Thoughts on yard dogs?

I did it for a reefer company for awhile, you become very good at backing. The weather was the worst part as the trailers gotta be moved no matter how nasty it was outside.

 

that’s how I started, . In a couple of years, you’re a pro. Every truck driver should have 2 years in the yard. Before heading over the road.

 

They tend to bark a lot and keep the neighbours up till all hours of the morning opps your talking about a different kind of dog aren't you?

 

I did it as part of what I had to do to get hired at my current job for...two months?

It was invaluable, as it taught me all of the yard etiquette. But there's no way I could do it permanently.

 

I did it for about 4 months, mainly to show steady income qualifying for a mortgage. It was at a Local Ford plant. They had been through a few Drivers. First month, I was employee of the month, the next month, Ford Supervisor was trying to get me fired. He chewed me out and I cussed him back. The workers couldn’t believe it. They were spineless, Lol. I explained I can get another Job, the same day, unlike them. I hated being stuck at one place 10-12 hrs a day. Immediately after closing my mortgage, I called my Company and quit and was working another Job making better pay, all in the same day. Just like I’d told them. It was a good day.

 

I almost took a yard dog job last year, but I like driving and have a pretty low boredom threshold, and I doubt that I could do it for very long.

 

I'm curious, is a CDL required for a Yard Dog position?

 

If the Shunt truck is plated you need your cdl once you drive on a main road. Some companies have non plated trucks that don't leave their yards and I've seen trainers train non cdl drivers on them however, that's before they obtain their cdl so no company will hired a driver without their cdl to shunt. Alot of companies have both for training and also for those shuttling trailers from local cloae distance yards.

Whiles being a Yard Dog its good backing up practice and teaches most how to manoeuvre trailers into tight spots. However of course with a super short wheel base (because of the single axle) oppose to a stretched out bunk truck (230 plus) the cutting radius is a whole other difference. Shunting is good for newbies who just obtained their cdl and for those who had enough of the road/highway four wheelers cutting/brake checking etc. At our company its a senior position most take before they retired.

 

Yes and no. If you drive a yard dog 100% on private property, well it's private property. The gotcha comes in when the tractor needs fuel and/or maintenance. Not many companies will want to pay for a service to come out and fuel the tractor.