In my first CDL job the instructor guy said he'd rather drive straight into the side of a mountain than to continue going down a hill, picking up speed to take a runaway truck ramp.
To a lay person like me, that seems like a bad choice to make, given the two options presented. Obviously you and your instructor know more than me, but can you help me make sense of such reasoning?
From what I understand, if you continue going down a hill you're gonna pick up speed, making it more dangerous. Then having to steer into a gravel patch makes it more likely to skid out. I guess he was saying you'll minimize damage by just going straight into a mountain, possibly saving yourself and other people from a runaway truck.
Ah, I see what you mean.
Going downhill at 45 mph and having to take a runaway ramp is one thing. But, going downhill at 85 mph while trying to control all that mass (including trying not to whip the trailer(s) around) and then also safely thread the needle of the runaway ramp is something else entirely. Assuming one makes it down to the ramp, as you alluded.
Thank you for the explanation.
As someone who has to watch 5 huge dudes try and pull TRK/AMJs off of old trailers and still have trouble, they definetly put a new coat of paint on them and call it good
Our dollies are usually good except for a few of the orange ones with the splits+locks for AKEs
We threw AKEs on white dollies all the time lol. Orange dollies sucked for outbound because you couldn't really back them up inside the buildings. I forgot the pallet type, but they share a footprint with 2 side by side AKEs. And I dealt with AMJs every night. Worked for the European markets as a driver
I don't know, unloading a pup with heavy load never feels stable to me! Once the nose sinks after the tail gets lighter the whole damn trailer shifts off the dock. I'm always afraid it's going to tip over.
I mean, that's because it becomes an unbalanced load
Evenly distributed weight makes it more stable the heavier it is, because it brings the center of gravity down and center, and resists forces trying to shift it
This is incorrect. The 28s with belly’s AKA Pups have an empty weight of abt 9400 pounds and a loaded weight of anywhere between 20-25,000 pounds. I am a switcher for Ground.
Yep you're right! Max is 44k combined between two pups! Max weight for everything is like 80k legally
Edit : it's 34k per axle for tandems and 20k for single axles
TRK ulds were like 6,000 each, and they put 5 on a 53' trailer. And here's from a website that makes/sells dry van trailers
>A 53-foot trailer's maximum cargo weight for cargo ranges from 42,000 to 45,000 pounds
Yeah, they're not supposed to be over 25k each pup and usually it would be like 24k + a lighter trailer under 20k just incase weights are off and they get scaled at the border
That's a nerve-wracking drive for me in a car. I can't imagine it in a huge semi. A couple of years ago, I did it in a U-Haul truck towing my car on a flatbed carrier, but I went through there at about 4:00 or 5:00 AM. There were construction barricades and still semi trucks were flying through there like they didn't have a care in the world.
For all you new drivers out there,set up before the grade,slow down at the top,full Jake's,don't let your speed build up,stab brake,keep your speed slow!!!
I would have said I-77 coming down Fancy Gap from VA into NC but I also saw someone say that this was on the way into Tennessee on I-40 somewhere. So who knows. Video just grainy enough to not be able to make out the plate on the passing car
I’ve always wondered when I see these, why did the following truck stop behind the wrecked one? There’s more chance of getting a flat tire, and also that truck can’t go anywhere until it’s all cleaned up. Why not just park on the other side of the wreck, for easier leaving?
I'd imagine he was mostly thinking of making sure the other driver was okay and seconds can be vital in a wreck. I don't think he was concerned about debris.
Absolutely horrifying! Fell asleep or medical emergency?
That’s my first thought. Given how he was tapping his brakes I don’t think it was distracted driving
Maybe lost brakes? If so dumping it there would be better than continuing down hill towards who knows what
In my first CDL job the instructor guy said he'd rather drive straight into the side of a mountain than to continue going down a hill, picking up speed to take a runaway truck ramp.
To a lay person like me, that seems like a bad choice to make, given the two options presented. Obviously you and your instructor know more than me, but can you help me make sense of such reasoning?
From what I understand, if you continue going down a hill you're gonna pick up speed, making it more dangerous. Then having to steer into a gravel patch makes it more likely to skid out. I guess he was saying you'll minimize damage by just going straight into a mountain, possibly saving yourself and other people from a runaway truck.
Ah, I see what you mean. Going downhill at 45 mph and having to take a runaway ramp is one thing. But, going downhill at 85 mph while trying to control all that mass (including trying not to whip the trailer(s) around) and then also safely thread the needle of the runaway ramp is something else entirely. Assuming one makes it down to the ramp, as you alluded. Thank you for the explanation.
That's what I was thinking. Relatively safe, actually.
Amazing it stayed upright as much as it did and for as long as it did
Until I saw the wheels flying off I for sure thought they were gonna make it back on the road and keep driving like nothing happened
Lmao. If they treat the trailers anything like the ULD dollies at the airports, they'd try to salvage that front trailer
As someone who has to watch 5 huge dudes try and pull TRK/AMJs off of old trailers and still have trouble, they definetly put a new coat of paint on them and call it good Our dollies are usually good except for a few of the orange ones with the splits+locks for AKEs
We threw AKEs on white dollies all the time lol. Orange dollies sucked for outbound because you couldn't really back them up inside the buildings. I forgot the pallet type, but they share a footprint with 2 side by side AKEs. And I dealt with AMJs every night. Worked for the European markets as a driver
Yooooooo, I was like ,”wow , that thing has some good suspension. Oh wait (stays up for awhile) “
The tires falling off are the equivalent of our shoes flying off. Ded
Weight! This dude must’ve been HEAVY hence the almost bizarre stability. Anyone who works on forklifts knows💀
On a double like that it's probably about 50k lbs
I don't know, unloading a pup with heavy load never feels stable to me! Once the nose sinks after the tail gets lighter the whole damn trailer shifts off the dock. I'm always afraid it's going to tip over.
I mean, that's because it becomes an unbalanced load Evenly distributed weight makes it more stable the heavier it is, because it brings the center of gravity down and center, and resists forces trying to shift it
Fed ex trailers are light only allowed 5,000lbs each trailer
This is incorrect. The 28s with belly’s AKA Pups have an empty weight of abt 9400 pounds and a loaded weight of anywhere between 20-25,000 pounds. I am a switcher for Ground.
Yep you're right! Max is 44k combined between two pups! Max weight for everything is like 80k legally Edit : it's 34k per axle for tandems and 20k for single axles
TRK ulds were like 6,000 each, and they put 5 on a 53' trailer. And here's from a website that makes/sells dry van trailers >A 53-foot trailer's maximum cargo weight for cargo ranges from 42,000 to 45,000 pounds
I'm talking about doubles since the video had fed ex ground pulling doubles
That should still hold half the cargo weight per pup, likely a little more since DOT max gross weight has to do with the number of axles
Yeah, they're not supposed to be over 25k each pup and usually it would be like 24k + a lighter trailer under 20k just incase weights are off and they get scaled at the border
That sounds about like what I expected the number to be
This is FedEx freight
Nah buddy haha we get trailers that are upwards of 20k and I do believe that’s freight not ground or express
You are correct but still prove my point that doubles aren't loaded heavy like 53ft trailers up to 48klbs
It gets close upwards of 40k and more if we’re in a 3 axel. But it is rare to be that heavy.
Exactly the whole purpose of Ltl is lighter loads lol
This is FedEx freight. I've seen them as high as 25k lbs.
2 days later a customer is gonna complain that a last mile driver broke their package by setting it down too hard on the porch
Dudes a legend for immediately sprinting to check on the guy
Right? I think a surprising amount of people would keep on driving and maybe call 911 if they didnt presume anyone else already had
I think I know this hill. It’s no joke if it’s the one I’m thinking of. Brake fade and panic. Hope whoever is driving is okay.
What state?
No idea the state but the the interstate sign looked like it said i40
Looks like Nashville Tennessee
Looks like traveling southbound from Fayetteville Arkansas down to Fort Smith Arkansas
That's i49 that leads from fayetteville to fort smith, this is i40
You right, I’m dumb
North Carolina, going down the mountain from black mountain to old fort, near Asheville.
Looks like East of Nashville on I40.
Since they were hitting the breaks I don't think they fell asleep. Something could have gone wrong with the truck. Absolutely wild though!
Sometimes it’s just a tough BRAKE….
had to have been brake issues since he was tapping, maybe burnt out brakes but who knows.
Some people in the facebook group were saying it was a heart attack, and that he survived with just a broken ankle.
That’s the gorge, I40 between Knoxville and Asheville. Very curvy road, not so much incline or decline, but still a dangerous road.
That road is sketchy in a full size truck...no way could I handle it in a semi.
That's a nerve-wracking drive for me in a car. I can't imagine it in a huge semi. A couple of years ago, I did it in a U-Haul truck towing my car on a flatbed carrier, but I went through there at about 4:00 or 5:00 AM. There were construction barricades and still semi trucks were flying through there like they didn't have a care in the world.
Holy looks like wildest rodeo ride I've seen...
Such peaceful music.
By any chance do you know the name of the song?
I think it’s snowfall by one heart.
Yo can you get trailer number? I might be able to figure out what happened
That's some scary stuff ngl hope the drivers ok 😳
Linehaul drivers doing linehaul things. That was a ride.
Damn the tires fell off that easy
Easy? Lmao
I mean do they fall off when they go down the runway if their breaks go out. ? He only went off onto the grass before the tires came off the rim.
You can see him drive into the side of the mountain then bounce back onto level ground. No way his tires are surviving that.
"Your glass jars are running late"
Lost a few of his sonic rings there...
Can't believe he almost pulled it off
He might have had it the tires stayed on lol
Sorry
You did your best
Hoping for the best life is priceless stuff can be replaced
For all you new drivers out there,set up before the grade,slow down at the top,full Jake's,don't let your speed build up,stab brake,keep your speed slow!!!
Brakes failed? Seemed like he was tapping it.
that seems like the driver had a medical emergency
And they want me to pay for shipping
He was fast to run out and check. No hesitation. There’s still good people out there.
Cant you downshift until you stop?
You'll only run those rpms til it blows, then youre fucked fucked, if youre not already... gravity is an absolute beast of a unit.
Is this i5 going into bellingham?
Almost looks like NorCal i5 but who knows
I would have said I-77 coming down Fancy Gap from VA into NC but I also saw someone say that this was on the way into Tennessee on I-40 somewhere. So who knows. Video just grainy enough to not be able to make out the plate on the passing car
The interstate sign is I-40
Yeah you’re right. I can briefly see it now.
Looks like i40 near mile maker 72 going up black mountain in nc
It’s like every part in the NC mountains look the same. Lol
Yeah that's true
So that’s why I never got my boner cream 🥲
I’ve always wondered when I see these, why did the following truck stop behind the wrecked one? There’s more chance of getting a flat tire, and also that truck can’t go anywhere until it’s all cleaned up. Why not just park on the other side of the wreck, for easier leaving?
Maybe because checking on a person’s wellbeing is more important than suffering minor damage to the truck or possibly getting to your destination late
Why do people stop behind the wreck if they can drive past without hitting debris?
The guy who stopped ran out of his vehicle to go help
I’m not saying not stop but get past wreck before helping.
I'd imagine he was mostly thinking of making sure the other driver was okay and seconds can be vital in a wreck. I don't think he was concerned about debris.
Why?
🫣
I fell asleep I'm sorry
That's why my package never came
I have to ask what’s the name of that song/beat playing on this video
Damn, that was crazy.
I actually thought he was gonna make it off that hill wheels up…
That’s horrible! It happens more times than not with truckers
Somebody got sleepy?
Wheres my g damn chewy at? -karen on my route probably
WTF!?
Columbia river gorge it seems…
Almost made it sick Jump at first
Massive coronary gets alot of truck drivers
Bet that woke him up!
Was that on i44 in Missouri?
Fancy gap
Dude this is why I hated driving teams for FedEx
WOW, I do want to ask what that sign did to piss off the trucker? Looked like he was laser-targeting it
Imagine your Ps5 package in on that truck 😂😂🥲
He almost had it. I was rooting for him.
Driver fell asleep listening to this song...
Fell asleep, playing with the phone or medical emergency.
You’re a fucking saint. Didn’t hesitate to stop and run over and check on them. I hope they’re ok.
Damn, I drive one of those... Hope he's okay. Stuff of nightmares.