A former employee of Knight Transportation shot and killed his former supervisor before turning the gun on himself. The shooting took place at the Knight terminal in Katy, Texas.
Former employee Marion Guy Williams had been terminated by Knight Transportation, though reports of when the termination took place vary from just a few hours before the shooting to weeks before it took place.
According to Sheriff Ron Hickman, the 65-year-old Williams entered the terminal with a shotgun and a pistol, but used only the shotgun. He fired a single shot into the break room and his former coworkers stated that he said “You ruined my life.”
Williams thankfully ignored most of the employees, but was searching for his former supervisor, Mike Dawid. Unfortunately, when he found Dawid, Williams killed him. Two other employees were hit by shrapnel from the shotgun blast, but suffered only minor injuries.
Before police could enter the building, Williams had ended his own life as well.
According to Sheriff Hickman, the shooting is thought to have been a “retaliatory act” prompted by his termination.
Information about how long Williams had been employed at Knight or what his job was has not yet been released, but Knight Transportation released the following statement:
“It is with deep sadness that we confirm a shooting at our Katy, Texas, facility, and the death of a Knight Transportation employee. Our deepest sympathies are with the family during this difficult time.
“This was the action of a lone former employee, who also died as a result of today’s events. One other employee was confirmed to have injuries, and was treated at the scene and released.
“We appreciate the quick response of authorities and are closely monitoring the situation. Knight is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of all of its employees. Counselors will be on site to support our employees. We have suspended all work at our Katy facility pending completion of the investigation.”
Source: overdrive, ccj, nbcnews, washingtonpost, click2houston
I’m not by any means saying what the former employee did in taking the life of another person over being fired. I hate to say it but the culture in the mega carrier’s when they fire someone especially a driver when it comes to the dac
report is criminal. The quote ” you ruined my life” should be considered. In alot of case’s they will trash a driver to the point the driver can’t get a new job. Like I said I do NOT SUPPORT VIOLENCE OR THE KILLING OF SOMEONE ELSE. But you need to look at that as possible motivation in the crime. Anyway you look at it though it’s still a tragedy.
What you say is very possible, but these days people do a lot of blaming without pointing the finger at themselves.
Also, it seems when a guy gets despondent, they must take others down with them. And Im not just talking about jobs. Im talking those men intend to commit suicide but they take down family members or friends or those at their workplace.
This a gender thing it seems. Just don’t hear of women doing this…If so …very rare.
Truck driving is not an easy job. And the highways seem to a sea of madness even when one is simply off hours and driving a car.
Woman in harnett county north carolina, shot and killed her 3yr old and 22 month old children and the family dog and then shot herself dead. This happened yesterday here in north carolina.
This is a great comment….You made emphasis that you DO NOT CONDONE MURDER…which is the taking of an innocent life and I agree….and I I’ll add ,these mega carriers treat drivers like “just a truck”…. and it’s obvious….. Even myself as a Carrier with trucking authority,I get many calls per day asking if we have ” A Truck in the area”….NOT A Driver,but a truck……My condolences to both families in this tragedy……. P.S……How do we make America Great…..Treat Everyone with respect Regardless of race or gender and have compassion for those who may have been lured to the wrong side of right .
I agree…they probably pushed to his limits..and did ruin life..that no excuse for his actions…they harder and harder to be a truck driver
Absolutely. Companies think nothing of ruining someone’s life, in fact most of the time it is done with malice and many companies are well known to do it regularly. The guy who did the shooting was 65, hard enough to find a job at that age to begin, add to that if the company tarnished his DAC then it would be impossible. Obviously the supervisor must of been at fault for something, any supervisor who is generally sympathetic towards an employee they must let go doesn’t become a shooting victim. I’m in my mid 40’s and I know how companies treat people at my age, and how near impossible it is to have companies rate you on your experience and skills instead of just your age, I feel bad for the guy who did the shooting, 65 year olds aren’t known to be random shooters without provocation. I’m not directly judging since we may never know all the facts, I’m just going off of what I know and see how things are at companies with older employees, and it’s typically not good treatment towards the employee or potential employee. But in today’s media the 65 year old will be labeled as the ‘bad guy’ and the supervisor will be the ‘poor victim’, in my opinion if the supervisor was a complete a**hole and enjoyed being that way, well, then he should of thought about how his treatment towards employees may end up someday.
Please note that a lot of big companies hire vets too which is a good thing, but they must remember that they know how to use a gun and other weapons.
You are judging and the the trucker should be label the bad guy regardless of any situation you don’t have the right to take another’s life
Both are victims of their own choices, but will never know the true facts unless they are released to the publoc and if anyone knew the problem between both prior to termination. Both didn’t deserve what they got regarless of who started it or who’s to be blamed. Noone deserves to die loke this, by a bullet because of retaliation.
Lol you don’t have the right to destroy anothers life as well. The law and or government do it every day! Cause they can
“…..the trucker should be label the bad guy regardless of any situation ”
Ands that’s the ‘effin’ problem with the trucking industry….the mindset you displayed. You have some supervisors and managers with like mindedness who create a hostile workplace environment to terminate an employee they despise and to fulfill a quota!
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You don’t know either of these men. I knew them both. I’m not saying Knight isn’t without its flaws but Mike Dawid was one of the good guys. I’m not going to disparage the shooter, obviously he needed some mental health help.
Was the shooter a driver?
The Victim Mike Dawid would give you as many breaks as possible. He was always there for the drivers. Whatever this guy got fired for he did it to himself because Mike would work to keep you.
No excuse to take a persons life period. Most companies know that others put bs on driver dac reports an will overlook known bs.
DAC reports have been falsified and detrimental for former drivers. It is a shame so many employers treat DAC with such importance, when they are consistent with LIES. The taking of any Life is sad and unjustified.
Agree 100%. They do the same to almost all of us. Problem is, when they see most of the drivers as being the same low standard type, they cannot achieve in doing what they really want to do, ruin your life.
Unless of course, they hire from outside the country… ?
Your reference to the DAC report is a good point.
These “Mega” carriers will put negative reports in these DAC Reports, and the driver has very little power to refute and correct them.
Yeah, I can confirm this. Celadon fired me over a tire fire, if you can believe that. Tried to say I drove on it on purpose. I didn’t think anything of it until I tried to get another job. I thought anyone in their right mind would understand Celadon was nuts, but no one would touch me, simply because this nonsense was on my DAC.
In this case, here’s a guy who is 65 years old. He should be retiring, but because of the way this country treats working people, he still has to work. And now he can’t get a job. I can understand his frustration.
It goes without saying I don’t condone murder, but maybe Knight will think twice in the future about how they treat their drivers? Then again, the trucking industry isn’t known for being fast learners.
If not yours, who’s fault was it the tire caught on fire?
My thought exactly Bman.
I guess I ll never go to knight thers another company like that status transportation
True true. These mega carriers take joy in putting adverse information on hireright(dac). I worked at knight and passed through the Kart terminal outside Houston. And í witnessed Mike David interaction with drivers that were out of that terminal. It was rude, disrespectful, and very condescending. Knight is a company that claims to have an open door policy. But they behave otherwise.. Un glad o no longer work there. And that it didn’t occur when o was at the terminal.
I’m a driver and I have previously worked at knight. They bashed my dac report after begging Mr bot to quit. I support the driver.
I bet the supervisor got what he deserved
I do if he lied on the man because there is no justice for anyone except the rich. The legal system stinks.
I don’t agree with the senseless killing of another human being, wether, in a literal sense or figuratively speaking. What was placed on this drivers DAC obviously caused him to believe he would never have the ability to get another driving job and he was in the later stages of life so for him to get a different carrier and still survive is slim to none. When you take the ability from someone to earn a living; you, in effect, have killed them.
The ability of companies to place whatever they want on a persons record especially one which carries so much weight in the industry is a big problem. There should be a mandated process that the company must follow before entering any derogatory information. There should also be limits as to what information can be listed (e.g. seriuos at fault accident or D..O.T. violation. If a driver leaves a truck or trailer somewhere and the company had to go get it (abandoned equipment) that should not go on the DAC, but stay on internal files should the driver attempt to come back. Hell, how many times has a company reported that they tuck the truck and trailer from a driver and told them to find there own way home and they were several hundred miles away? My guess would be zero.
I agree totally. That company had done the same thing tover my son, because ofor falso statements fromantic a imature punk in Hutchins, my son cant drive anywhere. These big companies don’t realize what false statements they make on the DAC reports can do. I don’t know if this is the case or not and I sure don’t condone killing anyone. Prayers up for the families !
This happens because truckers have no protection by our own goberment and they have to take the law on his own hands , we the truckers have been rip off for years have been abuse for years , and descriminated to and what is the goberment doing to help us ? Making this job more and more hard for us and easy for those criminals inside this big companies to screw us more ,
Why’d you ruin the mans life? There must be 1000’s of people just like williams, this industiry is unfair. This is an example of what happens when people become greedy and stop giving a crap about the people around them. Although the investigation is in process, one cant escape to think that money is involved. Screwing with peoples money has a hidden effect that is not appearant until something like this happens.
There are alot of nuts driving these teucks.the cb is litterd with people talking about running someone over killing there dispacher,ect.
Maybe mental evaluations should be made on truck drivers befor they can drive
Where did it say the “emplo” is a driver?
It doesn’t say anything about him being a driver. Drivers don’t normally have “supervisors”, they have dispatchers. I’ll bet he was a mechanic. As far as “nuts” driving big rigs, there are a lot of 4 wheeler nuts out there in bigger numbers everyday.
Maybe these companies should be more honest and quit lying to people! I’m not saying what the guy did was right! It was totally wrong. But you don’t know what happened before hand. Some of these trucking companies need an evaluation. Quit promising people the sun and giving them the moon.
Your right a company did that to me called status transportation and I lost my truck and all are life savings they promised the world and put me in hell plus there Russians
I have been out out here for 14 years and my CB is always turned on when I’m in my truck and this is the first time I ever heard what you just said about drivers wanting to run people over and wanting to kill their dispatcher. Not sure where you have been hearing this. Maybe you been having bad dreams.
Let’s start at the whitehouse first.Only the ones giving the test are crazier than we are. There’s only two powers, God R Satan, we are controlled by one R the other. It’s hard to be a sheep when everyone else are wolves r demons.
I think mental evaluations should be made on the stupid dispatchers or driver managers as they’re called at some carriers before they are hired.
Sure, because truckers always mean what they say and should be taken literally at all times.
Lol yeah well you don’t get that way until you start driving. Under paid, abd public thinks we’re trash and more rules than the public driver
The way drivers are treated by all of the players in the industry; shippers, receivers, and trucking companies, I’m surprised this doesn’t happen a lot more often.
I use to work for Knight out of SLC, UT. Though I enjoyed my time with the company is it run vary vary poorly. Anytime I contacted anyone from the main office in AZ I was treated like I had the plague and as if I was just a dumb driver.
I was lucky enough to of had a good dispatcher. I only turned down 3 loads in my year with them and that was because I had already scheduled time off. They were just hoping I would run. I had the chance to be in the dispatching office many times and every time I was there most the dispatchers were always telling the driver what he wanted to hear, rolling there eyes, and when off the phone pissing about how stupid all of there driver’s were.
I told my dispatcher that I would be quitting the same day as him, and I did. I was in the SLC yard the day he cleared out his desk and that was the same day I quit. There was no way I was going to be a driver for any of the other dispatchers.
Good for you! The only way we can get corporate’s attention is by quitting. If we could organize a nationwide strike, we would shut down industry and get the nation’s attention. Working conditions need to improve.
That’ll teach those driver managers. They’ll never abuse drivers ever again. Not.
They should look at the company not just the driver .two wrongs don’t make it right . I bet the company was in the wrong as much as the driver .Its sad that this happen but maybe this will make the company start treating their people better quit treating their drivers like they don’t matter
The article didn’t say that Williams was a truck driver so we shouldn’t assume he was. Obviously someone that would resort to murder as a reaction to a termination is unstable. I would bet that the unstable nature of that person seriously impacted the employees ability to do his job and also affected other employees or customers. Most of the time terminations are not only justified but overdue.
Local news in Houston Texas was reported he was a driver
Lol how much do you want to bet?
Um, the 65 year old was not a driver…. He was a supervisor at the location.
Things went down and nobody has the facts. You never know what a person is going to do or has other personal issues.
The 65 yr old guy was a driver. He was at Knight for 3 yrs. Mr. Mike Dawid was 35 yrs old and was the supervisor and actually a good one.
Sounds like that old term “going postal” why would anybody go beyond taking another’s life over a job, maybe this 65 year old was slow and didn’t move around fast enough for this supervisor, maybe there was animosity between them who really knows, both are gone, nobody but those two had the answer, the supervisor doesn’t have the authority to fire a driver he could cancel or take him off a run but fire him was not his call, his transportation management has the task of hiring and firing
I been out here 19 years and know for a fact that most of the people working in these trucking companies especially dispatchers talk to and treat these drivers like crap .they do not care as to how they treat drivers.and when drivers start complaining about it the companies take it out on the drivers .so in a way I dont feel sorry for the supervisor .and this is not the first time this has happened.and its not the last.
I’m not A100 percent, but I don’t think DAC is used any more , or changed the name to HireRight , something like that.
Hire Right is the company that gathers info for DAC and provides reports to employers. A driver can also request a copy of their report.
Yes The DAC is still used. As a heads up anyone can check their DAC at hireright.com it is free once a year to keep an eye on your dac. Well worth the time.
Hireright is dac. They changed their name in 2010.
Well either the 65yr old was insane or the supervisor provoked it. Not knowing the facts either way the driver got what he intended and that was revenge.
I drove all my life.and I love it.But I would never drive for any of these fake companys who promise u this and that and get squat.To many Damm rules the government destroyed the trucking co with nafta..years ago you just got in your truck and made your delivery.The log book is great but what companys follow that rule.THE ONLY WAY I MAY DRIVE AGAIN IS TO GET MY OWN TRUCK AND NOT DEAL WITH THE BUTTHOLE COMPANYS.MAY THEY BOTH REST IN PEACE AND GOD BLESS THEM.
Amen Vincent!!! Amen!!! I’m trying just that brother! But in this economy, I have to contract with some established company. To start trying to get contracts to do it all myself! They make us form as “Carriers” now! We get to pick an choose are loads off the Load Board or Brokers Board! If you do make the decision to come back, here’s a tip! Landstar great company! Everything their people told me, exactly what is in their contracts! I was approved! But could not Service the Contract, because they don’t help obtaining equipment! So I had to let the contract go! Mercer charge way to much money for gear they say; You “Must” have ! Then even if you know somebody, if your credit is not perfect since kindergarden, they will refuse to let you in! Avoid Roadrunner, they have a Woman in charge of Contractor Recruiting! She’s a lying bitch! Simple! She also lies during the contracting process! Plus, they only pay a buck a mile! Lastly: Quality Companies out of Indy (Yes, they are part of Celadon!) But they are a dealer network bro! They have a “Arms Length” Equipment Contract they do Lease Purchase Agreements with Carriers! Their “Partner Carriers” approve you to drive! They approve the driver automatically to get a truck, out of their Inventory! You give them your EIN # when you pick up the Tractor. Seems like an overall decent deal! I’m trying to work one now with one of their Partner Carriers. Just two things: 1. Remember they are part of Celadon. So Quality Equipment does have a tendency to put their needs as first priority, to you or any of their Partner Carriers! So you have to watch them!!! 2. The Partner Carriers make some really screwy rules and so forth. Before they will give their approval codes to Quality about a Contractor! Roadrunner also likes to play the game “Oh your approved”, but now your not, 3 days to a week later! Like I told you already; about that Bitch who likes to play Elementary School Playground Games with Contractors! I reported her to everyone I could think of, for what she did to me! Did no good! Far as I know, they still have her in charge! So like I said Avoid Roadrunner!
Anyway, hope the tips help you, should you decide to come back! Be safe out there brother!!! 🙂
All of you are talking without knowing the person’s job. What if he was only the security guard or maintenance or something else not related to driving. Can we just wait till we know more before we speculate. Just keep in mind that this shooter was 67 years old. God be with him and his family!
driver was stupid to shoot innocent employee he was just doing what he was told. Knights CEO or his family didn’t”to come to drivers mind ? Before shooting employee ? they are the ones who make the rules .
At 63, I just lost a job I’ve had for a few years based on a phone call from an individual who had pulled out in front of the loaded semi I was driving in cruise mode @ 65 mph in the middle lane on an interstate. I blew the air horn and flashed my lights, to which that individual responded by continually applying the brakes until the traffic in the middle lane was down to 20 – 25 mph. He then sped up and finally pulled over and I went on my way. As any truck driver will tell you, this situation takes place every day, and usually more than once on any given day. I thought I had, for the umpteenth time, avoided a rear end collision. The safety director of the company I was working for charged me with tailgating and terminated my employment. At this point, I don’t know what I will do. My wife and I are in the midst of looking for an apartment and I know it will not be easy with no job to reference.
That’s why you are playing roulette unless you have a dash cam in the truck or an app on your smart phone that acts as a dash cam.
You should sue for age discrimination. You were fired without cause. It doesn’t cost any money to file a complaint with the feds. The “trumped up” charge was subterfuge to get you out. If you otherwise have a good record with this company (no prior incidents) you are foolish not to file a complaint.
Why were you blocking up the middle lane is my question? Keep right pass left, is the law in most states.
Keep the faith driver, you’ll find another company. We all scratch our heads over how the dumbest steering wheel holders continue to find work. It that’s all that happened and you’re an otherwise good driver someone will take a chance on you.
Moxie go to small companies say 5-25 trucks. They generally will be grade AAA to work for and they don’t give a hoot about the DAC bs.
Best of luck to you moxie with your job search….and to echo 25hz get that dash cam!
At about the same time I had a dispatcher that told me I didn’t know how to fill out my log book so as to have plenty of hours. I had gone into Nashville to get some work done on the truck and I went to see the little shithead. Told him who I was and why I was there and then I dropped the bomb by asking him the big ??? Have you ever driven a truck in your lifetime? His answer was a big NO. So I said ,then how can you sit there and tell me that I don’t know how to fill out a log so as to have plenty of hours. I was pissed. After I blew off steam I slammed his door and requested a different dispatcher. They gave me this female out in St.Paul that knew a little more about trucking then he did. Now I am done being upset again so have a great day and drive safe.
Not a good way to react to being fired I don’t think this type of reaction is good !! But maybe the driver managers will start giving respect to Us drivers who do all the work and stop treating us like dog shit I have been talked Down to and belittled more than I can count over the phone by a dm or dispatcher ! I would like to know the true story he probably went out of his way to destroy him and got him fired
I do not condone the driver’s actions and I feel very badly for the victim’s family.
Having said that, maybe some of the megas might take this as a wake-up call and realize that drivers are not garbage to be disposed of when they are no longer useful to the company. We don’t know why this driver was fired; for all we know he had it coming. But being a little kinder and gentler during the termination process might not be such a bad thing. Perhaps a token serverance check and some counseling assistance at company expense if the ex-employee wants it. These companies make millions of dollars a year on the backs of drivers. Giving a terminated employee a check for a couple hundred dollars and a few job counseling sessions isn’t going to bankrupt the company…
I worked for one company as a temp(lease) driver. I had a trailor break down and this guy was on the phone every few minutes. when the trailor company finally got it fixed so i could return to the dock. he was out there ranting and raving asking questions and then answering them. I told my company there was no way in hell I would ever work for that company again as long as he was alive and I didnt! I was assigned to another company where they were asking me to do all sorts of favors for them and I always did if possible. Then they brought in an assistant dispatcher who made it her point to get rid of any driver she didnt like.I still have the paper where she told my company she was trying to improve the driver fleet quality.Then she signed the bosses name even though we knew he was out of town and never wrote a letter like that.I should have sued them. She tried saying something about my times but after asking other drivers about there times and asking the customer. My times were the same as others and the customer was pleased as punch with me and often called me directly to do them favors too!
I got my comm. shof. License in 1963 & own my truck. Companies getting $4 R $5 a mile & pay the O/O .90 a mile ! Then they ruin you for life. The only sad thing is, he should have gotten the ownersssss.
There is no such loads as 5 or 4 per mile. Today its hard to find 2 per mile. Loads going around 1.20 1.60 which already is the edge of surwiving. But .90 ye thats a rip off. Find your self a beter company.
I’m a former safety director and unfortunately many carriers operate in a less “than shady” manor and really don’t see more than just a truck. For the most part they could care less about the driver, his or her family, illnesses, being tired, or he’ll even being legal. These companies skirt the laws in most cases and could care less if the driver gets caught because the driver is the one that will pay in the end, not the dispatchers or the company. I worked for Knight and have seen my fair share of drivers being treated like less than human. Unfortunately it is almost every company in this industry. After being a safety director for years the only way I can discribe how I view trucking companies when it comes to how they treat drivers is I’ve seen bad and I’ve seen worse. Unfortunately I’ve yet to see any company that run 100% legal and that trust the input of these drivers. I’ve yet to meet a driver that didn’t care about his safety…. unfortunately I can not say the same about all the trucking dispatchers and office managers I’ve met.
This incident is truly a sad event and I would never say it was ok but I’ve also seen drivers hurt and have watched office staff belittle and mock the driver all while knowing they pushed and pushed the driver to run irregardless of sickness, weather, drowsiness, health, and the law. Everything starts with one event and maybe this will be that one eye opening event that will start changing how these inner office employees start viewing their jobs. I highly doubt it, but maybe. My experience with companies in this industry sadly makes me believe that they will only find fault in the driver, never dig any further, and go about their day.
I’ve met many drivers and their families, I’ve driven across cities and states to be with them after accidents, I’ve made sure spouses were taken care of after deaths and I’ve yet to meet any driver that I didn’t see or treat as a human being. As a safety director I’ve personally argued about driver safety with dispatchers and driver managers. The truth of the matter is that unfortunately the load being on time is the first priority with most any company and the “driver can be replaced” attitude in this industry is horrendous. As tragic as this incident is I’m actually surprised that this happens as little as it does. I have had some really good friends at Knight and my heart goes out to all the employees in the Katy terminal through this time as my heart has gone to the numerous drivers and their families over the years. It’s also with great sadness that I honestly believe this death will not change a thing in the industry in regards to how drivers are being treated.
I just hope that trucking companies and dispatchers, realize, to what point some drivers can go.
This is very sad. I had a employee once threaten another employee. I put the employee who threatened another on paid leave while I investigated the incident. It was witnessed and I had to terminate the aggressive employee. I did it with kindness. He knew he was wrong. Two months later he took his own life. I think about it daily. He was a good man. Just had an out of control moment. Someone posted on here how you make America “Great Again”. I agree. Treat people with respect and dignity. I don’t know all the facts in this case but, if I had kicked my employee when he was down this story could have been mine. Treat people how you want to be treated. Life goes along much easier that way.
I am amazed it isn’t a common occurrence. An industry with such a turnover rate and very little change. I’m not saying what happened was good or right.
While you all have very good points to ponder about Mega Carriers, the article didn’t mention anything about the shooter being a Driver, a DAC or why he was Terminated…We as a whole should wait until ALL THE FACTS come out before we inject our SPECULATIVE OPINION. My sincerest condolences to the family members of the victim…and to the injured, my you have a speedy recovery.
The DOT should step into the lives of dispatchers as well as shippers and receivers if they ever really want to fix things. Regulate the entire picture rather then singling out drivers. Still no reason to kill someone but I could imagine some scenarios that could drive one to this.
We (drivers) are held to a TOTALLY different standard desperate people do desperate things but not most ALL TRUCKING company’s care about ( no not SAFETY , REALLY?) getting that load delivered may God bless all the family involved perp and victims . All I really wanted to say is what ever happened to LOVE . Well , Imagine!
Nobody in that work place in TEXAS, of all places, had a firearm to stop him before he killed someone?
Stop working for garbage companies
None of these companies are focused on tenure or retention. They get a write off on the hiring circle they created. They save on benefits because nobody wants to stay and work under crappy conditions. I would like to know why the guy was fired and what they said to everyone when he tried to find another job.
This unfortunately has happened before. At C.R. England in Utah a number of years ago, a driver walked into his Driver Manager’s office and shot him in the head. While not in any way condoning these horrific acts, drivers should be treated with respect, not as “second-class citizens” at best.
Try to get your own truck and run your business
He got what was coming to him.
Maybe there should be “DAC report” for the carriers
Why, in our industry; we must work until we can no longer work? Has Trucking has become, a dead end job? This whole thing is a tragedy.
Am 68 yo and still driving long haul, it is most because of the economy and pension is not the answer for a descent living.
I have dumped many no good companies and I have no regret and seen many dispatch ass hole that thought they where god giving to the company.
So i feel bad for the 65 yo individual and the supervisor but this is what happen when it is pushed to the limit.
Hate to sound pestamistic, but I think this scenario will repeat itself quite often in coming years. There are many in a position of authority that seemingly look forward to ” ruining ones’ life ” because they can! As a 30 plus year trucker who’d work for a few major carriers I’ve seen firsthand how some drivers were ridiculed, berated and belittled. Some handled termination better than others. Those that didn’t were a force to be reckoned with….a disturbing scene with violent behavior and tendency. Be careful and be safe!
A real tragedy.
I loved driving a truck, and I got my CDL after early retirement from other employment. But I could never understand how carriers seem incapable of hiring competent dispatchers, and I think the percentage income incentive is part of the problem. Most of the people in ‘head office’ have an attitude problem and are completely disconnected with where the rubber hits the road. Now the greedy penny-pinchers are hiring immigrants (you gotta believe the corrupt U.S. government sweetens the deal), while the steady stream of rookie American drivers is finally trickling down – Has word finally gotten around that this 18-wheeler dream is another one that has died? When the country as a whole rediscovers The Golden Rule, American will truly be ‘Great Again’. Cross your fingers, Cross your heart, and look to the Cross on high.
I was a supervisor. Its hard to let anyone go with out just cause. No matter the age. Your not terminating a worker. But a family! And that’s hard to do. And believe me, nobody wants to do it. Sometimes there’s just no way around it. At 65 the guy was mostly more upset over the social security lie. It pays for pretty much everything. Problem is: most retirees are left with maybe $100 a month. If there lucky. Poor financial planning on the retirees part. I live around and know plenty of retirees. They all say the same thing. Wished I would have done a better job at planning for retirement when I was younger. So now people in my age group are having to help them with financial problems. And it doesn’t get any easier the older they get. Just good for thought for you young folks out there trying to understand how money works. And what the truth is behind retirement. Great advice. Start reading finance books. Instead of play video games and window shopping on the internet.
I’ve seen carriers terminate people for very illogical reasons. I’ve even had carriers lie on my DAC data. Things like damage to trailers which never happened. One even went as far as lieing that I failed a drug test – which never has happened and never will because I’ve never been a user (I often forget to take aspirin when I have a headache).
This in no way states that I condone killing an employee. It is stating that the information on a DAC report or in an employee file or what they will say to other companies really doesn’t give a driver a chance to get the facts straight. Ever try to get lies removed from your DAC report? Nearly impossible. Also, we, as drivers, know that liars prevail in the trucking industry. Most notably brokers, shippers, recievers, recruiters, dispatchers lie to every driver. Not just on rare occassions. It happens every week. Like the dispatcher that holds a grudge against a driver and puts them dead last as priority to find a load. Or brokers that will say they’ll pay you detention, the driver sits in the dock for 6 or 8 hours, then gets $0. This is why I tell every driver to keep a paper trail of EVERYTHING. Pickup times in and out, delivery times in and out WRITTEN IN INK on the BOL. Every BOL. And communication with the carrier about an issue should be done via email NOT Qualcomm because then it is their property and they keep it. Document, document, document. Then if you get screwed, you’ll have the proof to refute their claims and will not resort to a gun.
I know this happened 3 years ago, but I am now just hearing about this. I personally knew Guy Williams. We worked together at 3 different truck companies. The last time I talked to him was in 2007. He was already driving for Knight Transportation. It is strange but I was watching Urban Cowboy the movie and it made me think of him. He once told me that years before he delivered beer to Gilleys especially during the time they filmed the movie. Out of curiosity I searched his name and there it was all that media on the shooting. It’s been 12 years since I last talked to him and I am saddened that this happened. I told myself that they must of put something bad on his DAC for him to have done this. That would have kept him from getting a new job. That is all he ever did was drive whether delivering beer or over the road driving. I am sad for the family of the victim, but if the company black balled his dac then they could probably have prevented this tragedy by not putting derogatory remarks on his DAC report. It follows you wherever you go!