A veteran trucker was fired by his carrier for texting and driving. But the driver claims that bad cell reception was to blame.
Glen Kraft has around 30 years of experience behind the wheel of a truck. Around a year and a half ago, he got a new job. “I thought when I worked for Nestlé I had hit the mother lode,” he told a Chicago CBS station. “I’m like, wow, I got to Nestlé. What a great company.”
But after he reported a safety violation that got a manager in trouble, Kraft felt that his boss was looking for an excuse to get payback.
A short time later, Kraft was suspended and then fired for an alleged safety violation of his own. After getting a text message from his boss, Kraft says that he pulled over to the side of the road, read the message, and then responded. Only the message didn’t go through.
“When I started driving, I heard it go… you hear that ‘fwoop.’ And then I started thinking what’s going to happen?” Kraft said.
Since his boss received the text message at a time when his log said that he was driving, Kraft was suspended. Nestle says that Kraft was fired “after a thorough and complete investigation.”
But the CBS2’s report shows that cell service for Kraft’s cell carrier is spotty in the area. And when a CBS2 cameraman sent himself a text from the area where Kraft says he pulled over, it took nine minutes for it to go from his personal phone to his cell phone.
“I don’t know how you could be fired for a bad signal,” said Kraft. “Why would I text and drive and text my boss?”
Source: fleetowner, cbschicago, yahoonews
Nathan says
He should get a lawyer and sue Nestle for everything they’ve got.
It’s about time drivers stop corporations from thinking they can treat drivers any kind of way and get away with it.
I hope justice is completely and thoroughly served.
Joel Russell says
in a right to work state or at will employment state, lawyers won’t take wrongful discharge cases
Tom says
Wrong. If you are fired for cause and the “cause” is wrongful, ANY lawyer will take the case. It’s when they don’t give you a reason for letting you go that an attorney wouldn’t touch it with a 10′ pole.
Dman says
Wrong… obviously you don’t understand the law…yes he can file a suit. Because their claim is arguably False. This would come under Wrongful termination…Being right to work state only effects the wrongly Forcing employees to forcefuly join and pay Union dues
Jason L Turner says
NOT true.
If there is malice in the firing for following Public Policy, then such a termination can be challenged. The termination can be especially challenged, when that driver reported a safety violation prior to the termination.
That would be called a NEXUS between the report and termination.
What I especially have a problem with is the supervisor knowingly sending the driver a text while he was driving. Just sayn’!
Durtyda says
Smart move. Sue for everything they got. Typical practice one sees occurring everyday. Great
Solution to an ordinary problem!!!
We need more people like you making resolutions !!!! Keep it up
Russell says
A typical practice that is perfectly legal.
Mike says
CYA. If you send a text look at the phone and make sure it went through. You have to look out for#1. Because in today’s trucking atmosphere you can’t count on anyone but yourself.
Malcolm Newcomb says
If it doesn’t go through, then what? If you in a dead spot, that won’t change and it will go through when you have signal again. The time stamp will show when it actually went through, not when you hit “send”.
Durtyda says
Finally !!!!! Someone with actual
Knowledge. Good response !!!!
sowin2u says
Well in that case the solution is simple. Just don’t leave for 10 or 15 min until the text goes through. If you had time to stop and read it the you must of had the 10 minutes to wait.
Angie says
He would have been waiting for days then because the area had no reception/a bad signal. It is very possible to receive but not send out. Especially, if you’re with the “yellow” phone company
Service status changes when you MOVE says
What part of NO SERVICE do you not understand? You can sit there til hell freezes over. It won’t send until you get within range of the next tower.
He got the text from the boss just before he left the range of the last tower, and read it when he got pulled over.
Kelly says
It’s not that simple. I’ve been in areas it took much longer. You need to get going. I’ve also sent texts that showed going immediately, that people didn’t receive till hours or next day, happens with voicemail also. Common sense could prevail not axe grinding egos.
Dman says
I guess you haven’t a clue how cell phones actually work.If there’s no signal then there’s no connection to the system until you move to a signal..duh…you have to find the signal, the signal does not find you
Russell says
Snowin2u – must HAVE,
Tommy Molnar says
Always remember the two rules of trucking.
#1 The driver is always wrong.
#2 If the driver is NOT wrong, refer to rule #1.
David says
Good one.
James says
That is sooooo true
Jason L Turner says
True
JudgeRightly says
“Did bad cell service *got* this trucker fired?”
o.O
Did the author and the editor of this article even bother to check for such obvious errors as this?
Supertrucking says
Did this article got the editor fired?
Jason L Turner says
LOL!!!!!!
George Alloy says
Managers at my company are always screaming not to text and drive. Then they text you when they know you are driving. My solution has always been to wait until I stop and then send the info to their boss. That normally fixes the problem right away.
I love technology says
My android phone will read the text to me, and I can send a text by saying “Ok Google, send text to…” and the message that I want to send, into my headset.
GEO says
FOR A COP IS STILL TEXT AND DRIVE.
HOW YOU WILL PROVE YOU DIDN’T USE A KEYBOARD?
Dman says
Excellent answer
Ralph says
Always remember, white people games, dont get caught up in them…
Ron Spring says
white people games? Not a color specific trait
Steel Horse and Wooden Mem says
Always someone out there trying to throw out the race card just to get heard
Tracey says
How do you know what color they are? Very presumptive of you.
Joel Russell says
P L E A S E
Ron says
Amen brother
Rio says
What kind of racist are you?
Michael Murphy says
Racist
Regeina Wright says
Now why do you want to play the race card in this give it a rest would you please doesn’t matter what color you are doesn’t matter if you’re male or female get over it that Card doesn’t work anymore
Jason L Turner says
WTF????
Luis says
Lol, that’s right
Trishlm says
After driving for a few different companies, I have found the desk jockeys will never admit fault and their supervisor will always cover for them. Several years back when I drove for a certain company the Qualcomm wasn’t able to get a signal because of the trees. The idiot of the company called my family and told them my co driver and I had went missing and they suspected we had went off the side of a mountain. I can’t stand how non caring and cold blooded the worthless desk jockeys are. I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with the idiots anymore
Craig says
My one brother in law is one of those stupid desk jockeys. His little Kia has a transmission problem. I’ve told him it’s fricken easy. Remove the fricken wheel, unplug the fricken sensor, remove the fricken sensor. Install is reverse of removal. Nah he would rather frick up his tranny than spend $30 bucks. That’s your true desk jockey intellect right there people
Angie says
OMG!!!!! That’s messed up. But you are right about those desk jockeies!!!!
Jim Z says
Point to your state or company rule about not using the phone while driving. Then don’t answer until your DOT break, making sure you’re logged “on duty not driving” or “off duty”. Obviously the manager was out to get him, and remember if you value the job just let the manager know he’s always right.
Steel Horse and Wooden Mem says
Just use the reporter’s testimony and make them prove beyond any shadow of doubt that you were driving and texting, not a late signal, which they can’t and sue them for unlawful firing. Find a better company, leave the cell off while driving or work for yourself
MacGyver says
It bad enough when you vanish from the map and they gripe.
I’ve had plenty of texts that don’t transmit for some time, but they go through.
Here is a good one…
Maybe drivers should not have phones at all, like the old days.
Problem solved.
Start putting pay phones back into truck stops.
mousekiller says
.
I agree. The good ol days weren’t so bad after all when you think about it.Common sense, personal pride. and the Brotherhood. it all worked.
Kenny says
Back when the old driver drove, speed bumps were dinasaur fossils bones.
You can’t blame technology. There have always been problems in every era leading up today. So, don’t start that nonsense about it was better using payphones and maps and on the phone forever trying to get directions through some corn patch just past the street lamp and around old Birtha with one leg.
Cell phones help a many of drivers with millions more asphalt laid down and millions more concrete America now has. So, the “good ole days” are here and gone like every generation before you and after you sir.
This is just a friendly reminder drivers, just use your common sense and be safe out there. May drivers make it home to their families. God Bless and keep your eye on what truly should be the focal point of your day, everyday is The Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!
Rob says
A better answer is to ALWAYS reply via the Qualcomm so there is a record of time sent and time received, and ypu can include to please send all communication thru the Qualcomm as it is a known company policy not to use textingwhile operating the
companies equipment.
Each time you do it it keeps a record of dispatchers violating company policies.
Kelly says
Lol, not everyone has Qualcomm. Which I’ve been using the past year, and I’m not impressed. It’s a clunky, janky, slow responding on the touch screen about half the time. It requires redundant entry of information entering. This is all just my experience, I’ve used a much better system in the past, which costs more. You get what you pay for.
Steel Horse and Wooden Mem says
Got my vote
Keith says
The issue of course is not that texting whilst driving is such a bad thing, but it is yet another thing that has been politicized. So, instead of people acting responsibly and taking responsibility for their actions, all of us are forced to observe yet another rule…
So, you think you’re free.
mousekiller says
Keith,, I disagree. Texting kills people. The other day I saw a girl texting as she was passing me. she was looking down at her phone instead of the road way.She hit a car in the rear .100% avoidable. Every one else on the street saw it and avoided it. It happens all too often.Then they try to blame the other driver.
Steel Horse and Wooden Mem says
You use a cb, tune in your am/fm, take a sip from your drink? Face it, the world is full of dumb, ignorant drivers that honestly should never be behind a wheel, but they are. It comes down to us “professional drivers” being better drivers with not only keeping it between the lines, but reading other drivers ahead, or by us and anticipating their moves and avoiding trouble. That’s why we get paid the big bucks.
Marcus says
Courts have decided that receiving texts can’t verify when they were sent. Driver should appeal this decision. Precedent should be set on this matter. My truck computer won’t change duty status if I pull over for less than 5 minutes. Carriers are constantly in the courts. Does anyone see this pattern? I’ve only worked for 2 major carriers in 7 years and I’ve been part of 5 class action suits between the two of them. They get sued regularly. And lose a lot. But cry to Congress about regulation.
Andrew H says
Plus E-logs takes a minute to move you from drive to on duty when you stop, so if he pulled over, typed one off, and then kept going, the log may not even pick him up as stopping.
Charles says
If you work like a puppet for Nestle then it’s a good company to work for. As soon a you question anything they will look to get rid of you in a heartbeat. I worked for Nestle for a year and called the police for a woman break checking me for miles with children in her car. Nestle told me that it’s reputation could be jeopardized if the police were called. I was than let go.
Steel Horse and Wooden Mem says
Always about the money first, anything else, thrown to the side
Social media evens the playing field. says
My response would have been, just imagine what Nestle’s reputation is going to be when the public finds out that Nestle has no concern for the offspring of dangerous 4 wheeler drivers, or their own drivers, or people in the lanes next to their trucks…
Skip says
Elog needs GPS, time information, and cellular. GPS stands on its own. An Elog wouldn’t flip from “drive” to “on duty” unless you passed the timing threshold to flip the duty status. Let’s say, 3 minutes. However, GPS will show the object slow, stop, and accelerate almost in real time.
Ex: GPS shows the true story of stopping and making a 2:45 minute text. Elog never flips from “drive” to “on duty” cause it didnt hit a 3 minute threshold to flip the status so it kept him in “driving” status. Check the GPS log and it will show the driver did exactly as he said. Obvious the manager had it in for him or the company is incompetent. 100% likely, it’s both.
MrYowler says
You’re all crazy. Computers are infallible. Timestamps are the word of God, and drivers are all liars. The computer knows what you’re up to… 😛
In fairness, a “thorough and complete investigation” probably means that they viewed the camera feed from the dashcam (that exists ‘to protect the driver’), and decided from whatever they saw, that he was texting while driving. If they just gave a copy of that video to the driver, it would probably settle the question in very short order.
James says
I use voice to text, how would they know the difference?
Steel Horse and Wooden Mem says
Doesn’t matter, still considered texting. Now, they are trying to take our headsets away. Never had an accident or problem while using my cell with headset. It’s not like we can pull over just anywhere to call for directions when lost or whatever. If you can’t handle doing more than one thing and pay attention to your driving, you’re in the wrong job. You HAVE to multiply task. You do it every time you eyes sweep across from mirror to mirror
Stormofthedragon says
Sounds like retaliation to me.
Gwin says
Did Bad Cell Service Got This Trucker Fired?
What a super title! Lol
Tim says
If you ask me, i think that boss did a d*** move on him. He shouldn’t have responded back on that text period. The boss knew that… that’s why he texted Kraft. He was waiting on that response so he could suspend Kraft!!
Clifton says
The only reason his boss sent the text, was to push the driver into responding to the text, knowing that the driver would pull over, answer the text, without logging off. Just one of thousands of tricks, trucking companies use to fire drivers.
Daniel says
We have a black hole service at one of our customers and the message just simply doesn’t send and we oftentimes don’t receive either. I guess the driver should sue the cell phone carrier now.
Robert says
Doesn’t Kraft own Nestle? Lol. Couldn’t resist.
CW says
Robert, that was a good one.
David says
It good no phone for truck driver it safely too truck take talk on phone or text get crashes and killed any auto
Yes someone saw you truck driver on phone get fired and lost job too
Dan says
Driver ever heard of Bluetooth hands-free
noel boyd says
That same thing happened to me an I got fired aswell 2014 ..I was devastated SMH I would try an call them back but no network this was near Avanol Ca. I tried to explain but they suspended me for 2 days then they decided I had to go they no longer want me as a driver
Bruce nelson says
the big company’s are just like flus they don’t care about anybody but the money they make and don’t care how they make it . it goes to show people that they want control of the people just like the faces with the eld
Jerry says
I use “do not disturb while driving” on my cell, won’t even respond to any call or text while I am driving. Cell phones and big trucks don’t mix, I don’t touch that phone until my rig is stopped in a legal spot.
les_gvt says
routes i am on daily- there are many places you can send a text and they will not go out for 5-10 minutes- or until you get to the next tower. doesnt mean at all i am texting while driving. It means i stopped in a bad signal area, and then proceeded on my way
Russell says
On the surface (ha ha), it seems that the driver was retaliated against because of his previous safety complaint, which got a manager in trouble. The driver should see relief under the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) 49 U.S.C. §31105
https://www.whistleblowers.gov/statutes/staa
John says
Nobody with the name of Kraft should work for Nestlé. He should go to work for Kraft. Or change his name to Nestlé and apply again. I’ve got to go now……………….. time for my meds.