My battle with West Memphis scale

DOT doesn't hire, nor fire your company fired you plain and simple.

I've never been put out for OOS but I would think it would be in writing, like a ticket. Who has the ticket? Besides if you left, you would have been hunted down like wild game for 2 miles unless it was in the dark and you slipped into the night. They never just let you leave if you've been put OOS.

Secondly it doesn't make sense that your company asked about a OOS that wasn't document so you say. If it was documented and you believe the DOT and left shame on you, you should have called your company since the terminal was only 2 miles away.

So which is it, were you ticketed or not?

 

I would speak to an attorney. I don't know if I can list one on here or not, but there are attorneys that handle these cases. Theres a good one in egan, minn.
I sent you a private message......Every once in a while, not often, the driver is right.

 

I am thinking of going to driver school and work OTR but if it is that easy to be fired and ruin your record, I am having second thoughts.

 

This is sounding a little weird! There is a box that is checked that says check if put OOS. If Mr DOT didn't check it then whats the problem! You weren't put outOOS and as Madbunny said you woudn't have gotten far and your company would have been notified by the DOT scales wanting to know where you were! Even tragic's safety dept knows this! I'd get a lawyer, one who works for truck drivers and I would recommend you get in touch with OOIDA for a name as that's all they do.

 

... Did you get that in writing? Like over the QC?

 

They are right, you have to have it in writing to put you out of service. If you wasn't, DOT cant get you fired anyway, it was all your companies doing to at saving their bacon from something....I wouldnt know what. If your logs, you, everything legal other than a few glitches on trailer is not a firing situation. And DOT would not get in trouble as far as I know, cuz if you were OOS, it would be stated as such.

 

Youre right. Something doesnt add up. Even if he did leave the scale, this would not warrant a $250k fine to the company. And youre right, DOT would have went to the company that very day.

Might I ask what was in violation on the trailer? Airlines rubbing the frame? Thin brakepads? Automatic slack adjusters out of adjustment? Bad tires?