USA CDL JOBS TRUCK DRIVER FORUM

From http://www.coopsareopen.com in the Scales and Stations forum.
(I am known there as Blank_doubt3274)

weighbastard
Member


Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 67

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 3:31 am Post subject: [ flag post ]

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A new Herd has been released:

It’s a new year and all those questions a CDL Driver shouldn't ask are coming up in the Scale House again. Especially when you realize the people you are asking the questions of have probably NEVER driven a Tractor Trailer and ACTUALLY have no idea what they are telling you except that they are parroting what someone else has told them. I can not express enough how BAD an idea this is!!! Lets grade some questions from A to F (Good to Total Failure).

+ I’ve never moved the fifth wheel before can you help me? “D” You admit your lack of knowledge but you still lack the knowledge you should already have.

+ I don’t know anything about moving the Fifth Wheel. “C” Although a statement, its honest. A smart Scale person will tell you, “This is NOT the place to learn, but its up to you to get your own help, sorry we can’t assist.”

+ How many notches should I move the fifth wheel? “C” Depending on a rack with ‘teeth’ (fine adjustment) or one with single ‘slots’ (broad adjustment) or one with ‘dual slots’ (slightly tighter adjustment) you have big differences. PLUS, you may have ‘dead stops’ welded into the rack so you can’t put too much on the Steers. Don’t forget that the weight varies with the position of the King Pin. As it crosses the center of the Drive Tandems, it moves a lot of weight. I’ve seen 1,000# with only one slot. Conversely, I have seen one notch in a Tooth Rack only move 40# simply because the Fifth Wheel was all the way back on the rack. I have also seen a Rack mounted so that the King Pin could NOT go in front of the Tandem’s center at the front most position. This prevented the Steers to be loaded any at all. ALL THIS is YOUR baby! Figure it out. {A} My canned answer is, “Enough to move #### pounds.” This is not a smart-ass answer, it’s a SMART answer since there are WAY TOO many variables, sight unseen. If you ask such a question and get a verbal answer, sight unseen, it absolutely proves the responders stupidity - again, liability and such you see. NOW HOWEVER, invariably one of my STUPID cohorts will ALWAYS pipe up and tell you some number - good for them… Bad for you. {A}

+ How do I move the fifth wheel? FFFFffffffff !!! (would that be a “Z”?) Beside the different styles of fifth wheels, you are trusting a completely unqualified instructor, who easily may end up having you drop the trailer off the tractor right there in the parking lot because of their ineptitude. FACT: If a staff person “tells” you ANYTHING they are assuming a liability that they should KNOW BETTER than to involve themselves in. In this respect alone, it demonstrates their total stupidity and also their complete disregard for YOUR safety. I have assisted folk with info while standing there AT the rig, but only a complete fool would offer up verbal instructions, sight unseen. ‘nuf said.
Note that my canned response is, “Do you mean which way?” About half actually meant this.

+ Which way do I move my Trailer Tandems? “D” Can you say, “Rookie?!” Should be an “F” but since I have been asked SOOOooo many times, this just can’t be as common a Knowledge as I would think, so it must be my fault. Chase the weight with the tandems. Heavy on the Drives move it toward the drives. Heavy on the trailer, move it back toward the trailer. At the point I have to say, “Lock the brakes and back up” you’re getting on my nerves because I’m now telling you how to drive YOUR TRUCK - Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? Note that I kindly put up with this on EVERY occasion since my Mama taught me to be kind and courteous.

+ How many holes do I move? “F” All right… I want to answer, “How the !@#$% should I KNOW?!” but Mama taught me to be polite too and so I refer to canned answer shown in {A}{A} above as the exact same applies (“Enough to move #### pounds…”) even to the STUPID cohort piping up to spout off a random number based usually on 250# per hole regardless of hole spacing or looking at the weights to make an educated guess on the loads position. In other words, if the load has slammed up into the nose, you can move 24 holes and still not take the weight off, irregardless of the 250# “rule of thumb.’

+ I got the “Green Light,” am I good? “FFF” I can not figure out for the life of me how the “stop” sign and the “green light” in the scale seem to take on a whole new meaning in your mind. Check with your Driving Instructor from High School (when you were 16) for this answer.

+ Can I drive to the Tire Place to get it fixed? “F” This is the question right after you’re brought in because you have a shredded tire hanging off a trailer rim. I hate to be blunt, but, “Can you actually be THAT stupid?” Many times have I heard this, many times…

+ Where am I? “B” I give this one a high mark because its ALWAYS funny. And yes, I really don’t know where you are either… Maybe Xanadu? Olivia is still HOT. I digress.

+ Am I North bound or South bound? “B” Same as above. But I always ask, “Which way were you going when you came into the Scale?” Which always gets a response of say “North.” I then ask, “When did you turn around and start going SOUTH?” Driver says, “I didn’t” I say, “Well there you go then” which is ALWAYS met by a puzzled look. Somehow the loopback into the parking lot just can’t be comprehended on occasion - bet they find all the Truck rest areas equally confusing!

+ How far am I from XXX (in some other State)? “D” Even though I drove, why would I know? I don’t have a Truckers Map and I really don’t care - try some trip planning.

+ Can I take this road XXX? “F” Again, why the heck would I KNOW and better yet, WHY WOULD YOU LISTEN TO ME?!?!? I drive a Car! And again, if you GET an answer, you’re a FOOL to buy it outright. TRIP PLAN!!!

+ Where’s the Rest Area/Restroom? “A” THIS IS THE ONLY QUESTION you can ask and that CAN BE answered legitimately by the staff.

These are just a few and there are more incredible questions I’ve heard, but I hope this puts my point across and I hope you enjoyed. PLEASE PASS IT ON!!! This should be required CDL School reading.