I have that problem too, sometimes. Mind you, you are only required to keep them for 7 days into the next month.

__________________
Z-Lady's devoted hubby.

Why would you re-do the logs? Photocopies are legit as long as they are signed by you afterwards.

As far as hazardous driving goes, stop the truck when you don't feel it's safe to continue. Call your supervisor/dispatcher and let them know. Do not let them pressure you to be unsafe.

This is the crap that newbies go through, and it's one of the things that makes me mad. On one hand, people are taught that safety is number one. On the other, you have a trainer that is telling you that the load "must be there, come heck or high water at 10:00 am".

Here's the thing that everyone, no matter the experience level, needs to keep in mind. When you are behind that wheel, you are in charge. You are the one who makes the calls. You are the one that determines when it is unsafe to drive. The FMCSA give you the legal right to make those calls.

The above is simple, isn't it? No, it's not, and that's what tees me off. There are companies, and Swift is one of them, that has more than their fare share of employees that will attempt to hold your job over your head to force delivery at times when it is unsafe to do it. It's no skin off their nose. Why? Because if you have a wreck, even if it isn't your fault, the driver is going to pay the price for it. They will fire you most likely, and these same employees will deny any knowledge of the fact that you were coerced to drive beyond the limitations presented you, regardless of the nature of the pressure involved, unless you can document the instance of it.

I've worked for a company or two that pressured drivers to violate rules and safety obligations, and it took time to develop the methodology to challenge that kind of pressure. It's been a long time since I have worked for a company that would even attempt it. I work for one now that has a, "It's only freight" attitude about things. The driver is number one, the equipment is number two, and the freight is dead last, on their list of concerns at all times.

I don't even understand why there are people out here that would pressure a driver like this. There's no good reason for it. I'd hate to think that there are idiots behind desks, who are so driven to make themselves look so good in the eyes of superiors, that they would resort to coercion, knowing that it could backfire on them. What good does it do to have a truck on it's side in a snowstorm, or in a ditch upside down? None. What if the driver dies, doing the dirty deed, for the sake of production goals?

The bottom line is simple. There is no load on the planet that is worth your life, or that of another, in order to have it there on time, if circumstances present themself in front of you, to prevent a timely delivery. This means if weather, traffic, or the rules of service will not allow you to meet a delivery, the load can be rescheduled.

As I have offered many times in similar writings, if they wanted it badly enough to coerce you to break the rules or to drive unsafely, they will want it doubly bad when you CAN get it there.

You're never doing anyone, especially yourself, any favors when taking chances like this to meet mindless delivery times, because of factors outside of the driver's control. It's only freight.

I always advise people to never argue with a dispatcher over the issue. Make it plain that in your esitmation, it is absolutely unsafe to continue on with the trip or illegal to do so, and let them know that you will inform them when you are underway again, and will then offer an estimate of time that you can safely deliver the load. Document that exchange electronically every time, if at all possible. Don't just call in. Phone calls, and the content of the resultant conversation, sometimes is "forgotten".

Never feel that the ball is completely in your court, and you have to make all the moves to win the game. Pass that ball when it is time to do so, to the proper teammate and relieve yourself of the pressure to win the game all by yourself.

You're right. That is getting bizarre. I think if it were me, I'd request them to route you and your truck to the person that can't seem to find your logs, and personally hand them to this person, and request a receipt. If this is not practical, then at your earliest opportunity, send them in by certified mail, return receipt requested.

No, the state labor board could not do anything about it. But you CAN change jobs, and that I would recommend at the earliest opportunity.

Chalk up another one for Swift.

If for any reason, ie. weather, health, fatigue/tiredness, truck issues, you feel it is unsafe to drive STOP THE TRUCK! Ultimately, you are the one responsible for not only your safety but for everyone else on that stretch of road.

I used to be a trainer and always told my students to stop if they felt unsafe. I never reprimanded them for it. I would rather get there late than not at all. And I rescheduled appointments with dispatch if neccesary.

In the future, call your recruiter, your safety department, your driver relations department, whomever if your trainer and/or dispatcher tries to push you. Emphasize it as a safety issue.

Good luck.

thanks for the help here. When my trainer picks me up here in an hour when I get on his truck I will inform him of my options. I am going to get one of those phone recorders and advise them over thier qualcom that the conversation if needed to be made live by call will be recorded for safety reasons.

If they try to force me while recorded I will then make my call to OSHA.

Thanks for the help

I'd take it to the FMCSA. OSHA doesn't really mean much to the trucking industry.

__________________
Keep that diesel burnin' and those tires turnin', but get there safe to keep on earnin'!!

this reminds me of when the lightpole fell on the truck and i asked my trainer to take over driving she refused cause she was out of hours she didn't care that i was too so i drove. i learned after the fact and i would pull the truck over and tell her it isn't moving any further.

My suggestion is to pull over and sleep if your tired.
Don't drive if its too dangerous. And try not to
burn your bridges behind you. If you can get another
job without being on top of their list when you
leave it will be better on you in the long run. Swift has
a reputation of fileing false DAC reports on drivers that
make trouble for them. If you want a good chance of
makeing this a career you will try to leave on good terms.
Cover your Butt. When you turn in your truck get a
receipt. If you can give them 2 weeks notice in writeing.
If you can hold on that long. My main point is that you
calling safety or OSHA is probably only going to hurt you.
It may change things for a week or 2 but in the long run
it will only hurt you. I am not an expert on Swift but am
a truck driver whose career was screwed up by politics.
I have found that the drivers that sleep on a load but keep
their mouth shut usually end up in better shape than the
ones that push themselves and complain. Just my 2 cents.

My roommate was headed from Detroit to Grand Rapids during that storm. The problem wasn't that the roads were slippery -- the pavement still had enough heat to melt the snow -- it was the lack of visibility and the high winds. He was empty -- on his way home for home time and crept along to get here. If it wasn't so late, with no traffic, and if he hadn't taken his break in Detroit before leaving to come home (he was well rested), he said he would have waited to make the trip -- and he got his CDL in '85. Don't ever let yourself be pressured into driving if you feel unsafe. The advice you have received about sending your communications electronically were right on. Any company should prefer that the load get there safe -- even if it's late -- than not get there at all. Remember that it is your life and career that is on the line -- not theirs. Many dispatchers seem to think that drivers are lazy and will stop driving for any excuse. They have no idea what it is like to try and handle 80,000 lbs when you're tired, when it is snowing, rainy, windy, foggy etc... Where they are is probably nice weather and they have trouble imagining that the weather can be different anywhere else. Be careful about the recording phone calls thing also. Notifying them of something like that may put you in the 'trouble' category and set you up to be messed with and blackballed using DAC. agree with the advice to get what you can out of them while trying to stay as far under the radar as possible, then get out as soon as you can. You may also want to make sure you have another job lined up before you let them know you are leaving to possibly avoid problems with your DAC preventing you from getting another job. Good luck to you and whatever you do -- stay safe out there.