Truckers Report Jobs

Find Trucking Jobs

Company Driver Company Driver Dry Van Dry Van Flatbed Flatbed Refrigerated Refrigerated Specialized Specialized Owner Operator Owner Operator
More Trucking Job Searches ⌄ Fewer Trucking Job Searches
⌃

Truck Drivers Delivering Unknow Product

Discussion in 'Questions To Truckers From The General Public' started by MikeyTodd, Oct 20, 2010.

Page 1 of 5
  1. Oct 20, 2010 #1
    MikeyTodd

    MikeyTodd Bobtail Member

    14
    3
    Oct 20, 2010
    South Carolina
    0
    I don't think is right at all. We as truck drivers, because of the new laws, are forced to pull loads that we know nothing about. These loads are sealed and we cannot inspect the cargo. We must trust whatever paperwork that is handed to us from some unknown person. This is our lives at stake here. We should have the right to know what product we are hauling and we should be able to inspect our cargo. We could have bombs or drugs for goodness sake and not know it. This law could very well be an excuse for companies to unknowingly haul whatever they choose to transport. Sometimes I afraid to drive because I really have no idea what im hauling.
     
    MikeyTodd, Oct 20, 2010
    MikeyTodd, Oct 20, 2010
    #1
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Oct 20, 2010 #2
    statikuz

    statikuz Medium Load Member

    401
    140
    Jun 22, 2009
    Reno Nevada
    0
    What new laws are forcing us to haul loads that we know nothing about?
     
    statikuz, Oct 20, 2010
    statikuz, Oct 20, 2010
    #2
  4. Oct 20, 2010 #3
    LandShark

    LandShark Road Train Member

    1,525
    1,064
    Nov 22, 2008
    Riverdale, Ga
    0
    I used to pull loads for the D.O.D
    Department of Defence. Even though I never knew what kind of bombs I was hauling I new without a doubt I was hauling Explosives.
     
    LandShark, Oct 20, 2010
    LandShark, Oct 20, 2010
    #3
  5. Oct 20, 2010 #4
    GPSTrucker

    GPSTrucker Light Load Member

    129
    62
    Jul 16, 2010
    Following the white rabbit.
    0
    Exactly my question. Also appears to be in the wrong sub-forum.
     
    GPSTrucker, Oct 20, 2010
    GPSTrucker, Oct 20, 2010
    #4
  7. Oct 20, 2010 #5
    Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    10,660
    12,168
    May 28, 2009
    Rancho Mirage, Ca.
    0
    A lot of shippers don't want anyone knowing what's in the wgon, including the driver. If your freight bills say "FAK" and nothing else, you've got a high dollar load.
     
    Allow Me., Oct 20, 2010
    Allow Me., Oct 20, 2010
    #5
  8. Oct 20, 2010 #6
    ChromeDome

    ChromeDome Road Train Member

    3,706
    2,086
    Jun 10, 2007
    Lakeland, FL
    0
    Unless it is Hazmat, in which case you will be informed, I see no real reason that the driver needs to know what the load is.
    You need to know if it is high and heavy, or if it is a load that may possibly shift, but that is really about it.
    If you do not know what the load is then you cannot be called to question as much if the load is stolen.
    I see articles about stolen loads allot, and always the driver is put to the question as to who they may have told what they are hauling.
    98% of drivers know not to tell anyone what they are hauling, and would not do it.
    But the company's and insurance company's like to blame the driver for blabbing anyway.
    Not knowing helps to cover your butt. Not by much, but it will if you have a lie detector test.
     
    ChromeDome, Oct 20, 2010
    ChromeDome, Oct 20, 2010
    #6
  9. Oct 20, 2010 #7
    MikeyTodd

    MikeyTodd Bobtail Member

    14
    3
    Oct 20, 2010
    South Carolina
    0
    There isn't any "new" laws. It's just the way the trucking industry is designed that's starting to give me the heebeegeebees on some things. I should've stated the "laws that are in place".
    Yep. This I know.



    Now how can we know how high a load is or if it may possibly shift without looking at it??? What about it being secure of not. The shipper should give the driver time to inspect the load before sealing up the product, especially with vans and containers. We are not psychics. Yes, the trained driver can go by feel when turning ect to determine this but it's still a guessing game. If we as truckers happen to get pulled over at customs and get inspected and drugs are found, who's to blame for transporting them? How will we prove that we didn't know?
     
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2010
    MikeyTodd, Oct 20, 2010
    MikeyTodd, Oct 20, 2010
    #7
  10. Oct 20, 2010 #8
    MikeyTodd

    MikeyTodd Bobtail Member

    14
    3
    Oct 20, 2010
    South Carolina
    0
    Hey LandShark. Would it be of any value to see the load before you took off with it....Yeah. I mean, even the CDL book tells us to inspect the load etc before hauling. How can we inspect something we can't see. I pull tankers/hazmat too by the way.:biggrin_2556:
     
    MikeyTodd, Oct 20, 2010
    MikeyTodd, Oct 20, 2010
    #8
  11. Oct 20, 2010 #9
    SLCTrucker

    SLCTrucker Medium Load Member

    404
    199
    Jan 15, 2009
    Salt Lake City UT
    0
    Did they ever tell you to run unplacarded?

    I have done the same type of stuff in the UK before noving to the US & we were never placarded even hauling explosives/radioactive for Military...
     
    SLCTrucker, Oct 20, 2010
    SLCTrucker, Oct 20, 2010
    #9
  12. Oct 20, 2010 #10
    ChromeDome

    ChromeDome Road Train Member

    3,706
    2,086
    Jun 10, 2007
    Lakeland, FL
    0
    When I haul things like paper rolls I do not need to see it to know it is high and heavy. They tell me on my load info though. That is one I will normally see anyway though. They don't pre-seal those loads much.
    On normal loads that are pre-sealed I have to go with what I am told. If they say it is loaded properly and secure, then I have to go with that.
    I can have them mark pre-sealed on the bills I guess, or I can just mark it on them.
    If it happens to have drugs in it, then that is on them. I do not know they are in the truck, I cannot see them.
    Heck, even if it is not pre-sealed you probably will not see the drugs if they package it within the load itself.
    This has happened. I have seen pictures on this forum of loads like that. The driver did not get charged, he had no idea they were there.
    I do not worry about things I cannot change.
    If the issue ever comes up, and I have a real issue like this, then I guess I will go to court.
    I will tell the truth, and they will have to prove that I am not being honest.

    If you are concerned, then find another line of work. It is what it is.
     
    ChromeDome, Oct 20, 2010
    ChromeDome, Oct 20, 2010
    #10
    papa1953, outerspacehillbilly and Big Don Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

    • Page 1 of 5