Feeder Pre-Trip Inspections

[want to retire]

Has anyone ever seen this in writing for feeders?

Like want to retire says you can go overboard. I see drivers crawl under a trailer to inspect the brakes, occasionally they may find a cracked lining that can't be seen from across the trailer. (behind the leaf spring or something). I also see a lot of drivers grab the top of the front wheel and attempt to rock it. I asked why and they said that's what the driving school taught them. I just chuckled because there's probably 4000lbs of weight on the wheel, you aint gonna budge it even if the kingpins were shot.

Not so! You are also looking for worn wheel-bearings. You bet you can make that wheel move, not alot but a slight clunking back and forth.

 

[want to retire]

They gave me their methods last week. It is shorter than my state's pre-trip inspection for the CDL test. As I've said, I'm trying to find of from the state whether their requirements are only for passing the test, or if they are a daily requirement. Some guys here say getting under the trailers is overkill. I disagree. If you are going to get written up for missing something that can only be seen by getting under the trailer, as one of our drivers did, then you need to be under that trailer.

Again, tie the list to the task. If you are responsible for the listed items on the list, that's your responsibility. Being disciplined is a whole other matter. Again, no one gets under a trailer, tractor or otherwise to pre-trip it! You are looking for new shiny spots , cracks, worn hoses, new oil spots,wipers,defrost, tread depth/condition/pressure, loose nuts/bolts, all lights functioning, air-pressure/bleed down/leaks, check the fluids, worn wheel-bearings, excessive steering wheel slop.....might have missed a couple.....that's about it. You walk around the vehicle and look at it, not get out the micrometer. Touch some things, some you look at(most). I do this at my pace(being suped or not). This is normal and proper. Air trailers and specialty items excepted of course. I know you disagree.......but your argument may be incorrect.

 

[104Feeder]

Wow.
If "want to retire" is a Feeder Driver that is the kind I never, ever want to be on a Sleeper run with.

Dracula, you are absolutely right to be performing a thorough inspection underneath the trailer. Perhaps 'thumping' the air tank etc is a bit much but putting a hand on such parts is not. I'm a "hands on lug nuts" kind of pre-tripper too, as I do it exactly by the DOT requirements. UPS' methods leave much to be desired as you noticed going through your CDL manual. Check CVSA.org for more information on proper pre-trip inspections.

There is no time limit for inspections, but you are wise not to become a Beverly Calhoun simply to prove a point. I think you have justified the steps you take in your breakdown of a pre-trip.
Should UPS seek to discipline you, I would file a complaint with the FMCSA and OSHA. Do not contact your State division of either office. Not sure what side of the Country you are on, but the Federal office of OSHA on my side is in San Francisco at 415-625-2527 (Josh Paul is the Regional Investigator last I checked)
Your job is protected under the STAA The Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) should you file a complaint. OSHA is very familiar with UPS' attitude about safety when it interferes with production. 16 minutes is not an unreasonable amount of time to pre-trip a tractor.

FMCSA can be reached at 404-327-7400 and Thomas Marlow is the Division Administrator
1745 Phoenix Blvd
Suite 380
Atlanta, GA 30349
I would call and follow up with a formal written complaint via certified mail. Keep in mind there are time limits with both offices for filing complaints.


I still can't believe the On-road signed your DVIR and argued about it. That is in direct violation of the law. He must be one of the 30 day wonders we enjoy so much out here.

 

[Dracula]

Again, tie the list to the task. If you are responsible for the listed items on the list, that's your responsibility. Being disciplined is a whole other matter. Again, no one gets under a trailer, tractor or otherwise to pre-trip it! You are looking for new shiny spots , cracks, worn hoses, new oil spots,wipers,defrost, tread depth/condition/pressure, loose nuts/bolts, all lights functioning, air-pressure/bleed down/leaks, check the fluids, worn wheel-bearings, excessive steering wheel slop.....might have missed a couple.....that's about it. You walk around the vehicle and look at it, not get out the micrometer. Touch some things, some you look at(most). I do this at my pace(being suped or not). This is normal and proper. Air trailers and specialty items excepted of course. I know you disagree.......but your argument may be incorrect.

Well, again, the driver I speak of delivered a trailer to another hub. When the next driver pre-tripped the trailer (he got underneath) he noticed the air tank had a weld that was busted and the tank was loose. The trailer had to off-loaded to another trailer, which made the load late. The original trailer got a warning letter. Ever since I found that out, I always check those welds, and the only way to get a good look is to get underneath. Either way, I always get underneath when I approach the driver side tires to check the brake chambers, the springs, the brackets, the bolts and the drums. Going underneath once, on the driver side, saves me time by doing everything at one time. It doesn't take me very long, and my sups never had a problem when times before, but now they are doing everything they can to pinch my times.

Again, I'm not dragging my feet. I'm just satisfying myself as to the safety of my equipment.

 

[brett636]

Bottom line for me is until I am satisfied that the vehicle is safe it won't move an inch regardless of how much faster the company thinks it should be done. I have a set routine that I perform daily on my tractor even though the guy on the other side of me doesn't even drive it half the miles I do. A pre-trip can be overdone, but it doesn't sound like you are overdoing it. As other drivers have said it can take 9 min. just to find your tractor let alone pre trip it and hook up your radios if you bring any. Usually 15-20 min. after clocking in my tractor is rolling, and so far nobody has said anything to me, but my thought process is do I get yelled out for taking "too long" to do a pre-trip or do I risk getting fired when something goes horribly wrong that could have been noticed and an accident occurs. I will take getting yelled at everytime.

 

[959Nanook]

....
I also see a lot of drivers grab the top of the front wheel and attempt to rock it. I asked why and they said that's what the driving school taught them. I just chuckled because there's probably 4000lbs of weight on the wheel, you aint gonna budge it even if the kingpins were shot.

Not so! You are also looking for worn wheel-bearings. You bet you can make that wheel move, not alot but a slight clunking back and forth.

I am doing my fifth production run tonight for feeder training. I was taught that the push-pull test was to check for indications of worn wheel bearings.

 

[want to retire]

Bottom line for me is until I am satisfied that the vehicle is safe it won't move an inch regardless of how much faster the company thinks it should be done. I have a set routine that I perform daily on my tractor even though the guy on the other side of me doesn't even drive it half the miles I do. A pre-trip can be overdone, but it doesn't sound like you are overdoing it. As other drivers have said it can take 9 min. just to find your tractor let alone pre trip it and hook up your radios if you bring any. Usually 15-20 min. after clocking in my tractor is rolling, and so far nobody has said anything to me, but my thought process is do I get yelled out for taking "too long" to do a pre-trip or do I risk getting fired when something goes horribly wrong that could have been noticed and an accident occurs. I will take getting yelled at everytime.

Please note to all: I do not consider messing with radios, finding tractors/trailers, talking to clerks etc. part of the pre-trip process. But the actual eyeball of the equipment.

 

[want to retire]

Well, again, the driver I speak of delivered a trailer to another hub. When the next driver pre-tripped the trailer (he got underneath) he noticed the air tank had a weld that was busted and the tank was loose. The trailer had to off-loaded to another trailer, which made the load late. The original trailer got a warning letter. Ever since I found that out, I always check those welds, and the only way to get a good look is to get underneath. Either way, I always get underneath when I approach the driver side tires to check the brake chambers, the springs, the brackets, the bolts and the drums. Going underneath once, on the driver side, saves me time by doing everything at one time. It doesn't take me very long, and my sups never had a problem when times before, but now they are doing everything they can to pinch my times.

Again, I'm not dragging my feet. I'm just satisfying myself as to the safety of my equipment.

32 years pkg/feeder......never seen anyone crawl under a pkg or feeder for a pre-trip. Or a Boeing for that matter(or the equivilent).

 

[over9five]

I don't understand how one Feeder dept can give a warning letter for a broken weld that you can only see if you crawl under the trailer, and then tell you not to crawl under the trailer to check it.
Did I understand that right???

PS, I do not crawl under trailers to check anything. I might crawl under if I see something suspicious, but certainly not every time. And I've never seen anyone else do it either. Seems a little overkill to me.

 

[anonymous6]

Not so! You are also looking for worn wheel-bearings. You bet you can make that wheel move, not alot but a slight clunking back and forth.

I spend a lot of time with my mechanic. especially after a PMI to see what he found. what he had to replace etc. that way I can pay attention to things I may not be paying attention to, I have learned a lot from our mechanics. They can tell you things to look out for. Things that have failed in the past on that type of tractor or may fail in the future.

 

[anonymous6]

I don't understand how one Feeder dept can give a warning letter for a broken weld that you can only see if you crawl under the trailer, and then tell you not to crawl under the trailer to check it.
Did I understand that right???

PS, I do not crawl under trailers to check anything. I might crawl under if I see something suspicious, but certainly not every time. And I've never seen anyone else do it either. Seems a little overkill to me.

with me it depends on type of trailer. if it's a UPS trailer, i'm like you....just crawl under if you see something that doesn't appear right. in our hub we have a lot of rail pigs ..........rentals. a lot of them have leaking wheel seals, leaking and cracked air lines, cracks in the frame, loose wheel nuts.....the list goes on and on with this junk. I give them a pretty good look over.

 

[BrownArmy]

Sooo...

How do I get into Feeders?

 

[Babagounj]

Wait until more old timers retire , & then apply.
Maybe You'll pass the road trip, maybe.

 

[brett636]

Sooo...

How do I get into Feeders?

Get Amazon to bring 4 large warehouses to your area like they did here. Feeders has been the fastest route to fulltime in my building for the better part of the last 2 years.

 

[menotyou]

Sooo...

How do I get into Feeders?

At my center, you just bid it(if you have a cdl at the time of the bid). If no one higher than you wants the bid, it's yours.

 

[Dracula]

I don't understand how one Feeder dept can give a warning letter for a broken weld that you can only see if you crawl under the trailer, and then tell you not to crawl under the trailer to check it.
Did I understand that right???

PS, I do not crawl under trailers to check anything. I might crawl under if I see something suspicious, but certainly not every time. And I've never seen anyone else do it either. Seems a little overkill to me.

Yes, you understood it right. UPS talking out of both sides of their mouth. What's new about that?

A lot of us get underneath the trailers for pre-trips. Not the tractor, the trailers. Maybe it's overkill to you now, but if something breaks under there, you can bet your ass UPS will make it your fault. Then it won't be overkill.

I'm not dragging my feet during the pre-trip, but I am being thorough.

 

[twoweeled]

This is a no win scenario. We were most likely taught the very same way(feeders). I can promise and guarantee, you are way over inspecting your equipment as far as UPS goes. OK. Now- I didn't say it's not a good idea but UPS will not tolerate the time taken to do this. You will have to prove(by the book)(UPS and DOT) that what you were trained to, do differs and is inadequate, unsafe etc. I guess if you are told not to thoroughly inspect(and ignore it), you could be fired for alot of things-stealing time, not working as directed etc. Have you ever watched a big UPS Boeing preflighted? It's not much, kinda just look at it....see if anything's glaringly loose. This is by the pilots. And yes, if anything goes wrong during your trip, UPS will try to hang it on you.....no win. My advice is to have the Sup. show you exactly the pretrip(get it in writing) and do that. If anything ever happens, you can show the lawyers, BA's and all, how you were trained and so on. From my 32 years........you can pick this fight.........but do you want to spend every second looking over your shoulder?

What this boils down to, is if you worry about looking over your shoulder because you fought for something - then just accept everything that is done to you, and smile!

 

[twoweeled]

Yes. The safety aspect will be lost and forgotten as he fights the failure to work as directed, stealing time etc. It could be akin to excessive customer contact, service etc. And yes, you can over do it.

I've run into similar situations in the past. What I did, was to grieve the action from the supervisor, stating what took place. state what you did, intended to do, and what the sup was stopping you from doing. do this every time, but do as the sup tells you to do. You will never win the grievances (per say), but you what you will be doing is documenting your actions, as well as the companies actions. If anything ever happens to you (or to anyone else) that these actions can POSSIBLY pertain too, than that's when these grievances come out. Documentations is EXTREMELY important. Hopefully the local won't be the second one to give you any grief over the excessive grievances filed. Let the local know what you are doing. That's what I've done. Just something to consider.

 

[Old International]

There is a difference between KNOWING what a part is and it's function, and checking it for proper operation and safety. On the pretrip TEST, you have to know what each part of the tractor is, and it's function. Doing the pretrip, you are looking for items that may be worn or broken, and flagging them for repair. How many feeder drivers check the drag link? Hell, I have looked at the damn thing for the last 13 years, and have never touched it. I check to make sure that the cotter keys and nuts are there, and that is it. Well, 2 weeks ago, my coworker's drag link FELL OFF the tractor while he was shifting in the yard. I had the "parts changer" show me how to check it, and sure enough, mine was worn also. Now, I check it once a week, normally the first day of the work week.

As for crawling under the tractor or trl? I don't know about your yard, but at mine, that will make sure that you come out with dirty uniforms. I just look at the frame, pull on the air tank spitter valve, and listen. If I hear an air leak where there shouldn't be one, then I take the equipment to the shop, and have it looked at. Lights are the same way- no work, to the shop we go.

Compared to some truck fleets, UPS does a really good job of making sure our equipment is safe. Just take a look at the container chassises hauling ass down the road- bent rims, lousy tires, burned out lights--all of them going faster then we do.

 

[twoweeled]

What I ran into just today is while hooking up a set, the snubber didn't work. Went to dispatch and ask for a mechanic to come out. I was told the snubber isn't a DOT requirement, so take it like it is. I told him I wanted a snubber. He told me it isn't required. I told him I would switch the trailers. Sup told me, either take the set the way it is, or go home. It's nice to be home on a monday! True story!