Howdy Folks.
I've been out of a truck for 9 years now. Prior to that, I drove 12 years OTR. I've been driving a city bus since 2013. It's easy work and I have enough seniority to get weekends off and just about any route I want to bid on. I'm at top scale, just shy of $26.00 dollars an hour. Trouble is, after deductions, taxes and whatnot, I'm bringing home 1300 bucks every two weeks and with the cost of everything rising by the minute, I just can't live on it without doing some gig work.
Anyways, I've been talking with a company that pulls Fed Ex freight in two 28 foot pup trailers. They want me to do a two-week refresher and are offering almost double what I am making now. I've told them that I will probably do it but not until spring. I have the doubles and triples endorsement. But never pulled them before.
My question is, how hard or easy are they to pull? I know you can't back them up, but I mean, just regular, everyday driving. How are they? Do you set up for your turns the same, are they easy to get around obstacles? I've pulled 48- 53-foot reefers for years and 28-foot pup singles when I drove local but never a set of doubles. Am I thinking too much about it or is it pretty easy to get used to?
Pulling Doubles, are they as intimidating as I'm thinking?
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Kennyworth67, Dec 8, 2022.
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dptrucker and LtlAnonymous Thank this.
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Good idea to wait until spring to start. Doubles pull easier than you think. Just make sure the heavy trailer is in front, and the dolly axle is lighter than the rear axle of the front trailer. You need to be alert of the idea that small steering moves can be increased to a crack the whip effect for the rear trailer. Going around corners is easier for a set of doubles as it just follows like a snake. You will most likely have a twin screw tractor that is heavier than most trailers. Learn how to fix air leaks and change glad hand seals. After hooking a set, do 1 more walk around to double check everything. Extra light cord is a good idea also.
Dave_in_AZ, ducnut, tscottme and 5 others Thank this. -
They're actually in my opinion much easier to pull than a long box...with the exception that you have to be MUCH more careful with them, because backing up a set of doubles is somewhere between difficult and impossible without a lot of practice.
gentleroger, Bean Jr., tscottme and 2 others Thank this. -
$650/week….?
Opus and LtlAnonymous Thank this. -
Watch out they don't try any pay you as 1099 independent contractor. Some companies will sound great because of better pay but it's 1099 and not w2. So you have to pay all the taxes plus health insurance and stuff
gentleroger, tscottme, Kennyworth67 and 1 other person Thank this. -
For years I pulled a pup tanker behind a straight truck tanker. Much, much easier than a traditional ‘transport’(imho).
tscottme, Kennyworth67 and LtlAnonymous Thank this. -
The contractors are required to pay their employees on a w2. It’s in their contract with FedEx Ground.
gentleroger, Bean Jr., tscottme and 2 others Thank this. -
Long FLD Thanks this.
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