my USXpress experience

most company drivers dont really do a full pre trip heck if u asked some of them to do a full pre trip like in the test most couldnt remember i myself do the basics check for fluids ,tires bleed the tanks make sure everything is connected, check the load ,lights and while im pulling off check to make sure the trailer is siting right and im not dangerous either things happen people make mistakes the important things is learn from them and don't do it again bonbon i think you guys should be ok just apply and move forward good luck and be safe

 

+1 on the pre trip!!

I watched a driver at the I-80 88mile marker pickle park, and i won't embarrass the comapny by mentioning it, since this was entirely the driver that did this.

He litterally "Kicked the tires and lit the fires!" Honest to god i watched him walk around the truck kicking each and every tire, jump in, start'er up and zoom outta there!!

 

Mustang: Go and reread your first post as it surely changed with this last one!
I will agree with you about these so called truckers that jump up and haul arse without so much as a kick the tire walk around! I do when I see them pull that stunt pray they get stopped and get a wonderful fine to pay for their laziness! Would you stay on an airplane that the pilot didn't check everything on his checklist? Inspecting that maybe 19,000 pound truck is about the same! They both need the PTI to protect you and the public! Shortcuts are being lazy and dangerous! Don't try to weasel out or attempt to verify a reason not to do it properly! You're only lying to yourself when you do!

I'm making the statement that the way you described your PTI was wrong in so many ways! And yes I DO have burger flipping experience from back in high school before my Army days! And you're darn right as I'll call anyone lazy and dangerous after they make the statement that you did! The truth hurts doesn't it?

Repairing the truck COULD HAVE come from a good PTI! The creeper statement, apparently you "forgot" that you had seen someone on a creeper and yes I HAVE seen drivers break out a creeper to do a PTI. They were all O/O's and smart! I HAVE seen drivers do a PTI and then go get the toolbox! Not to many of these steering wheel holders will even think of changing a light bulb or wrap a bit of tape, only those of us who value our time as it takes some of these shops a while to get you in for a light bulb! I'll do what I have to do to get back on the road and one of those is a PROPER PTI which DOES include me squatting down and duck walking under the trailer so I can drain a tank, check for air leaks and rubbing hoses, brake adjustment, locked jaws on the 5th wheel and bent or loose floor joists so when I get a DOT I'll pass and the last 3 years I have passed every L-1-3 inspection I've had! That was $100 each time! Yep, a proper PTI put cash in the pocket and only cost me the 30 minutes for the inspection and not an OOS that would cost ME! I also carried everything you said you did as an O/O except fot the airlines for the trailer. They took up to much room over the 100' air line and the jumper cables and a few other needed truck relaited things such as that bis assed bottle jack, large ratchet and sockets for the lugnuts and other fun stuff to stay in operation and not have to throw MY hard earned money away! And for everyones information I always factor in on every load that 30 minutes for a roadside inspection! And to cut off this next statement YES some things will break before you hit the scales! Poopoo happens!

But as I said when a statement is made I'll jump on it the same as if I make a statement that makes me sound unsafe! I'll want someone to bring it to my attention! I've got the whiskers and experience to make the statements I do and I stand by them when I make them!

Now, if you can find any students from Alliance Tractor Trailer Driving School in McDonough GA back in 1996 ask them if I (yes I was a driving instructor for a while before the hair started to jump out of my scalp from getting the crud scared out of me) didn't make sure they knew how to do a proper PTI. And ask them how much farther than the school actually taught PTI I went! I'm a sticker for that PTI as it can count against you very seriously if you slack on something as simple as they are when the crapola hits the fan! There is that money thing again which will cost a ton more than that 15-30 minutes you "lost" doing that easy PTI!

I'll put it this way. If any of you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen! Don't make a statement then come back and try to justify it when called out about it!If you think a PTI is a waste of time as I said in my last post..GO BACK TO MICKEY D's! Yor are an accident waiting to happen or as Mustang put it a "terrorist!"

Now that I brought it out are there any students from Alliance who just might have that PTI card we gave you? If so, would you scan it and post it to your profile and then hit me with an Email or ask a Mod to let me know you posted it! I know Alliance closed but I heard they opened the NC school again but maybe you kept one and have it in your box of "weird and strange memories! collection!" It might bwe

Good Luck
Rollover

 

Fireguy! Been there seen that!
GATS several years ago. I think it was Goodyear had a set of tires on a display with a sign telling drivers to kick the tire and guess how much air pressure was in the tire and they could win a jacket, hat, TeeShirt Flashlight but the best prize was a really nice tire gauge if they guessed correctly.

No one won anything! The only thing kicking a tire does is tell you that there is SOME air in it! As an owner many years ago I found out that kicking a tire cost me a set until a buddy of mine told me that if I stuck all of the tires at least twice a week I'll get more life out of them. Well I started sticking them 3 times a week and yes it tool about 20 minutes to do all 18 but when I found out about those gator caps that was like finding out about sliced bread! I also got the 150,000+ miles out of the tires as advertised and never had a problem with the dealer on under inflated problems either! Then as a company driver I bought my own set for the tractor just for MY ease of keeping the proper pressure in them! Even kicking when making a "pee stop" is ok as it tells you it ain't flat! LOL but do stick them 3 times a week!

I'll let you know how I keep track of the pressures as I do the sticking while in the parking lot and not on the fuel island!
I saw many years ago how a DOT officer kept the record when he did the brake measurements and it's like this, draw a line on your pad from top to bottom then 1 line at the top for the steers then drop down a little and draw 2 more for the drives and then drop down again and draw 2 more for the trailer tandems. then when you start to check the pressure at the LF write the pressure down then do the next set of drivers and put the outside tires AP on the end of the line then the inside tire beside it. do this all the way around the truck and if there are low tires drive to the air pump and add the number of pounds of air each tire needs. Simple and you're saving money and time from a low tire over heating and blowing out costing you down time! Or bad wear from improper inflation which WILL cost you when it comes time for new tires!

Now a hint: If you have a tire that you keep noticing is low every time you check, then there is a problem with that tire! I hope you have a stem tool in your tool box (yes you company drivers need a small tool pack or box in that truck!) tighten the valve stem and the nut also. A spray bottle of soapy water is a good thing to have in that side box! It not only will help you find air leaks all over the truck it will also help to soften all those bugs on the windshield! But spray that tire and look for the bubbles! A tire that keeps going low will cost you if you don't find the problem! How many times do you look at what might be stuck in the threads? That means you need to bend over and look at the tire from above and behind and from between the front and rear tire on a set! Yes like I said in my last post it takes a minute or two BUT how long does a road service call take or having to wait to get in the shop? I'll take the minute or two over several hours on the side of the road any day! Unless it happens next to a full swimming pool filled with young bikini clad...oh get my brain out of that ditch! But you get my drift!

Good Luck
Rollover

 

I dont know why it posted the way it did! This on should be the edited copy!

Fireguy! Been there seen that!
GATS several years ago. I think it was Goodyear had a set of tires on a display with a sign telling drivers to kick the tire and guess how much air pressure was in the tire and they could win a jacket, hat, TeeShirt Flashlight but the best prize was a really nice tire gauge if they guessed correctly.

No one won anything! The only thing kicking a tire does is tell you that there is SOME air in it! As an owner many years ago I found out that kicking a tire cost me a set until a buddy of mine told me that if I stuck all of the tires at least twice a week I'll get more life out of them. Well I started sticking them 3 times a week and yes it tool about 20 minutes to do all 18 but when I found out about those gator caps that was like finding out about sliced bread! I also got the 150,000+ miles out of the tires as advertised and never had a problem with the dealer on under inflated problems either! Then as a company driver I bought my own set for the tractor just for MY ease of keeping the proper pressure in them! Even kicking when making a "pee stop" is ok as it tells you it ain't flat! LOL but do stick them 3 times a week!

I'll let you know how I keep track of the pressures as I do the sticking while in the parking lot and not on the fuel island!
I saw many years ago how a DOT officer kept the record when he did the brake measurements and it's like this, draw a line on your pad from top to bottom then 1 line at the top for the steers then drop down a little and draw 2 more for the drives and then drop down again and draw 2 more for the trailer tandems. then when you start to check the pressure at the LF write the pressure down then do the next set of drivers and put the outside tires AP on the end of the line then the inside tire beside it. do this all the way around the truck and if there are low tires drive to the air pump and add the number of pounds of air each tire needs. Simple and you're saving money and time from a low tire over heating and blowing out costing you down time! Or bad wear from improper inflation which WILL cost you when it comes time for new tires!

Now a hint: If you have a tire that you keep noticing is low every time you check, then there is a problem with that tire! I hope you have a stem tool in your tool box (yes you company drivers need a small tool pack or box in that truck!) tighten the valve stem and the nut also. A spray bottle of soapy water is a good thing to have in that side box! It not only will help you find air leaks all over the truck it will also help to soften all those bugs on the windshield! But spray that tire and look for the bubbles! A tire that keeps going low will cost you if you don't find the problem! How many times do you look at what might be stuck in the threads? That means you need to bend over and look at the tire from above and behind and from between the front and rear tire on a set! Yes like I said in my last post it takes a minute or two BUT how long does a road service call take or having to wait to get in the shop? I'll take the minute or two over several hours on the side of the road any day! Unless it happens next to a full swimming pool filled with young bikini clad...oh get my brain out of that ditch! But you get my drift!
And another bit of free words of wisdom: Yes, you're a company driver and it's not your truck and we've all heard THAT statement but the thing about doing a good tire check and PTI is, yes again, it's not your truck but that company can't pay you or the rest of you if ythey have to keep throwing money at something that you could have caught and had repaired! So instead of a raise the money got thrown towards something other than your wallet! I've seen drivers that didn't give a you know what let a good truck get negelcted and become a POS! Heck most of these tucks cost more than that house or trailer they live in!
Good Luck
Rollover

 

Ok ...... I'm not super trucker or Billy Bigrigger or anything else.

However, aside from driving experience I also have a whole whopping two years of experience as a trailer mechanic.

With a little bending and flexing and maybe an old jacket or pair of coveralls and a flashlight, you can see the following parts of the brake system; Shoes, return springs, pivot pins, drums, s-cams and bushings, slack adjusters, pushrods, air chambers and hoses and all associated fasteners.

I can also set the tractor brakes, release the trailer brakes and manually tug on the slack adjusters to get an idea of pushrod movement. I can set the trailer brakes and do the same to the tractor too.

So considering all that I'm wondering exactly what "internal parts" of the brake system the OP couldn't inspect? Also does a visual inspection just mean visual verification that thall the parts are indeed "there"? Or should one maybe go a bit further and try to verify that the parts are not only "there" but, actually connected to something in some way that makes them useful?

I'm not tryin' to start anything but..... when it's my rear end in the driver's seat, brakes are VERY important to me. Especially in a unit that is new to me - power or trailer.


............ Jim

 

So, has a newbie, I am wondering where do you draw the line between being a driver and being a mechanic because obviously you can't be both or else you would never get anywhere? At what point do you rely on your own judgement? No matter how thorough one does a PTI, surely there is always one more thing that could have been inspected.

 

Some great info coming out of this thread
Thank You
We ask you keep the some what un-friendly comments out of your post's
Its OK to disagree, but no direct insults please

 

The following is just my humble opinion and not meant in any way to harrass or criticize anybody.

To me the most important things in PTI are (in no particular order) brakes, suspension, steering, trailer connection and, in-cab controls. These (again to me) are the things that can cause a catastrophic failure in transit if in need of repair.

IMHO any driver should have enough mechanical understanding of these things to at least determine their functionality and safety. Notice that I said understanding not mechanical experience.

Should they be able to do repairs? I don't know. I can make a few small repairs to those things. My desire is not to be a mechanic, at this point it is to keep my tail out of the ditch. Everything else kinda takes a back seat to that in my personal philosophy.

But then again I have always taken an interest in CYA, maybe I'm the odd one in that I trust nothing mechanical or anyone's advice or opinion that I can't verify.

anyway..... that's my 2 cents, or JMHFUO.


............... Jim

 

I will agree that a good pti will save you headaches and heart ache but pulling a drain valve is asking for trouble ,they hardly ever seat right and then your stuck messing with it or replacing it. A creeper pti is dumb at best , if the company or you're self is not maintaining the equipment in a good manner you need to find another job, not spend your time repair junk they won't fix or they depend on the driver fixing. I'll fix anything BUT if I have to spend my time fixing it then you have to pay me. Will small stuff pop up sure but when carriers make it a habit to make drivers fix trailers I make it a habit to call road service , maybe it's me but I'll spend a little time getting my point across. I've owned a lot of trucks over the years and never asked anybody to repair them for free so why should ANY company?