How To Secure Your Load: Truck Driver Safety

Driver safety is of the utmost importance at all times. It's important that the freight in the trailer be secured.
The driver can be seriously hurt when opening the doors of his trailer if the load shifts, due to improper securement when the trailer is loaded.
Dave reviews some tips and advice for truck drivers to be aware of when opening the doors when delivering freight.
If the driver is responsible for securing the freight, Dave reviews and demonstrates the use of the 3 basic tools which can be used to secure the cargo: load bar, load locks and cargo straps, in a dry van or reefer trailer.
Expensive freight claims can also result from improperly secured freight.
Take the time to do it right..... saves money on insurance claims but most of all, keeps the driver safe.

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[khasard]

This video is really important and the information provided is very valuable!  I'm not a trucker, but I was almost hit be falling freight on many occasions when I worked in a supermarket as a teen ager.  The trucking company would drop sealed trailers off in our unloading area and leave.  When we got out manpower together and equipment set up (rollers and portable conveyor belt) I would break the seals and open the trailer doors and unload the 40' trailer by hand onto the rollers.  The irregular sized cases of groceries were strapped and on pallets loaded to the roof, but the drivers were nuts and when the load got to our store (all NYC traffic) it looked like the trailer had been stood on its front and loaded with a dozer.  Most times the rear roll down door was jammed by freight against it so we couldn't open it, so we had to go in from the side door or doors (some had one side door, others 4) and that's when cases of groceries would drop from the top of the load down to the pavement.  I had a near miss once, then learned to open the door standing behind it.  I also braced myself when unlatching the door because sometimes it would fly open pushing me backwards if I wasn't expecting it.  R-Jo Trucking, the company that hauled for Key Food hired new drivers with no experience which is good so they could get some experience and move on, but some of them were crazy LOL.  We had to be careful, and there was always damaged freight.  Their equipment was sad too, they had some old White cab overs bought used from the USPS that had bald tires, chains holding the cab in operating position because the latches were broken or missing, and springs poking out of the driver seats.  They wouldn't open stores outside of NYC because the trucks couldn't pass inspection outside of the city.  So as someone who worked unloading trucks, this information is valuable, thanks for making this video.  I always enjoy your really informative videos.  I'm still not a trucker though, I'm a retired NYC subway motorman now, but I like trucks and I like the trucking videos on YouTube and your are made very well.  Thanks again!

[Arbknight]

Provided your pulling a fairly new dry van or reefer trailer, I find that ratchet straps are the most effective and convenient form of load securement available to drivers. logistics bars are just as strong as straps but are definitely more cumbersome to work with and to store when not readily needed. Ratchet straps on the other hand can be rolled up and stored pretty much anywhere and if you have an odd numbered pallet count in the trailer you can always use the ratchet strap to "bear hug" the pallet to the wall or even do the same when you have even numbered pallets on board by using both ends of the straps to "hug" the pallets towards the nose of the trailer.

[NightowlTrucking]

This is the exact video I was looking for. This channel is fantastic.

[ronaldkruk]

Good video David, you explained it very well.

[TOWolf]

All your videos are extremely important to us thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[johnlong]

As all way a good vlog, full of good info and helpfull hints.  Keep up the good work and be safe.

[earlybird]

Great work i learned a lot Thank you sir

[powerbeast]

Does such load securing equipment typically come with a used trailer when you buy it?

[bigrigchristfollower]

Hello, I have a video I did about an issue I am having with dividers on a reefer. So I am trying to help a lady out as a New Owner Operator and her being a nurse, unfortunately she bought a reefer and I am used to mainly dry van and fraction sand hauling. So, she ended up buying an old 2014 great dane Walmart reefer and it has dividers hanging from ceiling, can you remove the dividers and just put a chute? We have run into height issues and weight issues with these dividers hanging so any help please and thank you.

[honortransport]

Hi quick question. I'm about 3.5 years late to this video. I've been looking to purchase the first example "Load Bar for Logistics Tracks" but haven't been able to find them. Whenever I type in load bar, the ratchet load bar pops up. Would you happen to have a different name for them or maybe the manufacture and model of that bar? Thank you for your help and your content I truly appreciate it.

[marianasreality]

Some customers secure their own loads with wood with black plastic ends. Well after getting empty the black plastic is still stuck to the side walls of the trailer. Any idea on how to get that out without straining yourself?

[jasonlisonbee]

When would it be not ideal to use the straps, and not carry anything heavier?

[PonziZombieKiller]

Yeap... be safe, be compliant. But I ain't got no dispatcher. ... :)