Truck Driving Jobs

allan5oh · #1 12-03-2011, 08:29 PM

I currently have a load of 8"x22' plastic pipe on my trailer. 288 total pieces, 144 in the front and 144 in the rear. Because it's a step deck I have one bunk chained up. The load is secured 100%+ to the letter of the law. The problem is because the straps are longer on the back half of the front load, they flap. I should've put a twist in them, but I didn't think of it because I thought the straps would get tight enough. Because they flap, the load is pulling to that side. The load has shifted 8"+ at the top.

Oh and speaking of smoke tarps, this load requires it. Except you're not allowed to do it at the shipper. Oh and the pipe is completely covered in frost. If you've ever stepped on plastic pipe with frost, you'd know it's like a skating rink. Messaged dispatch "I'm absolutely not smoke tarping this unless you find me a fall safety system". They messaged back OK. Didn't hear back so off I went.

They wouldn't allow me to tie up the ends of the pipe either.

Maniac · #2 12-03-2011, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Oh and speaking of smoke tarps, this load requires it. Except you're not allowed to do it at the shipper. Oh and the pipe is completely covered in frost. If you've ever stepped on plastic pipe with frost, you'd know it's like a skating rink. Messaged dispatch "I'm absolutely not smoke tarping this unless you find me a fall safety system". They messaged back OK. Didn't hear back so off I went.

I have a 2 word answer I always give them for that.........can't write it here......sometimes I use the 3 words....."take it off"

RostyC · #3 12-03-2011, 10:53 PM

A picture would help. Is it two bundles, one in back one in front? or four bundles two in front two in back? is it bundled at all? can you use your 4x4's as leverage to move it back over maybe? or a ratchet strap to drag it back over? then put a twist in your straps.

I don't know the whole the situation but when they said to smoke tarp it but not on our property (they don't want the risk) I probably would have left and told them to shove it.
DEEP!!

GMAN · #4 12-04-2011, 12:38 AM

If you have hand ratchets with you see if you can wrap one around the bundle that has moved and pull it back into place. If you have dunnage underneath see if it is level all across the pipe. I had a bundle of wooden stakes to move off the top of the load once due to ths shipper not putting the dunnage all across the underneath of the load. I was not able to pull it over with my ratchets so I had to find a forklift the next morning to get it straight and put another piece of dunnage under it. Plastic pipe can settle. You should stop about every 50-100 miles for the first 200-250 miles and check the straps and tighten as needed. If you don't have a hand ratchet you might be able to use one on the side of your trailer to pull it back into place. Most places that I have picked up that require a smoke tarp will usually pull the tarp around the front for you. Some will actually secure the tarp, as well.

Windwalker · #5 12-04-2011, 01:16 AM

Something I learned from my older brother, early in my career (that would have been when he was my trainer). Take a good look at the load. "Murphy's Law" applies. If there is anything that cam wiggle, it can also move. He showed me how to keep longer straps that could be put completely around the load, and anchored on the same side of the trailer. Two straps, one anchored on each side tends to keep any load from shifting over. When I hauled the small PVC pipes that would have 6 or 8 bundles in front, and the same in back, I'd use that same thing on the middle bundles as well. Kept a long piece of "ready-rod" with a hook on the end, just to be able to pull the straps through. It's not in the DOT securement manual, but I never had any part of my load shift to the side. Generally, for PVC, a two-inch strap does the job. But, 40' straps aren't easy to find.

I've seen drivers have loads rejected because of the straps vibrating like guitar strings. They have a tendency to beat and wear the coatings off of the product, like the coating used for underground pipe.. A half-twist goes a long way in reducing that.

allan5oh · #6 12-04-2011, 03:19 AM

Each set has 144 individual pieces, that are wrapped 12 each. 3 high 4 wide. They put on the first 8 bundles (4 front 4 back) then I threw 4 total belly straps, then they loaded 8 more bundles on top of the first 8, then I threw 8 more straps. Most trucks leaving there only had 6 on top, which isn't legal (2 in the first 10 feet, 1 for next 10, and one more since they're 22 feet long).

I have a 40' and a 50' strap, that's what I used for the two rear straps that are at the back of the first set, since they need to be long to reach the winches. They're the ones that are flapping, because they're longer than the rest. I'm almost positive the flapping is what caused it to pull over. It's the whole thing that is leaning over, not individual bundles. There's not much I can do. It's only 90 miles to the drop so I'm not going to bother doing anything. It must deliver Monday morning and I couldn't reload it if I wanted to and still be on time. Plus the wind should be helping me this time since now I'm traveling west.