Broken Pallet Jack Each Day for Dedicated Run

If they are what I think they are, weight ranges between 200 and 1,500 lbs for the palletized engines.

From what I gather, it's not so much the weight that's the issue, but being able to control the weight and move it where desired. Last year I delivered 16 pallets of "corrugated fiber board boxes" - which incidentally is NOT cardboard. Don't understand why that's a sore spot with the shipper, but it is. Anywho, I had a choice of waiting until the forklift maintenance contractor got done servicing all the forklifts or using the most raggity, busted donkey's rear end of a pallet jack. It had a screw driver (missing half the handle) jammed in where the pump handle should have been, the left side rose twice as fast as the right (which shouldn't be possible, and maybe it wasn't twice as high but they weren't level and it caused issues), and to get it to drop I had to stand on the tips of the forks while playing with the screwdriver. It was still faster than waiting for a forklift to become available, and as a one off it wasn't a big deal, but if I had to deal with it two to three times a week I would be looking for other opportunities.

But while I have you here - I have a set of doubles to start next week, both even(ish) weight, 4 stops. Pup A has stops 1, 3, and 4. Stop 1 is a crated DD15 and an empty large metal tote on the tailgate, then about 10 feet of open space and 6 bins of miscellaneous parts which are pretty light. Pup B is 3/4's full of bins/pallets and is (in theory) 500 lbs heavier. The plan is to get live unloaded at stop 1, proceed to stop 2 and drop Pup B, then take just Pup A to stop 3 and live unload/pick up returns, drop Pup A at stop 4 and pick up Pup C, go back to stop 2 and rehook to Pup B and return to the start point.

Logical me is split on how to do this. I know, heavier pup goes in front, but is 500 lb difference that great?

Based on the geography of stop 1, I have to break the set to deliver either way, then only have 50 miles to stop 2. My thinking is run them A/B and just unhook the converter dolly, unload, then rehook, drive the 50 miles, drop A, using B to move the converter dolly to a reasonable spot (no, I don't have a pintle hook on my truck, yes this whole thing would be easier for me using a 53' footer, but the truck that usually does this run decided it would rather be a very expensive paperweight two hours ago), drop the dolly, put B in the door, rehook A and get to getting.

I could hook B/A; drop A at stop 1, drop B/converter, hook to A, off load, position A, rehook B/A; go to stop 2, drop A, stow the dolly, drop B, rehook A then get on with stops 3 and 4. But that seems like a lot more work. Am I putting myself at risk to save a couple of hooks?

 

My experience pulling doubles is generally in pre-built sets when I had a pintle hook on my tractor to rely on if things got 'interesting'. Even then, it was a once off, running I-70 from Indy to KC. Also more than 600,000 miles ago. Sunday morning is going to be 'interesting' when I try to build a set from scratch. I know I'll get it done safely and on time, but there's a difference between getting a job done and doing a job right. Not to mention doing it right and doing it efficiently.

 

I vote doing it which ever way pays the most the safest....

 

sounds like a 1 day job i had with another driver, to train me the route.

Pumpernickel Express, cannot recall where they were out of. they had the GM account from up here, with empty parts cages and doubles, to NJ and back up here in New England, with loaded doubles, to deliver at night to the GM dealerships.

job sucked, too much heavy things to move, parts cages, small parts on the floor, i said "g'bye" after that 1 night.

all i could see was a whole lot of BS come the winter time, moving those parts cages in the parking lots with snow, ice.

then the engines, and transmissions, not only the new stuff, but the old stuff, still leaking fluids all over the ground, floor in the parts dept, and trailer..??

all with a non-powered pallet jack.....screw that crap...

drop 1 trailer here for another driver, and deliver the other one......
uh, no way Jose for me........

best thing i did was drive off into the sunrise after that horrific training night.

ah......i googled them..........closed forever......

Permanently closed
Pumpernickel Express
Address: 75 International Dr # F, Windsor, CT 06095