LTL Linehaul position pulling doubles

And for God's sake, if you see some cowboy backing his lead trailer up with the dolly on the back, don't try that until you have at least a year's experience. Much frustration could ensue.

 

Im guilty if this. Trying to learn how. Usually pull it off before frustration hits. Just not sure if its easier with plunger in or out.

 

I have honestly never found that it made a difference one way or the other. It just takes a little bit of time to develop the ESP to start steering before you think you need to steer.

 

when I was leased to a company pulling doubles, we usually dropped the back and docked the front. there were a few times I had to dock a pup in between 2 53's. with a sleeper truck , that's always fun

 

I wouldn’t mention the backing to build the set, although it may be something you have to do for the carriers road test.

 

19 years pulling doubles and triples. Don’t sweat it. It’s more important to get a system down for joking and breaking g and stick with it. You will get better with practice. Backing A-train dollies is frowned upon as has been mentioned.

 

I'm confused. Is OP asking about backing a set, or single pups? No one will ever expect you to back a set, it will be discouraged by management in general, and if you find yourself in a position where you have to it usually means you messed up.

There are guys that can do it, and some of them are even fairly good at it, but to my mind it's mostly done for show. There's a guy at my first destination that loves to back his set and put his rear box in the door without unhooking first. And when he does, there are at least five pissed off drivers cussing because they can't get around him to get their own work done.

Now backing your lead with a dolly on is worth learning. It comes in handy on rough dirt lots, inclines, and wintertime. But again, I see guys that will spend 5 minutes and a bunch of pull ups instead of 30 seconds to drop the dolly by hand.

What's my point? I don't have one. I just got home and I'm cranky today. So do what you want, just don't get in someone else's way.

 

I was thinking he meant backing trailers in general. I was envisioning he's maybe a FedEx Ground guy who has only ever had to hook to pre-made sets. I have heard of guys in that situation where the contractor they worked for had runs where that was the case. Drivers who have literally never had to back up since they were rookies.

 

I think you had a good point. Backing doubles is just for show and you won't be expected to do it.