advice on pulling doubles

The best advice i could think of since everyone else covered the balance of the "tricks", would be: If you are pulling a set, or triples..keep the tractor in the very front!

 

These guys covered just about everything but here's my .02 on pulling a set.
Establish a hook Pre-trip routine and a drop post-trip routine and stick to them. I always hook the same way - once I back up to my dolly, I hook it to the lead, hook my chains, hook the service line from the dolly to the lead, and plug the dolly pig tail into the lead. I back under the kite (we call the back box a kite here), I do not apply the trailer brakes - just the tractor, hook all lines to the kite, the hook the red line to the lead with the air engaged so I can listen for any leaks. You'll notice your kite push back an inch or two when you do it this way because the pintle hook lock engages eliminating the slop. There is no set way of doing it that is just my routine. The reason I say stick to a routine is you'll catch problems easier and won't forget to do something - like roll up landing gear. I also always always always check that my 5th wheels are locked with a flash light. I've seen too many guys do a tug test only to loose a trailer leaving the yard.

Once your on the road just be smooth. Any movement you make amplifies through the set. If you jerk the wheel, the truck moves a little, the lead moves a little more, and the kite move the most - called the crack the whip effect. Be careful in work zones with lane shifts because they'll throw your back box all over the road. On slick roads, allow some extra distance in front of you because the back box will lock up and kick out on you if you brake too hard. Get to know the turning radius of a set also - if you swing too wide into a rest area space, you'll be too far over on the passenger side with a ton of room on the drivers side. The kite follows the lead.

Once you have some experience with them and can do the basics with ease, you can start doing things to save time. I don't always have the heavy trailer in front. If the trailers are within a couple thousand pounds and the roads are dry, I might put the heavy one on the back if I know it hits the yard and my other one goes to a door - or if I'm passing through another terminal on the way to my destination. Backing your dolly under your kite is another time saver if your good at it - I can usually do it without pulling up. Backing a set is another trick that you can impress co-workers with. I won't do it between trailers yet, but I can put an mt against the fence between the lines just about every time now. We have guys that can bump a dock straight between two trailers with a set - it's pretty impressive.

Good luck. Just be smooth and pay attention to what the other drivers are doing. You have some good ones over there at UPSF.

 

All the guy's pretty muched covered everything,my 02 cent's seeing that it's winter I diid'nt notice what state your in, but if there's snow on your dolly especially the 5th wheel get a broom or a stick and at least get the snow off the 5th wheel, my 1st snowfal in my 1st year I dropped my kite, even after I went under with a flash light and looked, it looked okay but there was snow in the middle hiding the kingpin, I even tugged, I got going in the yard made to the front of the terminal and my kite came loose, ever since then in the winter I get a broom and clear the snow off the dolly so I can see that coupler around the kingpin on the trailer.
I also kept some extra fuse's with me and screw driver hammer and plier's.

Good Luck Truck Safe.

 

Do you guys have any secrets for backing up a dolly with it hooked to the truck? I put ina n application to CCX here in Jackson and have never pulled doubles myself before.

 

Do it slowly, and don't jack it to far because it will hit the frame.

 

Yeah, don't even try it for a while. Seriously, till you get the feel for backing up a pup and backing up a dolly with a tractor, do not attempt it. With out dolly/lead trailer setup, jacking it too far will break off the glad hand on the lead trailer.

Once you get a feel for how fast the dolly goes, you can play around with it slowly. Just remember, turn the wheel to the right and the trailer goes to the left - but the dolly will go to the right about 4 times faster.

If you really want the job, I'll answer any questions you might have or at least point you in the right direction. I've worked at CCX/Con-way Freight for a little better than 6 years now.

 

Cool.. Like I said, there is no set way of doing it and different LTL companies will have different policies regarding hook/break procedures. Love the double checking of the 5th wheel and pintle hook - I've seen way too many drivers loose a back box pulling out of the yard after only a tug test.

We do not have a Johnson bar in our trucks, instead we have a trailer brake check button that only works with the tractor emergency brake engaged but that is a good idea. Your procedure seems good to me - just find what works for you and stick to it. Company policies differ a lot so something I can do at Con-way might get you in deep poo at UPSF and visa versa.

I know you're a young guy and I love the fact you're asking questions. I generally don't like giving unsolicited advice but I'm gonna give you a little whether you want it or not..lol.. Rumors through my reliable grapevine say UPSF is gonna do some major restructuring between now and April. I've been through 3 restructuring plans at Con-way Freight and moved twice during those plans to keep or advance my position here. My unsolicited advice, if you plan on driving a truck as a career and can reasonably move to where UPSF wants people - do it. I started at CCX/Con-way Freight when I was 22 and made $82,500 last year driving a truck and I didn't turn 29 till December. This year at my new terminal I have enough seniority to come and go as I please and will probably break $90,000 if I max my time for the year and believe me, I know what paying your dues is all about. UPSF's contract has a mileage rate of $.66 per mile and over $26 per hour when it expires in 2013 - figure those rates on my run and you'll make $110,000 easy.

You're in such a good position at your age. I know a good deal about the the LTL industry and would love to help you in any way possible. I know an original CCX driver that is now with UPSF that I'm 100% sure would be answer any questions you might have about the industry in general and UPSF.