Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[ManInBrown]

So if your pulling a load and one marker light is out do you refuse to pull? This hub doesn't have a mechanic .

Not sure if that's being a by the book didk or not. It wasn't going far. Just curious.

Yup. Happened to me a few months ago. Dont preach that safety BS to me and then when its convenient for you think im pulling something with a light out. They were not happy. 15 minutes later another driver pulled in and he took it. Was also a building with no mechanic.

 

[Feeder665]

Signs and sign posts. So pretty heavy stuff that doesn't take up much room.

Good point. The only solutions I can think of then...

1) bring a bigger trailer
2) bring a set and split the load
3) tell the customer you can only load XX amount. And you’ll be back for the rest.
4) load it all, skip weight scales. Take a chance.

 

[Mugarolla]

Good point. The only solutions I can think of then...

1) bring a bigger trailer
2) bring a set and split the load
3) tell the customer you can only load XX amount. And you’ll be back for the rest.
4) load it all, skip weight scales. Take a chance.

Option 5. Pull it.

You don't have a scale. Let UPS worry about it.

 

[Mugarolla]

So if your pulling a load and one marker light is out do you refuse to pull? This hub doesn't have a mechanic .

Not sure if that's being a by the book didk or not. It wasn't going far. Just curious.

If there's no mechanic, it was on when I left.

If there is a mechanic, I will get it fixed no matter how long it takes.

 

[Trash Panda]

Would be nice if the ccr system worked as intended. I was gifted a new trailer from another terminal with a hub oil/air leak. Shop fixed it and started doing it again 100 miles later.

Not sure if software issue or driver issue. Trailer got loaded regardless. Hate limping equipment with issues. Should have known it was going to be a bad night considering a wrecker brought back a trailer just as i was ready to take off.

 

[Rick Ross]

So if your pulling a load and one marker light is out do you refuse to pull? This hub doesn't have a mechanic .

Not sure if that's being a by the book didk or not. It wasn't going far. Just curious.

All you need to do is cover yourself. Call the trailer into dispatch and tell them you aren't responsible for any fines if you're pulled over. Write it up when you get to a building with a shop. Half the time the light will start working again after hitting a bump on the road.

I've pulled trailers with expired DOT inspections a few times as well. Once it was a 100% preload that would have missed service. It seemed silly to have 1,000 missed packages if it passes my pre-trip and they accept responsibility. In that case it was a bypass load brought in on the 31st but I didn't couple to it until 3:30am on the 1st. I also made my feeder manager text me saying I was in the clear if pulled over.

 

[Johney]

Would be nice if the ccr system worked as intended. I was gifted a new trailer from another terminal with a hub oil/air leak. Shop fixed it and started doing it again 100 miles later.

Not sure if software issue or driver issue. Trailer got loaded regardless. Hate limping equipment with issues. Should have known it was going to be a bad night considering a wrecker brought back a trailer just as i was ready to take off.

Do you not have the new CCR upgrade in your IVIS?

 

[olroadbeech]

Placard on the trailer says 40,000 gross. Trailer itself weighs 11,000. That leaves 29,000 left.


My trailer has 3000 packages in it ranging from 1 lbs to 70 lbs. Even at 10 lbs a piece I am over the manufacturer weight.

in almost 25 years ( at UPS ) was never stopped at scales for overweight

 

[ManInBrown]

All you need to do is cover yourself. Call the trailer into dispatch and tell them you aren't responsible for any fines if you're pulled over. Write it up when you get to a building with a shop. Half the time the light will start working again after hitting a bump on the road.

I've pulled trailers with expired DOT inspections a few times as well. Once it was a 100% preload that would have missed service. It seemed silly to have 1,000 missed packages if it passes my pre-trip and they accept responsibility. In that case it was a bypass load brought in on the 31st but I didn't couple to it until 3:30am on the 1st. I also made my feeder manager text me saying I was in the clear if pulled over.

Terrible advice. Are you recording the phone call as youre telling them youre not responsible? You think if something happens theyll say oh yeah we’re on the hook for this ticket. I told the driver it was OK?

All you need to do is cover yourself. Call the trailer into dispatch and tell them you aren't responsible for any fines if you're pulled over. Write it up when you get to a building with a shop. Half the time the light will start working again after hitting a bump on the road.

I've pulled trailers with expired DOT inspections a few times as well. Once it was a 100% preload that would have missed service. It seemed silly to have 1,000 missed packages if it passes my pre-trip and they accept responsibility. In that case it was a bypass load brought in on the 31st but I didn't couple to it until 3:30am on the 1st. I also made my feeder manager text me saying I was in the clear if pulled over.

I would never do either. Trailers dont get pulled with issues to just to help them when its convenient. Thats not the way this works. Weve had guys walked off for bringing trailers on property with an expired FED. I once had a dispatcher come outside and ask me to pull a load with an expired FED 30 minutes up the road to a building that had a mechanic and trailer guy who could renew it. Looked right at him and said dont ever ask me to do something like that ever again. His reply was, “oh youre right. My bad”

Its their equipment. From the time they tell the shifter to put it on the door, to the time its ready to go, its their responsibility to make sure that trailer is road worthy. And if it isn't, it should have never been used in the first place. Thats on them. Not my problem.

 

[Rick Ross]

Terrible advice. Are you recording the phone call as youre telling them youre not responsible? You think if something happens theyll say oh yeah we’re on the hook for this ticket. I told the driver it was OK?

As I mentioned for the 100% trailer from hub to hub, I had my feeder manager text me. One of my stewards was pulling from the door next to me and also knew of the situation. He offered to pull it if I didn't want to.

Weve had guys walked off for bringing trailers on property with an expired FED

If they tried that in my building things would grind to a halt real quick. There would be a line of drivers at the shop questioning everything they could about their equipment.

I once had a dispatcher come outside and ask me to pull a load with an expired FED 30 minutes up the road to a building that had a mechanic and trailer guy who could renew it.

Maybe it's different in you area. In my area the trailer MUST be empty and it's not just a renewal, it's a full inspection. I believe all the yearly maintenance is also done at this time.

A big part of the problem is drivers not writing up equipment to begin with. If I bring in a trailer that's about to expire I call dispatch. They either have me red-tag it or they put it on a list to send to another building. Send it out 300 miles after day sort on the last day of the month and the other building will be stuck inspecting it.

 

[Mugarolla]

I would never do either. Trailers dont get pulled with issues to just to help them when its convenient. Thats not the way this works. Weve had guys walked off for bringing trailers on property with an expired FED.

I'll pull a trailer with a light out. Like I said, it was on when I left. UPS pays the ticket.

I will not pull an expired trailer, or one with any issue that can make it unsafe.

 

[Rick Ross]

This all started talking about a marker light being out. Making the shop send a truck out to fix a marker is over the top, IMO. The trailer still had DOT approved reflective tape down the side. If you noticed a clearance light out while on meal would you make them send a truck to fix that?

I wouldn't take a trailer with tail/brake light issues, but a clearace, marker or ID light I would be comfortable calling dispatch and rolling with it. As I mentioned earlier, it seems about half of them fix themselves on our bumpy roads.

 

[ManInBrown]

As I mentioned for the 100% trailer from hub to hub, I had my feeder manager text me. One of my stewards was pulling from the door next to me and also knew of the situation. He offered to pull it if I didn't want to.

The shop steward knew about it, and offered to pull it? JFC.

 

[Hadjabear]

This all started talking about a marker light being out. Making the shop send a truck out to fix a marker is over the top, IMO. The trailer still had DOT approved reflective tape down the side. If you noticed a clearance light out while on meal would you make them send a truck to fix that?

I wouldn't take a trailer with tail/brake light issues, but a clearace, marker or ID light I would be comfortable calling dispatch and rolling with it. As I mentioned earlier, it seems about half of them fix themselves on our bumpy roads.

If it's on the pretrip it better be working, otherwise why am I wasting time checking for it? Why not just look for it only on the post trip and then red tag it?

 

[Indecisi0n]

If it's on the pretrip it better be working, otherwise why am I wasting time checking for it? Why not just look for it only on the post trip and then red tag it?

I get that but again you need to understand the original question . It's late and your pulling a load in a small hub with no mechanic . It's not a bad fed or reg , it's one marker light .

If it was an empty then whatever, I'll red tag and find another . If it's anything safety related , like mentioned brake/tail/blinker that's not even a question in my mind (not happening) . But one marker light for a load mehhhhh . Hub guys here aren't ball Buster's or anything or I would give it right back .

 

[Mugarolla]

otherwise why am I wasting time checking for it?

So you can get it fixed before you leave.

We are referring to the situations in which there is no mechanic available, and it is just a light.

friend it's anything safety related , like mentioned brake/tail/blinker that's not even a question in my mine

I don't have an issue even if it is a tail light, as long as there is 2 lights on that side, and one of them is working.

A brake light or turn signal out, no.

 

[Indecisi0n]

So you can get it fixed before you leave.

We are referring to the situations in which there is no mechanic available, and it is just a light.



I don't have an issue even if it is a tail light, as long as there is 2 lights on that side, and one of them is working.

A brake light or turn signal out, no.

Like mentioned before they leave me alone and take care of me pretty much for the most part so I try to return the favor when I can . It's not a normal thing that happens which is why I asked .

 

[Rick Ross]

The shop steward knew about it, and offered to pull it? JFC.

By the time I inbounded it at my hub, the trailer had been out of inspection for a total of 7 hours. It's not like I was pulling a trailer that had been sitting in a pasture for years without being used. Worst case was I get pulled over and fined, which UPS had agreed to pay.

I guess I like to live on the edge. One time I drank milk that had been expired for an entire day!

 

[ManInBrown]

Heres what it boils down to. Can you pull a trailer with a FED that expired 7 hours earlier? Of course. Can you pull a trailer with one marker light out? Of course. I see it everyday with the dummies from Swift and FedEx. Are you going to get pulled over? Probably not. The Cops like UPS. They know we are the most professional drivers on the road. You could get into an accident and thats where youre screwed. Heres the bottom line.

Its called holding them accountable for the decisions they make. They put the trailer on the door. Im not here to clean up their mess. Thats not my job. Im sure plenty of off the street guys will do all that stuff without a care in the world. Im from package. I know how low down dirty rotten this company can be. Im taking zero chances. Should have put a trailer on the door that was road worthy. Thats your bad. Not mine

 

[Mugarolla]

Its called holding them accountable for the decisions they make. They put the trailer on the door.

Incorrect.

They, as in the shifter, who put it on the door, is an employee, not management.

And the shifter's duties does not entail checking lights on the trailers he puts on the door.

The responsible party for this is the driver who pulled it in and did not do a proper post trip.

Yes, sometimes lights burn out when you first turn them on, but for the majority of the times there is a light out, it was not working when it was pulled in from the last driver and he was too lazy to do a post trip and write it up.