Trucking company fined for NOT allowing their drivers to idle to stay warm

Now, if they will only look at the air conditioning part as well.


Driver comfort needs to be a consideration.

 

I am praying that this issue catches on like wildfire.
I have spent many sleep peorids eather cold or hot due to idle compliance. Eather they need to make the regs cover companys, to insure they have a way to heat and cool the cab, OR they need to get state laws structured with more user frendly temps for idle.
I know a few states looking at lowering carbon LVLs are actually using real possible numbers like lower than 50 and higher than 80 when they make there idle laws. Most however only add a provision for below 25 degrees or so.
Give me a break. If it is 30 in a truck most people cannot sleep well, and it is not safe.
Also if it is 80 outside then it is most likely much warmer in the truck than that for most of the night.
Drivers cannot safely leave there windows open in many areas. At the most the windows can be open a crack, and the vents can be open and have fans blowing. This is not a comfortable way to sleep when temps are in excess of 85+ even at night.

Granted. Making all companys get APU's would be costly to the industry at this time (or any time) initially. In the long run they will save with fuel savings. Owner OP's however are barely holding on now, and forcing them to buy APS's may be too costly in the short term.

 

...is there a list of who/where/how to file complaints similar to this one in Washington in other states? Maybe if we deluged the proper authorities with such complaints, they would be forced to take another look at the issues of driver comfort/road safety!
I can only speak for me, but I would make it my mission in life to file complaints in every state where I sleep until something gets changed! I strongly encourage anyone reading this to do the same. In a real job, the employer is obligated to provide a safe enviroment to work in, why is trucking any different?

 

Start with the State's webpage to go to the state's DOT section and see if there is a contact page and write them.

 

I dont believe this is a DOT ISSUE, they only get involved when the truck is moving. The OP says it was the state "Labor and Industry" that issued the citation. So it might be OSHA or the local version that would address this complaint.

 

May I suggest a better title for this thread?
"Trucking company fined for NOT allowing their drivers to idle to STAY WARM!"

 

Dave I would start by contacting your state labor department. File a complaint with them for unsafe working conditions.

Everybody needs to start doing this and after flooding the labor department with complaints then flood your state representatives and Senator's, and Governor's offices. Maybe if we start sticking together we can start seeing some improvements.

 

This may be more of a state issue dealing with OSHA and work place safety. But a $1,000 fine is not much when you compare that to the money that trucking companies make. I know that trucking companies are also having a hard time in this economy but they should have to develop a plan to provide APU's for all trucks. But then most companies are probably more interested in making sure that the product reaches its destination on time and in good condition.