The Fuel Hauler Thread

KAG is trying forward facing cameras, they CLAIM to not be interested in driver facing ones. I plan to retire in 5 years, hopefully they will hold off that long.
I think it's insurance companies, or maybe gov't, that's pushing the driver facing ones.

 

Forward facing would be nice. But don’t put in a forward facing that has also a driver facing side and just put a cover on it. System transport did that and that just tells me it’s only a matter of time before the cover comes off.

 

Half the drivers will leave because they don't understand the concept, or the company is using them in the wrong way, or they have very bad habits and don't want anyone to know. ARCO started using them around 1999. They jump on them in a hurry so you can figure the smaller companies will use them soon. The companies that are self insured will be last but they will join the other companies when they win their first case in court. There are plenty of people that try to scam deep pockets and the camera's will prove that.

The other companies that carry insurance are planning now due to rate savings. So face up to it, gasoline carriers are going to "forward and reward" camera systems to save money.If you look at it in a way that proper driving will save on maintenance some book smart college kid will show them. Also if they do have a scam going on the cameras can be shown in court proving another cost savings. It also eliminates any argument between drivers.

If you drive professionally you have nothing to worry about. After all every driver is going to be evaluated. If you ask me in my opinion, they should never be allowed in the truck. I believe you can put too much pressure on a driver.

 

They in NorCal? Only Northstar I find is in AK.

 

They have yards in Tacoma wa and Sherwood OR. We have a sister company in Modesto ca and Sante Fe springs ca. But they are called By another name.

 

I get emails almost daily from KAG about jobs in my area. I see their drivers all the time at terminals, most of them seem happy with the job.

 

I am reaching out for advice wherever I can.
I have not posted here in a long time and currently am experiencing a difficult situation.
I apologize this will be a long post.

Background: I will be leaving the trucking industry for work in the NYC electrical union at some point in 2020.
I currently work as a full time petroleum hauler based on long island. We run between terminals and gasoline stations on long island and in the New York city vicinity.
My company is Turkish owned and ran--most of the drivers are Turkish. I am one of three female petro haulers in the entire area. I have been with them for three years. I have ran legally and in my opinion--efficiently. We recently had a DOT safety meeting that all drivers were required to attend. When the meeting was over we were asked to sign and acknowledge the companies policies and loading and offload procedures. I agreed it was reasonable and signed. The company also asked driving staff to sign a sheet of paper labeled "repayment policy" claiming they are fined whenever information is left off of a manifest sheet (times, heights, title of company paying for the haul) and that we as the drivers should be penalized upwards of $350.00 for each mistake. I did not sign. I am a company driver and I expect my mistakes to warrant either a warning, suspension or termination but not to bear any financial penalties the company may incur. I kept the paper demanding a signed agreement and made several copies. They attempted to corner me to get me to sign, I refused and continued to my shift. The incident has not been brought up since that night. I record all my phone conversations and have been doing so since before my employment here. Its automatic. Every incoming and outgoing call is recorded and available for storage. They know this and have known this. New York State is a one party consent state pursuant to their wire tapping laws and i am the consenting party.

With that said, a couple of nights ago I was given orders to drop 87 and super unleaded at a station I go to regularly. 10,500 gallons of no lead and 1,500 gallons of super unleaded. The load seemed steep but decided when I got there I would figure out how i would handle it.
The 87 tank can hold 15,000 gallons and if memory serves me correctly it had a height of 36" which is roughly 3,600 gallons. The 90% for the ullage was nearly 9,700 as actual capacity is never 100% full @ 15,000 gallons. I knew we would be about 900 gallons over the 90%. So instead of dragging out two hoses for both products I used one hose to break down the largest compartments with a plan of carrying the remaining 87 and super unleaded over to another station. The sensors went off before I could finish with one compartment left. This was the smallest compartment and I still had premium. I called dispatch and explained we had reached the 90 percent before the second to last compartment could be finished and we still had another 800 gallons to drop. "What would you like me to do?"
"Just drop it. Everyone fills up to 100% at this station"
"I do not think this will legally fit"
"Just do it"
I work by the hour and I knew we would now have to break this tiny compartment... so... ok.
After maybe 30 seconds of dropping the compartment the sensors go off again and the hose kicks back. The saftey valve has kicked in and will now not allow me to drop any more product without manipulating it.
To manipulate it means breaking a yard stick and dropping it in the fill which I will not do. I suggested finally to my dispatch that we need to carry over remaining product and I left the premium alone specifically so we could bring both. He said it's ok drop the premium and fought with me over breaking the compartment. hanging up on me several times. I climbed ontop of the tank and got a stick read. The majority of the compartment remained. I recieved a call from dispatch telling me to stay there and another, newer driver would come to offload my remaining product. He was instructed to break a stick and finish. I recorded it all on my phone. I was told my shift was over (it wasnt) and to come back to the yard. I recorded notifications at my dispatch office ordering drivers not to break sticks as it is illegal and expensive. I asked the day shift dispatch to call me as I knew i would be punished and told to not come in for my shift.
I drove into work the next night prior to receiving a call not to come in. On my way in I saw one of our trucks leaving for a shift. I approached dispatch with my phone on record and attempted to begin a regularly scheduled shift. I was told to take the night off because it was "raining" asked again if he was sure he would not give me work and again told no. I then told my recording I am being punished for trying to follow company policy and for not offloading an illegal amount of fuel. I am hiring an employment attorney... am I justified?

 

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So far all you broke is company policy. If NY is a "At Will" state you could be fired for no reason. By not breaking the stick and jamming the flapper open you did not break any laws or regulations. So it's up to the company what they will do. Myself, I would have stuck the compartment on the truck and correct the bill by a pen and ink change. Then leave a note that there is retain on the truck so the next driver can adjust their load. I do not know how you company handles retains but mine we did it all the time. It all depends on how many stations your company handles and if you're allowed to make changes.

Maybe you're writing your own death warrant. In your time with that company how many times did you find it necessary to record company business? I'm sure after three years you know what the company wants from there drivers. If you're questioning their instructions and recording the conversion they will put you on their hit list and it doesn't matter if they are right or wrong. I agree with documenting every item they give instruction for but you have to be discrete about it. They will talk among themselves and you'll be known as a trouble maker so you should record the good stuff along with the bad. No need to record any FMCSR'S just get a reference number and make sure it applies to you.

You'll always want to leave on a good note but I'm sure where you're going they do not care. Just document everything in case the company wants to make an issue about it. Don't flaunt the information you have. Just have it ready to go to defend yourself and keep it quiet until ready to use. Good luck and it sounds like a cheap outfit to work for.