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It's a funny thing ,they tell you in training not to manuever the jiff by the eye, but usually that's the first thing everyone does.I know I've had some close one's.....
 
Skidmark said:
It's a funny thing ,they tell you in training not to manuever the jiff by the eye, but usually that's the first thing everyone does.I know I've had some close one's.....
Click to expand...

In my case, the pintle hook wouldnt 'stay' open, I was trying to hold it open, while guiding the jiff into it.... didnt work.:17:
 
I was told that pulling the doubles would be the hardest to get used to. I think building and breaking the sets will be the part that I'll never get used to...lol. I guess that's the part you label J.O.B. The rest seems like it will just take a little time to learn, then it should be ok.

Just for kicks, what is the standard procedure for breaking/building a set?

My guess:
break set
1. drop the rear trailer.

2. pull jiff out of the way (somewhere?), then drop (unhitch) from the front trailer.

3. drop front trailer at the dock.

4. hook and drop rear trailer at the dock.

build set
I better not attempt this. I don't want to confuse another new guy. Can someone finish off the "build set" for me and correct anything in the "break set" ?

Thanks, Arky
 
Arky said:
I was told that pulling the doubles would be the hardest to get used to. I think building and breaking the sets will be the part that I'll never get used to...lol. I guess that's the part you label J.O.B. The rest seems like it will just take a little time to learn, then it should be ok.

Just for kicks, what is the standard procedure for breaking/building a set?

My guess:
break set
1. drop the rear trailer.

2. pull jiff out of the way (somewhere?), then drop (unhitch) from the front trailer.

3. drop front trailer at the dock.

4. hook and drop rear trailer at the dock.

build set
I better not attempt this. I don't want to confuse another new guy. Can someone finish off the "build set" for me and correct anything in the "break set" ?

Thanks, Arky
Click to expand...

Build set:

Hook to lightest trailer (rear box), and take to a place large enough to build the set, drop it there

Go hook your jiff, and place it in front of the rear box

Hook front box, back up to the jiff (some will 'back by braile' till they JUST touch the jiff, then roll foward a few inches)

Get out, hook jiff to rear of front trailer. Make SURE the pintle hook latch is down and locked

Get back in, back up till you hook, give a good tug...

Get back out, hook up your air lines and electrical line, open the air valves on the rear of the front box close the valve on the jiff (if equipped), crank up your gear...

Hit the road and make money.

Oh, and dont forget to set your tractor brakes every time you get out of the cab.

Overall.. I like doubles a lot more than pulling a long box.


Takes me less than 5 mins start to finish when I can build them at the door.
 
Thanks again FkyByWire for a great explanation!

I'm guessing that maneuvering a jiff with the truck is pretty tricky?

I'm glad I didn't attempt the "build set", I started to and realized there had to be some serious flaws in my thinking...lol.

Ok, I'm out of here for a while. Be safe out there and have some fun!

Arky
 
motel

FlyByWire said:
I think he's talking about running 'wild'. We call running terminal to terminal and being away from your home terminal for a few days at a time, 'wild'

1. Yes, although I have talked to wild drivers who, at when they were at my terminal, we on their 20th day out (by the drivers choice). OD is good at getting you home when you want.

2.Yes, all drivers except teams, sleep in hotels... some are great, some are horrible (VEGAS!!!... ew!)

3. Yes, thats all we do.

4. Yes, they usualy keep you in your own 'reigon'... But I see drivers from MRT in PHX all the time.

It may be hard to get hired right into a line or wild run however.
Click to expand...
The vgs term has a new motel...Baymont.
 
Wait time.

I have another question :)...if you can imagine that!! lol

What about wait time. I'm guessing that as a wild driver, all of your runs are not straight through for 10 hours. Do you wind up waiting for a trailer very much? Or is it the dark lots (at 3.a.m.) that you have to worry about the most?...lol.

Thanks, Arky
 
Get a routine down and always try to hook or break in same order and after a time being you pretty much can do it in a reasonable amount of time. I always talked to myself pointing to everything afterwords starting from the rear working forward assuring everything was properly done.. After reaching back to the truck felt sure everything was in order.

My number #1 rule in hooking a set ... Make sure you have the right trailers !!!! Never pulled the wrong one but one time in STL I had to pull out and shut the gate and I always glanced at the the numbers one last time and sure enough the back pup was a 584 instead of a 586. Of course it was easier to turn around and rehooked nobody knowing the difference then calling central a couple of hundred miles away.
 
I've often wondered how humiliating it would be to drag the wrong trailer half way across the country...lol. I just hope I can avoid finding out the answer. I'm sure it's been done before though.
 
I always check my trailer #s several times using hook sheets, Travel pouches, seal #s, and compare travel pouches with trip sheet. I have a system but it would take a long time to explain. I did pull a wrong trailer through one time it was through IVR at a terminal trailer was one number off, relay driver had the correct travel pouch with the trailer and it was going in the right direction the relay driver got charged and they tried to charge me so I asked to be excused because of all the circumstances and they agreed but I did hear the right trailer # through IVR. The IVR system now gives trailer #s two times once when you arrive at a terminal and when you dispatch from terminal.
I have had at least two times that a relay driver has brought a trailer to me that were not even close to right and had notified central immediately.
 
I have a question for you OD guys. The other day I saw a tractor pulling a dolley in New Jersey. First thing I noticed was no mud flaps on the dolley, and then I see only one light positioned in the center of the frame.
No signals, no brake or multiple running lights ... and no flaps. These are required for operation in New Jersey.
Doesn't OD have what are called " East Coast " dollies ?
I wouldn't want to get all those tickets issued in my name by a friendly NJ State Trooper !
 
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