Finally On The Road With Knight!

exactly what he says. Foreshadowing - "check the back and make sure it's clean" when picking up an empty does NOT mean that the doors are clean......

A little pro tip Mark, always, always, always make sure to check an empty to see that it is indeed empty before pulling it. Even better if you can check it before you hook it.

No matter who tells you it is empty because you are responsible for it if it isn't empty. People make mistakes, especially if they have a lot of trailers. better to pop the door open and confirm rather than get down the road and find out it has something in it.

Yeah... Guard shack let me waltz out witha HDV load.... Johnson reefer... Vac?

Felt like such an a$$. But that'll never happen to me again.

When I spot a perspective empty, here's what I do (in order):

1. Not sealed and actually an empty.

2. Jump inside and ensure it's clean and no water leaks or mystery smells/stains.

3. Good tires and passable mudflaps.

4. Visual on all the lights prior to coupling. You can hook up the electrical cord prior to backing under it.

If it passes all the above, then I'll hook up and perform a normal trailer inspection.

That's a good list PackRat. The trainer has me doing all of the above except climbing in and inspecting the inside. Just a visual to see any holes in the roof

When I spot a perspective empty, here's what I do (in order):

1. Not sealed and actually an empty.

2. Jump inside and ensure it's clean and no water leaks or mystery smells/stains.

3. Good tires and passable mudflaps.

4. Visual on all the lights prior to coupling. You can hook up the electrical cord prior to backing under it.

If it passes all the above, then I'll hook up and perform a normal trailer inspection.

Thanks for the clear list Packrat! If only my trainer were crystal clear to this complete noob!

Cool to see other knights in here, hopefully you guys will do diaries. I always like to read about others experiences with knight. Plus, you guys can help others with your experience.

I have an additional item on that list which I overlooked:

5. Make sure a current trailer registration form is in the nosebox or wherever your particular company keeps these. You can get these faxed to you via a truck stop, but it's much faster if it's already there.

Our stock fleet colors are red, silver ish I think, I'm colorblind, for refer. White for kold trans. Million millers custom color, I'm pretty sure the purple isn't a stock fleet color, I'm not sure though, lol I have a hard time with colors. I have to ask if the dock lights are green a lot.

I've seen a lot of purple Knights....they pull reefers.

If you are color-blind, how do you differentiate the colors on your DMV test? My husband was green color blind and depending on the base color things appeared black, blue, or yellow.

Laura

Cool to see other knights in here, hopefully you guys will do diaries. I always like to read about others experiences with knight. Plus, you guys can help others with your experience.

I'm taking notes, were running hard and no time to do it justice. So hard, started team on my third day!

Cool to see other knights in here, hopefully you guys will do diaries. I always like to read about others experiences with knight. Plus, you guys can help others with your experience.

I'm taking notes, were running hard and no time to do it justice. So hard, started team on my third day!

Itll get easier with the more time in the hotseat you get. Be patient with yourself. Try to develop systems of doing each task. Fueling, inspections, driving... shoot, even when I shower I have my system. After running the same roads over & over, youll remember places. Your trip planning will be from memory & notes about possible stops you've been to in the past. You'll see most of the same bills, most of the same procedures at shippers & receivers. The more routines you develop, the less chance for mistakes. Good luck.

Our stock fleet colors are red, silver ish I think, I'm colorblind, for refer. White for kold trans. Million millers custom color, I'm pretty sure the purple isn't a stock fleet color, I'm not sure though, lol I have a hard time with colors. I have to ask if the dock lights are green a lot.

I've seen a lot of purple Knights....they pull reefers.

If you are color-blind, how do you differentiate the colors on your DMV test? My husband was green color blind and depending on the base color things appeared black, blue, or yellow.

Laura

I see colors, just not the correct ones, and not the same way each time. Some shades I can't see. Well, a lot of shades. I have red/green. I forget the technical name.

Basically our enzymes don't collapse in the right order or at all when light is broken up in the eye. Color mismanagement would be a better term.

Top, middle, bottom on stop lights. They look brown, orange and white to me. Blues and purple looks the same, my truck looks red to me, it's the lighter color red in knight trucks, the internationals look brown.

It's why I ultimately want a yellow truck. I can tell it's yellow.

Dock lights are hard for me, they both look brown. I usually get out and see which position a red one is and see. Or I just go back in and ask if it's clear.

On the track, I treat red flags and standing reds the same way, I come in to the pits. They finally used different light patterns at my home track.

All in all, I have pretty bad color issues, sunglasses can be problematic.