Shut it down?

Its OK Dave. The trucks I drive look like they came out of the 70's, and the newest one is just under 10yrs old.
So, yeah, I tend to let some things stretch a little more than I should. I'm not near s perfect as I'd like to be.

 

Let me guess does this company start with an L? I drove for Lowes for 5 years one of the best jobs I ever had but these people do not understand DOT rules/regulations at all.My store always listened to what I was talking about as most couldnt figure out how to start the trucks to move them. Make a call to your area District Manager as they audit the trucks when they come in the stores. When Katrina hit they sent me to houston and man the trucks the stores had down there were some pieces.

 

well we do not know if it was/is Lowe's....


but I TOO worked for them, and the equipment IS deplorable......

kinda matches the pay.....and the lack of hours one works for the day/week.....

 

A weekend DM told me to "drive it anyway" once, until I told him to put his wife and kids in my cab since "he said it was ok". Suddenly the truck was allowed to be red lined......

 

Yep, good job!

 

It's amazing someone even remembers that actually useless piece of paper! Try to get 99.99% of any company to be stupid enough to sign it! Yes it's now extremely useless now that CSA is here!

Pictures are worth a thousand words when heading to unemployment especially when backed up with a copy of the FMCSA! Take a BUNCH of them NOW!

Someone else mentioned the district manager. That sounds like a good thing BUT remember that the store manager will get his widdle feelings hurt and can fire you for anything he can that is "against company policy."

I'd have a LONG talk with the other driver and explain to him what CSA can and will do to either one of you for driving that truck or any truck which does not meet FMCSA PTI rules. Want another job but have points on the CSA report? Yeah think again! Mickey D's might hire you to "drive" a broom or grill!

The "put your family in the truck" also can work but explain to the store manager who by the way is trying to keep his costs down by running that POS, but having an accident that's not even the drivers fault can cost that company when the "other" vehicle drivers lawyer (spelled ambulance chaser) starts that multi million dollar law suit when a few hundred of preventative dollars would have been so much easier and cheaper for the company. Being cheap can cost millions! This is trucking no matter if it is a local store! It has the word "truck" attached it can have "Millions" attached also!

Another thing that just popped into my brain is what might happen to HIS job when corporate figures out that it is actually the store managers fault becaiuse he was too cheap and tight with money money hat could have been spent on the safety of company equipment, personell AND maybe customers and the general public! The news media will go crazy on that AND make his chain look bad also causing maybe a loss in stock prices! I don't think I'd want that pressure on me!Especially when standing in that unemployment line! I don't think he'd get any as well HE voiolated company police in a big way and do you think corporate won't find a way to make it his fault? I don't think so!

I would print this one out and hand it to him. I don't care how many years he's been a manager, I've been doing this for 32 years and I've seen lawyers attack a company even when it wasn't the companies fault because a tire was a "little below standards" or a brake was a "little" out of adjustment! You can be so cheap that it hurts but then spend the time in court battles and the final outcome which almost NEVER benefits the company is another! Heck get him to go talk to an ambulance chaser and get it from the horses mouth!

One other thing. I do hope you have that all written and check marked and signed on the trucks inspection reports that must be in the cab according to FMCSA rules!

Here is the link to the FMCSA page for FMCSA 396.11 http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regu...t.aspx?reg=396.11&keyword=Pre trip inspection which he can look up or walk in there with the little whatever color it is today FMCSA Drivers handbook!

But still ask him if he will let you take his wife, kids and dog with you in that truck!

 

Forget the kids, just ask if you can bring his wife along for a "ride".

 

That might not work if they are at odds.

 

you never know until you ask