Anyone REGRET going to feeders?

[QKRSTKR]

There is no problem with this. Tractor trailers is a whole lot more to deal with than a package car. Some guys know right away that it's not for them. Man, if you can tell it will be a problem for you (operating the equipment, working nights, etc) - DON'T FEEL BAD IF YOU DECIDE TO STAY IN PACKAGE. Better to stay where you're comfortable than get yourself or others hurt.

Great post by the way, Qkrstkr!

Your exactly right, we had one guy try twice, he just couldn't get use to the equipment, and dq d both times. It's not for everybody. Some guys who dq d were doing real well, just don't think they could handle the differences, such as hours. Change sometimes is just not easy. I remember how happy I was when I got into pkgs. a normal life finally after working midnight then preload. Now 12 yrs later I'm going back to an odd life working hours that aren't normal again. Of course pkgs 12 years ago was a lot different, started at 8:30 done by 5:30. Now start at 9:10, lucky to be home by 7:30.

 

[104Feeder]

Who here has dropped a box? That always wakes the yard up!

 

[Dracula]

Twice I've dropped the box. It was embarrassing more than anything else. It always happens when you're talking to someone. That's why if I'm talking to anyone now, I always go back and check twice. Yes, that boom is loud. I sweat my ass off cranking those legs up. Lucky for me, I did it at road hubs. If I would have done it in my building, our a-hole manager would have charged me with an accident if he would have saw.

Anyone with any time in feeders has dropped a box, no matter what they say.

 

[barnyard]

How can IE manage to complicate feeders? There's not but so many ways you can screw up 2-4 stops.....

They are demanding that pretrips and building sets be done faster.

 

[barnyard]

Twice I've dropped the box. It was embarrassing more than anything else. It always happens when you're talking to someone. That's why if I'm talking to anyone now, I always go back and check twice.

This.

I dropped one box. A supe came out and was giving me a bad time about something and instead of double checking everything, I went to where I thought I left off. I was so mad at myself. I got out and there was a very senior driver unhooking his box. He came over (I thought he was going to give me a bad time) and said, "Whenever anyone interrupts your coupling or dropping, go back to step one and start all over. Do not let any boss make you skip a step or rush and you will be fine." He then shook my hand and went back to his work.

I was a shifter at the time and after that, whenever I had a question, I asked the most senior guy/gal I could find. They were all out-of-their way helpful. Every single one of them. If you respect their experience, they will be the wealth of information you need.

 

[Brownkeg8]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the great info. I will be training next month, while the usual nerves are there, I am very excited to get out of pkg. cars. Our biggest issue here is we dovetail in with seniority and the off rd guys harbor a lot of resentment, everyone will tell you to watch your back.

 

[barnyard]

Another piece of advice I received and I think is worth passing along......

Knock the mud and snow off your boots before getting in the cab. If you see a handbroom under the seat, that is for brushing out the dirt. Respect that.

Do not wear the gloves you wear for fueling and coupling in the cab. Keep the steering wheel clean.

 

[trickpony1]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the great info. I will be training next month, while the usual nerves are there, I am very excited to get out of pkg. cars. Our biggest issue here is we dovetail in with seniority and the off rd guys harbor a lot of resentment, everyone will tell you to watch your back.

If I'm not in the truck, both doors are locked.

This keeps someone from climbing up into the cab and messing with things like the brake valves. (I've seen some roll aways with mysterious circumstances.)

 

[QKRSTKR]

If I'm not in the truck, both doors are locked.

This keeps someone from climbing up into the cab and messing with things like the brake valves. (I've seen some roll aways with mysterious circumstances.)

We dovetail here to at Annual bid. Also if you ever leave sight of your rig, recheck yours lines and pins. Make sure jaws are still wrapped around kingpin shank. Same if you stop anywhere on your trip, always come back and inspect everything.

 

[QKRSTKR]

Who here has dropped a box? That always wakes the yard up!

To new yet. Told wait till it happens by other drivers. Legs, lines, pin, legs, lines, pin, legs, lines, pin,legs, lines, pin. That's what I keep saying over and over when I'm uncoupling. Before I walk back to tractor, I double check legs are down, hopefully it doesn't happen.

 

[barnyard]

Do things the exact same way every time and you lessen the chance of it happening. I disconnect air, lower legs and pull the pin last.

 

[pretender]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the great info. I will be training next month, while the usual nerves are there, I am very excited to get out of pkg. cars. Our biggest issue here is we dovetail in with seniority and the off rd guys harbor a lot of resentment, everyone will tell you to watch your back.

It is the same way everywhere--If you just lay low for a while and don't make a big deal about seniority, they usually come around. In the meantime direct your questions to former package car drivers.

 

[cachsux]

Do things the exact same way every time and you lessen the chance of it happening. I disconnect air, lower legs and pull the pin last.

Put a set together? Legs are last. Take a set apart? Legs are first.

If you forget anything make sure its never the legs.

 

[pretender]

Do things the exact same way every time and you lessen the chance of it happening. I disconnect air, lower legs and pull the pin last.

And when you hook up, follow the exact same steps in reverse--check the pin first. Agree on not talking during hooking up or breaking down!

 

[cachsux]

Another piece of advice I received and I think is worth passing along......

Knock the mud and snow off your boots before getting in the cab. If you see a handbroom under the seat, that is for brushing out the dirt. Respect that.

Do not wear the gloves you wear for fueling and coupling in the cab. Keep the steering wheel clean.

Nothing will get you on the christmas card list faster than greasing up a guys tractor. That goes for the hoses too.

 

[pretender]

Put a set together? Legs are last. Take a set apart? Legs are first.

If you forget anything make sure its never the legs.

I guess the most important thing is to follow the same routine each time! I used to do the legs last when hooking up, but when we went to hand crank instead of hydraulic, I started doing the legs second and hooking the air up last...

 

[cachsux]

I guess the most important thing is to follow the same routine each time! I used to do the legs last when hooking up, but when we went to hand crank instead of hydraulic, I started doing the legs second and hooking the air up last...

Legs always in that order because if you make a mistake the trailer will always be standing.

No big booming noises for 17 years and counting.

 

[LongTimeComing]

Other than folks that never got comfortable, I don't see how anyone could ever regret going to feeders. I, being management, have more great friends in this company that are feeder drivers than any other department...and this includes management. That says a lot on it's own. From my exposure to feeder drivers....they are in much better moods, friendlier, complain less, and are much easier to work with than most.

I understand this reflects poorly on the state of the package division and how management has handled things overall, but I applaud feeder drivers...Lots of good people there. Maybe they were just as disgruntled as the next guy when they were driving PC's, but I can't tell now.

From my perspective, if you can go feeders, you would be nuts to sell yourself short and not give your best try.

 

[pretender]

Legs always in that order because if you make a mistake the trailer will always be standing.

No big booming noises for 17 years and counting.

That makes perfect sense. You got me to thinking as to why I started doing it the other way, because a lot of times you can get into a bad habit without realizing it, and it takes a fresh set of eyes to point it out. I have been doing CPU work for quite a while, and had not pulled doubles in a long time. A lot of times, the noses of the CPU trailers are sitting a little lower in the yard. If you get distracted while hooking up, it is easy to pull away without raising the legs, which is a little embarrassing when you hit a high spot or dip in the yard--But not as embarrassing as dropping a trailer! I have seen the landing gear go right through the floor of the trailer.

 

[raceanoncr]

Do things the exact same way every time and you lessen the chance of it happening. I disconnect air, lower legs and pull the pin last.

Put a set together? Legs are last. Take a set apart? Legs are first.

If you forget anything make sure its never the legs.

And when you hook up, follow the exact same steps in reverse--check the pin first. Agree on not talking during hooking up or breaking down!

I guess the most important thing is to follow the same routine each time! I used to do the legs last when hooking up, but when we went to hand crank instead of hydraulic, I started doing the legs second and hooking the air up last...

Legs always in that order because if you make a mistake the trailer will always be standing.

No big booming noises for 17 years and counting.

Did this ONCE as newbie. Parked on slight incline facing up. Had the old (in fact, that's ALL we had) air/hydraulic legs. Sposed to leave set together. Bypass. Pulled pin (ya know, maybe it wasn't THAT long ago cuz we started out with pin on right side of tractor. Forget when they switched to drivers side), walked down side thumping tires/looking at lights, etc. Came up right side close to front of front trailer and saw it was moving. Quickly pushed lever and, luckily it was a warm day, and legs shot down while trailers were making their way off my fifth wheel. Dropped low but not low enough to not be able to get under it. Don't remember if it popped the hose or not. Don't matter now. No damage done except my neck snapping to see who caught that. Never did THAT again.