Tractor trailer???

[strantor]

If I was a truck driver I'd invest in (or build, if they don't already exist) a wireless night vision backup camera with magnetic base that I could just slap onto whatever trailer I'm pulling and back it up like magic. I've been contemplating putting a permanent one on my car hauler.

I know, I know what the truckers are gonna say... "blah blah these younger folks are so reliant on technology and if you can't back a 9ft wide trailer 18mi down 7ft wide corridor in the dark with the lights off and badger gnawing on your ankles then you don't need to be driving a truck bla bla bla" but hey, I'm not a trucker. And if I was, I'd probably work for Swift. So That's what I'd do.

 

[MitchellB]

I used to be a semi trailer mechanic and never saw one with backup lights. I can probably count on one hand the number of box trucks I've repaired that had backup lights. Like someone said, just another pair of lights to check & repair. Personally, I think it is a good idea to have backup lights on a trailer. but I do not like the idea of it being a law that every trailer has to have backup lights. I seen some pretty ratty trailers go though the shop that could barely keep a reflector from falling off, much less keep the bulbs, wires, socket, grounds and fixtures working for more than one or two trips. I do have backup lights on my little cargo trailer though. They really help me out at night, but I do most of my trailering in the daylight anyway.

 

[Alan W.]

If I was a truck driver I'd invest in (or build, if they don't already exist) a wireless night vision backup camera with magnetic base that I could just slap onto whatever trailer I'm pulling and back it up like magic. I've been contemplating putting a permanent one on my car hauler.

I know, I know what the truckers are gonna say... "blah blah these younger folks are so reliant on technology and if you can't back a 9ft wide trailer 18mi down 7ft wide corridor in the dark with the lights off and badger gnawing on your ankles then you don't need to be driving a truck bla bla bla" but hey, I'm not a trucker. And if I was, I'd probably work for Swift. So That's what I'd do.

Sounds like a buddie of mine. He was always saying Truck Driver My ***** when he saw a driver not doing something right. But to give him credit he was a natural at truck driving.

Fun is trying to get a 53 footer into a Nashville C-Store in the early morn when the clubs close. Even with your partner spotting its pandomonium.

 

[MitchellB]

Every so often, we'd see a brand new shinny over the road semi truck and trailer pull into the gates and the new driver (sometimes old) could not even come close to backing up the rig into the trailer shop. Someone else would have to either guide him in or actually back it up for him; and this was in broad daylight. Some of those long haul drivers spend 99% of there drive time going forward and are lost puppies when required to back up. I was lucky that backing up trailers off the lot into the shop with the wreck of a yard truck we had got to be pretty easy, especially the long 53 footers. It's the short trailers that can surprise you because they turn so quick. To this day, I prefer to use outside mirrors on a car instead of the center mirror or turning around to look over my shoulder. I made the mistake of letting my wife back up my pickup I once had out of the driveway and she opened the drivers door and turn around to look backing up and ripped the door off the pickup on a gate post. No back up light can help her.

 

[QRTRHRS]

The issue is largely one of compatibility. There has to be a means of turning the backup lights on that would have to be retrofitted onto x amount of vehicles. Way more often than not, trailers get swapped around rather than to stay with the same tractor. Similarly to your car or truck, it would be better to have it work off of being in reverse so someone does not drive off blinding others behind them. But then, having a light on while you pull ahead to reposition would be helpful. You do see some trucks with an rearward facing light located up high behind the cab. I would think mostly these are owner operators.