Driving a semi with out a trailer means the entrance wheels are extra load-bearing and will make the truck tougher to steer. Moreover, a bobtail truck can speed up quicker than a loaded semi, exacerbating the steering concern at larger speeds. With much less weight on the rear wheels, a bobtail truck has much less frictional drive, which may make the truck skid when tackling corners or sharp curves.

In addition, braking is more difficult in a bobtail truck. The rear wheels present many of the braking energy in a semi. Without any load within the rear, braking energy is weaker than with a loaded trailer, and urgent laborious on the brake pedal (resembling in an emergency) may make the rear wheels seize and have an effect on the truck’s stability underneath braking.

With all of the inherent dangers, driving a bobtail truck on icy, snowy, or moist roads is extremely difficult, to not point out dealing with a bumpy experience because of the absence of any load-bearing weight within the rear. Truckers may drive a bobtail after unloading or when choosing up a trailer, however the popular selection is to hit the highway with a loaded trailer to make the truck extra secure and earn wholesome income.