Newbies, do yourself a favor

Believe it or not CRST doesnt have sliding fifth wheels on truck and a lot of their trailers (ones in cali) had the trailer tandems welded at the 40 ft mark. I drove for them a few yrs back with my wife and couldnt believe this. It wasnt that the tandems were froze (like being welded), they were actually welded by some tard farmer

 

I'm still not sure which way to move the tandems when I need to I just guess and hope I'm right. Lol

 

I was never shown how to slide tandems with my trainer, well, just cause we have all spread axle flatbeds. He did explain how to have it loaded and how to slide the 5th wheel.

 

I'm a newbie but #### I at least know how to scale my load. Either his company had bad handbook explaining things, or his school, or both who knows. I asked my trainer everything from dumb questions and good questions because I knew my butt would be solo by myself doing my thing not someone else telling me what to do. I still have questions but have people to reach out to, I just take it seriously others that dont know their sh$t ask somebody at a truck stop lol i dont know.....I've had stubborn trailers too, #### rusted tandems

 

add weight to trailer = move trailer axles forward

add weight to drives = move trailer axles backward

add weight to steers = move fifth wheel forward

you're welcome

 

The school I attended showed us how to slide both the 5th wheel and the tandems. If you think that's bad I've run across a few new drivers at shippers that didn't even know how to couple/uncouple a trailer.

 

or how to turn a reefer off

 

Thanks man for the info you figure 15 years and I would know that by now

 

Its bad training and bad trainers a like. There are bad trainers not doing their job and bad training that has been going on for a long time. I was in Reno a week or two ago and was in the shop at petro and came across a trainee that was lacking some confidence when backing. My wife and I both talked to him giving some pointers (telling him to buy a toy truck and practice with that to get the idea and to also practice backing when possible. His trainer walked up and you could just tell he was a goof and was probably new himself as he didnt have much to say. Of course I could be wrong as I have come across trainers with at least 5 yrs exp that didnt know how to chain up or drive in the snow (barefoot or chained) I guess this is why some companies dont want them to drive in it. Trainers for the most part, are a joke

 

When I taught part time at a CDL mill, one of my jobs was to come in on weekends and help students who were just about to take their CDL test on Monday. I would ask these students about the things their instructors had taught them. Not one ever knew how to couple or uncouple a trailer. Its already hooked up for them. Now I know most of these people would go on to work for a company that would give them a trainer...But come on! How can you not teach these newbies the very basics?

Even though it didnt help them with their CDL test, I would always teach them how to couple and uncouple a trailer...Plus show them how to slide the tandems and the 5th wheel.

These people pay good money for these schools and leave with nothing but a piece of plastic in their wallet.