Black Box Blues

Thats where your wrong as long as there is a company that is putting that driver in the position there are going to be drivers stupid enough to take them,so i say start at the top and thats the company,start fineing them more and soon enough they wont want to put the drivers in that spot again.THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR SAFETY AND IT STARTS WITH THE COMPANY'S,GET IT RIGHT

 

It has always been up to the Driver and thats why when that driver who just killed a car full of people goes to court by his/her self for killing them not the company and no driver can be forced to do something illegal its their decision to do it.. A Driver has the Last Say in what the Truck can and cant do.. don't hesitate to call DOT if your being forced to run illegal I've don't it and haven't been fired on the Contrary the individual at USX was let go..

And Safety always falls into the Lap of the Driver its our Responsibility to be Safe on the Roads of america..

heres a small Excerpt from the FMCSR that proves we say what that truck will and will not do

§392.14 Hazardous conditions; extreme caution.
Extreme caution in the operation of a commercial motor vehicle shall be exercised when hazardous conditions, such as those caused by snow, ice, sleet, fog, mist, rain, dust, or smoke, adversely affect visibility or traction. Speed shall be reduced when such conditions exist. If conditions become sufficiently dangerous, the operation of the commercial motor vehicle shall be discontinued and shall not be resumed until the commercial motor vehicle can be safely operated. Whenever compliance with the foregoing provisions of this rule increases hazard to passengers, the commercial motor vehicle may be operated to the nearest point at which the safety of passengers is assured.

Its our Responsibility to be Safe out there not anyone Elses

 

You know you actually have a point there! I was wondering why they have not made all companies go to on board logging! NOW I KNOW! For real I am not being a smart ellic! So I guess my job is secure and " As the log's turn" will continue! :smt023

 

They are coming. get used to it. Actually most people don't know they have been here in one form since the early 90's when the motors went computerized. Your ecm stores truck speed, when the truck is driving, ideling, shut off. In the case of an accident involving death or a severe bodily injury the dot will immediatle sieve and seal your ecm and send it off to be looked over for evidence.
RYder is converting all there trucks to the black boxes right now. we have like 100 ryder trucks and all our new ones and the ones recieved in the last year will be fitted with the boxes. They also allow them to diagnose fault codes from a remote location. Also they will be able to change your engine parameters while you are driving down the road. There is more also but I don't have time or memorie enough to recant them all. I was surprised by many of them though.
On the other hand I drive a bunk that we own not ryder. They want us to black box my truck as well and I'm fighting it. But I'm loosing so far. Mainly it's an insurance thing. I'm sure they are getting an insurance premium break but that hasn't been confirmed yet

 

Vehicle parameter recording devices are a give and take situation. Some say they help, some say they hurt. It depends on which you believe came first; the chicken or the egg. I believe trucking is regulated enough already. However, chew on this story out concerning a trucker involved in a vehicular fatality:

http://news.com.com/Rocky+road+for+car+black+boxes/2009-1041_3-5604449.html

By-the-way, I know how spell tomato. Thanks though!

 

James Fitzgerald, the driver referred to in that article is a menace to society. What that story does not offer, is the history on that man. He should have NEVER been in a truck.

The data stored in the ECM cleared him of eyewitness testimony as to how fast he was traveling at the time, including that of another Nashville Metro officer who was behind him when the wreck occured. It was offered by the company he drove for, Continental Express, Inc., based in Little Rock, Arkansas. They were under a microscope at the time as well.

That's as good as it gets.

I'm working strictly from memory, so forgive me if it is found out that I am not totally accurate, but this one is fairly well burned in my mind.

James Fitzgerald found his way on that highway, and working for a company that apparently was not very thorough in checking his driving background. A Nashville reporter found out the details on this idiot within 24 hours. It wasn't all their fault. The state of Missouri and Kentucky had more of their share of complicity in the death of that Nashville Metro officer.

James Fitgerald had amassed a record of 68 moving violations in his young life when he struck that car in the rear. He had had his various drivers licenses suspended numerous times for various reasons in the state of Missouri.

He was issued his first CDL when it should have been denied. He had a record of nearly 40 violations a year before he was issued that CDL. He was able to exchange his Missouri CDL, at the time it was under suspension, for a clean Kentucky CDL just weeks before he struck that car. At the time the crash occured, he had received TWO speeding tickets in the previous three days. In Missouri, he was scheduled to be in court to answer to a serious moving violation that had the CDL that was exchanged in Kentucky. He had FIVE outstanding tickets that had not been disposed of in courts.

He basically got off unscathed after the death of that officer. He served very little time, most of which was served during the time between the day of the accident and his court date in regard to the crash. He was released on parole and was ordered not to drive ANYTHING, nor would he be issued a drivers license of any description in any state, presumably. A few months after he was released to go home to Kentucky, he was stopped for speeding and arrested for driving with no license. I'm sure it was not his first time behind the wheel following his release. His parole was revoked, and it may be possible that he is in prison now, serving out the sentence he was supposed to receive.

The ECM saved him hard time and heavy charges, but it shouldn't have. That boy just can't get it through his thick head that you just can't drive like an idiot all your life. He will probably never grace the seat of a truck again, but the death of an officer didn't have to happen.

He never should have been in a truck to begin with.

 

I agree with your assessment.

 

Well, everything is getting little black box's. I saw a couple of car's that have them as well as airplanes and even trains have them now except locomotive's not only carry a black box but also are equippted with a windsheild camera hooked up to it. I wouldn't doubt if they do the same to trucks. The goverenment want's to stay as far and get as far as they can into anything they can. I hate to say it but our government sucks man! That's why I'm choosing to get my CDL over going into the military. I may not have anything to show for it like a purple star or what not but I'll be serving the country right? Just like the rest of you are.

 

Look above and I started a thread that has a link to the FMCSA to read statements other drives have posted and also the link to send in your complaint or compliment to the idea! VOICE YOUR OPINION TO THE ONE'S THAT MATTER! They do listen to you guys and if they get all good compliments they go for it! If they get all bad, MAYBE they will think twice?

Read the above post first thread also!