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Massey Wilcox of She pton Mallet runs more than 80
Page 58
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Mercedes tractor units and 120 trailers; director Robert Wilcox has strong views on tractor /trailer separation. "It was never a problem with steel suspensions," he says. It only surfaced after air bags became the norm".
He is currently using a dozen or more of Jost's newest fixed three-way sensed fifth wheels, and was the first UK operator to do so. All of his fleet additions now have them fitted on-line.
Not realising that trailers are parked far too high, some slow-witted drivers cause serious damage by backing too far under them. Usually the air stack filter boxes are smashed — and at E700 a time that's an expensive error.
Worst of all is when the kingpin ends up jammed on top of the fifth wheel jaws.
The driver pulls forward, thinking he's definitely hooked up, connects his suzies, raises the landing legs and sets off, only for the trailer to fall off in the yard or out on the road.
Such nightmare-inducing incidents convinced Wilcox that Jost's sensed fifth wheel was the way ahead for his fleet. "Touch wood, we haven't had a problem since," he says. "and I have peace of mind."
The Ken Devereaux fleet comprises 300 semi-trailers and 106 tractor units, mostly Scanias with some Dafs and lvecos, and just about all of them are equipped with Handbrake Alert systems.
"It's an excellent means of avoiding some of the hazards associated with tractor/trailer separation," says Ken Devereaux. "In fact some of our customers won't even allow vehicles on site if they don't have it.
"Drivers generally learn all the proper procedures, but occasionally things go pear-shaped when they become careless or take short cuts," he adds.
Devereaux views it as an educational s• problem and believes the way to avoid such accidents is through refresher training.
If a driver gets out of his cab to couple up to a trailer without first putting his handbrake on, then as soon as he attaches his red air line he could be putting himself or others in that area, in very great danger.
The key factor is whether the trailer park brake is on or not. If it isn't, and the ground is uneven or slopes slightly, there is every chance that the trailer will roll into anyone or anything that is in the way.
"We've found the 'handbrake off' device an excellent way of minimising problems over unit and trailer separation," Devereaux concludes.
Staplehurst Transits runs a tidy fleet of 17 artic rigs which are engaged on the national distribution of farm produce.
"Our regular drivers are first class," says transport manager Mark Haffenden. "The only time we're affected by coupling and uncoupling problems is when we take agency drivers on," He remains convinced that far too many of them simply don't understand how to make the best use of air suspension.
They have been known to reverse under the trailer and miss the kingpin altogether because they have dumped all the air out of the tractor unit, and wonder why the fridge is nudging the cab. Sometimes they come up against the landing legs and damage the lights.
Some drivers will completely uncouple but without having released enough air, and then drive off. The result is predictable, says Haffenden: "The trailer drops a few inches with a thump, ripping the unit's mudguards off in the process."