Any companies which still trust the driver over tech (& don't micro-manage)?

@Chinatown: thanks for being the only one to answer my question. I will look into those, although I thought I read a while back that Elite was having... issues.

@RunningAces: No, sorry - I'm not gonna name them. They are one of the least bad Mega corps, IMHO (not great, but reasonably decent and certainly far from the worst), and I did do something I legally wasn't allowed to do so it's more on me than them. They DID hold off on using in-cab cams until they were basically forced to adopt them due to a really bad accident where the driver was so far in the wrong it was ridiculous. I just think they should be a bit more realistic about the fact we're all human, and not let the temptation to micromanage to this level take hold. I also wonder how much they allow for the fact the AI only sending them video of what it considers a "distraction event" means all they ever see is mostly the "bad stuff," making it look like that's all the driver does. Then's there's the idea that this AI is somehow near infallible, which has been proven incorrect innumerable times in many different applications of AI already.

Being absolute sticklers to everybody without regard for the fact you KNOW certain people are more mindful and careful than others leads to everyone being miserable because they feel like prisoners. Yeah, you'll get people who convince themselves that this is a good thing and they'll stick to the rules for a while... until they need to break them themselves for whatever reason. Kinda like all these anti-abortion lawmakers who've had an abortion in their immediate family themselves - rules for thee, not for me.

Like I said, I think it came more down to the person who decided to fire me getting too hot under the collar, which didn't mix well with my brain freeze (totally didn't think of mentioning loosing the BT while put on the spot). I also had pretty much just given up once I found out why they called me in - depression runs strong within me, and this dystopian micro-managed (or worse) future we're all facing is no small contributor to that depression.

As for the rest of you who piled on, I've little doubt you've broken safety rules yourselves on occasion - whether or not you will admit it. You probably felt it was the lesser of two evils (or any number of things some of the more sanctimonious among us would call "excuses") for the situation at hand. You likely did all you could to mitigate the impact of that action, and - as any reasonable person would admit - it worked out just fine just like it does 99.9% of the time. That's what I do. My heaviest phone usage is probably a split between checking traffic ahead with Google Maps (since my company didn't supply that on their GPS app), and playing music - something I think is little different than had my company paid to get the traffic info option, and using the in-cab radio. It's exceedingly rare that I talk on the phone while driving, even though my company explicitly allowed the use of BT earpieces once they got the cab cams.

Lecture me all you like - I know what I am and am NOT capable of, and I won't use that phone if it's too unsafe to do so. Those of you claiming it's NEVER safe either aren't being totally truthful, lying to yourselves, or just operating in an alternate reality.

Good night.

 

Remember this that every camera even those that only face outbound are driver facing cameras during nighttime hours due to the reflection. They can see everything going on inside the cab from the reflection on the windshield during the evening. Most drivers aren’t aware of this.

 

I've heard of the camera mic getting drivers in trouble as well. People swerving or braking hard and setting off the outward facing camera, but audio is obviously them on tiktok or a Netflix show playing over the speakers

 

Yeah, but you can listen to things without actively watching it. I listen to podcasts etc. also my phone is voice controlled. To an extent. I don’t keep my phone within my immediate reach to avoid any temptations to touch it. I setup my podcasts to play before driving. I can voice control to switch to pandora etc.

The whole cell phone thing needs to be addressed in a different way than it is in my opinion. People are literally and I mean literally addicted to their cell phones these days. They don’t comprehend putting them away and completely unreachable for hours at a time. They need to make it to where the cell phone Perhaps doesn’t even work inside the cab. But then we get into what I’m describing above. You can still utilize it without touching it or having it be a distraction. Many drivers use their cell phone for any GPS, etc.

 

Driver facing cameras is a nonstarter for me.

 

Sometime we have to take what we can get.
Try Elite and Marten and let us know.

 

Don't know if this one has cameras or not. Call and ask or check the Facebook page.
~
Coldliner Express | Columbus OH | Facebook

 

Sad truth is that many and many drivers these days can’t live without being micro managed, that’s why so many megas install the dum dum devices to help the dum dum drivers. Good luck with finding a decent outfit that pays decent. I can recommend OCMC trucking(flatbed) . They pay well, dispatchers treat you like a human being, equipment is well maintained, they use Motive. They are 1099 tho, so it’s not for everyone. If you don’t need to be micromanaged and can figure out how a calculator works than I’m sure 1099 will be a benefit.

 

Obvuious you don't.

 

The problem with that is, sometimes messages are time sensitive. Like a driver who left and forgot his BOL on the counter, etc. That one can be solved with a phone call to the receiver but you understand my point. Sometimes the driver needs to know NOW. Even while they are driving.

I really can't help the OP, I just kinda had to laugh. He/she is asking for companies that trust the driver over technology, yet described their selves (himself or herself) being caught using a cell phone while driving a commercial vehicle which would show a company that this driver COULD NOT be trusted. I see big rigs swerving all over the roads now, I pass them and their head is buried in their phone which is in their hand. So highly illegal its not funny. Scary, really.