Dealing with the fear

Posted by clarabraun@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 10 comments

Photo isn't mine but it's close enough to my setup; don't feel comfortable identifying myself.

I recently got in with a steel hauling company in the upper midwest. I'm using an 8 axle flatbed with a rolling tarp. So far I've mostly done shotgun coils, but I also do large metal pallets of cut sheet metal parts, and I've been told that I may occasionally be given other coil types.

I don't panic or actively stress while driving, but I can tell that I am terrified. 98,000 on my trailer and all it takes is blinking at the wrong time or misjudging a turn or forgetting to lift my axles to go around a bend. My securement is the DOT minimum, which is about 3x the chains that I see other drivers throw on, and half of my chaining is done sweating to death inside the conestoga because I get chewed out by plants for taking too long. But in spite of this, throwing 6 chains onto a 46,000lb coil, I know that any mistake will take a miracle not to ruin my life, or even worse, someone else's.

I will keep working, I don't have another option that keeps me home every night. I'm just struggling to acclimate - I'm only barely getting used to driving again, it's been two months since I finished school and got my license. I am a cautious driver, but I am exhausted working the long hours and my confidence is waning.

How do I get over this? How do I do everything right, always pay attention, never miss a beat?

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dewky@reddit

You have to manually lift your axles while driving? Here those aren't even legal. I would have assumed most of those axles would be self steering axles.

skipei@reddit

Yes to the lifting you only need to when turning and no they are not illegal.

I can't imagine having to flip a switch every time you turn. If you're driving mostly straight that's not too bad but here that would be nearly impossible with the amounts of windy highways.

KilljoyTheTrucker@reddit

You only switch them for hard turns, like a right at a corner, not curves on a highway.

While it's not illegal to be able to run them from the cab here, a cop with a stick up his ass can write you for not having enough axles down when you lift them for turns generally.

Though, that's usually pretty rare, and can be avoided by switching them at a time where they're just barely lifting off the ground while you're in the turn then you get them going back down quick enough at the end of the turn.

LockportTrans@reddit

You'll get used to it. And if after a year (or two) you get tired of it, that's great gig to have on your resumé. Stay with it. Take your time, don't let these plant guys tell you how to load. Tell them it had to be secured. Throw them a curve ball like "CMVE is clamping down everywhere, just waiting to cite carriers. Gotta be done according to the legislation" In fact find the stature number in the handbook for securing coils and plate stee so you can repeat it ad hoc.

Always cross chains at the front of plate steel too. Put a piece of carpet where the chains touch

FloppyTacoflaps@reddit

Steel sucks. Just take your time and get it right, speed comes with experience. Never let anyone make you hurry up, just smile nod yes sir and keep doing your thing. Times like that I always remember what my dad used to say... ah well fuck emvif they can't take a joke lol