Figure 7-27.—Reflective triangle placement: one way ordivided highway.rule of thumb used for measuring how much distanceyou should maintain from the vehicle in front of you isat least 1 second for each 10 feet of vehicle length atspeeds below 40 mph. At greater speeds, you must add1 second for safety; for example, if you are operating a40-foot vehicle, you should allow at least 4 secondsbetween you and the vehicle ahead. In a 60-foot tractor-trailer, you need 6 seconds. For over 40 mph, you need5 seconds for a 40-foot vehicle and 7 seconds for a60-foot tractor and trailer.To measure distances, wait until the vehicle aheadpasses a shadow on the road, a pavement marking, orsome clear landmark. Then count off the seconds as “onethousand-and-one, one thousand-and-two” and so forth,until your vehicle reaches the same spot. Compare yourcount with the rule of 1 second for every 10 feet oflength. If you are operating a 40-foot truck and onlycounted up to 2 seconds, you are too close.LOADING AND SECURING CARGOAs a tractor-trailer operator, you must have anunderstanding of the basic procedures and safety rulesused when transporting construction supplies andequipment. Improper loading of any load can be adanger to yourself and others around you, cause damageto the tractor-trailer, affect the steering of the tractor, andso forth. The operator, whether or not you loaded andsecured the load yourself, is responsible to inspect theload, to recognize overloads and poorly balancedweight, and to ensure that the load is properly tied,strapped, or chained down, and covered (if required).NOTE: It takes less time to tie down a load than ittakes to report the reason a load fell off a trailer.Vehicle Weight DefinitionsThe operator is responsible for knowing how muchweight is loaded on the tractor-trailer and knowing thetotal weight of both the unit and cargo. The terms usedfor vehicle weight is as follows:Payload allowance or payload is the maximumweight of material that can be transported.Gross vehicle weight (GVW) is the total weight ofa single vehicle plus its load.Gross combination weight (GCW) is the totalweight of a powered unit including the trailer(s) andcargo.Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is themaximum GVW specified by the manufacturer for asingle vehicle, including the load.Gross combination weight rating (GCWR)is themaximum GCW specified by the manufacturer for aspecific combination of vehicles, including the load.Curb weight is the total weight of the empty truckwith the fuel tank, cooling system, and crankcase filled.Additionally, it also includes the weight of tools, sparetire, and all other equipment specified as standard. How-ever, this weight does not include the weight of thepayload and operator.Axle weight is the weight transmitted to the groundby one axle or one set of axles.Tire load is the maximum safe weight a tire cancarry at a specified pressure. This rating is stated on theside of each tire.Suspension systems have a manufacturer’s weightcapacity rating.Coupling device capacity are rated for themaximum weight they can pull and/or carry.Operating ConditionsThe maximum payload of a truck is determined bysubtracting the curb weight and weight of the driver(175 pounds) from the manufacturer’s gross vehicleweight rating. The maximum gross vehicle weightrating for a specified operating condition applies onlywhen the tires and equipment on the truck are according7-23
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