A trucker who took a wrong turn was slapped with a huge fine and stuck in jail after he ended up on a street that had a lower max weight limit than he was expecting. The Florida trucker was jailed for 4 days before he could negotiate a release.
When Canonsburg police officer Scott Bashioum saw the fully loaded truck pull on to the road with only a 10-ton limit, he pulled the driver over and weighed the vehicle in a nearby vacant lot. Despite the fact that the driver caused no damage, a local district judge issued the driver a $17,386.50 fine and refused to release him from jail until he paid at least $10,000 of the fine. The judge also had the vehicle impounded and refused to release it until the full fine was paid.
Unable to pay the exorbitant fine, the driver was kept in jail and was only released on Thursday when the judge agreed to accept a payment of only $850 for his release. His vehicle was released as well after a check for the full balance of the fine (reduced to a slightly more manageable $8,500) was overnighted to the office of the judge.
According to Kevin Stewart, director of safety for the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, the initial fine was based on the weight of the truck. Even though the truck wasn’t over the weight limit for other roads, because the trucker had driver over a 10-ton weight limit road, the weight was 59,346 pounds over the limit.
“The Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, section 4902(g)(1) establishes a penalty of $150 for the first 3,000 pounds of overweight and $150 for every 500 pounds, or a part of 500 pounds after the first 3,000 pounds,” said Stewart. “There are also miscellaneous court costs that are mandated by statute and added to each traffic citation.”
Police have offered a few different possibilities for how the driver ended up on the wrong road. Initially, they blamed the GPS the driver was using because it was a standard $60 GPS, not one made for commercial use. Later they also offered the explanation that it was possible that the driver had mixed up Alpine Street and Alpine Drive and ended up on the wrong one.
“It has been happening more and more that these drivers are using the $60 system,” said Bashioum. “The commercial GPS is programmed to keep truck or bus drivers off roads with 10-ton weight limits.”
Next Story: Trucker Gets Prison For Lying On Job Application
Source: thetrucker, local10, observerreporter, foxbusiness, observerreporter, cbslocalmiami, observerreporter
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Thomas Johnson says
I’d like to see that judge drive to California to get his own fruit and vegetables.even a truck GPS can be wrong but sometimes when u see the sign it is 300 yards down the road.the map will show staa routes.on some streets the shipper or reciever is on a weight restricted road especially there.
R. B. says
I just LOVE those GPS and cell phones. They are tools that have made this job SO much easier.
I remember back in the 90’s when I needed a pocket full of quarters and a milk crate full of city street guides for numerous big cities to make my deliveries of “sheet-rock”.
A spread axle flat bed doesnt back or turn very well!!!!
That being said, like any tool, you cannot turn off your mind and trust it to think for you.
Over the years, my GPS has “suggested” I take some very questionable roads, streets and avenues. Before making that turn I always ask myself….”do I gotta”.
jose says
Work for companies like SWIFT and they shut down the GPS when the truck is moving so you are forced to use google maps on cellphones.. nothing like going down teh wrong roads in Dallas around 5pm.. abd your GPS wont update — then try finding a place to set up to go old school–its insane
all the truckers need to quit for a few months and then they will take this seriously
q turner says
That’s non sense how hard is it to just turn the driver around,Give him a warning and let him go.
Stephen Mitchell says
i have the rand McNally 720 and it’s wrong a lot of the time, especially on pick ups and deliveries, likes to send me into residents neighborhoods or change its route when you least expect it so I use my laptop program to plan my route with the help of directions from the pick up and delivery to make sure my butt is covered….400 bucks to let me know how many miles between stops so it’s not all bad does do alright on interstates…never trust the GPS always verify!
Mike R says
I have the tnd 730 and I noticed just in my town that it sends trucks down a 5 ton gross road. I have never heard of someone getting busted, but I have seen plenty go down it. It will just take the right young gun cop out to f up some drivers day.
Kajidono says
Try the Garmin version. I ran the Garmin with the Rand side by side for quite a while and the Garmin was far better. I bought the Garmin in 2009 and I’m still using it, sold off the Rand a couple years ago.
Brian says
Pretty rediculious a small fine maybe for a mistake but
this is just out of control. Back to crooked towns and cities
but they would’nt send an illegal back to his own country so
we’ll just jail working class Americans and fine the shit out of
them in the name of justice!
peterson says
Concerning acts of xenophobia, and mistreatment
of foreigners, who live and work amongst us; I
found this verse of scripture to remind those of
us who fear God:
33 Don’t mistreat any foreigners who live in your
land. 34 Instead, treat them as well as you treat
citizens and love them as much as you love
yourself. Remember, you were once foreigners in
the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
(Leviticus 19:33-34/CEV).
Kajidono says
There is a big difference between spouting buzzwords like xenophobia and telling the truth.
Don says
No wonder every company and their brother are looking for drivers.
Todd says
Let’s just stop delivering to that town in protest
elvis says
10-4 Brother
ez says
i do not worry about it. being a company driver they pay all over weight fines.
ez says
need to word that better. the company pays all over weight fines
Randy says
ez, because someone else pays your overweight fines does not make it ok that this judge and police officer made a ridiculous decision. If you only care about unfair and overreaching government when its on your own doorstep many times it’s too late. This truck driver is your fellow road warrior. Where’s the solidarity?
steve says
The company where you work sounds great! I’ve never for a company that paid over weight tickets from a scale, let alone an $8,500 fine for driving on a weight limited road. I think you over estimate what your company will do.
steve says
Worked for, that is.
trucker says
I think they mean over gross weight fines under normal circumstances. You get on a low weight limit road following a GPS or bad directions. That is the drivers fault for not double checking the routing from either the GPS or verbal directions.
Fozzy says
Signs mean things…
wayne says
Signs should be placed where they can been seen, not after the turn has been made onto a weight restricted road.
doggie says
As a retired officer (Police chief) and now truck driver, I am appauled and tremendously upset with this so called police outfit in Florida. God knows we all mess up from time to time……in my opinion this whole incident has has everything to do with revenue and an officer who is probably wet behind the ears trying to make a name for himself.
Shame on the police administration and officer for ever allowing this BS to be taken to court. What ever happened to good old common sense and helping your fellow man out of a jam instead of exploiting an error and potentially destroying a mans career.
So he made a mistake and turned down the wrong road……..how aggregious is that?
This officer (what a joke) should do himself and the community a favor and find another career!!!
Good luck driver!!!!! I sincerely hope things work out for ya!!!!!!!!!!
Bill Hood says
So ignorance of the law is acceptable because he’s a truck driver? One other factor mentioned in all other reports was his inability to communicate in english. To me, that puts a lot of the responsibility on the carrier for putting an unqualified driver in the seat.
Dan says
So what you are saying as that the road sign was clear, with no obstructions (like tree branches) and that the driver knowingly and willingly ignored this sign and proceeded to drive down the road anyway?
– If that is the case, I whole heartedly agree. However, is there was no sign or it was not observable until after already turning onto the street, maybe he didn’t maliciously drive down the street.
– And for making a mistake like a wrong turn, I am not so sure that 4 days in jail is reasonable. I think when they do that in Mexico, they call it kidnapping for ransom!
Kajidono says
If the driver couldn’t speak or read english then it falls back on whomever gave him his license in direct violation of the law. That would be the state.
ScottSr says
I stopped using my “trucker” gps and now rely solely on google maps ( navigation ) which is used only to remind me hey moron your about to miss your turn from I-10 to I-20 situations lol but once I am off an STAA route ( or there are no Truck Route signs ) I go with the directions provided by Company / Shipper / Receiver that are either on my qc or I get an email with them as I will not p/u nor del without them ( have walked away from loads for that reason ) the only place I dont do that with is Chicago because for the past 5 years I know where I am allowed and where I am not.
Now it could be said yes he deserves a fine but to me jail time is off the wall nuts but even then if their is that much of a problem do what the ever evil Roanoke, VA did and spend a few bucks from those fines to put up plenty of signs upon approaching the problem area saying no trucks that a way gps wrong … oh wait this is PA we’re talking about the state that has multiple cities trying to ban semi’s. I forever am a Terrible Towel owning Steeler Fan but I damn sure avoid PA at ever possible chance!
doggie says
Regarding my last post, I believe an error was made………….I meant to address Pennsylvania and not Florida………
Dave says
Have to put that town on no service list . A little common sense would have been help driver get out of there on to right road.
Don Morey says
Florida, California and New England..have been on my no service list for 20 years.
Dave says
Sounds like a trap
Mike says
I’ve been everywhere. I don’t need GPS.
Joey says
Fine is outrageous!! I got pulled over on a 4 ton road I weighed out at 53000 and all I got was 190 dollar fine. Sounds like the county trying to pull a fast one. For those that can’t do the math I was 45000 lbs overweight
Mark Padgett says
Hey I got an idea how about calling the shipper or receiver for directions, as the GPS is only as good as the people who make it and use it and now a days the drivers out here are a bunch of idiots. To busy texting watching movies on their phones while driving oh and yes still holding the phone to their ear which is not permitted by law now.
A d Enstoss says
Shipper and receivers do not know always. Google maps is good and go to map on 720 rand. Always try and stay away from small secondary’s and trouble with the law.
Doug says
Seriously? Put a guy in jail for an overweight ticket? Looks a little corrupt to me. My cousin got a $17000 fine in NC for falsifying documents because the permit company transposed 2 numbers. They dropped it after he got a lawyer. Again corruption.
tony gathers says
That’s BS the driver was wrong but that city and judge were just as wrong and crooked. Get a good lawyer and sue them under the speed trap ordinance. Sounds like a trap against truckers.
Michael J Salzer says
I have the RandMcNally 510. It has tried to put me on the New Jersey Garden State Parkway.
It is set for a 53 foot trailer 80,000 pounds. Bottom line driver instinct is an absolute necessity.
Mike says
What part of the GSP? You can use it from south of NJ RT 18.
johhny johannson says
Buy a map. Read the signs. Ask shippers and recievers for directions before you go. Stop immediately when you sense trouble and only proceed when you have it resolved. GPS is a waste of time and unnecessary.
Charles S says
The truck oriented GPS are based off paper maps, if you think you are a better driver because you use outdated equipment your wrong. This situation is nothing new. It’s been happening since trucks started delivering. The only difference is you now have the INTERNET to hear about it. In fact reading it online does not make it truth. Point is GPS is like any new equipment, it’s gonna have flaws to be worked out. At least a GPS can be updated very quickly whereas the old paper maps you had to wait for the next edition to be updated. The fact is what ever driver mistakes that were made ( and your a lier if you claim you NEVER made a mistake) were exasperated by a corrupt local judicial system against a industry considered nothing more than a cash cow to milk profits and revenue from with no legal backup to protect it.
Rick Smith says
I remember dodging the scales down near Knoxville one time because they overloaded me
in Nashville and if I had taken the load back, I would have had to wait until the next day.
It was a hazmat load too! I wasn’t familiar with the road, and found myself in an UPSCALE
residential neighborhood. I thought, Boy if I don’t get out of here, and they catch me, they
are going to nail me to the cross. They would have put me UNDER the jail.
I made it out OK, but I must have sweat a half gallon of water until I did.
Tim says
“Weighed the vehicle in a nearby vacant lot?” Okay. They either had of had access to portable scales.. They clearly said “vacant lot”. Gonna have to have some kind of scales. Either that or they have someone guessing. If they did have the scales,, was he trained how to use them? There again a newspaper article said the “driver spoke broken English”. If he can’t speak the language,how’s he gonna be able to read it? Anymore these companies are taking anybody and everybody. That may or may not have made the difference
ASATT says
Drivers…there is no way unless you’ve been before to be certain that you’ll take the perfect route to reach a shipper or receiver…I own a truck gps & I think we all know by now that it isn’t full proof…I’ve gotten directions from shippers & receivers that have routed me on truck restricted lanes…I’ve been ticketed for merging off the “interstate!” Onto truck restricted US highways where there was no signs from the interstate that mentioned restricted lanes…I’ve called shippers/receivers and no one answers…I think that when u throw one of us in jail for a simple mistake & fine the hell out us it’s just a reflection of the society we live in…people make mistakes all the time…in this situation where no one was hurt & no property was damaged just proves that truck drivers are the target for a quick payday…that’s what it’s all about $$ money that we work hard for and time that we are undercompensated for…driver victimization
wayne says
Well said
alan says
Pennsylvania is the worst state almost like New York for having markings on bridges and roads for weight restriction and then have the nerve to lock this man up in jail because he made a wrong turn driving oversized vehicle it is not like a little car didn’t go down any street or make a u-turn at Any intersection. like to see those people in Congress didn’t make all those rules and regulations drive a truck and the cop must have been a retarded idiot who. Show know a truck needs proper routing and small towns … Fellow,, truck drivers time for them to get their own toilet paper for a while we need to shut it down.
Donald Strong says
The same thing happened to me in Illinois. Was daydreaming and missed my turn and ended up on a 15 ton road. The officer was nice about it though and only gave me a $120 over length ticket since I had an empty trailer. I paid the ticket and it never went on my record.
Robbdogg says
Why would anyone want to be a truck driver?
Macgyver says
In today’s “us versus them” climate, GOOD QUESTION. Looking to get out of it myself. These anti-transportation people need to go get their own food from the docks or across the country.
Bill says
This is nothing more than a money grab pure and simple. Get used to it people. I’ve seen many signs strategicly placed so you do not see them until it’s to late. Funny how they are usually for trucks. Many shippers/receivers are on restricted roads, or small sections of road. It’s funny how the road wasn’t restricted when the ship/rec built the site. Usually added after the fact in order to fine trucking companies who are often thought as having deep pockets. This money has got to come from somewhere. Rip off more of your drivers and customers to make up for it is the usual routine. Being an o/o with my own authority I simply have no where to turn to re coop my loss other than to add it into the next few loads I do,meanig charging more on the freight rate. Over the years I have simply told the officer/tax collector that the ticket was no big deal because it’s your money anyway. They usually ask what I mean by that. I tell them to take notice of what thier food bill is costing them lately and politely explain that all costs to a business are not simply absorbed by the company, rather passed along to the consumer. So in essence you are paying the ticket not me. I wonder how many of these ( revenue) agents understand this. Since most law enforcement officers are defined as part off the middle class majority, I wonder how long it will take them to notice that we are being stomped out of existence by our heavy handed so called government, made up of the rich. They will not stop this abuse until we are all slaves to them. New world order my friends. Maybe I’ve gone off on a tangent but am I wrong? Soon they will have everything and we will have nothing. WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!
Ronald Reed says
This nothing more that putting the shaft to a trucker, Ever one of us should refuse to carry anytbing destined to this town, Let these a– holes starve. ALL drivers have been in this position before and when you are there, there is no place to turn around!!!
chilibowl says
I’ve made turns on roads where the overweight sign is half a mile down the road. We are easy targets and they know it. What happened to this driver is just criminal. Since when have you heard a local yokel carrying around a portable scale with a very convienant empty lot close by?
coletrucker says
I dont have a truck gps. I depend on my atlas, shipper/reciEvers, sometimes the suggested route in the Qualcomm is actually right. I use my gps to assist with discrepancies when I am off the hwy.
I’ve been to a town once where there was a 33ton weight limit bridge 2 miles ahead, but you don’t see the sign until after you’ve been down a road about a mile with no turn around. I called local pd to get me turned around because I just came from the weight station pushing 73k and filled with fuel afterwards. Also, I don’t want to be the example rookie driver to bored cops.
I felt like an ### as I watched 2 or 3 other semis fly by. At first the police was going to let me go over especially since a local advised that trucks go over the bridge all the time AND that the town just lowered the weight limit within the last year to TRY to keep those same trucks that I saw from riding down their road. The police called his supe who came out and helped turn me around. I wonder if the truck gps would have had that updated info?
What a waste of time, resources and just plain ole bs!
Navigator Wife says
There is a town in Ohio, where an egg ranch is located, that has the only way in pretty much restricted to a lower weight than what they send out. The company my husband works for gets the overweight permit for them to go in and haul the eggs. The only other road that is close to the main road is restricted to no trucks because of an equestrian ranch and riding area. I think it is just another top revenue maker that some of these towns have found to use.
Husband has the Rand 720 also, I can’t say that it has routed him on a restricted route like that, but he spends a whole lot of time lost. The worst Rand he has ever had, and updates don’t fix it.
It pays to call if you can and hopefully they will have it recorded, but don’t rely on this since they can make mistakes themselves; some companies have the information as to how to get into the shipper/receiver provided on macro’s; and laptops really come in useful these days since places can throw up a limited access road in a moments notice, it always pays to scroll the area and see if there are railroad tracks, or high residential areas.
Robbdogg says
George you are absolutely correct! For the next 90 days I will not accept any load in or out of that county. Who’s with me?
Mario says
I’m with you
John Burleson says
When Canonsburg police officer Scott Bashioum saw the opportunity to get into a law-abiding hard working citizen’s wwallet he wasted no time to collude with an equally dishonest judge to extort a sum equal to their collective annual salaries. I keep trying to convince myself that we are under the stewardship of an honorable justice system albeit it tends to shoot black people a lot. But every time I get to the point of believing that bullshit, jokers like these Florida thieves come along and wake me up again. The judge must be removed from the bench and, along with his officer goon, Bashioum, need to be converted to speed bumps. You two idiots are a classic example of where this country is headed. And you deserve to live there.
Infosaur says
“Their plan backfired however when the company told them to ‘keep the truck & the driver, we don’t want neither of them is worth $17k!”
“Faced with the cost of feeding the prisoner, and paying the local ‘U-Store It’ lot for the impounded truck, Barney Fife & Judge Whopper decided to lower the extortion fee,,, er, ‘fine’ to more rational number.”
“The county bake sale will not be cancelled after all.”
Rob says
“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” – Eighth Amendment
That judge belongs in prison.
cee eady says
The same thing happen to me in Lancaster PA back in September of 2010. I was pullin a empty flatbed trailer followin the route the company gave to to get to a shipper to pick up a laod made a turn on a road didn’t see any signs saying anything about weight restrictions i get a mile into the road there pops up a weight restrictions sign there was no where to turn around at i look in my mirror a pa state police i was taken to court cause they said my tickets was over $500 so i had to go infront of the judge frm ther i was hit with $2700 in fines didnt have the money to pay the tickets the company i was driving for builders transptation out of Memphis Tn only concern was there truck said they wasnt paying the fine keep in mind im following the route they gave me now. From there the judge said you are out of state u cant pay the fine of $2700 rite now take him to jail. I sat in burks co state prison for 10 days before i had a chance to go bac infront of the judge frm ther i paid $800 and was put on a payment plan for the other $1900 had to hitch my way to the bus station cause the company fired me and whn i got to Memphis to get my things out the truck they had put another driver in the truck with all my things in it. But my words to the judge whn he said take him to jail was i have never went to jail for doin a legit job ever bfore in my life the judge said your in my world where i make the rules as i feel. I was like wtf!!!!! I have applied for a job with star transportation a few months later in orientation the last day was called in the office about that incident cause i out it on the app they didnt believe my story they called burks co pa and my story was verified but i still didnt get the job and i remember the state police saying your the 4th one i got today out here. To this day 5 years later i still dnt care for goin to or thru PA they are some real lide crooks
Tim says
Welcome to Americo.
don says
The govermnet rip off of drivers is why I don’t drive anymore. When there isn’t any drivers left, then what?
Shelby says
According to the Constitution of the United States of America, you cannot be imprisoned over debt.
Dennis says
Some years back I had a delivery on a road that ran north and south and my next delivery was east of where I was and no road to get there except to head back north to a road that ran east and then head south to my next destination. On the way,I ran over a little bridge that my tractor was already over,but not my trailer.It was marked 15 ton,which is what my truck weighed empty.I had two skids on that together didn’t weigh over 500 pounds.I spotted the State Trooper heading south on the road I was heading north on and I came into a school zone.The speed limit was 15mph with a double yellow on the road.A woman passes me,but the trooper pulls me over.When I brought up the woman passing me in the school zone,he claimed he didn’t see it,but when he looked in the trailer to see what I had,he then checked my rig out,including steering play,but found nothing.He let me go,but stated that my body weight could be included in the overall weight of the truck. It was a bogus stop.He knew it.I knew it.Life goes on.Glad I’m retired.Thanks for what all of you do every day,not to mention what you put up with.
mike says
Yeah, but we drivers can’t afford the $300 cost of a commercial GPS! These should be provided by the EMPlOYER and should be standard gear. Dispatchers should accept half the responsibility. They’re supposed to provide the trucker with directions and make sure the actual address is up to date! Few do. Don’t give us the broker’s number, instead give the driver actual directions or instructions to the loading dock, not the bldg across the street.
dan says
The best thing about Florida is that there are roads going north.
glenn says
You misread…..its a driver from florida, he got ticketed in Pennsylvania
Russell says
I have a Garmin 760 dezel. It has never steered me wrong except in CT.
Laws are laws, but a fine that high and 4 days in jail, that’s a bit extreme.
I will post this at my job since we go to Penn.
ALEX3191 says
what do you mean exorbitant fee ? truckers are making that kind of money every month ! right, officer ?
Harley says
Thanks for the posting Russ! Dennis I’m a vet & x-fed like I said & I’ve been harassed like that to. A $300 wrong lane moving/non moving violation ticket from a cop in LA! Only ticket I got in literally 27 years! U mean to tell me, when that idiot pulled up my record,he couldn’t have given me a warning? Seriously, I asked & all he said was “a violation is a violation “, I was like & I’m suppose to know, every little tom,Dick and harry city ordinance out their in every little burrow or whatever! I really feel 4 this dude! He got a hell of a raw deal! He should sue! I’m sure he could find a lawyer willing and able to take this to fed court! If nothing else,maybe get his money back,u know! Be safe people & keep practicing ur Judo,Karate,& or Kung Fu! or any dirrivitives there of! We all just might need it sooner than we think!
BB says
It is a sad day when jail and hefty fines such as these are making it that much harder to do our jobs. This industry is lost. I have made these same mistakes in the past but have only been ticketed once. The officer told me that the sign was posted 2 miles before entering town. He said that in an average year they write over 3500 citations for the same thing I did. Perhaps put more signs up?? No then they wouldn’t get the money they obviously want. If anyone can’t see what’s going on here than you are blind. They will tax and fine us into the poor house if your not already there. I think I will go on disability and food stamps like the 1/3 of the U.S. already are. If you can’t beat them, join them. I’ll go fishing on the tax dollars they have sucked out of me all these years.
robert says
I am semi retired at 67 yrs old and have been driving for many years from Canada to the USA. And still work for the summer season.
Was lucky to be cleared of any fines and before i go to anywhere I use the lap top where I got GPS with maps it is call Street and trips and used it since year 2000 and also got a dezel 760 and look at both road indication than I stay on main Highway and call receiver if in doubt of the road weight allowance.
Mike says
This is a small town of just under 10k people. I guess they don’t generate much revenue in such a small town and saw this as their chance to make up for it. I don’t know how the trucker responded to the cop pulling him over, but if he was respectful, and the cop and judge still gave him four days in jail. The cop and judge both are dicks and need to get life..
Trick or Treat says
I hate to rain on that clueless policeman’s parade, but my commercial GPS’s try to send me down weight restricted roads and bridges all the time. There is nothing close to 100 percent trustworthy. Not to mention that it’s also not like a 70 foot long vehicle can simply back out and turn around and thus avoid going forward. Anyway, those fines are highway robbery.
Dave Stout says
I wish all truck drivers would pull together and go on a serious strike until we get $100k for company drivers and $300k for o/o. If drivers would pull together, start a union, strike so the USA can see how important our job is, that would be awesome. We stay out alone, no families, dangerous driving conditions, yet we are paid peanuts. Someone start a union, organization all of us and lets strike!!!!! While we are at it, add more home time. 4 days out, 4 days home, $100k a year for company guys, $300k or more for o/o.
Spyder says
Dunbydave here, I been trucking 35 years and if I’ve heard that once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. My effort in the 70’s, 80’s, (can’t remember,) to strike a blow to big brother got me and a dozen other drivers an obstructing traffic ticket in Covington Kentucky. It would get some serious attention but I’m afraid the drivers will never make it happen. At least in my life time. By the way, any drivers out there remember that or was part of it. A convoy driving 15 tp 20 mph from TA N to the TA just south on I75. Those were the days. Yes for you rookies, there was two TA truck stops within 3 miles In Kentucky South or Cincinati.
David says
Small town in Pennsylvania. ..non – English speaking truck driver…not able to read signs….
Stop taking it personally truck drivers, unless you too are a non English speaking, illiterate dum-dum.
Ed says
I CAN”T BELIEVE that PROFESSIONAL truck drivers put ANY FAITH in a GPS for ANY REASON. Professional truck drivers should NEVER rely on a GPS for anything. A GPS is only a handy assistant to an actual professional. It’s disgusting to me that anyone would trust a GPS with an 80,000 lb. vehicle. It is blatantly obvious. I can’t believe the drivers these days. A GPS is NEVER NEVER NEVER to be trusted. It is a lazy person’s choice to trust one of these things and hopefully the so called “Professional” who is trusting these things doesn’t kill someone or their self.
Any trucking company or trucking school that is touting the GPS as the answer to the lost truck driver should be banned from their profession and possibly face some sort of legal penalty.
This is how you get directions to shipper and recievers: Call them, look up the directions on a map, look at satellite data on-line, then look at the local construction and road closure data about the area. Next, stay on the interstate as much as possible. That road was built for truckers. This is coming from a driver with almost 3 million miles behind the wheel. I’ve never been on a road where I was over the weight limit. I’ve never hit a bridge. I’ve never been on the wrong road.
Don’t be lazy if you are driving a semi-truck or YOU WILL PAY. You might get away with the laziness for awhile, but eventually you will pay dearly. Maybe you don’t belong behind the wheel of a semi-truck. If laziness has taken hold of your life, you might want to get out of trucking before you kill someone. It’s not a joke or a game.
Trusting a GPS, what a sad statement. When a trucker says “I trust my GPS” to me what they are really saying is, “I will kill someone soon, just wait and see”.
Andrew says
I got shafted in Claysville PA after missing a turn and turning onto an unmarked weight restricted road. Was empty on a 10 ton road and was fined $5,780. Company fought the ticket and won.
Taxi Driver says
Having experience in law enforcement I can say getting the max fine PLUS time in jail usually means you were hostile to the officer and court, I can also say it could be a small town scam as well, none of us were there so hard to say. I now drive OTR and use a Garmin 560 LMT Dezl and it has at times put me on restricted roads so I rely on the best computer on board-my brain, the younger drivers should try that instead of relying on technology
shakenbake says
I do agree with all the comments including and not limited to, let the officials such as the officer, judge, local politicians all just ride in a truck for a 3-5 day period all over the country, in all weather….let’s see just how long it takes for them to get a clearer picture of how hard this Job really is. Financially, physically, Emotionally, and everything else. It’s harder then my legal office ever was, medical insurance billing or even my machinist job, including making tools….
jake says
GPS should always be used as a secondary tool, your brain is first. That GPS didnt drive that truck down that street…. He shouldve stopped when he seen the sign. Everybody blames GPS, i keep a commercial GPS and a Regular one… Neither one are full proof…. …. I know im done snesking down them 10 ton roads.lol
Dave says
I just got nailed crossing a 20 ton bridge in nj. Sign behind bushes and trees. Totally obscured. My gvw 76k. $1000 or 10 days in county. Company fighting it. I wish I could post a picture. I told the cop I didn’t see any sign, and I didn’t. He said, just because you didn’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there.