For CDL A truck drivers, there are dozens of skills and endorsements they can earn related to driving specialty trailers. Drivers with these skills and endorsements are highly sought after by trucking companies and tend to earn more than drivers without.
One of the most common skills that drivers can learn is how to haul PUP trailers. Here’s everything you need to know about PUP trailers, including the endorsement(s) needed to haul them, advice for new drivers hauling PUP trailers, and companies that hire these drivers.
What is a PUP Trailer?
PUPs are small trailers, usually between 26 and 28 feet that can be attached in doubles or triples on the back of a cab.
What are PUP Trailers used for?
There’s a few different reasons that carriers use PUP trailers. The first being when they simply want to haul more without putting another truck on the road. PUPs are also used to haul multiple smaller loads that need to be dropped in different locations or cargo that needs to be separated from each other.
Are There Different Types of PUP Trailers?
The most common types of PUP trailers are standard dry van 26′ or 28′. There are also specialized reefer PUPs as well, although these are less common. Aside from that, one of the most common types of PUP trailers are the ones used with dump trucks.
What Companies Hire PUP Drivers?
Large delivery and parcel companies like FedEx and UPS are the carriers who use PUPs the most. Aside from that, construction companies and building products carriers may also hire drivers to haul dump trucks with an added PUP on the back.
Do I Need a Special Endorsement to Haul PUP Trailers?
If you’re hauling two or three PUPs at the same time then yes, you will need your doubles and triples endorsement, sometimes known the “T” endorsement. The good news is that all you need to do to get your T endorsement is to pass a written test, no road or skills test required.
There’s a number of free sites out there that will provide practice materials for this test, but you may also be able to find them from your state’s DMV/BMV as well.
Is it hard to drive PUP trailers?
Most drivers experienced with hauling PUP trailers say that aside from backing them up, hauling doubles is not much different than hauling a standard 53′. It can be daunting for new drivers who are pulling PUPs for the first time, but it’s more of a mental thing than anything. Once you get some miles under your belt, you’ll be as comfortable with doubles as you are with a 53′.
Triples present a much bigger challenge for drivers. The extra trailer creates more opportunities for issues to arise, especially when it comes to turning and maneuvering the trailers. This is why a lot of states don’t even allow drivers to haul triples.
What is Some Advice for Drivers Hauling PUP Trailers?
1. Be Diligent
Since you’ll be hauling an extra trailer (or two), be extra diligent in your pre-trip inspection. You now have double (or triple) the number of things to check with your trailers.
2. Don’t focus on the Wiggle
Another big piece of advice is to not constantly fixate on your back trailer while driving. It’ll move or wiggle around a little bit, but that’s normal. No need to overcorrect with your steering wheel. The worst thing you can do is pay so much attention to it that you’re not looking at what’s on the road in front of you.
3. Avoid Backing Up
One thing to remember about PUPs is that they’re extremely difficult to back up and something only experienced drivers should attempt. Even then, these experienced PUP drivers try to never get themselves into a situation where they would have to back up.
The easier way is to break down each trailer and back them up each individually. If you do want to practice backing up PUPs, do it in a large, empty space where you can afford to make a mistake or two.
Whether you’re just starting your career in trucking, or you’ve been on the road for years, getting your “T” endorsement and learning how to haul PUP trailers is a great way to increase your value and earning potential as a truck driver.
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If you’re a truck driver looking for a new challenge, look no further than flatbed driving. Some say that flatbed drivers have the most challenging jobs and dangerous jobs on the road. 
This should go without saying, but to haul a flatbed trailer, you’ll need a Class A CDL. Luckily, there are no extra endorsements needed on top of that. The only exception is the New York state metal coil 
For flatbed drivers, making sure their loads are secure is one of the most important aspects of the job. Here are some things to keep in mind about securing flatbed loads. 
When it comes to loading, unloading, and securing, following specific safety steps is essential. This attention to detail when it comes to safety is what sets flatbed drivers apart from other drivers. 
Like with any test, the best way to pass the CDL test is to study. 
With the written portion of the CDL test done, it’s time to show off your driving skills. First and foremost, make sure you know the truck. The last thing you want is to try and make a simple air vent adjustment and be fumbling with the buttons. With the evaluator watching, even routine adjustments can feel like they have a lot of pressure. Know the inside of the cab like the back of your hand. 
When you take the CDL driving test, it’s easy to focus on the things that will be challenging, but don’t forget the basics. These are the things that are probably almost second nature to you, and you do them any time you drive. 
Make sure you know the automatic failure points so you can avoid them, but set your sights higher. Don’t focus on just barely passing. When you are in the cab with the evaluator, remember to stick to your purpose. You’re not in the cab to make friends, so don’t get too chatty. Some evaluators may consider this distracted driving. 
Nobody likes detention. Not the carrier, not the shipper, and definitely not the truck driver. But, since detention is such a universally disliked part of the trucking industry, why does it happen so often? Here’s what truck drivers need to know about detention delays and detention pay. 
Truck driving isn’t a one size fits all type of job. Drivers have choices for everything from the kind of freight they haul, how far they drive, and where they drive. But before they decide if they want to haul dry van or hazmat, or run OTR or local, they need to make two decisions first; Whether they want to drive under their own authority and what kind of trucking carrier they want to drive for.
Company drivers work as employees under the authority of a trucking company. This arrangement is where most truck drivers fall. The biggest benefits of being a company driver are the health benefits and lack of financial investment on the part of the driver. 
Truck drivers can make a lot of money bring an owner operator, but the initial costs associated with it can be too much for many drivers. This is where 
An owner operator is a truck driver who owns (or has financed) his or her own truck and drives under their own authority. Generally speaking, drivers will only become owner operators after years of experience on the road working as a company driver. 
In past blogs, we’ve discussed the differences between OTR, Regional, and 
This past May, 16 million people tuned in to watch one of the biggest upsets in Kentucky Derby history. Rich Strike, a horse who the day before, wasn’t even slated to race, did the unthinkable and won the 148
A horse transport truck driver is a driver who transports horses from place to place. This could be from training facility, to racetrack, farm, or anywhere else they need to go. These positions are typically either 
You’ll of course need to have your CDL A before becoming a horse transport truck driver. Aside from that, you’ll also need to learn how to load, unload, and handle the challenges of transporting large animals like horses. Luckily, most carriers that specialize in this work will train you on that.
Since horse transporting is a specialization in the trucking industry, these drivers tend to make more than your traditional OTR driver. The exact numbers depend on which company you drive for but can reach more than $100,000 annually.
Waiting. It’s one of the biggest frustrations for truck drivers. Every day, drivers lose hours off the clock and money out of their pockets when they’re forced to wait at a shipper or receiver for hours (sometimes days) for a live load.
A drop and hook is when a driver “drops” their trailer at the customer’s yard and gets a new one before driving off. 
Live load, sometimes known as “dock bumping” is when a driver backs their trailer up to the warehouse doors and then waits while the workers or 
This all depends on what you’re running. In general, there will be more live loads in reefer and 
Most drivers will agree that in general, drop and hooks are quicker and therefore better than live loads. This isn’t always the case though. As any experienced driver will tell you, there are a number of things that can go wrong with a shipper or receiver, resulting in you waiting well past your appointment time to get a new trailer. As a driver, these situations are extremely frustrating, since there’s not much you can control aside from getting to your appointment on time.
The logistics chain is a long and messy one. There are hundreds of moving parts that go into getting a product from point A to point B. Any one of those moving parts could go wrong, with the truck driver being the one left waiting for the issue to be resolved, drop and hook or not.
