Logging Pretrip

sometimes i do that and it works but on some fifth wheels it can do that even when its not locked in all the way. gotta be careful.

one time i dragged my locked trailer tires about 500 feet trying to slide my tandems on ice....everyone thought i forgot to release my brakes. LOL.

 

It takes a few seconds every time to check your 5th wheel release and to look down at the locking jaw around the kingpin.

Sure, I don't look _everytime_, but I look regularly when I'm returning to my truck from being away for a while.

 

This guy made it outside the truckstop before the trailer came loose. He was 1/4 mile from the I-80 onramp. Imagine if that happened at 70 MPH with a senators wife tailgating him.

 

SWAP

Check everything on a pre-trip list?

Absolutely !

Lie on my back in the mud under a bull rack & use my legs to check the driveshaft slack?

Absolutely!

Yea right.

 

Would you mind pointing out where in the little green book it says anything even close to that? DOT can ask you to perform a pre-trip inspection in the time you showed doing it on your log. I'd like to see anyone do a 15 minute pretrip according to letter of the law.

So just how are you ensuring that a spring hasn't broken on the drum? You can see both of them from just glancing under from the side of the trailer? Have fun with your next blowout....

 

you sir, are an ###. howevever, this brings up something I've been wondering about... why do so many drivers set their trailer brakes when they stop? The truck brakes are the parking brakes, not the trailer brakes. It even says it on the red knob "not for parking".

 

i AGREE WITH SEABASS ABOUT SETTING THE TRAILER BRAKES. iN THE SUMMER,PARKED ON A HILL & LOADED - MAYBE. iN THE WINTER, NEVER.

 

Which law is that?

 

I suspect that this whole business of the dot checking your pretrip is crap. I've heard it before but i've never witnessed it. Also, the exact items to be checked vary state to state (real important stuff doesnt, but lesser things do) and how exactly would you know which exact items are required in that state?

Are you telling me that if i spend 17 minutes on my pre-trip, i have to log 30 minutes? Cause the green book doesn't say that I can log 22.5 minutes as 15 minutes. But it doesnt say I can't either. Doesn't it kind of make sense?

And yeah, 22.5 minutes is pushing it, but it is *exactly* in between 15 and 30 minutes. It's a reference, though....anything over 22.5 minutes logged as 15 and you're definitely not logging legal.

But....17 minutes is more than 15 minutes. How do you want me to log a 17 minute pre-trip?

And what if I'm hauling a placarded load in a minivan? Just an example since you have to use a logbook with any placarded load, regardless of vehicle. What if....I fuel up and it only takes me 4 minutes to fuel? How do you want me to log that?



There is no law that says i am to check those springs. I've honestly never even thought about it. Maybe i ought to, since you mentiond it.

Are you going to do it under a loaded bull rack in a muddy lot though?

 

Ok guys and gals, I am thoroughly and totally confused. I log my pretrip and do my postrip w/dvir. I can and have picked up 3 different tlrs in a day. I always inspect them. Now, do I have to show 15 min. for each one of those or not? My post trip will show the inspections done on the tlr that I am currently hooked to. Logs will show that I have had 3 different tlrs. Any problems that I have found will have had a breakdown msg sent and repairs done, mostly.

Why mostly? Well I seem to be under the impression that if you have a light not working (talking marker lites) it needs to be fixed. Company says that it has to be 3 out before its a violation. Don't know if it will CYMA or not, but always do a breakdown and make them put that on the QC JIC it might help me in an inspection.