Trailer cross member question

What would you do if you were the boss? and a new driver did this to your trailer and said "I did what I did and I insist on paying for the damage that I caused or pay the $1000-$2000 Detectable Just take it out of my pay a little bit out a time & I am sorry for what happened Here".

 

A single tear in one crossmember you will be okay. A trailer's framing is dependant of each other as far as strength but one crossmember is attached to the floor system in several spots and the surrounding framing should take up the slack. Three or more damaged crossmembers in one area I would be concerned with a load.

About the only danger the floor might be a little weaker in that spot for a forklift. He might poke a hole but he won't fall through.

Then you have to consider load integrity if you actually ripped a hole in a floor. That's not good for food grade items and a possible reason for load refusal by an USDA inspector or customer if they saw it. I once went to pick up a meat load and the trailer had three damaged crossmembers almost touching the ground and a big hole in the floor. I couldn't believe they loaded that trailer. I refused to haul it and made them put it on another trailer. They were mad as heck but I believe I made the right decision. I went to that place the next week and that trailer was in the back lot flagged OoS.

Another consideration is can anything fall off going down the highway. If you damaged another vehicle they would hit the lottery at your expense.

You can GOAL more than once. Never second guess maneuvers. I think I can, I think I can doesn't get it unless you are a train.