One thing that seems to always seems to be overlooked by the H & S lot, is the outdated way of coupling/uncoupling a tractor unit to a trailer .Can’t the manufacturers come up with an easier safer system? I know of many drivers that have slipped on narrow catwalks or ‘done’ their back in connecting airlines , not to mention the obvious danger of walking between close parked trailers to wind up legs, even pulling the pin can require excessive force
mazz:
One thing that seems to always seems to be overlooked by the H & S lot, is the outdated way of coupling/uncoupling a tractor unit to a trailer .Can’t the manufacturers come up with an easier safer system? I know of many drivers that have slipped on narrow catwalks or ‘done’ their back in connecting airlines , not to mention the obvious danger of walking between close parked trailers to wind up legs, even pulling the pin can require excessive force
Yeah, best stay in bed then 
pete-b:
mazz:
One thing that seems to always seems to be overlooked by the H & S lot, is the outdated way of coupling/uncoupling a tractor unit to a trailer .Can’t the manufacturers come up with an easier safer system? I know of many drivers that have slipped on narrow catwalks or ‘done’ their back in connecting airlines , not to mention the obvious danger of walking between close parked trailers to wind up legs, even pulling the pin can require excessive forceYeah, best stay in bed then
or in yer pram 
Or you could use this…
Other makes are probably available.
And they have been around for years…
H&S have messed around with so much of the job. In my opinion the current way is fine, pretty much the only exercise I get is coupling and un coupling lol
An automatic coupling system is all very well if you’ve got a closed fleet that only pulls the same trailers and no others and never needs outside tractor units (hired or haulier) to pull theirs. Sounds good but complicated & may equal more breakdowns as is usually the case.
You are also going to get the knob sitting in the cab on the M1 at 56mph wondering “What does that switch do” 
Bye bye trailer hello chaos 
Hiya…did you ever hear of SCAMMELL they made self coupleing trailers many many years ago.
but after seeing what they was fitted to you would,nt drive them.there was no bling involved.
John
mazz:
‘…the outdated way of coupling/uncoupling a tractor unit to a trailer. Can’t the manufacturers come up with an easier safer system…?’
I’m still chuffed at having the Mavis rail slide at the front of the trailer: No climbing & groping around squatting on haunches to get covered in cack anymore
Surely they’re a relatively recent bonus? Besides, make it too easy & the swine’s will stifle the pay even more 
3300John:
Hiya…did you ever hear of SCAMMELL they made self coupleing trailers many many years ago.
but after seeing what they was fitted to you would,nt drive them.there was no bling involved.
John
That’s a bit harsh , nothing wrong with the Bedford TK or Ford D Series Urban artics, we all had to start somewhere 
Any chance of someone inventing the “greaseless” suzie 
Think its a case of who dare be the first to fit something like the jost FAC , then if it proves reliable it’l be fitted to all trucks eventually
howatsi:
3300John:
Hiya…did you ever hear of SCAMMELL they made self coupleing trailers many many years ago.
but after seeing what they was fitted to you would,nt drive them.there was no bling involved.
JohnThat’s a bit harsh
Any chance of someone inventing the “greaseless” suzie
Hiya …i did think that at the time howatsi but. i was thinking of the three wheel scrabs that was every where when i was younger
Exclent for when you was changing trailer abot 50 times a day on the british rail job and what a turning circle.
I ve got photos of Adams butter bedfords (20tons gvw)that did Leek to london trunk that had scammell couplings in the 1950,s
John
3300John:
Hiya…did you ever hear of SCAMMELL they made self coupleing trailers many many years ago.
but after seeing what they was fitted to you would,nt drive them.there was no bling involved.
John
Mechanical Horse Kingpin and Jockey Wheels
I dont think I would trust it, I like the idea of getting out and hitching up so you can see for your own eyes its all connected properly.
Blimey whatever next, perhaps they should invent a lift to get us up into the cab because those 3 steps we have to walk up are really unsafe and far to much effort. Also pulling the curtains really takes it out of me so I hope they also invent a button where u can just press it and bobs your uncle. Don’t get me started on walking 45ft to retrieve the number plate off the back of the trailer, they have surely got to invent a conveyor belt or something.
John3300. Adams Butter ran a Scammell Scarab for a few years taking loads of waste cardboard from Springfield Road to Stoke, used to see it going through Longsdon in the late 50s early 60s ?.
The only others i used to see were the British Railway ones.
Coupling up a new vehicle is not as easy as it was - the airlines( with taps ) went on easy before self sealers- esp DAF’s 
& plenty of room on the catwalk before 45’ trailers Not to mention avoiding getting fifth wheel grease everywhere 
The amount of money spent on new airlines every month by our company is unbelievable . I agree with OP that it is something that has been overlooked over the years
boris:
‘…fifth wheel grease everywhere … amount of money spent on new airlines every month by our company is unbelievable … something … has been overlooked over the years…’
OK, it’s agreed that improvements to fifth wheel larks would be appreciated, but shouldn’t attention to maintenance, ie, clean up excess gunk; and better management, ie, accurately addressing the cause of airlines constantly failing, play bigger roles?
I suppose it’s because these functions are for others within our industry to manage (as they cannot be justifiably dicked to the driver via another snotty H&S directive) that nowt happens.
Need it always be the case that if ‘they’ cant jack the driver to do it, then quite often diddly-squat get’s done in the name of efficiency & progress?
Are our managers so entrenched within their offices to see either into their yards or their needless/costly fleet stat’s, etc?
Are the mechanical dudes stubbornly adamant that if they have to be covered in grease then so must the rest of us?
There wouls be a lot less 5th wheel grease spread around if the grease monkeys used the greasing ■■■■■■■ on the wheel instead of simply squirting it onto the surface, so that at the first coupling after service 90% is simply scraped off.
I seem to remember that Teflon coated 5th wheels were trialed a few years ago that required no grease, what happened to them?
One very simple improvement would be to standardise the position of the couplings on the front of trailers so you don’t end up with them crossed even before you leave the depot. I also don’t see why three suzies are required to take electricity to the trailer, one would be enough.