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SAIA | Airlines and Electrical cord

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evenkeel

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Am I wrong, or is it illegal to have airlines or electrical cord touching the catwalk....fuel tank .....etc. The reason I ask is , I was assigned a truck and the airlines would clear nicely, but the electrical cord was one of those heavy green ones and it connected real low on the cab and therefore, once connected to the trailer it layed on the fuel tank/catwalk. I found one of the 3 way connection things in the drivers door so I at least hooked up the electrical cord and hung it on the sliding spring bar. 2 days later I was assigned the same truck and the linehaul driver had dismantled everything I did and the electrical line was back to laying on the fuel tank and catwalk with the possibility of snagging. To me this is the height of stupidity....what do you think?
 
This is a recordable DOT violation. The electric cord needs to be suspended in mid air. Think about it: there is usually fuel or fuel residue on the outside of the tank. An electric cord could have the insulation wear through and expose those wires. If it is touching the catwalk, fuel tank, or any other metallic surface it could arc and cause a fire. You'd never get through a scale or inspection if your cord isn't suspended. They won't let you leave. True story- happened to me. I always carry a spare bungee with my personal kit for this reason
 
Thank you for your response, I was sure this was the case, and I look forward to the confrontation with the linehaul driver that complains to me for rigging it back up everytime they put me out in the city in that truck, or any other truck with that problem.
 
Just remember that you have the regulations on your side, an that the safety department will be in your corner. It's possible that the linehaul person doesn't have any scales to worry about. But that doesn't make it right.
 
When air lines or electrical/light cords are touching anything it is called chafing. This is a DOT catch all. Had a mechanic buddy of mine join the State DOT police. During training, they went to a new truck dealership and found violations on brand new trucks on the dealer lot. Every truck they looked at had a dozen chafing violations. Imagine what your truck with 300,000 (or more) miles on it has..... DOT man spends an hour and a half doing a level one inspection, and finds no real violations. He has to show something for his time. That air line touches the catwalk, and has a clean sopt where the dirt is rubbed off it, it is chafed..... VIOLATION. Your CSA score......
 
Get your shop or Ryder to attach a spring airline holder/ power cord holder on back of the cab , some drivers don't like them because they hit the back of cab at times.
Trick:
Carry a handful of plastic seals with you in the door pocket
( good for power cords/ airlines on back of cab and on trailer tandems airlines when they are hanging down)
 
I hate it when ppl twist the lines to together but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do I carry a few bungee cords

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
If I'm not mistaken, twisting everything together is also a DOT violation. Both air lines, and the electrical cord need to be suspended independently.
 
Snark Monkey said:
Next time just twist the power cord in with the airlines and they should hold the power cord off the deck.
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SM you know better than that.....I can't stand it when drivers do that............Just call me anal.............I like things tidy and grease free.
 
How do you find a dolly to use? I used one Friday night and my shirt stuck to one of the airlines when I was hooking up.:censored2:
 
Nothing can touch an air line. They must be separated so they don't touch anything or anything touches them. DOT would consider that a chafing violation.
 
runawaytrain said:
SM you know better than that.....I can't stand it when drivers do that............Just call me anal.............I like things tidy and grease free.
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Keeps you moving if dot puts you out of service instead of waiting for a vendor, worry about it when you get back....
 
The plastic Airlines need to be off the deck and unencumbered in their movement whereas the rubber lines can be can be laid across if I remember correctly - as far as the electrical cord I cannot say with any degree of certainty either way... I will say that in the 3 axle that I used to drive who is on the deck & I got inspected in that truck on a fairly regular basis without any issues.

That said the ONLY time I have ever seen this become an issue is when a driver is assigned to a truck he does not want to drive, so yeah....
 
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