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TForce | Backing trailer with Dolly, WHY?

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Nitetrain

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I've observed a new trend in the yard lately, Drivers backing trailers with Dollies on back. This has also caused an increase in Dollies being damaged.I have actually seen a driver drop his dolly off the back of his tractor, grab the lead trailer, hook the dolly to it and spend unknown amounts of time and effort backing to his rear box. And on a few occasions have seen same driver take dolly over to shop for cut air lines or bent releases, and even seen them go ALL THE WAY under trailers that where dropped too high! Ya Know,:duh: if your a Super trucker and can perform Roadeo tricks, I say go for it, but for you novices, learn a new trade, or do it right!
 
I must be a super trucker..:biglaugh: :smilie_132: I do it all the time. I drop the tail and go hunting for the new tail and spot the (dolly) But I understand what you are saying. That is a real super trucker. One who gets to a term and drops his tail and goes hunting his new tail and spot his dolly then drops his lead and then gets the new lead.... Then you hook the mess up and ROLL ON..............:smilie_132:
 
NITETRAIN said:
I've observed a new trend in the yard lately, Drivers backing trailers with Dollies on back. This has also caused an increase in Dollies being damaged.I have actually seen a driver drop his dolly off the back of his tractor, grab the lead trailer, hook the dolly to it and spend unknown amounts of time and effort backing to his rear box. And on a few occasions have seen same driver take dolly over to shop for cut air lines or bent releases, and even seen them go ALL THE WAY under trailers that where dropped too high! Ya Know,:duh: if your a Super trucker and can perform Roadeo tricks, I say go for it, but for you novices, learn a new trade, or do it right!
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When the yard is a sheet of ice, it is a lot easier and safer for thr driver to back the dolly with trailer than to try to pick it up and down two or three times with your footing being non-existent and you cant move the dolly one way or another without your feet trying to come out from under you.
 
Boys,
The bottom line is let the equipment do the work and save your back and shoulders as much as possible, watch your mirrors and dont let the dolly get out of line.

We are not getting any younger ya know, so take care of yourself!
Its the only body youv'e got!:1036316054:
 
How do you charge for a hook when jacknifing a third box into a set,since there is no provision for this exotic manoeuver?
 
well everybody has to learn how to do it.... give these guys a chance, but i understand they are damaging equipment....

....the way i learned how to do it was when putting away my dolly... i'd try to put it in the furthest space and manuever it etcc etc..

it's not so hard at all, but i dont know ppl who off the bat knew how to do it.... it's not a requirement and i believe it's not even policy (unsafe).... the newbs need to learn but maybe you guys need to give them some pointers
 
YellowColoredTrucks said:
well everybody has to learn how to do it.... give these guys a chance, but i understand they are damaging equipment....

....the way i learned how to do it was when putting away my dolly... i'd try to put it in the furthest space and manuever it etcc etc..

it's not so hard at all, but i dont know ppl who off the bat knew how to do it.... it's not a requirement and i believe it's not even policy (unsafe).... the newbs need to learn but maybe you guys need to give them some pointers
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Those were my thoughts also.
If you see someone struggling, offer assistance to them.
The only way to learn is to practice, but if no one gives them any advice...they may never get it.
You should really only practice when a terminal isn't busy, or where there is plenty of room for everyone to get around you.

Turn the wheel the same way you want the dolly to go, and counter steer so that your lead isn't too far out of whack.
When you loose sight of the dolly, STOP..because this is usually when the damage occurs.
 
Bottom line is this, Company policy is to spot the dolly with a tractor only. Pushing the dolly in place or spotting the dolly with the trailer you take the chance of injury or damage to equipment. In this case the company could write you up or discharge. You take the chance. Im not saying I have not done this in certain cases, but as a rule I let the tractor do the work. As far as spotting the dolly with the trailer, I have seen more cut lines and and pinched frames on dolly's than I care to see. Especially after spotting and hooking my dolly only to find a pinched (cut) air line. With no shop and no mechanic, lets do it all over again! Bummer!!!
 
BusterNite said:
Bottom line is this, Company policy is to spot the dolly with a tractor only. Pushing the dolly in place or spotting the dolly with the trailer you take the chance of injury or damage to equipment. In this case the company could write you up or discharge. You take the chance. Im not saying I have not done this in certain cases, but as a rule I let the tractor do the work. As far as spotting the dolly with the trailer, I have seen more cut lines and and pinched frames on dolly's than I care to see. Especially after spotting and hooking my dolly only to find a pinched (cut) air line. With no shop and no mechanic, lets do it all over again! Bummer!!!
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I never heard that it was company policy...but then again there are so many unwritten rules and terminal by terminal rules that you never really know what is right or wrong.
 
Did not know there is a policy required for damaging equipment. Look if you can not back a gear up and you go as far as jackknifing against trailer well you deserve a write up.
 
Long days said:
How do you charge for a hook when jacknifing a third box into a set,since there is no provision for this exotic manoeuver?
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.6 is what I would charge unless someone has set you up to back up the set into third trl second dollie which will be a .2 that's for us old timers to do without company policy and damage
 
NITETRAIN said:
I've observed a new trend in the yard lately, Drivers backing trailers with Dollies on back. This has also caused an increase in Dollies being damaged.I have actually seen a driver drop his dolly off the back of his tractor, grab the lead trailer, hook the dolly to it and spend unknown amounts of time and effort backing to his rear box. And on a few occasions have seen same driver take dolly over to shop for cut air lines or bent releases, and even seen them go ALL THE WAY under trailers that where dropped too high! Ya Know,:duh: if your a Super trucker and can perform Roadeo tricks, I say go for it, but for you novices, learn a new trade, or do it right!
Click to expand...

Were you trained to back a dollie that was hook to lead.......NO
Were you told that you would have to learn and practice this manuver......NO
Is it required that you preform this manuver by managemtn or supervision.....NO
Does it make you a hero or a super kool trucker.....NO
Does it get you extra pay.......NO

Why do it?










I do it to show off........:TR10driving03:



Can we talk about something else now like alley docking a set
 
I worked for a ltl company that assigned me a truck that did not have a pintle hook. I had no choice but to learn to back the dolly behind the front box, and I have gotten good at it, like most drivers that I've seen do it.

Penske Sleepers don't have pintle hooks on them and I drove one for over 6 months with UPS Freight. Chasing down a yard goat let alone asking him to spot a gear, is most of the time out of the question.

Oh, btw, I did damage a trlr glad hand when I first started learning and that was because I hooked the air lines up before I backed up the gear and Let it get away from me. Haven't damaged anything since.
 
Teamster251 said:
Were you trained to back a dollie that was hook to lead.......NO
Were you told that you would have to learn and practice this manuver......NO
Is it required that you preform this manuver by managemtn or supervision.....NO
Does it make you a hero or a super kool trucker.....NO
Does it get you extra pay.......NO

Why do it?










I do it to show off........:TR10driving03:



Can we talk about something else now like alley docking a set
Click to expand...
It just saves one/two necessary step ; plus you don`t have to turn the key off and un- buckle the seat belt one more time. Not to mention the wear & tear on body parts & it will allow you to drink coffee whilst hooking the two units whilst in the cab during rain & snow storms & thinking about which way to turn the wheel to make the gear go thisaway or thataway (with mirrors)...One time it was the only way to hook a box that was on ice: With the extra lengh acquired by the lead box ,I was able to reach the back box without getting stuck..Saved UPSF $300.00 or so plus down time......... BUT............ tearing up equipment should be avoided at all times , of course......................
 
Teamster251 said:
Were you trained to back a dollie that was hook to lead.......NO
Were you told that you would have to learn and practice this manuver......NO
Is it required that you preform this manuver by managemtn or supervision.....NO
Does it make you a hero or a super kool trucker.....NO
Does it get you extra pay.......NO

Why do it?










I do it to show off........:TR10driving03:



Can we talk about something else now like alley docking a set
Click to expand...

Or Serpentine back a set of triples.:hysterical:
 
saddletramp said:
Boys,
The bottom line is let the equipment do the work and save your back and shoulders as much as possible, watch your mirrors and dont let the dolly get out of line.

We are not getting any younger ya know, so take care of yourself!
Its the only body youv'e got!:1036316054:
Click to expand...

And when you weigh a buck and a half.....The dolly always had the advantage...Spent 10 months off due to messing with a dolly.....Wont do it again....
 
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