+2. It takes 2 minutes to make sure the trailer is at the correct height to hook on to it and to make sure the kingpin is locked securely. If you cant take the time to do that your schedule is too tight.

i don't think its corny.. thats my method of doing it!! i said to the supertruckers or guys who think they don't need to do it..

Just listen for a click ,and put in 1st or LO and tug...HARD...When I dolly up I just look to at the fifth I never crawl under the trailer to look at the locking jaw ,But sometimes the jaw looks locked ,but is not ,So tugging a couple times b4 hitting the road is actually a better test .

His "honesty" was predicated on the presence of witnesses and not that he is necessarily honest. Like a TV preacher . .

I run semi occasionally, not every day like most of you on here, but we have lowboys, dump trailers, and a couple of flats and dry vans.

Frequently I switch trailers in the yard, and in order to avoid the "high hook syndrome", I back the tractor under the trailer just far enough so that the 5th wheel is about 1/2 way under the trailer (making sure that the king pin is centered), then I get out and crank up the landing gear slightly until the trailer is resting on the 5th wheel.

After doing that, I get back in the tractor and back the rest of the way under until I hear and feel the jaws lock, knowing that the trailer is resting securely on the 5th wheel.

Once it's hooked, I put the tractor in low gear and give the trailer a tug or 2, just to be sure that it's hooked.

Then I crank up the landing gear the rest of the way and hook up the lines.

Note: If you're hooking to an OLD trailer without spring brakes, you should back 1/2 way under, then connect the air lines, charge the trailer air system and set the trailer brakes with the hand valve before backing the rest of the way under and performing the tug test.

i run on the 48 state anheuser busch dedicated account for Werner, and about 90% of the time, the trailer is higher than the 5th wheel, si I have to get out there and crank it down a few inches, and i always get under the trl after i hook up, and check the lockjaws with a flashlight. I bet dropping a trailer loaded with 45K of beer isnt fun, especially trying to jack it back up.

Key in this is :take your time.I have witnessed when i started with swift in my training someone dropping a reefer because they didn't check it right and when they pulled out the rest was history.Right now, with my own equipment, i only once didn't caught right and when i pulled out a heard a big bang and suddenly hit the brakes cause i knew what i was.The loaded trailer stopped on the truck frame and i was able to recover it.It scared the s$%t out of me, that every time i hook it i check it good.No matter what's going on,how in a hurry i'm i make sure the 5th wheel is loked onto the kind pin.

BTW: why did u report it when there wasn't any damage to it??I understand being honest,but for some companies you are only just a number and you could have protected your job.Best of luck though.

When backing up to hook a trailer, have your utility light on and your mirrors lowered so that you can see your drives. When the rear drives are under the front of the trailer, measure the heighth visually. If they are more than 4 inches lower than the front of the trailer, get out and look! You will probably need to lower the trailer to avoid an "overhook." If they won't even CLEAR the trailer, you may get stuck (especially on ice.) (You can lower your suspension.... but NOT your tires.)

Once you have assured yourself that the platform will make a good seal with the fifth wheel, and you are lined up properly, back up until you hear a click, or bang the heck out of it. Then do the REQUIRED tug test. If it feels "hooked," get out and LOOK! Take your flashlight, and crawl your overpaid azz under the trailer and check the jaws! Do this BEFORE dollying up, OR hooking up airlines.

There is absolutely NO EXCUSE for dropping a trailer, and very little one for "high hooking." Don't be lazy! Do the job!

But, never EVER report a problem that you can fix!! Especially, if you work for a MEGA carrier!

You should never cut your required break short to make a pickup or delivery on time. But, if you DO.... NEVER log it that way! Make sure your log is LEGAL!

You mentioned a 7 hour break. Why couldn't you show 8 hours in the sleeper, then hook your load and pull off the lot and take a 2 hour nap? It's called "split logging" and it IS legal! If the shipper didn't show on your manifest what time you loaded, you could even take a 3 hour nap, log 1 in the sleeper BEFORE loading, and 2 AFTER. If they DO show the time.... compress your driving time and show you got there earlier (if it doesn't imply speeding) and STILL show an 8 hour S/B break!

You made A LOT of mistakes here, McTurbo.... and it cost you your job. The first was NOT reading CAD for a year before you started.... or NOT learning from what you read.

The second was probably working for a Mega.

Third, was thinking that your dispatcher NEEDED to know everything you did every day.

4th, was taking shortcuts on one of the MOST important aspects of your job..... hooking the trailer securely.

5th, was admitting it here on CAD! :lol:

I'm not trying to bust your chops. You admitted your errors, but apparently it was too late! I'm just trying to codify it for all the other newbies here.

I don't think it is the END of your career. Keep the faith, and I hope others will have helpful answers as to what you should do next. I don't have their experience in that regard, because I don't make foolish mistakes to begin with! ;)

BTW, I'm not a "supertrucker." I just READ the instructions in the CDL manual and paid attention in school. If I thought I was not at fault and had been treated badly by a dispatcher, I would have gone over their head, too! But, if i had MADE a mistake, I would sit down with my safety manager at the first opportunity (or called them) and shown some humility and made them feel they were earning their pay.

Furthermore, I spent my first 3 years with a "bottom feeder" company. They even hired a former "Swifty" who was blind and rolled his truck! And during that time I made more money, had more freedom, and less interference than MANY I've heard tales from here who worked for any of the MEGA's!

I don't know all the ins and outs here, but if Roehl says you were fired for policy violations, I HOPE you are not listing an incident on your applications. Check your DAC and see what they said. You can add a rebuttal account.

Best of luck to ya. Keep reading CAD, and keep trying! There IS a truck out there with your name on it!

Hobo

Why does this sound familiar?
Oh, yeah. They teach it in TRUCK DRIVING SCHOOL.
You can take 1 extra minute to do it the correct and safe way or you can drop a trailer and possibly cause an accident and have to go back to cooking those little hamburgers at the fast food place.

they call it a jerk test for a reason, being you're a jerk if you rely on it. try it while your back tandems are on a little bit of ice when you're distracted (which we all can be at times) and see how far you get.

i had someone pull my pin years ago at a truckstop in nashville, and ever since i have to check the pin before i get in the cab. :o