FedEx Ground Linehaul with JohnBoy

Sweet Deal.

And flying in to and out of PBI is a breeze. No clue about the other end.

 

There’s about a 250-300 difference in cost between fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Fort you can fly round trip for just over $100 vs west palm 300-350

 

Really? My wife flew for work all the time and rarely was it cheaper to touch FLL vs PBI. Always going to ATL and then on to her actual location from there.

That was a few years ago so things do change and airline and destination play a part too.

FLL isn’t too far either.

 

You most definitely would not want to do this as the pintle hook on the tractor is not going to keep the dolly from moving up and down while you are hooking. ( Like the lead does with a snubber { or if the snubber is on your dolly } when a full set is hooked and brakes are released ) When it is only the pintle on the tractor it’s bouncing all over especially if you tried to hook that way.

This will mean that the skid plate will not be flat while the kingpin locks around the shank ( think about it what if you drop your trailer then forget to put air back in the bags while backing the dolly to hook the kite ). Not to mention if you bust that pintle hook off while attempting to hook like that and you admit it, as you should, or if it’s captured on camera, you’re getting fired no questions asked and good luck finding another good driving job.

I don’t know about you but you couldn’t pay me $1,000,000 to pull a set hooked that way 50 feet down the road.

Just trying to keep some poor soul from getting fired or worse yet vehicular manslaughter.

 

That is exactly how it’s done. Keep doing it that way and you’ll have the most success.

There are some people, done it myself, that thought it was cool to back the lead with dolly already connected.

Yes it makes you feel good when you can do it but let me tell you from experience ( I was at Yellow ) because I did it quite often when I was working the yard horse.

Two different times I attempted to hook this way and the dolly just pushed the empty kite sideways even though it was lined up ( usually because pin is in the locked position even though it’s not hooked but has to be pulled before hooking. Make sure you look. I never did till this happened. )

Anyways when it pushed the kite sideways and dolly started to drift also the space you usually have between the back of the lead trailer and the nose of the kite disappears and now you have a really really big nasty dent up the corner of the kite.

Luckily for me I was at Yellow and frankly they couldn’t have cared less, in fact, I think I even got kudos for not red tagging the kite and making it be unloaded and loaded to another trailer ( trailer is fine just looks unappealing )

Your company will fire you for that without a doubt and you don’t have the Teamsters to get your job back so you’re done.

 

Johnboy I’ve liked reading all of your forums and you are a stand up guy so please allow me to share what I have found after at least 6,000 hooks the most efficient way to hook a set, if you have to put your inbound trailers in the doors.

First if your tail is still on the dock make sure whatever safety system you have to ensure no one is in the trailer is done first. Lead also of course.

Drop your kite you brought in where ever is best then pull in front of your new kite lined up the best you can whether it be in a door still or spotted in the yard and unhook the dolly and push it in front of your kite ( you can use your tractor to later push it back if it’s not the self balancing ones you can push yourself )

Put your lead in a door or spot it in the yard then your inbound kite you spotted or whatever the boss wants then go find your new lead and hook it then go hook your dolly and kite as per usual. Man I really got sets built and broken down real fast this way.

I’m sure most companies don’t want you hooking sets on the dock which is unfortunate because it’s really not any more dangerous for dock personnel than you pulling the trailer with your tractor alone.

I have been unfortunate enough to be inside a kite with a tow motor loading it while mr impatient linehaul driver doesn’t even bother to look, or didn’t care, if anyone was in there and no it wasn’t fun.

Do not under any circumstances hook any trailer that is being loaded even if no one is in there and you have someone on the dock spotting for you it’s not worth it.

And just for the record I am a CDL driver not just a yard horse operator.

If you can at least have your kite pulled before much safer and easier for everyone but not always an option.

Be safe out there.

 

PBI has dropped still a $125 difference now