Apparently to add more teeth to the bite of driver's seeking to hold companies feet to the fire to do their part of the job, OSHA is lending a hand:

OSHA publishes employee ‘whistleblower’ final rule
............(snip)
According to the final rule, published in the Federal Register on July 27, it is a violation for employers to “intimidate, threaten, restrain, coerce, blacklist, discharge, disciple, harass, suspend, demote, or in any other manner retaliate against any employee” for filing a complaint about an alleged safety or security violation.
.........(snip)

-------http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=23967

Here's one where a driver refused to drive a vehicle with a light out:

Tennessee mail hauler ordered to pay whistleblower $31,200
After refusing to haul a load of mail until a nonworking light on his assigned trailer was fixed, a former truck driver for a Tennessee-based company says he was fired for refusing to “drive trucks with such failures in the future.”

---------http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=23955

With big metal, safety is a must. I personally have seen many way too many of truck parking areas (not talking about truck stops) almost full during this year's road check. (and as soon as it was over with, they got emptied) Yes, i am talking to you, mr. supertrucker, who thinks that he/she can stop on a dime loaded to the limit, with just harder push on brake pedal. It is not going to happen. You will eventually disable or kill someone. I mostly do not agree with gov't regs (such as HOS, etc.), but when it comes to equipment upkeep, i'm all for it.

Originally Posted by Lonesome

It's a former employer. I'm concerned about their attitude, which basically is "well, if we get caught, we'll just pay the fines". That does nothing for the drivers there, or the public in general. Talking to the powers that be gets you nowhere.

One of many reasons I've moved on!

if you are a former employee, your snitching will do no good, as it will be taken as "sour grapes".

the best time to have said anything was when you were an employee, and able to cooperate when asked to do so by the investigators.

too late now.

you moved on..??

so be it, it's a done deal for you now.

Originally Posted by Gizmo_Man

if you are a former employee, your snitching will do no good, as it will be taken as "sour grapes".

the best time to have said anything was when you were an employee, and able to cooperate when asked to do so by the investigators.

too late now.

you moved on..??

so be it, it's a done deal for you now.

No, actually he's in the perfect situation. He doesn't have to worry about losing his job or being intimidated. If they find no basis for his complaint, then your assertion may be true; but if they find basis, then your characterization is completely wrong.

Leaving an employer so as not to have to pay for his sins, doesn't look like "sour grapes", it looks like common sense and self-preservation and the sooner that drivers learn that, the sooner the pretenders will be out of business.

"Snitching" is a childish, "gangsta", outlaw terminological reference in an attempt to intimidate someone reporting an illegal activity. You really should lose the terminology from your vocabulary so someone doesn't get the wrong idea about you.

Originally Posted by Allow Me.

How would you feel if said company truck ran over a mini van full of kids and killed 3 or 4 ? Then, it comes out in the news later that said truck was full of defects ? AND you knew about it ? And didn't say anything about it ? Would you then be concerned about being a "snitch "? Is your "honor" worth more than some innocent kids lives ? Dude, grow some, OK ? It's the right thing to do.

Outstanding responce, back in 2000, I was in point of rocks,WY. I80 was shut down there was a driver for CRST, O/O for them, useing drugs, He was so out of his mind, he had no Idea where he was, Hearing the news there going to open the highway in about 1 hour,A few other drivers and myself felt the need to not let this driver get on the road, So?, I called the highway patrol, they came out and took that driver away, A lot of other drivers where made that we did this, saying, We ruinned that drivers life, I asked them?, what if he gets on the road and kills your family?. one responded, "I dont live around here", I said to him,"Well?, maybe you dont?, but the next place he goes, Might be in a place where you do live?, you still want him on the road?