How many of you have dropped a trailer?

I am guilty... did it in a yard mule once with a loaded trailer. Did a tug test but no visual. It was pretty scary, not to mention embarrassing as several warehouse workers saw it.

Needless to say, I always do a visual now.

 

Around 3 in the morning I finally got finished with a pm. I backed under, but was off a few inches, so I cranked up the gear, hooked up the lights and then shut it off and jumped in the sleeper. I forgot that I hadn't locked the fifth wheel, and pulled out. It slipped off, but didn't fall on the ground. Cranking the gear to lift it off the tire took some time and effort!

 

The cameras were, and he was terminated. Working st McLane drivers are asked to give critiques on loads, and he had been written up multiple times based on written statements and pictures sent in from drivers.

 

My night spotter dropped a loaded trailer and it broke all the gears in the gear box , OO was not to happy , cost us plenty.

 

They can help a good loader, if he wants to learn; but more times than not the loader decides to F the drivers worse rather than learn. My partner and I actually made a habit of bringing small gifts to our best loaders (soda, beer, etc...), and we tried to write what was right and wrong on critiques, rather than just belittle the guys.

 

We had a thread asking this same question a while back. I said then and will repeat for this thread. I can honestly say I never dropped a trailer. I have, however, pulled away once and did not take off my gladhands and pigtail. The sound of the gladhands hitting the back of the tractor is sickening!

 

I backed under a loaded trailer, did a tug test, then pulled forward and as I was making a right hand turn out of our terminal I heard a big bang and thought I hit something. And there was the trailer sitting on the frame right in front of the office. After that I always took my flashlight and looked under to make sure. Don't know how it held during the tug test but trailer was heavy.