Safety First

So this week I saw a truck crashed into another 'cause somebody didn't set their brakes after their fueling up & a trailer with its kingpin on the ground 'cause somebody didn't do a tug test. Two drivers probably out of jobs & others impacted by their hasty decisions to not do what was right, safe & yes, a little time consuming. Be SAFE my friends.

I try not to judge. I have made similar mistakes. It is usually when I get in a hurry. Luckily, none of them ended badly like these did. The best advice I can give, slow down and do it right.

My trainer taught me to GUAL ( I made that up - who knew?) anyway, "Get Under And Look" meaning he handed me a flashlight and said, "Make sure the 5th wheel locked is LOCKED ..." in addition to doing the tug test ... I ALWAYS looked, except once, and when I did the tug test, IT WASN'T ATTACHED! Blew my mind ... the one time I didn't look, if I had gotten lazy about "tugging" on the thing, I would have dumped the trailer right there in front of God and everybody (at least two or three sleepy drivers at 2:00 AM in a Walmart CD, but you get my point ...)

Jopa

'cause somebody didn't do a tug test.

You have no way of knowing if they did a tug test. I won't go through the entire story but it happened to me. I was still with a trainer and had hooked to a trailer. I tugged it three to four times, had driven a mile or two taking about six turns. Then the trailer dropped.

Now I ALWAYS get under and look.

Woody

Oh yes gotta look. I had a trainer drill that into me because he had got lazy once. I always look no matter what.

Yeah, they taught as our school to line up until fifth wheel is flat against apron(no daylight) , chock, look behind trailer,look at line up(lift as in drop landing gear slightly if not perfect align so it wont be damaged) hook up lines, pressure trailer and then set trailer brake, finish backing in and connect and then immediately do the tug test in first gear using only the clutch. Then you get out and make sure the locking jaws are around the shank of the kingpin. Lift landing gear completely and pick up chocks then move on to pre-trip the trailer. When pre-triping you will look at some point to make sure the release arm is in and the safety latch thingy is over it.

I was also taught it is more prevalent in the winter when the locking mechanism may freeze. Ice builds in and around the jaw and kingpin. He suggested having a small bottle of rubbing alcohol with your tools. Helps melt ice on jaw, brake drum and air lines.