Walmart here I come!

This could be accomplished right now just by how the FMCSA may interpret §395.1(j)(1) in the future. Even if this does not happen with the FMCSA, I could see Walmart taking action policy wise to avoid similar accidents in the future.

 

Unfortunately, WM (or any other company) can't expect everyone to do what is right all the time. That why rules are made. I am sure that at least some of the lawyers are pointing out that the private fleet is too big a liability for an activity that is not part of the core business. Several more of these will probably prove them right. Hope not. I will probably be retired by then.

 

Another couple of questions that came to mind.

I have heard drivers mention that Wal-Mart monitors speed, RPM's, hard braking and turns. I'll admit, the monitoring of turns is one I've never heard of before.

What are some of the limits/thresholds?

What are a few policies and procedures that took some getting used to after you hired on?

Thanks again guys.

 

For me, the answer is drive gentile. They monitor just about everything for either fuel economy or safety. At this point, other than letting you know that they are watching and encouraging drivers to change their habits, there is not a whole lot done about the things that effect fuel mileage. The hard braking and hard cornering require filling out a report for the safety department explaining the circumstance. To trip the hard brake, you have to decelerate by 9mph per second. They say that it is for legal reasons. If at some time in the future you were involved in an accident, the opposing attorneys could ask you about each hard brake that had occurred. If you have filled out the papers, you can tell them. That way, they can't make it sound as if you are reckless. I usually get 2-3 per year and I have never gotten any grief from them.

 

Let me just add one more thing about the monitoring for fuel economy. You have two drivers running the same routes with similar tractors. One of the drivers gets 1.5 mpg more that the other one. If you were paying the fuel bills for their trucks (along with 7000 others) wouldn't you want the understand the difference and encourage changes to bring fuel mileage of the under performers up?

 

Thanks. Sounds like they watch you guys about as closely as my company watches me with PeopleNet. My company puts up a chart with speed and hard braking violations every week comparing all the drivers... I had 5 speed violations (threshold is 5 mph and above for 30 seconds (and I could have challenged and easily won)) and 0 hard braking (threshold of 7 mph deceleration in 1 second) incidents in the last fiscal year. If we spin a tire on ice, that will set off a sudden decel event.

I'm trying to get a good understanding about the management style of the company and compare a few things. I'm putting a lot of thought into a career move (I have nearly 17 years in at current company) and was kinda curious.

 

sounds like you drive for NU-Way out of Bloomington ?

 

No Sir.... I drive for a small private fleet.

 

I really don't understand Walmarts policy of only hiring drivers that have been at the SAME company for at least 5+ years. In my opinion drivers who have driven for multiple companies have wider variety of experience dealing with different types of customers, driving in different freight lanes, learning and adapting to different policies. So if I 10 years experience with 5 different companies and a linehaul driver who has only ever driven from point a to b and back on the same stretch of road has only 5 years experience with the same company they would choose him over me.

 

Really?.........