Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[olroadbeech]

Probably these⤵⤵⤵:

you don't have to take the haz-mat written test anymore?

 

[olroadbeech]

Try cranking a loaded trailer up and report back

it is not hard if the low gear is working correctly. if not then you are in for a workout. in the yard i'd wave down a shuttle driver to give it a lift.

 

[BakerMayfield2018]

What do you eat for breakfast?

Waffles , sausage , bacon, coffee.

 

[hondo]

you don't have to take the haz-mat written test anymore?

Not for feeder (small package operations). A while ago (maybe 5 years?) there was some hint they were going to start requiring it (for new drivers here), but that disappeared quickly & quietly.

 

[olroadbeech]

I've had tractors that, for whatever reason, the pin will be in when you're trying to hook up. If the pin is IN, nothing you can do will let the fifth wheel latch to the pin. Not sure if this is the problem, but sometimes with older equipment, the pin can slide back to the IN position after it has been disconnected from a trailer. In theory, that's why the pin has a 90 degree bend in it; to hold it in the OUT position. But like the old girl says, I think a lot of lube will make sure the pin stays out when it's been pulled.

Where I'm at, almost all of our equipment is brand new, so I never really see this problem anymore. But remember this: if the pin on the fifth wheel is IN when you are trying to hook a pin, you can hit that trailer as hard as you can, but it will never latch. Check that.

yes, that has happened to me maybe just 3 times. it's a little tricky opening up those jaws. in the yard i just bring it to shop. out in the field somewhere 2 people doing it is better. one to pry a certain spot while the other pulls the pin. if alone i have used a rope or bunji to hold the pull lever open. it's a pain.

 

[retiredTxfeeder]

It may be different now, but it was my understanding if you didn't haul enough hazmat material to placard the trailer, hazmat endorsement wasn't required. It's been a while tho.

 

[olroadbeech]

Not for feeder (small package operations). A while ago (maybe 5 years?) there was some hint they were

i'd take it anyway just to have the endorcement on my license. you never know if you would need it for another job i guess.

 

[hondo]

i'd take it anyway just to have the endorcement on my license. you never know if you would need it for another job i guess.

I'm pretty sure it's much more involved now, with background checks & fingerprinting. I think that has to be done before they'll even let you take the test.

 

[olroadbeech]

wow! i'm glad i'm out of this business now but it's tempting. there is a 30-40,000 driver shortage now nationwide and it's going to get a lot worse. have already turned down driving jobs for good pay but i'd lose part or all of my pension.

 

[hondo]

[OOTE="olroadbeech, post: 2193451, member: 52145"]wow! i'm glad i'm out of this business now but it's tempting. there is a 30-40,000 driver shortage now nationwide and it's going to get a lot worse. have already turned down driving jobs for good pay but i'd lose part or all of my pension.[/QUOTE]
You pretty much need to get the tanker endorsement, too, nowadays. The classification of much smaller containers of bulk material was changed to require it.

 

[barnyard]

Last night I covered a route, the regular tractor is in the shop, so it has a loaner. Looks like a loaner, hood is cracked in several spots, couple of fairing repairs, etc. Open the hood, the motor looks brand new (this is an International 461xxx). Pull my 1st set of empties and the trans is the nicest shifting transmission I have driven and it pulls like a freight train. Pulled a 53' to the railyard later in the night and it pulled that really well too.

Is UPS putting new motors into some of the older tractors??? Seems like a good idea, as they get better mileage without all the pollution stuff, plus they are more reliable, which is a good thing for a tractor assigned to an outstate center.

Cosmetically, it did not look as nice as the assigned tractor, driveability and all that, was much, much better.

 

[silenze]

In an extended center maybe. But in our hub virtually all tractors have been switched to automatics within the past 2 years.
Even our newer long nose kenworths have been switched over from daily runs to spares

 

[Covemastah]

What do you eat for breakfast?

Dinner at 930 AM. Burger , steak , left over chinkys

 

[olroadbeech]

Dinner at 930 AM. Burger , steak , left over chinkys

what's a chinky? i am from the east coast and never heard that before.

forget that. chinese food. i moved out of there in early 80's. you can have a whole thread on east coast slang.

wicked pissahhhhh.

 

[Johney]

Last night I covered a route, the regular tractor is in the shop, so it has a loaner. Looks like a loaner, hood is cracked in several spots, couple of fairing repairs, etc. Open the hood, the motor looks brand new (this is an International 461xxx). Pull my 1st set of empties and the trans is the nicest shifting transmission I have driven and it pulls like a freight train. Pulled a 53' to the railyard later in the night and it pulled that really well too.

Is UPS putting new motors into some of the older tractors??? Seems like a good idea, as they get better mileage without all the pollution stuff, plus they are more reliable, which is a good thing for a tractor assigned to an outstate center.

Cosmetically, it did not look as nice as the assigned tractor, driveability and all that, was much, much better.

461xxx? maybe 261xxx?

 

[barnyard]

261xxx is correct. When I typed it up, I was too lazy to get my notebook to look up the tractor number.

 

[Johney]

261xxx is correct. When I typed it up, I was too lazy to get my notebook to look up the tractor number.

261xxx must be super old. We have a couple old school Macks around our district and they are OLD! And they all start with 263

 

[barnyard]

We have 2-261xxx units at my building. Both have over 1.5 mil miles. The loaner had a new odometer that was showing 150k. The hood, cab and all that looked like an ultra high mileage tractor. The engine was a thing of beauty. Very clean and shiny. Plus, I have only ever been in one other tractor that shifted so smooth and had so little play in the shifter. Very easy to drive.

Plus, it had a radio with a front mini plug input so I could listen to podcasts while I was on road.

Most certainly a nicer ride than the 2-261xxx units we have assigned to us.

I talked to a guy last summer that had a 263xxx Mack assigned to him (another outstate guy), he said that he liked the tractor so much that he begged the shop to rebuild it for him. He said that he would be happy to retire in it.

 

[govols019]

In our extended center, we have 3 268XXX Internationals, a 267XXX Mack, and a new 275XXX LNG Kenworth. Our old 261XXX Mack was replaced by the Kenworth earlier this year...I like the old Mack better. The new Kenworth cab is tiny.

 

[Coldworld]

it is not hard if the low gear is working correctly. if not then you are in for a workout. in the yard i'd wave down a shuttle driver to give it a lift.

Dropping the trailer was not fun and probAbly worse than any workout I've had here....sweating like a frickin pig....finally calmed down once I got that slam noise out of my heAd.. Lol