Chris, congrats on passing that one year mark!
I'm glad that you worked through the issue to a successful outcome.
I always pop under the trailer after hook and tug to make sure that the trailer actually has a FULL kingpin, that I can see the kingpin below the locking bar. I used to rely on the sound and tug, but dropped a trailer in the yard while backing and turning into a tight sight side 120degree spot. Fortunately I was only slightly embarassed, the trailer slid out over the side of my 5th wheel but didn't drop off...
I have made a visual inspection a 100% portion of my pre-trip and intertrip. I thought I was saving time, but the 25 minutes it took me once, and the potential for a pink slip were it on the road with a load, makes it work the time now.
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It's been a while since I posted an update. I've been plugging along just about to pass my 15th month mark with the company with over 114k miles under my belt running primarily in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Today I was picking up a trailer in Canandagiua NY when I initially backed up to the trailer I jumped out checked the alignment and trailer height and proceeded to back under and hook up. But this time I didn't hear the familiar sound of the king pin seating into the 5th wheel pocket. I did my first tug check good to go so I jumped out and hooked up the airlines and light cable then I checked the release handle on the 5th wheel I noticed it was not completely flish against the side of the plate. So I checked the locking bar underneath it looked good so I cranked up the landing gear and finished my pre-trip inspection of the trailer. I didn't have a warm and fuzzy that the king pin didn't fully seat. So I decided to un-hook the trailer pull out and re-hook. This time when I backed under I definitely heard the familiar "Click" of the locking bar securing the king pin. Tug check, re-hooked up the lines, verified the release handle was flush, and the locking bar was across the king pin, cranked up the landing gear, one more tug check and I was down the road. Could I have just rolled without taking the time to un-hook and then re-hook and nothing would have happened probably. But I listened to my gut because it didn't feel right so the extra minutes it took to make sure my trailer was properly connected saved me from possibly loosing my trailer going down the road. I'll gladly burn a couple of minutes in order to be safe... Hope everyone on the forum has stayed busy these past couple of months
Pre-trip Inspection:
A pre-trip inspection is a thorough inspection of the truck completed before driving for the first time each day.
Federal and state laws require that drivers inspect their vehicles. Federal and state inspectors also may inspect your vehicles. If they judge a vehicle to be unsafe, they will put it “out of service” until it is repaired.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.