It Finally Happened To Me

After delivering to Miami this morning, I was dispatched on a short hop run back up near St. Augustine, which is 30 miles or so from my mom's house. I could easily make 90 by this afternoon, so I saw an opportunity for an unplanned visit. If I hurried I could park on site, and have my folks come down for dinner.

I get to 01, and it's a pre-loaded trailer. Awesome, even better than I'd hoped. A quick swap & strap and I'm out of here.

I dropped the empty trailer and.................. pulled away without unhooking my lines......

Yup, almost 2 years on the road now and that's the first time that's happened to me. I was simply rushing and forgot the usual order in which I drop a trailer.

Luckily the power cable was undamaged, but both airlines broke of course. I bobtailed to the nearest truck stop and $87 later I installed a new set of lines and was back in business.

For the record, I still made it to 90 in time to park and have dinner with the folks, and we're doing breakfast in the morn too after I unload.

Just shows it can happen to anybody.

That sucks but it sounds like it all worked out in the end. I assume 01 is shipper and 90 is consignee in macro talk?

That sucks but it sounds like it all worked out in the end. I assume 01 is shipper and 90 is consignee in macro talk?

Oh, yup it is. I forget that not everybody uses macros

As a lesson to others, I should add that the toolbox I carry saved me from having to pay a shop for the easy repair. More than once have I pulled something out of there to keep me rolling.

As a lesson to others, I should add that the toolbox I carry saved me from having to pay a shop for the easy repair. More than once have I pulled something out of there to keep me rolling.

It’s funny you followed up with this. I was just trying to visualize what tools I needed to get to be prepared for, just in case.

I was simply rushing and forgot the usual order in which I drop a trailer.

For me, that's the big "take away" from Turtle's experience. Typically nothing good comes from rushing something in a big truck. That's where a very high percentage of our mistakes take place.

Just earlier this week one of our rookie solo drivers, Jamie, shared with us a mishap that occurred because he got in an unnecessary rush. Patience is a great companion out here on this job.

I did the same thing, luckily it was on my rear trailer and not the lead as the airlines like to come through the rear window.