Refusing a back.

I remember a cust that had that type of back.It was pitch black and they held a flashlite while I was backing.It looked a lot easier then it was.It was straightline and once got closer I took babysteps backing because the dock area was so dark.

 

Yeah, I was new once. Pulled a box too. Drove a truck with Armstrong steering and spring ride. Had to bump those docks too. And I thought I was terrible. Backing in off a street into some old dock. Hated it. Have to do the same thing, this time with oversized loads. Have to pull on the wrong side of the road, wait for traffic to lighten, and then do the 45 and back into a driveway and through a bay door into a building. I am worlds better now than what I was when I started.

I don't knock new drivers, because I remember when I was a rookie. I do, however, find it amusing the number of brand spanking new drivers who refuse to learn how to do what all other drivers are expected to do. Fair weathered, solar powered, non driving, non backing, non shifting, non showering (did I miss anything?) YET, expect better than minimum wage. Why should you be paid more than that guy standing on the side of the road dressed like the Statue of Liberty? What is it exactly that you (no one particular person) do? You hold a steering wheel, he holds a sign and waves at motorist...he does more than you.

When I was a rookie, I had a different mindset:

 

On a swing door trailer it's easy to damage one of the open doors in dock for flatbeds..

Roll door trailers get heaps more room

 

This thread is hilarious.

 

I don't refuse backs. I refuse fronts. Tired of them.

 

My company runs Super Singles and Tag Axles. The places I've refused to go in to have been places that didn't plow their yards, or salt/grit their docks. I always get chewed out, but without fail if you wait around one of them long enough you'll see someone having to get towed out. I've chained up to go into lots before, but a lot of the customers don't want you chained in their yard.

As far as actual dangerous backing positions, alley docks on side streets I just take my time, get out and look a bunch. Sometimes cuss a bit and punch the trailer. I've found that in the really hairy places someone will usually help me get in, all I have to do is ask.

There was a place in Boston Mass that I actually had to jackknife the trailer in to the spot. Drop it, straighten out a bit, then push it back, it was the only way to get in the dock with a 72'' sleeper. When I was finished the truck was ####ed at about 60 degrees with my bumper touching a chain link fence and the trailer flush on the door.

 

Ya i couldn't find the tire skid marks from the duals running up one side.

That was definitely the last box I pulled for anyone.. Till a buddy called cause his driver got food poisoning.

Ya. No fun. Especially when they move or set down the flashlight and it rolls. Lol

 

We have a 35 foot trailer specifically for these types of situations but, even it is too big for some places. Its mainly is used for water treatment plants as some of the old, out in the country water treatment plants are just horrendously small. Some plants we refuse to go into but, the trailer has a lift gate so we'll just walk in in with the pallet jack.

Oddly enough, I run into my most difficult backing joints when pulling a tanker, not a van.

 

Funny you mentioned that. Just yesterday I seen a water treatment plant taking a delivery from the curb. Driver was pallet jacking to the back and the forklift driver was pulling it off and running it all the way down the driveway into the facility.

Reminds me of a really tight place I had to deliver to once. When I got there the receiving clerk asked me to hit the one dock door they had. After just glancing at it I told him there is just no way I could make that. He chuckled and said, I'm just kidding. My forklift driver will meet you on the street with a pallet jack. He asked if I minded lumping the pallets to the back of the trailer. When I let the broker know delivery was done and there was driver assist unload, he said, oh yeah, I forgot about that, and threw an accessory pay on top of the line haul. Nice.