10 wheeler Dump Truck

Dude,I work for a coal company that has numerous dumps. Tell the guy to pound sand if he keeps on you. Fully loaded those tri-axles are extremely top heavy. Hit a turn to fast and it'll be on its side in a heartbeat,especially on the roads you're likely running ( haul roads loaded with holes and gulleys) There's hustling and then there's just out and out stupidity. Me thinks this clown is pushing you for the second of the 2 choices.

 

I once had some dope that was training me tell me the ten wheeler I was driving will corner like my z28 Camaro. I told him that's a pretty dumb remark. The milk truck I'm driving now, I treat it like it WANTS to roll over and kill me. Top heavy, smooth bore tanker. Highest roll over risk

 

You are the Captain of your ship. Don't let anyone pressure you to make mistakes. It's your license. I'v been in this business 40 years and have drove for morons like this before. They don't give a hoot about you. Stand up to him or move on is my advice otherwise nothing will change for the good.

 

Right up there will Triples driver.

 

Tell me about it I put 2 years in the oilfield in southern ohio-wv where its nothing but 2 lanes and very steep hills

 

I recently had a guy try to hire me to run his end dump for him. The fella doesn't have a CDL and has never driven a truck, he only bought it becasue his "buddy" has a few trucks. Apparently he thought it would be a good "side business." Anyway, I went to check out the truck. It was in decent shape, but needed 2 new drive tires, a new headlight, as well as 2 trailer tires, becasue the moron decided to take the truck for a spin and one of the trailer brakes locked up and he had no idea, so he drug em for a bit and left 2 VERY prominent flat spots in them. I told him, this, that, and the other needs to get fixed before I drive this truck, which I stated AFTER he told me "just communicate with me about truck issues, and I'll never hesitate to get something fixed."

He swore up and down he'd get the issues sorted out. A week rolls by and he calls me and wants me to start the next day. I replied with "did you get said issues fixed" his reply was "nah man, just run it for a while like that, it's no big deal." I declined to say the least, but it amazes me how people can buy a truck, while never having set foot inside one, and have the balls to demand things be done in a unsafe manner. I mean why not? It's not their license or future on the line, it's YOURS, because once you leave that yard, you've accepted all the responsibility for that truck. The same applies for the way you run it. The lawman wont shed a tear of sympathy when you turn that rig over, or hurt yourself, or someone else, all becasue "the boss-man told me to."

I also almost ran for a smaller flatbed 10 truck outfit about a year ago. All sounded good on the phone, so that following Saturday I went to a safety meeting to meet the other drivers etc. All were fairly friendly and seemed to be pretty content, although they all looked to be a few steps short of deaths door, which to me, was a good indication that they run you HARD. I ultimately passed the job up becasue I was working local at the time and the money just wasn't worth being gone Monday-Friday with an infant at home.

Fast forward a year later (last week) and I get a call from the same guy, trying to offer me a job. I figure "what the hell, why not?" My previous boss sold his 6 trucks a while back and I've been job hunting for a while so I'll give it a shot. I went to another safety meeting to hear the new procedures etc and I was shocked to find that all but 2 guys have jumped ship. I never got a concrete answer for why that had happened, but what I found funny, was the first time around I was told, first you get assigned an older Freight-liner Columbia, then you move into a "newer" Columbia, then a 98 pete 379, then you get a new truck. This time around, they were offering to put me a in a 2017 pete 389 flat top right off the bat. Sharp looking truck for sure, and I love driving a hood, but with 4 trucks sitting that they can't seem to fill, and the fact they're now offering the new trucks right up front, plus the fact almost ALL of the previous drivers have went on their way, raised a few red flags for me.

Anyway, I voiced my concern and what I got back, was one of the NASTIEST, filthy text messages I think I've ever received, and that's saying something considering I can be guilty of having a pretty foul mouth myself. It became clear real quick, that there's a good possibility of a HOSTILE work environment at the company. Moral of the story, don't let anyone force you into anything you see as unsafe. I don't care if the boss man has never driven a truck, or has 30 years of experience. Stand by what you believe in, and don't be pressured into ANYTHING, becasue at the end of the day, YOU will be the one feeling the brunt of the legal and or financial burdens if things go south.

 

Find another employer. It’s just as easy to find a job as a dump truck driver as it is a OTR job. When my boss asks me what took so long I tell him to get me a truck truck with some real horsepower and radar detector in it.

 

He either trusts you to drive the truck or he don’t. And put it to him just like that! Cut right thru the bs, lay it on him.