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ODFL | Hooking sets backwards....question

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freightman68

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I have a friend who works for another LTL. He has a route that has a full trailer drop trailer and usually a peddle. Every now and then they will give him a liftgate as his peddle and it has no pintle hook so it has to be the rear. The drop customer is in a different town then the town he peddles and it's about 20 miles up the interstate and it passes a scale. Usually he makes his drop, hooks back to his peddle and drags an empty to the next town. Obviously since the liftate makes this impossible his dispatch pressures him to hook an empty as his lead and the liftgate as his rear and today it had about 5 thousand in it. Most drivers at this company just do it so far everyone has gotten away with it. Here's the question, is it an actual law to have the heavy in the front??? and if so can someone post a link so I can share it with him?? Thank you.
 
freightman68 said:
I have a friend who works for another LTL. He has a route that has a full trailer drop trailer and usually a peddle. Every now and then they will give him a liftgate as his peddle and it has no pintle hook so it has to be the rear. The drop customer is in a different town then the town he peddles and it's about 20 miles up the interstate and it passes a scale. Usually he makes his drop, hooks back to his peddle and drags an empty to the next town. Obviously since the liftate makes this impossible his dispatch pressures him to hook an empty as his lead and the liftgate as his rear and today it had about 5 thousand in it. Most drivers at this company just do it so far everyone has gotten away with it. Here's the question, is it an actual law to have the heavy in the front??? and if so can someone post a link so I can share it with him?? Thank you.
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Yes it's law in most states. However, on sets, most allow 2000 lb of difference. He should email the dot in his state and ask the question. Print off the response and if they allow reverse hooking, keep a copy with him in case he gets pulled in at the scale.
 
I was in South Plainsfield, NJ years ago and went to leave on the weekend when there a security guard checking me out. I didnt have a seal on the front that I had called central about. So the guard thought it was an empty and asked me about it. He said I wouldnt believe the amount of local hourly drivers jumping between trailers trying to pull freight behind empties to save time. Crazy.
 
We had a fella get a company ticket (weight was far in excess of manifest) & DOT had him switch the heavy lead to the tail & continue. I can't come to terms with a set limit on front/back weight difference. A percentage would be more sensible. An 18 in front of a 21 seems better than a 3 ahead of a 6. Just an opinion.
 
Here in CO it is only a law when it comes to LCVs, triples or rockies. With regular double pups every CDL study guide that I was able to find from every state states that the heavier trailer SHOULD be your lead to make it easier to handle. I am not aware of any law stating that you must hook them that way so I guess do what you are comfortable with.
 
Why hook in reverse? Aren't you paid by the hour when dropping/hooking? Besides it only takes a little bit to rehook plus money.
 
ConwayDSR said:
Why hook in reverse? Aren't you paid by the hour when dropping/hooking? Besides it only takes a little bit to rehook plus money.
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No, flat rate for hook/drop, and its low enough to where doing the extra work for extra money isn't worth it. I've hooked pups in reverse before, where my front box was 3000 lbs lighter but it was all liquid filled totes. Besides, the original poster also mentioned liftgate trailers. Those you are hooking as your back box no matter what.
 
No way I'm hooking a set backwards, momma taught me that if you flirt with disaster then eventually she will ask you out on a date. We get paid way more than enough on the whole despite the flat drop/hook rate to do the job the right way. Besides, if I have to double drop and move equipment around to do it right they get charged for the extra equipment touches.
 
I think there is a weight threshold for all of us. Bottom line is if you don't feel comfortable doing it...don't!! To the original premise of the post, it's not hard to find out the regulations for the county/city your hauling thru. Last thing you want to do is ask a truck driver!!
 
Big Dave said:
I heard BillyLo can pull a RMD backwards....
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You're very well right my man, I probably could. But I know better not to do it. The only thing close to an RMD I've pulled is when we bought out that POS company Priority with all their worthless drivers. I had to run a few trips on the big highway with a 35' curtain van and a pup to help the Northwest keep promises.

It didn't last long until we got rid of all their junk. I couldn't believe people were working for a such a bottom feeder outfit. Their junk trucks were beyond CF era and were so rusted away from all the tears those baby Priority drivers would cry over having to work.
 
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