yard jockey

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by daylight76, Sep 9, 2019.

  1. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    It's also hard on your knees because you can be moving 100 trailers per shift at busy locations. That means in & out (up & down truck's stairs) 2 times per move to open/close trailer doors.

    It usually pays a few dollars less per hour than other local driving jobs. Air conditioning is pretty hit and miss in those types of trucks also. In the summer they are hot without an AC.
     
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  3. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    The yard trucks at the auto plant I worked for worked their rear ends off. Well, most of them worked hard. A few were happy to move half as many trailers per shift as the other drivers. They had immunity from termination as long as they could pass the drug tests. Other drivers had to move the trailers the slackers left sitting.
     
  4. Capacity

    Capacity Road Train Member

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    10/4 on the knees my brother spots at the foundry and is in great shape , and wears knee braces.

    I had a great gig at KC nonwovens making 20 moves a night at 24.50 but the Mill closed on Henry St in Neenah and put us all on the street after the Taxpayers in Wisconsin gave them 28 million.

    It's a tough life and you are always under the gun and yeah you have downtime if you want to get buried in moves and get on the bad side of the lift driver's, some with some Surly Altitudes to say the least.

    Like the reply above Sandbaggers and wannabes are weeded out , I've seen knuckle sandwiches served on more than one occasion , slackers always quit.
     
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  5. VIDEODROME

    VIDEODROME Road Train Member

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    My Yard Jockey job was weird. Somedays there would be a rush and someday it was slow. I'd finish early and just BS with the security guy in the guard shack. Somedays there was a factory shutdown and I only moved 3 trailers.

    I really like the hometime, but it can be rough. I left because of the poor conditions in winter and the unmaintained yard with huge potholes. Also, keep in mind that if you do this in winter, you maybe have to hammer on frozen brakes. I also worked in torrential rain. I had a decent rain coat and rain pants, but still kind of sucks.

    With that said, I have wondered if there are many gigs out there in decently paved DCs with rollup door trailers. Maybe Publix or Kroger? It would be an awesome situation if a spotter greatly reduced the need to get in and out to shove trailer doors.

    I'd generally give Yard Jockey a recommendation to someone who's young that feels comfortable with all the backing that they won't hit something. Eventually though, it might be a good idea to work towards a good Day Cab job and be glad for all the backing practice you have.

    I'm 43 now and I've decided to not to Jockey anymore. I did like the activity from walking to the trailer, but not the climbing in and out of the spotter truck. I also absolutely hated Intermodal Container doors.
     
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  6. Capacity

    Capacity Road Train Member

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    10/4 in the bent and twisted intermodal junk my shoulder is still jacked up from a HUB.

    After that I carry a 4 foot piece of chain link fence post to slide over door handles for leverage a 10 lb sledge and a huge pry bar and to keep my shoulder out of the situation.

    I found if you can't get the doors shut set it down on level ground dropped with wheels to the back helped ,.
     
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  7. daylight76

    daylight76 Bobtail Member

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  8. daylight76

    daylight76 Bobtail Member

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    where i live at coke cola only has 4 drivers lol
     
  9. WiggleWagon

    WiggleWagon Light Load Member

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    Lazer spot illegally deducted pre-employment drug testing costs from my paycheck. California, it is illegal for any employer to deduct for any medical test that is required by law for employment, and they hit me with it twice, in one paycheck, because I worked there twice and went back.

    They are actually lucky I was too lazy to go through the labor board process, because with that deduction, that means they didnt pay me in full, and I can ask for penalties equal to my daily wage for up to 30 days straight for every day they didnt pay me in full.

    They tried claiming they were exempt from CA overtime laws because we were goverened by DOT rules. Not true. As long as you are on private property, you dont even legally need a class A license to operate a yard goat.

    These people are something else.
     
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  10. FlaSwampRat

    FlaSwampRat Road Train Member

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    I can second the not needing a class A to run one. When we take guys out of the warehouse they start driving the yard pig to learn to drop trailers and start backing while they study for their permit.
     
  11. Capacity

    Capacity Road Train Member

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    Yard Pig yeah its the biggest turd you ever seen , still haven't figured out how they get mud on the dash.

    And if you go on a public road you DO need a CDL-A.

    Never work for a 3PL outfit most have bid the job so cheap there going to nickle and dime you to death , they end up owing the tire guy and the mobile mechanics thousands , and get run out of town , I worked for one and the tire guy came to the yard and took the steers off and left the truck on its rims.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2019
    Reason for edit: Add to post
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