Unsecured load on sealed trailer

Are you saying that the driver of a hazmat load isn't responsible for it because he didn't know how it was loaded or if it was secured or not? You have a lot more faith in the system than I do, and I'm not even a truck driver, just married to one.

I understand that you are to drive cautiously, and that's irregardless of what you know about your load, and that most rollovers can be avoided, I agree with that statement. Most rollovers are the result of either very poorly trained new drivers or drivers who are reckless, but the point here is they're driving with that unsecured load aren't they? I know what I want to say, I just can't seem to find the correct way of conveying it.

 

Our teacher was a DOT inspection officer for over two decades and this has been a major question with every recruiter that came to our class. The bottom line is, drivers get screwed with this sealed trailer BS.

If the shipper won't let you unseal to inspect and the company won't force it, and you take the load then if you get inspected YOU get the ticket. Some companies I have heard of will pay for the ticket and you won't be liable for any damage to the freight. But guess what? YOU, the driver, takes the hit for the load securement ticket on your MVR.

This issue makes me wonder if I am making a good move starting in trucking. Seems like they give you a requirement that you cannot realistically follow. If you don't check the load and get a ticket, it is on your record. If you press the issue, your company will most likely fire you because they expect you to take the liability like the other drivers that don't care. This is going to be a fun job, I can just tell.

Let me make it clear, I don't mind doing the work and following the rules, so long as I am given a way to do it.

 

Best make sure that's on the Shipper's copy, as well as, your copy or that's not valid.

 

Too many companies (shippers) will not accept the liability by the driver inserting something like SLC, shipper load and count, or any other language that is not part of their criteria in their BOL...the driver is not a bona fide representative of a company with authority to alter contract liability...unless said driver is working under his/her own authority and has pre determined with the shipper about term changes in a contract. In this case the BOL or shipping documents would be considered a contract between shipper and carrier.

 

Yes I sign both that way.

 

The Shipper might not recognize it, but If they asked me for my Signature, I am putting it on there and let the Judge decided if I am responsible or not.

 

As a meat hauler, you better not touch that seal or the USDA inspector can refuse that load. You have to maintain integrety of the load. If DOT breaks the seal, they have to reseal and document it on the papers.

The only problem I ever had was a driver relayed me a sealed trailer of welding rods. He had an identical truck and gave me a copy of his scale ticket. The first scale I came to a mile down the road I was way overweight on my drives. The load shifted on the other driver. The company paid the ticket.
That's probably why that driver wanted to meet before the scales. He knew the load shifted and failed to tell me. I'm sure it backfired on him when the company made a deduction on his paycheck.

 

i too, would like to see any such deal.....what you got was the typical dispatch bull-sheet.

YES...YES.....always CYA by simply noting on the BOL, "shipper load, count and sealed"

now here comes a situation i personally have been at. my company supplied seals to our customers (not all, just the "regular dedicated customers) . he in lies a catch 22 situation.....if you break open a sealed load, you are violating that customers freight. if you DON'T break open that seal to inspect, you are in violation of COMPANY POLICY to inspect ALL FREIGHT ALL THE TIME......

so i say ask your company IF YOU SEE YOUR COMPANY SEAL ON THAT LOCK...!!!! you may have permission to break it open and inspect....again, CYA.....>!!!!!!!

i believe i had seen this as well, it may have been in my OOIDA magazine.

 

DING-DING-DING WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!!!!!! Instead of talking about it here call your safety department. It is your arse! Not the shipper.

Dupont in Front Royal VA has hazmat loads that they have sitting on the yard unsealed. They nail 2x4's to the floor to stop the load from shifting.

Is that enough? I don't have a clue! DO YOU????!!!!!!!!!

Load securement is not part of our training.


CSA2010

 

SLC sealed and secured.............