CSA 2010: How will the Driver Rating System affect you?

Strange how it always falls on the driver to have to be the one to figure out how to make it work ain't it.

 

Look around you. It's not only the trucking industry that's formed a business model based on hiring the lowest common denominator, it's just about EVERY industry now.

Workers--we want 'em cheap and we want 'em now. Who cares if they bring their third-world standard of living to the job with them? Not John Q. Public... no sir! As long as there are still a few things on the shelf at Wally World, everything is just peachy, right? I mean, isn't it... right?

 

Oh yeah. I first noticed it around 25 years ago when my grandfather was forced into early retirement. He was lucky. Most of the older guys were fired. The new president came in and decided to replace all the older guys with young fresh faces that wouldn't tell him his ideas sucked (and would work for less.) That was Farmland Industries (bankrupt).

 

Newsflash: THEY DONT CARE! Dont go away mad, just go away!

 

Here is one document that was sent to me by DOT.

http://csa2010.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/industry_factsheet_Web_tagged.pdf

 

CSA 2010 - same #### with a twist.
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I am just coming into this field. I did so because I wanted to make money, travel, and correct my life. This career choice offered me those three thing's and for that, I'm very grateful. Coming into it though, at first, I must confess - I was literally astonished with the regulations we're bound by. No end to them is in sight, either.

Luckily for me, I've been going to a very good school. One of the few DOT certified ones. They're rare. I've learned how to do a highly detailed pre-trip in 15 minutes or less (130 items to inspect, used to take me two hours), have learned how to drive the tractor (bobtail) and a 53' van very well (both loaded and unloaded). I've studied log-books in depth and have learned how to 'play the game' so to speak from an ex DOT inspector and a separate 20-year OTR veteran. For these thing's, I consider myself lucky now.

It's true - this field has rapidly changed from what I can remember growing up. For the better or worse, it can be argued both ways. Yes, these new CSA plans are going to ruin some older drivers and some new ones very quickly. Is that a bad thing, though? The driver's these regulations catch are driving unsafely, giving the majority of us a bad name, and causing more issues for us every day. On the flip side, our honest mistakes will nail us hard. It's a catch-22. If you play the game though, and play it well, you'll be just fine.

Also - to bring a point up again from earlier within this topic - if for some reason my tractor/trailer doesn't pass my pre-trip, en-route, or post-trip ... it doesn't move. If my company penalizes me for being safe, STAA protects me up to a point and OSHA is a phone call away. I am not afraid to be a jerk in this field. Not when my CDL is my bread earner, my livelihood, my survival.

 

Caliburn,
Check back after ya get 6 months experience!! Then talk to us. I believe you may see things differently at that point.

 

And that is what I do think that properly trained students are bringing to the table.

I am in the same camp as you Caliburn. There's a right way to go about things to be done, such as going on the Quallcom, stating the issue and then asking for advice. "Mr. Quallcomm, my drive tires are at 5/64ths across the tire. I can finish this run, but will need to schedule asap for new tires. Please advise on where I should bring the tractor as any continued operations on this set of tires could be considered a DOT violation."

Now that you've sent this in and it is documented, then the turd is in your companies pocket, so to speak as to fixing the problem.

It will be up to the individual driver to communicate issues and document them.

On the above link I provided, take a moment to read it. I am in communication with DOT over this and will continue to post as I receive them.

 

According to your profile thing, you're not a truck driver. What gives you the right to criticize my position, exactly? For that matter, clarify everything you just said.

I talk to trucker's every day, past one's, and current one's. I know many who have been driving for six years or more. We debate these subjects daily. I may not be driving OTR as of yet but I do have a well informed perspective of this field. Please, do tell ... what can I gain from six month's OTR that I do not already know? Aside from the actual driving experiences? What will I 'see differently'?