Sometimes it really isnt the New Drivers Fault

so about 3 weeks ago i have a new driver and after he was issued his new truck, he goes to the truck lot to find his truck and it was snowed in or stuck with ice. so he ask some people from the shop to help him get his truck out. it didnt take him long to get his truck out, but once he did he heard a noise in the rear end, he immediatley puts the truck in the shop and says the rear end is making a noise. so the shop sends the truck to a dealership and they say they will have to replace the rear end.when the truck is taken to the dealership I get my driver a hotel room and one day last week one of our ops mgr's calls my driver to come to operations to speak to him. apparently the shop had said that my driver had caused this damage. my driver came up to me and said he was fired because he is being accused of doing this damage to his truck. he vigorously denied doing this damage. I mean he was in tears saying he did not do this. I did at the time give him the benefit of the doubt. I mean what proof did we have ? so he was given a bus ticket to go home, and was driven to the bus station. in the meantime I had talked several different top managers
and asked them what proof did we actually have ? they finally agreed and called the driver at the bust station and went and got him. he is now driving and so far doing a good job, NEW DRIVERS EVEN IF A SHOP EMPLOYEE TELLs YOU TO DO SOMETHING, ALWAYS QUESTION THIS IF YOU THINK IT ISNT RIGHT. or go to a shop manager and ask questions. i mean really there is no way to know if this driver did this damage but i dont think he did. to blame this on him is not right

 

well if the truck had bot been issued to anyone else that would have maybe been different, but this driver was the third driver issued this truck. and there was no proof my driver did the damage. but still my driver learned a lesson, do not just take instructions from just anyone. if you feel something isnt right call your DM or go see a shop mgr The Mgt Agreed that there was no proof and the driver was called and picked up at the bus station and brought back, he is now out on the road and doing a great job.

 

exactly i do agree but he said he only did what the shop guys told him to do and he said there was no way he did this, and I just felt that how can you fire him and not really know what happened. I do know one thing this will never happen again with him.

 

when i said NEW DRIVER I meant with celadon this driver has had several years OTR exp. I think he just wasnt thinking and concentrating on listning to the shop guys telling him what to do

 

I think it was maybe a rushed decision or based on what the dealership said. I just think we have to give the driver the benefit of the doubt and investigate. cudos to the Top Mgt for doing the right thing