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To maneuver a low deck semi-trailer, maintain a wide turning radius, monitor clearance heights, and use gradual steering adjustments
Driving a low deck semi-trailer requires thorough preparation. Below are step-by-step instructions to drive such vehicle properly:
First of all, conduct the complete vehicle inspection. Check the brakes, tires, lights, and fluid levels. Make sure that the low deck semi-trailer is clear from the road between 4 to 6 inches. Pay special attention to wear and tear, especially in the suspension system since it experiences considerable strain when carrying heavy loads.
It is vital to make sure that the load is properly attached. Use hefty straps and chains that are rated for, at a minimum, the corresponding weight. Make sure that the load is evenly distributed and will not move during the transit. For instance, if you are carrying vegetables or fruits, ensure they remain in the cases and will not fly out. However, if you are transporting construction equipment, make sure that the vehicles it contains are strapped in and that together they do not exceed the weight limit, which is typically 80,000 pounds for an average low deck semi-trailer.
Consider the route in advance. Avoid roads with low clearance and tight turns. Use available means, such as GPS, to find the best route to the destination. Be aware of current construction zones and potential delays. For instance, once I transported a massive industrial generator with dozens of feet in height. Before the bridge, it appeared that I would not be able to ride under it. Fortunately, I had a route before and was able to find the road forcing me to drive the extra 30 miles to the destination.
Ensure that the ride is legal in all aspects. Have levitation allowed for an oversized load and do not carry more than the maximum weight. For instance, in the United States, various state and federal laws forbid trucks from traveling with a weight of more than 80,000 pounds altogether, excluding the special permits for increased weight. Avoid the fines and penalties hindering the transit.
Finally, ensure that the driver is well-rested and can drive the low deck semi-trailer. Make sure that the driver knows how to drive the specific vehicle and is familiar with how it performs. Arrange for regular training and “re-education” since the study already proved that well-educated drivers improve security rates by up to 30%. Make sure the driver is capable of facing an emergency. For instance, once I was fortunate enough to have a fully intact fire extinguisher under the seat, and it allowed me to prevent a severe bus accident since the brakes were on fire.
Low deck semi trailer is not dangerous only to the drivers and other traffic participants but also transporting high value goods poses a significant risk of a large financial loss from the accident or damage to the cargo. Therefore it is vital to master the basic driving skills required to operate a low deck semi-trailer safely and efficiently.
The most important lesson in this regard is to always remember that the turning radius for low deck semi-trailers can be as wide as 55 feet. Thus, swings should always be as wide as possible to ensure no coming into with a curb, another vehicle in traffic or any other obstacle. For instance, a driver once safely made a turn in the heavy traffic of the intersection while avoiding the rear end of the trailer and other cars surrounding it by creating a wide swing.
The trailer should always be kept at safe angles to make sure it does not get unmanageable. For this reason, the driver must always adjust them gradually. Sharp sudden steering movements, going back and forth swing should be avoided. When transporting heavy machinery a driver has noticed that with the slow and gradual steering the stability of the transported load is better maintained.
The best speed is about 45-55 mph on the highways, but it should remain stable and even. Brakes: always apply them steadily and be gentle with the pedal. Deceleration should also be made gradually. An example of this happening and serving as potential lifesaving is the story of a driver who managed to stop the trailer that was densely packed with drums from coming into a small bus in a traffic jam by decelerating gradually for at least this distance.
Check the mirrors and the cameras. Since there are such significant blind spots when it comes to the low deck semi-trailers, the positioning of the mirrors and constant checking and opening the camera on the side is vital. They should be adjusted before starting. For instance, a driver once managed to avoid hitting a small and incorrectly positioned car alongside the trailer in the traffic by looking in the mirrors and the rear-view camera.
If you are going up, maintain speed, but do not go particularly fast to enable the trailer to gain momentum and get up. If you are going down maintain speed to the level that allows the engine to break but not generate too much heat. Thus, at a steep grade, One driver transporting some construction equipment managed without relying on actual brakes in the engine to decelerate and protect the main brake system thus comfortably maneuvering the trailer from the steep descent.
Finally to reverse, the movement should be cautious and slow, preferably using a spotter where there is one. Movement with the trailer should be made in minor and slow increments, but prior to the reverse it needs to be habitually retched straight to provide that the reversing is straightforward. The driver parked the trailer in a tight location of a construction site avoiding any scratches on its side and not touching the construction trailer mainly because he was constantly using the help of the spotter.
Always know your limits in terms of the load height. Never think that you are professional. The low deck external height is of measurable size, and all trailers are stackable with a minimum trailer-to-bridge clearance of on average thirteen feet Although, the weights of the loads of more than 80,000 pounds and the height of over 14 feet were successfully transported by the majority of the drivers. One driver even transported the transformer, while constantly monitoring not only the height of the vehicle but also every bridge along the way.
Driving a low deck semi-trailer in special conditions requires more attention and certain techniques, and these are detailed steps and description of the really happened cases:
Here it is necessary to reduce the speed and increase the distance as a low deck trailer is more prone to hydroplaning because of the large area of contact. It is important to turn on the headlights and fog lights as rains take place in reduced visibility. Once in a pouring rain, having reduced the speed from 55 miles per hour to 35 and increasing the distance to more than 200 feet, the driver avoided a serious accident.
At snow and ice, it is important to put the chains on the wheels either have the winter tires. Here it is important to drive more smoothly without setting the transmission brake. Once, having the fullness of the heavy equipment, I went on an icy mountain pass having more than 20 miles each hour, and everything was possible to manage keeping 25 miles per hour and switching on the chain and the differential lock.
At the wind, there is always the danger of flipping. Therefore, it is necessary to get a lower speed and to eliminate any sudden maneuvers. It is also necessary to be aware of what with the low deck this risk is more. Having got onto a high bridge, and there it is already dangerous with a strong wind, I, nevertheless, also continued to climb the bridge trying not to pay attention to the roadside and signs but, when the wind began to become very strong, I sat to stop a car which already swayed already from a wind and having measured its speed, I learned that it is 45 miles per hour. I waited until the storm stopped, and safely left for a look.
Here it is necessary to switch to a lower gear at descents and the brakings must be distributed so that to the brakes did not have time to overheat. Besides, it is necessary to stop more often than usual to measure an overheating of brakes and with more braking, caution should be thrown both on wheels and tires.An example of my life is when on a low deck was transshipped building materials and on abruptness, it was very easy to go down and every 5 miles, I stopped to cool the brakes, and thanks to this, I got to the base at the foot of the mountain in sound condition.
This is mainly characterized by the narrowness of streets, and they are especially in the downtown. In this connection, it is necessary to make a turn as widely as possible. And a driver should be very careful with the low hanging places there is a road sign Watching - Low Clearance. Do not hesitate to ask the help of another driver for maneuvering in a narrow yard or places for unloading or loading.In a midnight, I took on a low place a large turbine unit, on a strong frost, all the streets were slipped with ice and were not swept, but I still had to deliver a turbine to a large enterprise operating in the city. I took a driver with me talking via Nextel. He sat down low near me, and, from his readings of the indications from the side of the trailer tube, he informed where it was and then informed me what distances it was possible to move closer to the sidewalk and where it was necessary to go back to miss the parked cars... I finished my way to the enterprise driving a speed of 45 miles per hour belt and cleaning all the lights...
Here it is just necessary to smoothly switch the speed and follow the signs. You have to be ready for an unexpected stop or sharply narrowed strip, and if possible to knock out the answered footer with the gut burner with the driver or workers via CB.istream. Let the driver even a truck tell you about a tram even small stones in the roadway, because the weight of the fret of the equipment on a low platform is more concerned, it is possible to move this pit and to pick up the equipment that everyone in such a situation is great...
Emergencies can happen at any time and anywhere, including while driving a low deck semi-trailer. To avoid severe accidents, it is necessary to think quickly and act accurately. Below is a step-by-step description of how to deal with different emergency situations:
In case when the brakes are not working, try to remain calm and not make any sudden movements. Downshift to lower gears to turn on the engine brake. It helps to reduce speed. At the same time, think about whether trailer brakes are available and turn them on manually. One driver saved their lives and other drivers on the narrow, steep descent by downshifting through each gear and using the trailer’s manual brake control to stop at the very end on the escape pad.
If the front tire bursts, hold the steering wheel firmly to keep control of the vehicle. Keep your foot on the accelerator and not slam on the brakes. Slow down and drive the vehicle to the side. If a blowout happens with the drive axles or the rear tandem, stop the mean only when it is possible to park on the shoulder. Use 4-ways imperfect trailer parking lights. Drag the trailer into the shoulder or the grassy area. Once driving, there was a blowout on the front tire train with the Bob Cat. While steering the train to the side of the road and slowing it down, there was no problem or any difficulties.
Always monitor the temperature gauge while driving. If such a situation happened, stop the vehicle as soon as possible. When the engine is off, check coolant levels and find a leak or tear. One driver’s engine almost burned out but stopped, filled the coolant, and went to the service in time.
If you start skidding with the trailer, do not press the brakes suddenly. Gently steer into the skid to direct the trailer back towards the cab. Jackknifing was stopped on an icy road as pushing lightly on the brakes and turning the steering wheel in the right direction. The trailer straightened out. Always use a low deck semi-trailer cautiously. Being careful, it is possible to avoid half of all accidents.
Do not hesitate and pull the low deck semi-trailer on the side of the road immediately to avoid possible death of other drivers. Turn off the engine and leave the string of the cabin. Having a fire extinguisher at hand is a good practice. If the flame in the engine is small or remains in other places, the extinguisher should push the base flame. If there is a light or two, ring 100 feet. Once the engine caught fire, and I pulled over. With the help of the fire extinguisher, the fire was extinguished instantly. No one was injured, as I successfully managed to deal with the problem.
As there was a heavy load, I had to be thrifty with it. When the rear slipped, I gently turned the steering wheel in the right direction. I also avoided the sharp pressing of the brake and just let my foot off the gas pedal.
When a person feels that health problems occur, there is only one thing to be done. It is important to pull over and call an ambulance. One day I had chest pain and called 911 immediately. Luckily, it was only a usual angina, as the doctors explained. I want to note that it is always better to be careful driving a low deck semi-trailer, as the weight of the vehicle will not save lives.
Although reversing and parking a low deck semi-trailer is difficult, it is possible to master these essential skills with practice and careful planning. Here are the steps that can help improve them:
First, obtain a good understanding of the area of operations. Before reversing or parking, walk the entire area to identify any potential obstacles, hanging tree branches, ground conditions, and clearance heights. Once, while performing a pre-reversal walk-around, a driver identified a low-hanging branch of a tree and avoided a severe accident.
Whenever possible, use a spotter. This individual can warn you about any dangers and guide you through tight spaces or while “backing around obstacles”. Always agree on the hand signals or, if available, use a two-way radio. To park a low deck trailer on a busy construction site, I had to use a spotter. Since I avoided various heavy pieces of equipment and materials on site as required, and by receiving clear instructions, I parked without major challenges.
Position the mirrors correctly before initiating the maneuver and check them constantly. Rear-view cameras, if your vehicle has them, can be very helpful. Although the usual single rear-view mirror can prevent effective parking and reversing, I had to use a trailer equipped with a multi-angle camera system only once. In this case, accurately aligning mirrors was instrumental, and reversing went smoothly until the trailer was in the tight warehouse dock.
The truck should be properly positioned before attempting to reverse. Specifically, align the trailer as straight as possible with the parking space or loading dock. Second, it is recommended to start with the trailer straight. This minimizes the amount of maneuvers and corrections a driver should perform. I have found this very helpful when delivering to a narrow timber loading bay as well as when parking in a confined space a busy downtown store.
At no time speed up but proceed slowly and steadily. Frequent small and incremental corrections help avoid oversteering. Lightly brake and gently accelerate to ensure the movement of the trailer is restrained. Finally, get a good grasp of the mechanics of steering your trailer. Thus, when reversing, initially turn the wheel in the direction that the “trailer” should go. Since the challenges described in all previous points can be overcome with practice, once I could reverse with no challenges even in experience training on a narrow, empty lot.
Finally, after parking, secure the vehicle. Pull the low deck alongside the barrier and forwards into the parking space. First, engage the parking brake. Second, put wheel chocks under the “wheels”. Third, ensure your trailer is level and the stability is secured. I had to put extra wheel chocks and even re-chalk them all while parking a low deck in the busy area of a supermarket on a small incline. There was no need to do that as it was parallel parking in downtown. However, for the future, it is still better to try to find a more selected spot with no inclination available. Once, to park a “semi-trailer,” I had to reverse while transporting a 40-ton “generator.” The industrial center I had to deliver it to had a very narrow entree. Therefore, first, I used a “spotter” to guide me and adjust mirrors. Second, I moved slowly in a straight line once the “trailer” was accurately “aligned” with the parking space. Third, I had to use a carefully adjusted “revised” to ensure “no challenges”. In this condition, I managed to pack the “trailer” without any challenges and prevent any damage to my vehicle or the facility.
