Quality Carriers - e-logs and ignorant safety department .

I just retired after driving for a QC affiliate . On the affiliate level they were the best people you could ever hope to work for . The affiliate owner has driven over 30 years and knows what real trucking is . Drivers' family needs get first priority .
However , the QC CEO came from Swift and the corporate safety department has a starter company attitude toward drivers . They feel drivers , like children should be seen and not heard . They also feel that like children drivers should be watched every minute and slapped on the wrist when they are naughty .
QC was really nailed in a 2010 audit . Part of this was due to a large number of falsified logs . QC cried injustice - only a handful of drivers out of 3,000 were found in violation . Drivers knew better . With over 100 terminals drivers in each terminal knew what drivers were violating HOS . Drivers resented safety's condescending , superior attitude and played catch me if you can know safety couldn't catch them . QC also got burned because they insisted drivers use the DVIR forms on the logbooks and turn them in with the logs . Drivers knew they couldn't comply with FMCSR turning in DVIR's this way but did as they were told .
After being burned QC switched to triplicate DVIR's . The were custom printed with copies labeled white-tractor , yellow-trailer , pink-driver .
So now QC has e-logs and safety is overzealous showing drivers they can't get away with anything . Immediate reports go to safety for violations like speeding , hard braking , etc . At the end of the month mass e-mails are sent to all drivers at affiliates listing the violations of all drivers in that affiliate .
I have never seen such an incompetent safety department . We get messages saying "Dot says " We are told DOT says pre and post trip inspections must be 15 minutes . You cannot use PC pulling a trailer , leaving a tankwash , or customer . When using PC you must go back on duty the same location you went off duty .
Last year I was inspected at the scale at the beginning of the Purchase Parkway in Ky coming out of TN . I was cited for a trailer brake hose rubbing on the air tank but not put OOS . I was returning empty to our Owensboro terminal but was close to our Calvert City terminal . I stopped at Calvert City and not only was the violation corrected but QC does a DOT inspection quarterly and this inspection was done on the trailer .
A few weeks later I was notified the regional safety manager said I had to sign for a verbal warning because I had not noted a defect on the DVIR when I dropped the trailer in Owensboro . I replied I wasn't signing anything because there was no defect on the trailer when I filled out the DVIR at the end of the day . If the regional manager was competent she would have checked the copy of the violation that had to be returned showing the defect was corrected and the trailer records would have show the inspection done in Calvert City . My e-logs also showed the time spent in Calvert City before going to Owensboro .
They still insisted I sign the warning . My dispatcher told me corporate would put me out of service if I didn't sign the warning . I wasn't impressed but explained the situation to the corporate safety manager . He agreed with me and the warning disappeared .
I was driving because I wanted to . Part of the reason some chose to drive is because they just wa nt to do their job without someone looking over their shoulder . That freedom is gone when a safety department abuses the use of e-logs . I'm done with it .
QC is no place for experienced drivers . It may be o.k. for drivers moving from starter companies looking for regional runs with more hometime . The pay isn't that great . PRIME pays starting solo tankers more than my guaranteed rate .
The one good thing QC has is the military program accepting military driving experience if the vets qualify .