My company has banned ANY cell phone usage while driving.

It looks like you'll have to sign, it's the same way with all the railroads now. When I worked for CSX they banned all cell phones, we weren't even allowed to have them with us when we were on a train or while on company property. It is my opinion if you had an accident and they checked your cell to see if you were talking you will definitely be liable.
Mr Lahood is really cracking down on cell phone use in the transportation industry. Liable if you sign hungry if you don't.

 

I'd say you have to sign if you want to keep your paycheck, but communication is a two way street, and I would make the company realize and suffer as many consequences as possible for you newly imposed non-communication.

 

Make the company sign a paper saying that you are not resposible for late loads due to the fact you can't talk to dispatch. Until my grilfriend got on the truck with me, my cell phone got turned off as soon as I went to line four for my pretrip and didn't get turned back on till I went off duty. She gets in her own truck next week. Back to "old school" trucking.

 

Weather or not you sign that paper if you were to get in an accident
and they hire a lawyer to sue you, that lawyer will pull your phone records
and if you happened to be on the phone your still screwed.

 

The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute did a distracted driving research project for DOT. The findings from the research were instrumental in DOT's recent ban on text-messaging. Text messaging was hands down the worst of the distractors. Interestingly though, using dispatching devices and some other electronic devices were found to be more distracting than talking on a cell phone, particularly a "hands-free unit". There's other research out there that suggests that talking on a cell phone may have an "alerting" function to the brain, actually making a driver more focused.

 

Unless your a team, your Qualcom wont work while the truck is moving. Drivers have no control EOBRs.

Safe Miles,

Larry

 

I promised to obey all traffic laws when I signed on the dotted line to get my CDL. I constantly drive 56 in a 55. I can still sleep at night...

 

I wish this was true, I see solo drivers all day long typing on their qualcom while driving, SWIFT driver almost took my hood off today in the rain because of it.

 

Yeah, I've heard this also.