Fired for driving accident in recent snow

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Hello92, Feb 22, 2021.

  1. Moose1958

    Moose1958 Road Train Member

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    This has been a really interesting discussion. I hope some of the newbies look at these comments and learn from them.

    This is my opinion. Park it when you no longer feel it's safe, do not be bullied into operating past your comfort level. Once you park make sure your carrier knows ASAP. If you do have the correct information to make contact with the final do so and let them know you are going to be delayed. I am not sure these points are up to debate.

    When I was active over the years I committed to memory at least half of the directions to places where I went to a lot. I did not need GPS. Long before there were cell phones if I was unsure of where to go I would contact my carrier or sometimes simply ask another driver either face to face or via CB if they knew. If I was in doubt about hours of operation changes because of bad weather I would call the place I was going to IF I had that information. If not I contacted dispatch and got them to find out. This point goes back to something I have said many times in these forums. Develop a relationship with dispatch.

    Most of the old hands in these boards already know this. But, sometimes you the driver have nothing but an address. It is a fact of life as a driver sometimes you don't have the contact information. It's infuriating that this happens, but it does. What I used to do later on after I got internet was google the address and get contact information that way. @buddyd157 brought up automated phones. Sometimes larger places have a dedicated line that only has pre-recorded information. The main point is there simply is no one size fits all solutions for these situations caused by weather. I was headed south on I 44 back in 2011 headed for a pick up at the Joplin Missouri General Mills plant. An F-5 tornado got there about 2 hours before I did. I was doing my FM a favor and was picking up a load headed to our yard in Arkansas. I spent that night at one of the TAs near Springfield. (redacted) happens in this business. It is what it is.
     
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  3. Sgt Trucker

    Sgt Trucker Bobtail Member

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    A little hard reality. It was preventable. You drove into a ditch. My guess you were moving a little too fast, especially for being empty. You're obviously inexperienced, but allowing someone to pressure you into doing something you're not comfortable with is not an excuse. A lot of big fleets are famous for taking advantage of and pressuring rookie drivers. One of the reasons I don't work for them.

     
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  4. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    I will add....think about what part of the country you’re in. Snowstorm up north and anything short of a whiteout blizzard everything will probably be operating as normal. Down south? People probably aren’t working.
     
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  5. Rogerthat

    Rogerthat Medium Load Member

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    What Road-House said☝. The GOOD NEWS is that you didn’t hit anybody! You have to learn to politely, and professionally, say “No”. You’ll get another job.
     
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  6. wtlong88

    wtlong88 Bobtail Member

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    I hate you had to learn the lesson but never forget you're the one driving. I rarely shutdown but sometimes you have to. I remember last year stopping because PA had truck restrictions for weather and my company bugging me constantly about if I could find another way.
    On the same token 99% of the time when I call and let them know I'm stopping for weather they leave me alone. My company encourages you to drive if you can safely but they are very clear if you go out in bad weather and wreck you're fired lol. So I don't risk it if it gets really bad.
     
  7. bentstrider83

    bentstrider83 Road Train Member

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    Lessons learned. Find a second chance company and just park it when the weather is too squirrely to continue on safely. Yeah, you might lose some money having to sit out weather that other clowns like to have fun in(winter sports enthusiasts all need to be rounded up and shoved into a rubber room for eternity), but it could always be made up for once that storm passes and the roads are cleared.

    I've roughed it in questionable weather a few times. But that speed where you're crawling as slow as a mine-clearing tank just isn't worth the trouble.
     
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  8. ad356

    ad356 Road Train Member

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    I haul milk. We must drive in ALL conditions. They literally would dump it down the drain. They must milk regardless if it gets picked up or not. I learned how to drive in crap pretty fast. I take my time and route around the steepest hills when possible. I load intelligently filling the front compartment first to keep the weight on the drive tires. Good tires are a must. Use power divider and axle locks as needed. I've seen some former OTR drivers drive milk truck and they think they don't have to drive in bad weather.

    Shut down for bad weather? Not everyone can
     
  9. bentstrider83

    bentstrider83 Road Train Member

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    You got baffles on a milk tank? All we got are the usual smoothbores. Hey, if it's just myself in the muck, it's doable. It's when I get those clowns behind me playing "follow the leader" that flip me the bird when I pull off to the side to let them by. "I ain't your saint and this ain't a convoy, punks!!"
     
  10. WesternPlains

    WesternPlains Road Train Member

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    I could say a whole lot about bad weather and driving.
    Forget those screwball large companies.
    You don't need no second chance company.
    You need a smaller company with good common horse sense. A company who knows what's going on. Won't bat an eye at what happened. They know!
    I've fired a company over this. Fired 6 companies in three years.
    Right now I'm at the best job I have found. It's not perfect. Goofy things. But the best.
    It's a 22 truck company. Do hauling out and back in dry van. Go all over the country.
    They sent me out to go to NY. We knew there would be a winter storm there. The Owner himself told me; Be as safe as you can. I admit. I was impressed with the north east. I learned that they don't fool around with roads. It's gotta be really bad before the roads get bad.
    I've parked the truck twice because of weather. Also parked once early that evening but didn't affect delivery time. Got no argument out of the company. Been there three months now. They love me. I is a happy camper.

    As far as having to run. I did a trash truck for 7 years in the Black Hills. Seen alot. Class B is tougher with ice. There isn't enough weight on the steers. There were times I didn't run. Once we had the worst winter storm in 50 years. Everybody shut down and at home. When I got caught up. Last stop. Two customers were talking behind my back. Lady said: "It wasn't that bad" ..... People :rolleyes:
     
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  11. Cobrakaiguy

    Cobrakaiguy Light Load Member

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    Nov 16, 2020
    Dallas
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    Most companies will suggest you to drive, but when you wreck it will be on you.
     
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