Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[cachsux]

Hate people that do that! Blocking the traffic flow while they make their 27 attempts to hit the pin!

We bust their chops by holding up fingers counting every attempt.

 

[Johney]

Pushing the dolly under the back trailer without ever unhooking it from the lead to spot it.

Ok I think I get it. So instead of towing your dolly on the tractor to the front of the rear and staging it,you just hook it to the rear of the lead and then connect it to the rear?

 

[over9five]

We bust their chops by holding up fingers counting every attempt.

OMG, I will do that next time I see it!

 

[Johney]

Still not worth the premium pay.

You know this how?

 

[cachsux]

They frown on us hero hooking on the East Coast. We had two veteran guys pretty much put dollies through the front of their back trailer hours apart from each other....

I'm happy as hell when I can put my dolly right where I want it in the dolly patch without having to unhook it from the front trailer and push it there!

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Two tips.
1) Always check your height if you're not sure before you do the final push under the trailer.
2) Some guys make a "no go" stick and swing by the back box and check it before they go get the rest of the equipment. Grab a spare broom handle, find a trailer that's the right height, mark it with electrical tape.

 

[cachsux]

Still not worth the premium pay.

Those who can, do.......

 

[Johney]

Tractor, front box, dolly. Backing the above with the dolly attached as mentioned above.

Got it. Never seen any of our guys do that. Although I have seen guys back the dolly still hooked to the front for quite a distance w/o pulling forward. Truly amazing to watch.

 

[Jones]

Got it. Never seen any of our guys do that. Although I have seen guys back the dolly still hooked to the front for quite a distance w/o pulling forward. Truly amazing to watch.

First time I saw someone hero hook I was like "Whoah!" It was my first week and I was still struggling a little just hooking up the regular way.

 

[104Feeder]

Tip: as you look in the mirror mentally remove the trailer and make steering adjustments as if the dolly was the only piece of equipment back there. As always, if you see the dolly make a big move and its in the wrong direction it's time to pull it up straight again.

It's cake. Sometimes I'll show off with a coffee in one hand.

You drive a shifter tractor right? When you see the dolly in a regular tractor it's pretty much too late. Sometimes I'll pull up and just the right angle where I can just barely see the dolly is there and back it right under the trailer with hardly any adjustment whatsoever. Other times it just keep over turning no matter what I do.

Some of our extended centers it's a necessary skill because of the rocky or sandy yard surface. Those dollies will knock you right on your ass.

 

[104Feeder]

Thankfully, here if you disqualify yourself you just have to wait two years before trying again.



Had a driver here who trained, got his CDL, and then realized a couple months in it wasn't for him. For all intents purposes, he apparently forced them to let him return to package. I have no idea how he did it; I thought the only way to break the commitment (two years here) was to quit. He said it is part of our contract that we can get out even after our training is over, but both the company and the Union will give you a hard way to go. Given the amount of resources committed to training a driver for their CDL, I was surprised he was able to come back. I've begun to wonder if there is any teeth to the "commitment" should one decide to break it.

Myself, despite knowing that he was able to back out I have made up my mind it'll be a two year commitment once I start training. I'll make it work those two years.

We have had that happen too but it was the to-be-unnamed Union Grand High Poohbah of Upper Buttcrack that called in one of his bargaining chips to make it happen so everyone knows it was a one time deal.

 

[pretender]

Hate people that do that! Blocking the traffic flow while they make their 27 attempts to hit the pin!

If you can't do it in 26 attempts, then you should just get out and push it by hand...

 

[cachsux]

You drive a shifter tractor right? When you see the dolly in a regular tractor it's pretty much too late. Sometimes I'll pull up and just the right angle where I can just barely see the dolly is there and back it right under the trailer with hardly any adjustment whatsoever. Other times it just keep over turning no matter what I do.

Some of our extended centers it's a necessary skill because of the rocky or sandy yard surface. Those dollies will knock you right on your ass.

I drive both. Currently on this bid I shift. But the methods I use regardless. As with any back setup is 90% of the move. Tractors I choose to drive are Serlings and long nose Macks. I can see fine in those. I've heard from a lot of guys the side fairings on the new Kenworth makes it pretty tough.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Those who can, do.......

....what about those who have no desire to even try....?

 

[cachsux]

....what about those who have no desire to even try....?

They disappoint their women.

 

[Dracula]

Hate people that do that! Blocking the traffic flow while they make their 27 attempts to hit the pin!

We have to do it when our dolly isn't spotted for us. And the second you worry about who's waiting on you, you start rushing. And when you start rushing, you start walking the plank. So, I don't care who is waiting, who is mad or who is watching. Last time I had to do it, I only had four pull-ups/back ups to hook it.

 

[over9five]

We have to do it when our dolly isn't spotted for us. And the second you worry about who's waiting on you, you start rushing. And when you start rushing, you start walking the plank. So, I don't care who is waiting, who is mad or who is watching. Last time I had to do it, I only had four pull-ups/back ups to hook it.

But isn't it you who are rushing when you try to hero it, instead of spotting the dolly yourself with your tractor?
Or pulling your kite out of the way somewhere where you can hook up however you want without screwing up everyone elses night?

 

[Dracula]

Ok I think I get it. So instead of towing your dolly on the tractor to the front of the rear and staging it,you just hook it to the rear of the lead and then connect it to the rear?

Yes. And it's one less step if your trusty spotters/dispatchers neglect to get you spotted. But learning how to do it is important in snow. Hell, I feel like it's an important feeder skill to know. It just takes practice.

 

[Jones]

We have to do it when our dolly isn't spotted for us. And the second you worry about who's waiting on you, you start rushing. And when you start rushing, you start walking the plank. So, I don't care who is waiting, who is mad or who is watching. Last time I had to do it, I only had four pull-ups/back ups to hook it.

You have someone who spots your dolly for you, like a valet?

 

[over9five]

You have someone who spots your dolly for you, like a valet?

Believe me, you don't want this! I shift for half a night one time per week. They often have a shifter spot dollies.
The PROBLEM with this is an inside shifter will place the dolly in front of the kite. No problem, right? The problem is, that's all he does.
As a feeder driver who also shifts, I pre-trip the dolly. As you don't know who put the dolly there for you, not only do you have to pre-trip it, but you're bound to find something wrong with it and have to swap it yourself anyhow.

 

[Jones]

Believe me, you don't want this! I shift for half a night one time per week. They often have a shifter spot dollies.
The PROBLEM with this is an inside shifter will place the dolly in front of the kite. No problem, right? The problem is, that's all he does.
As a feeder driver who also shifts, I pre-trip the dolly. As you don't know who put the dolly there for you, not only do you have to pre-trip it, but you're bound to find something wrong with it and have to swap it yourself anyhow.

We generally spot our own dollies, it's nice when someone does it for you but I never count on it, and like you say you still have to pretrip it.