Two Preventables In Three Weeks

I've picked up what will no doubt be my second preventable today. The first was three weeks ago when I put a scrape on the side of my trailer while backing. Today, like a total bonehead, I backed into the dock with the trailer tails open, knocking the dock door off its track. The tails were not damaged.

I'm under a new load now, and have to report to safety when I get to the next terminal , probably after delivering this load. I'm a nervous wreck. I started out so well, but now two bonehead mistakes, and I fear my time as a driver is finished. This is for May Trucking if anyone has first hand experience.

Chances are you're OK. For Now.

I've had two scrapes myself, though more than two weeks apart. My first I punched a hole in a warehouse wall with a trailer door. Second, right under my nose I backed my front fender into a yellow post. I was looking in the mirrors at the time. Post got tilted, my truck got a new hood/fender piece.

You have gone over the incidents in your mind a hundred times already. I bet you'll nev-ver do those things again, right? And you can recognize the situations that caused those accidents.

Read that last paragraph again. Think about what happened. This is what you should bring up in your talk with the safety person.

The waiting between calling Safety for the first time and that face-to-face can be agonizing.

Chances are you're OK. For Now.

I've had two scrapes myself, though more than two weeks apart. My first I punched a hole in a warehouse wall with a trailer door. Second, right under my nose I backed my front fender into a yellow post. I was looking in the mirrors at the time. Post got tilted, my truck got a new hood/fender piece.

You have gone over the incidents in your mind a hundred times already. I bet you'll nev-ver do those things again, right? And you can recognize the situations that caused those accidents.

Read that last paragraph again. Think about what happened. This is what you should bring up in your talk with the safety person.

The waiting between calling Safety for the first time and that face-to-face can be agonizing.

I hope you're right. You can bet I'll never forget those trailer tails, provided I get that chance. It was the easiest back of my life too. 3 or 4 open docks on either side. I'm normally religious about getting out and looking, and had i done that this time, I'd have noticed the tails and closed them. But I got overconfident and paid the price. It's probably a good sign that they at least gave me another load after this screw-up. But I'll be a wreck until the safety meeting, regardless. I guess we will see what happens.

Just noticed you hail from Flint. I lived for several months in Mt. Morris.

Small world! That's normally where I park my truck when on home time. Right there off I-75, Mt Morris Rd exit. Seems that's about all that truck stop is used for, judging by the fact that there is generally as many dropped trailers there as trucks. Of course, I must keep truck and trailer connected and bum a ride home, but it's a small price to pay to not have to drive back from Gary, IN!

Just noticed you hail from Flint. I lived for several months in Mt. Morris.