Pretrip mishap

It’s pretty easy to tell when a scrape is fresh, especially for a body shop mechanic. I would just take some good pictures and send them to your shop and just tell the truth.

 

Quit the company. Any company that fires you for reporting damage on a drop and hook trailer isn't worth working for.

 

Or you could say something like, “I picked up this trailer yesterday and noticed this damage. I’m sure the last driver already reported it but just thought i would make sure you know about it before I drop it somewhere.”

 

That sounds like an overreaction... lol. I think the OP meant they fire drivers for causing the damage, as they should.

 

Fair point.

 

Well, I don't think it's a pretrip snafu, heck, my pretrip sometimes consisted of kicking the tires, no air leaks, gotta go. Everybody ( but me) has a camera phone, take a pic when you hooked up, pics don't lie. The gouge will probably leak air out or in, so if you have the means, maybe temp fix ( Phil Swift Flex Seal) but don't let them accuse you of anything. Stuff happens.

 

OP, I'm going to pick on you a bit. After reading your comment I have a question. Why is the next driver's word more important than yours? You discovered this gash, so if the next driver discovers the same gash seems to me that driver will be in the same position you are in now.

I'm not an advocate of hiding things. I do think you should note it and report it. JUST like the next driver would! Right?

 

When I yanked reefers I tried to keep three kinds of tape with me. A roll of regular duct tape, a roll of good electrical tape and a roll of this---


It's not cheap, but most company body shops hate to see anything but this on a trailer. I always was able to get a roll from a body shop.

 

Don’t say anything and if anyone brings it up, deny, deny, deny...

“Didn’t do it!”

Love,

The Shawshank Redemption Boys