When inspectors put rigs out of service to keep the roads safe, it costs truckers time and money. Aside from maybe a bit of grumbling, generally drivers finish up for the day with no further incident. Recently though, one driver got so upset that he has been charged with threatening an FMCSA inspector. But he didn’t stop there.
According to the office of Inspector General, Ronald Mockelman was issued a fine for making a threat of bodily harm to a federal employee. Allegedly, he then called the FMCSA Nebraska Division office several times and threatened them before moving on to calling to threaten the FMCSA Midwestern Service Center as well.
Though it doesn’t appear that Mockelman followed through on any of his threats, he has been charged with a federal crime. Though it seems unlikely at this point, he could be subject to not only additional fines but also jail time.
Next Story: Mechanical Failure To Blame In Death Of Trucker
Source: overdrive, oig, cornell, huffingtonpost
Assuming the story is true and complete, talk about idiocy!! Drivers that can’t control their emotions beyond the point of acting with such stupidity, don’t belong on the road riding a motorcycle, let alone driving a rig.
Without being to presumptuous i’d say the fellow needs some serious anger management counseling and perhaps a change of job. I’ve always found keeping carm when you have an inspection goes along way after all those folks are just doing there job.
it must be nice to such a righteous person of whom you pretend to impersonate.
That made absolutely no sense.
Is that all you got? Must be a slow day.
More and more folks getting tired of the harassment.
I’ve driven a combined total of 20+ years OTR. Never once was I “harassed”. If you’re getting “harassed” a lot, maybe you might want to consider yourself or your carrier as a common denominator.
Keeping rigs safe is one thing. The problem is the fines are way to high. It’s a cash grab just like you can’t use a cell phone while driving. You can have a drink,sandwich,smoke, even women put make-up on while driving. Yet that’s so called legal. It’s all about cash. Driver shortage rising every year. Then cash grab no more.
It’s no legal at all. There was a driver cited for distracted driving for eating a sandwich while driving in Georgia. http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/man-cited-eating-while-driving-cobb-county/njrGY/
Sounds like someone got sick and tired of the extortion.
Not surprising that sooner or later a driver would snap. You’re viewed as a revenue source by every state you pass through, every truck stop, panhandler, and often the very company you drive for. If you’re over weight between the customer and the closest scale, you’re still the one on the hook for the fine. Even if it was the company that knew it was over weight. It’s all on you! This article is not complete, and is another painted picture of “just another bad driver” stupid, lawless, unsafe, nonconforming rabble.
Mike put it best I think.
Well said Michael!
You’re a 100% right. The sooner drivers realize they have the power to change things in this industry and start reacting accordingly, the sooner we will see a difference. Period.
I can understand finally getting frustrated enough to lash out. I’m a mechanic, so I see the tickets that come in – I’ve had drivers written up for “chafed” brake hoses that just had a little dirt on them from the site. I wiped it off with a damp rag and the hose was perfect. After this happened a couple times I just put split loom around every single brake hose which actually made things more unsafe because now I can’t do a quick walkaround and check for real damage, meaning hoses that are really damaged generally don’t get found until they actually start leaking. One of the dump trucks got flagged for dirt on the siderails while hauling, you guessed it, dirt. Again, so the truck was dusty. That’s what happens the second you drive onto the site. We rinse out the trucks every night when they come in and between shifts if they work two, but you can’t follow the truck around all day with a pressure washer. Once in a while they catch something significant, but most of the time they miss real issues that I find on PMI and write up a bunch of stupid stuff. I’d say for every one ticket that has something useful I get 4 that are just crap.
What the FMCSA does is legalized theft from drivers. I have a feeling this incident is the tip of the iceberg. It’s no different than the speed traps and kangaroo courts of the south years ago. Only now it’s run by the Feds. These are guys who can hide behind their federal badges and steal money from people who can least afford it, all the while collecting pay and benefits far superior to the people whose lives they’re trying to destroy.
I must of missed something……I seen nothing about over weight……by the pic…..looked like safety factor on equipment….I’ve been driving 28 yrs. now and the problem to me seems to be the quality of drivers on the road today…..they are putting anyone on the road today…..new breeds…..one way un experienced, uncurious selfish, no it all want to be a truck driver kind of people. yes dot sometimes get alittle out of hand. but if your equipment is not up to par, then it don’t need to be one the road. as one driver stated. pay your fine and move on, or dispute it and go to court. threatening the officer isn’t go to solve your problem, only going to make it worst….most dot I’ve dealt with in my career are pretty nice people. yeah some of them are assholes, but same could be said about truckers or any trade for that matter. attitude is what makes the difference in any situation, so if your in a bad mood or having a bad day, just remember, better days will come, but, whatever you do, don’t threaten and dot inspector. bad choice and stupid……drive safe and have a great day……..stormrider,….owner of first class connection….
My , my, this is a concern. A bad trucker called an insecure cop a name. So what?
It was bound to happen sooner or later!
It’s all starts with politics and it works it’s way down to the officer on the job trying to do their job , but yes some of them take it too far sometimes .
We all have a job to do , to try to support our families . But as a driver we also have to deal with Shippers and Recievers and Traffic and Road Construction & most of the time we have to push harder to try to make our pickups or deliveries on time , just to get there to be told to take a number and wait which also takes more time from our already busy day !
So yes their are other drivers out there that has gotten mad or Pissed off but you haven’t heard about those drivers until the DOT or A Police officer or any law division unit that wants to make an example of the low man on the pole and that’s us –The Driver
In all my years of driving, I was never once put out of service, never once cited for equipment condition nor put thru anything greater than the normal loss of time while being inspected. I have watched thousands (literally) of drivers pull in at night, shut down and never look at their truck, then up the next day and off they go without so much as a walk around.
If more drivers took their job seriously and simply put out a modicum of effort in inspecting their vehicle, there would be far less OOS orders at the coops.
Don’t blame the DOT, FMCSA or any state. While I agree there are instances of abuse from the government side, most of the incidents start with a failure of the driver to do at least a cursory inspection of their vehicle before setting out the next day.
Yeah, the most common equipment violation by leaps and bounds involves faulty brakes. The most common complaint among imagined “drivers” is they aren’t treated as “professionals”, when all they got to show is a complete absence of professionalism and all the emotional maturity of a 3 year old.
That was very well said An you are very right about what you have said most of the company drivers are in the truck just for one thing an that is a pay check.
You are right on with your comments. I totally agree with what you said. It’s time to grow up gentlemen, be the responsible citizen you purport you say that you are.
California has demonstrated to me that every truck and every driver has a violation if an inspector wants or needs to write an infraction. You cant be stupid enough to not know that, if you have experience. You are what is referred to as a SUPERTRUCKER… always quick to brag about how perfect you are, how perfect you shift, perfect, perfect, perfect, etc. You don’t fool me on the CB, and you don’t fool me here. Does the word Narcissist mean anything to you?
I agree with Stephen, Been out here 38 years, all fines I got was my fault, which were not many.
they can harrass a driver as much as they please, fine a driver for nothing but make things up to harrass them about, hurting them financially all because they want to feel important but a driver cant let his frustration out about being abused by a government employee
Amazing, how the government is late for most things. Run away ramps were none existent for years. They finally put the money forth for these ramps. But the industry was already curing the issue with brakes being made out of different substance that does not over heat and expand as much. And self adjusting brakes. The number one failure on mountain passes. mal-adjusted brakes. So ramps became pretty much obsolete. Inspection of vehicles are much the same. For the most part not needed and catches many small issues that cars violate on a regular basis. I think down town NYC we should set up a inspection station to catch them. LOLOLOL…..what a joke. Most they catch, are first year drivers who are still learning. Their pay check is damaged seriously. So they quit and the industry gets a new first year driver. And the cycle continues. So the roads are more unsafe then years ago with inexperienced, and partially educated drivers.
ibe been an OTR trucker going
On over 35 years, I might’ve been put out of service maybe 5 times in those 35 plus years, all in all, if it was enough to put me out of service, the DOT officer didn’t, because I was polite to him an promised I’d get it fixed! Just that simple, once I was released in Banning, Ca., my fifth wheel arms had 4 cracks in it, a big violation an the DOT said get it before coming back, he turned me loose, Ohio, DOT turned me loose on 4 violations, it’s ALL to how you approach the officer, you treat him with respect, I promise he’ll do the same! I’ve had nothing but good compliments for the DOT am I appreciate them doing their job to keep others from killing innocent people!!!! That’s all I got to say.
Good point. It’s so bad that when I do see a driver actually performing a pre-trip inspection I feel like he/she ought to be rewarded.
I totally agree with on that, although many of the real young recruits can be way more nit picky than seasoned officers.
Fmcsa should read the 8th amendment
People who are unable to keep their emotions in check are a concern behind the wheel of a semi. I have always been an advocate of mental health screening for drivers along with medical screening. For an example, turn on your CB radio. That is proof enough of the mentally unbalanced.
Linda, are you sure you want another government agency? One screening drivers for mental health? (scary) Screeners who’ve never been inside a cab, fired up a big truck, or driven a load? I n traffic? Bad weather and traffic? I agree about the CB chatter a lot of the time, but I sure don’t need more government or more intervention.
If they went ahead with mental checks….then the transport industry would collapse my friend. They can’t be that picky. After all…..who in the right mind would do this job today?
Right on Road Professor !! Before the crash of ’07 I always read that the average turnover in trucking was 130%. Would a person of good judgement put money and effort into starting a career where there is such turnover? If turnover is an indicator of job quality, and I think it is. And the latest news is that Capital Management is predicting a record high turnover rate this year in trucking.
OK so your telling me that the dot/ csa is stealing from us. Hmm, I think your wrong. If you know what your doing and follow the laws , you have nothing to worry about. Period.
Man you ssid a mouthful. I agree with being nice. BUT it took 20 years before O did meet an A hole cop. They can be a little unbalanced on the power trippin’ side.
All this drama…. If people would inspect their trucks before voluntarily dragging junk down the road, they wouldn’t get violations. CSA = Compliance – Safety – ACCOUNTABILITY.. either do the whole job or work fast food.
I am not condoning him calling the offices and threatening the officials. But, I have been trucking for 33 years. I know what is like to have a arrogant DOT officer push your buttons to a point where you want to smack someone. You are reading a report that is giving the officers side. Not the drivers. But these days we believe what we read.
To the DOT We do not have rights, to them it is a privilege for us to be on their highway. Yes I have heard them make that comment.
I always try to be polite and professional. But no officer is going to walk on me. Florida, Georgia and Virginia have a chip on their shoulders for the O/O
I had an officer red tag me 10 miles from my house, on a back road, because I had a hairline crack starting at a lug nut. Instead of warning me and letting me drive home I had to pay a wrecker $200 to move my truck. It would have been different if it was life threatening and I were miles away from home. But he wanted to use his authority. I called him everything but I white man. Called his lieutenant and told him it was wrong and call them thieves. That was my right. But I did not threaten anyone. So am I a asshole?
Most of you younger drivers have been trained by this new society to bow down and be humble. You are trained that It is not professional to stand up to an officer. Even when he goes against what you know is right and safe, All because it is written in their dot bible. I would say wake up. But it is too late.
Are you guys too blind to see the way they have you beat down? They have most on this brain level that if you get angry your mentally unstable and a threat to society. I hate to see where the trucking industry is 5 years from now.
But then again, most of you are drivers, not owner operators. I would like to see what you would do if you had bills due and a truck payment late, because your engine just cost you $14,000. Then a kid comes out that has never been be hide a wheel of a truck and rights you up for a violation with his self righteous attitude.
Don’t side with the law when you don’t know both sides. One day it will be you in that position.
bet these incidents increase, til’ something much worse happens! matter of time !!!
p.s steve and.willie are right on the money on this, i am learning to hate what i do for a living, trucking of any type is going nowhere fast and already late!!! sad!!!!
Whether you drive a big rig or a little car we all pay our taxes to drive on both sides of the road and we all have deadlines and livelihoods wether it being your loads or others children or grandchildren. I find your reasoning to be in poor taste and is one that gives many truckers in a group a bad name. I have since learned that there are many great truckers out there and unfortunately a few bad apples. two bad apples in two trucks killed my daughter and almost me because they thought they didn’t have to obey traffic laws. They didnt use turn singals when turning left and they travelled too close together all while admitting they wernt using their mirrors on a two lane hwy while keeping up the same rate of speed just before turning left on a passing zone while we were passing. I hope and pray that it mever happens someone you care for since you pay for both sides of the road and cand can go as fast as you want because some things you cant replace. I forever lost the first 36 years of my life including knowing who my dead child is, my marriage, the birth of my children, am now wheelchair bound, and am told because of my injuries in 2008 i probably wont be here in 10 years. And yes my husband drives semi and I understand how much you guys love it. Kristina
The government HAS CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE. Did you ever try an sue a cop ,judge, lawyers and FMCSA employee ? They can screw you over,and you have no recourse. The laws are made to protect any government officals,and not YOU. The FMCSA can lie about this guy to make him pay more money. How honest is the FMCSA,or any government run business …really ?
It my seem as a money grab for the states but the D.O.T. is there for a reason and the highways or safer then before because if it. They have a job to do just like us. The problem is drivers and D.O.T refuse to work together mainly because we see them as the enemy. As for the guy who says it is not out there for safety just money we better find out who he is and steer clear of him because if he feels that way he is going to kill someone. most drivers care a great deal about safety
Drivers like you are the reason we have all these stupid rules. While I want to make as much as I can as well, I also have a family that drives on the same road (also paying fuel taxes for that ‘right’) and I don’t want them killed by careless people like yourself that take other’s lives for granted. Someone that runs on dangerous equipment or without any sleep is no better than a drunk driver. Dealing with CSA and other red tape is a cost dangerous drivers/carriers have brought on everyone else and I hope they all get caught and shut down.
Ron is on the money. The government has destroyed America beyond repair.
I don’t think that the guy can’t take a ticket like a man but these fines are getting ridiculous. I’m battling two frost law tickets here in Michigan. one is $4,800 and the other is $1,975. That’s crazy. Lucky for me, I have dug in at the state level and found that these two communities may not be operating above board with respect to signage, road selection designation and general compliance. My point is that in this digital age, with a little understanding, the way to fight these absurdities is to learn what they are imposing on you and attack it intelligently.
I know I ain’t been out here nearly as long as some but I agree with willie 100% and the problems we all face with dot will only grow. Only today I just can’t recommend any youngster to find his/her place in the commercial driving field. I only wish I would of went farther in school cause it just ain’t as rewarding as it used to be.
All fines I got were my fault, They have bosses looking at them too.
Case Study: Im at the New Mexico port of entry, I-10 westbound, Tx.-Nm Border; Im pulled in for a DOT Insp, i pull a reefer unit, and its the middle of Summer, 100 degrees, and my unit is running frozen. The DOT officer states, i need to turn my Reefer unit off during the Vehicle inspection. (WTF)
We’re just moving targets out there
Cops can be rhymes with chicks. Going through an inspection station in ca I got a ticket for not wearing my seatbelt. Not a verbal. A written. Had a few impure thoughts about them that day.