newbie I will hopefully try and do all these things as I don't want to be the brunt of all the jokes on the radio if I do screw up. I was also told they make an extension arm for the 5th wheel anyone know where I can get one as I'm only 5'4 and i can't reach w/out getting all on the tire.

 

If you pull into a receiver and there is only one door and you see a truck sitting there ask the driver if he's waiting for the dock. This happened to me and my brother inlaw. We arrived at the receiver at 7:30 am, they didn't open until 8:00 am, at 7:55 we went inside with the paper work and when we came out some guy had backed into the dock without going inside first. When we came out and seen that a truck had backed in, we got a little heated. My brother inlaw told the guy we were waiting for the door and we already checked in. The driver responded with, " I don't care". My brother inlaw said, well if you don't care that's fine but I'm going to park my truck right in front of yours and you'll not be going anywhere today. The driver says you can't do that, brother inlaw says watch me. So after some more heated words the guy finally moved.
Some companies give several different trucks the same delivery time, but if you see someone that appears to be ahead of you it couldn't hurt to ask.

 

Whenever you stop...ALWAYS put the truck in reverse, release your tractor brakes, keep your trailer brakes set, and give it a little 'back' then do a tug test....even if you check your 5th wheel. always check your air-lines to make sure nobody switched them...and your tandems. always always always. cause that ONE TIME you 'forget', or dont think its necessary, will bite ya.

Never pull behind someone when they're trying to back up....either out of a fuel island, backing in or out of a parking spot (when they actually use one), and NEVER spend more than 5 minutes parked at the 'pay line' after getting fuel. If you're going to take longer than 5 minutes, go park your #### truck.

I'm going to resort to just pulling off emergency lines and leaving it on the catwalk if drivers take longer than 5-10 minutes.

 

SPANDEX IS NOT YOUR FRIEND!!!

No one, and I mean no one needs thier eyeballs burned that bad. Step away from it driver. The world will thank you.

 

hmmm pulling somebodys air lines is a good way to end up in the back row needing a dental appt.