Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[Jones]

If only it was that simple.

 

[Coldworld]

We have a couple guys that can back a set and a dolly to the 3rd trailer....and I am having a hell of a time backing a trailer and a dolly to a second trailer... Sweating my ass off doing that more than a package car route..lol

 

[olroadbeech]

You're correct on having to correct before you think you have to, but it is like backing a single.

You're incorrect on turning opposite of a single.

The rear trailer will turn the same way the front trailer turns.

Turn the wheel to the left. The front trailer will move to the right. The dolly will move to the left. The rear trailer will move to the right, the same direction as the front trailer.

The two trailers move in the same direction and the dolly and tractor move in the same direction.

you are absolutely right. the thing i tried to do was to set up right before the back. usually completely straight. it always seemed easier if i wasn't thinking too much about it and just let my reflexes take over.

had to back out a set one night at a rest area when the exit was blocked by idiot sleeping drivers. took about 30 minutes. that was when we were still on paper time cards. i almost quit trying and thought i'd have to break up set. took a 5 minute break, cooled off, and then got it done.

 

[FeeDerp]

I should clarify that they are leaving the truck running fedex ground style while not in to cab
Wondering if it was lng related

That's a no no, but there are a couple of exceptions.

If ll the truck was jumped, then it stays running while in the yard

When its super cold I'll leave it running before my pre trip and during the time it takes to hook and go.

I never idle it when I'm off property and away from the truck

 

[Johney]

had to back out a set one night at a rest area when the exit was blocked by idiot sleeping drivers. took about 30 minutes. that was when we were still on paper time cards. i almost quit trying and thought i'd have to break up set. took a 5 minute break, cooled off, and then got it done.

Lets see...waste 35 minutes trying to back up a set or waste 5 minutes banging on said idiot sleeping drivers doors who blocked the exit? Hmmm....that's a tough one.

 

[retiredTxfeeder]

I just got off the phone with one of our sleeper team drivers. He told me they had just posted bids for the upcoming year. He said he saw something that was unusual and asked me if I had ever heard of it, and I hadn't. I'm in the Houston area, and our main hub is in the DFW/Mesquite area. We have quite a few drivers that go up there on a daily basis. Some, depending on the time of day, take empties and bring back loads. One, maybe more of the new runs up for bid said Pepsi-mesquite. He asked about it and was told that job consisted of a driver going to a Pepsi plant and picking up a UPS trailer that was loaded with Pepsi product. The driver would then drive to Mesquite and deliver the Pepsi up there. (I assume to another Pepsi dealer), then bring his usual loads back from the hub. Has anyone heard of something like this? BTW, this job is with the brown tractor driver, not sleeper team.

 

[Mugarolla]

I just got off the phone with one of our sleeper team drivers. He told me they had just posted bids for the upcoming year. He said he saw something that was unusual and asked me if I had ever heard of it, and I hadn't. I'm in the Houston area, and our main hub is in the DFW/Mesquite area. We have quite a few drivers that go up there on a daily basis. Some, depending on the time of day, take empties and bring back loads. One, maybe more of the new runs up for bid said Pepsi-mesquite. He asked about it and was told that job consisted of a driver going to a Pepsi plant and picking up a UPS trailer that was loaded with Pepsi product. The driver would then drive to Mesquite and deliver the Pepsi up there. (I assume to another Pepsi dealer), then bring his usual loads back from the hub. Has anyone heard of something like this? BTW, this job is with the brown tractor driver, not sleeper team.

Yes. It is starting countrywide.

I have seen us moving beer trailers also.

It has to due with Coyote Logistics. The freight forwarder that UPS acquired last year.

 

[hondo]

That seems to explain the posting I saw in a guard shack: "Guards, do not cut Coca-Cola seals on trailers on property".

 

[104Feeder]

Interesting, not seeing that here and we are bidding now. Seems like that would be a UPS Freight thing but nothing requires it. I think UPS should utilize feeders as much as possible. I don't know why we have other carriers delivering our package cars on flatbeds for example. Lease or buy the flatbed and use the feeder network to move them across the country like anything else.

 

[UPS4Life]

And the sad thing is with now running Pepsi loads is ups freight is still laying people off.

 

[silenze]

Call Stewart. Contractor is pulling my pepsi load

 

[olroadbeech]

Yes. It is starting countrywide.

I have seen us moving beer trailers also.

It has to due with Coyote Logistics. The freight forwarder that UPS acquired last year.

strange. wonder how this can be cost effective.

 

[Mugarolla]

strange. wonder how this can be cost effective.

Don't know.

I do know that they are adding, and bidding, jobs to move these Coyote loads.

 

[silenze]

Don't know.

I do know that they are adding, and bidding, jobs to move these Coyote loads.

not in my area. we just lost another run!

 

[Mugarolla]

strange. wonder how this can be cost effective.

You also need to realize, that Coyote finding owner operators to move these loads, is not that much cheaper than us moving them.

Some loads are also not long enough on miles for an owner operator to want to do.

Your typical Swift, Schneider, etc driver makes far less, but the company makes money on top of what it pays their drivers on all loads. So to contract Swift or Schneider or Werner to move them is not much cheaper than us either.

 

[brownburro]

Question out of curiosity. I'm a feeder driver in NorCal and one of my fellow drivers is pretty miserable and is having a tough time dealing with the night hours and sleep. He's been in for over two years. Is there an opt out clause in NorCal? Or is it feeder for life?

 

[trickpony1]

one of my fellow drivers is pretty miserable and is having a tough time dealing with the night hours and sleep.

Tell your co worker to look at the feeder seniority list and determine how many of the top drivers have enough time to retire.

There may be a lot of drivers retiring after the first of the year. If he can be patient there may be some halfway decent runs open up.

 

[Coldworld]

Aren't coke and Pepsi feeder drivers teamsters??? Wonder how that is going to work???

 

[browned_out]

Lost another brother this morning, bad accident on I5 out here in Southern California. Feeder driver and two other people killed, prayers to all involved, especially our brother in brown[emoji20]

 

[FeeDerp]

Aren't coke and Pepsi feeder drivers teamsters??? Wonder how that is going to work???

Most if not all are teamsters.

I'd assume we move these loads because Pepsi and coke just don't have the network to move them.

I know they both use common carriers to move freight, so maybe we have taken that over. Still trying to gather more info on it