Old dominion refused me?

It's not part of the test to back a dolly under a trailer while attached to your lead. I actually believe safety might frown on the practice because of the potential for a careless driver to damage equipment. If a driver damages a dolly or trailer while backing a dolly hooked to the lead, and has to tell safety, they're not gonna be happy. I'm sure the poster meant he couldn't back the dolly up while attached to his truck. If you're used to just backing 53' vans, backing a dolly can be tricky because it responds so fast. Even pups respond a lot faster than a 53' van.

@TruckerFit it just takes time. I remember when I started I couldn't keep a dolly straight when backing while connected to my tractor. It would take me sometimes 30 minutes or longer to hook a set. I can do it in a fraction of that time now.

I back my dolly while connected to my lead all the time. And contrary to what another person said earlier, it doesn't take talent, just time to practice. Maybe for some it might take a little longer to learn the skill, but as with a lot of skills we learn in life, all it requires is the desire to learn coupled with opportunity and patience. And yes, I'm faster than most drivers that spot their dolly first and then grab their lead. And yes, sometimes I have to do a pull up or two, but it's still faster than a lot of guys that spot their dolly. And no, I had enough decency to not get in anybody else's way when I was first learning this skill.

I learned to back my dolly while hooked to my lead because I wanted to learn another skill and it does come in handy in certain situations. When I bid on my next run, if it gives me more time and opportunity, I'm gonna start practicing on backing a set. I love being a linehaul driver, and the more skills I have, the better driver I can be and the more satisfying my job is. With a job that is so repetitious, it's satisfying to be able to do things that keep your interest. I never tire of hooking sets because I enjoy being able to hook a set with a dolly attached to a lead trailer.

 

I'm the exact opposite. I got just good enough to back my lead with a dolly on so that I can do it when I have to. Think ruts in snow, or uneven dirt lots. Practice makes perfect, but I don't feel the urge to hone that specific skill. At the start of my shift I'm focused on getting out the gate, and when I make it back I'm ready to break my set and go home.

Best use for that skill is hooking triples. The guys I've watched do that have perfected it to a science, and they're crazy fast.

 

as far as saia is concerned, that is the entire country because there's no saia terminals in the blue states

 

I work for Saia our Pittsburgh terminal is in Washington PA and they are trying to hire drivers like crazy! We have so much freight moving through PA with our expansion we don't have enough drivers. I strongly encourage you to apply, starting linehaul pay is .57 cpm top out in 18 months at .66 cpm

 

If they don’t change their policies, you won’t get any drivers. It’s a drivers market.

 

So who is the best?

 

I don't agree with or like those things either but that in of itself does not make Saia a bad company.

 

UPS Freight, Fedex, Pitt Ohio, Dayton, ODFL, ABF, Estes... there's more depending on where you are.

SAIA was on that list before they started stalking their employees. Meanwhile, keep a good safety record where you are and keep your eyes open, but always check in personally to the barn you're considering, this forum taught me they are all different and it's true. I've run into some places where the atmosphere was thick.