Backing incident. Utterly sick with myself.

Dont feel bad i pulled up to a fresh water pond to get loaded and a fella was talking on the phone while he was backing up and went into the pond his landing gear was on the ground and his trailer frame was on the ground. I barely. Pulled him out with a big ole kw fully loaded at 100k pounds and all 4 locked up wish i could upload the picture

 

DOT wasn't involved and bet no harm done to the equipment was there?Unfortunately in this case a police report was filled out and the police said Jade was at fault.I'm hoping everything comes out in her favor.Everybody makes mistakes in this industry and it doesn't matter how safe and how careful you are,it just happens.I would offer to pay for it so the insurance company doesn't have to know and so I could keep my job.But don't know if that would work since the police was involved.

 

Your right no dot, police report, or injuries but you read between the lines and made my point. Everyone makes mistakes that driver i pulled out had 30 years driving experience and was ashamed he could make a mistake like that and i told him dont worry about it you not the first or last one to back into that pond.

 

But in this industry doesn't matter.You make a mistake,more times then not companies aren't real forgiving.Depending on the severity of it,you'll either get a second chance or they send you packing.Ive made a few errors with my last company and no reports were filled out because no police were involved.Company took so much out of my pay every week to keep it off my record.

 

First, it is what it is and let it be let it go, stay positive things like this happen to the best of us, I was 2 million miles accident free until last friday, when I went to a refinery and did what you just did. I've been driving for 12 years and when it's your turn it just is.
I wish you the best outcome and always keep in mind 2 things:

If you're not sure it fits dont try to get in

G.O.A.L. Go out and look

 

So what did your company do?

 

I'm in for a chat once I get back to TX.. since my incident happened inside the refinery there was no police record taken. Just pictures and info exchange.
"It was" a pretty white ford fusion that belongs to the philliphs 66 refinery in NJ until he decided to get close as I was backing up with my blinkers on and sounding my horn.. smh.. still, I've should had known better and I'm at fault.

 

Always the truck drivers fault it seems.Wish 4 wheelers would get a clue that we are much bigger then they are and keep their distance whether driving or backing.

 

Only way to back up is at idle speed. Then if you bump something you quickly pull up and say why did you hit me? Either way unless there is a witness or a video recording nobody is going to prove whose fault it was and its not going to be Dot recordable

 

Reality: Backing incidents are a pain - It will be listed as a preventable and there isn't anything you can do about that. And the officer was right; you should have had a ground guide.

Actuality: Most cops don't know squat about trucking operations except for the approximate revenue CDL citations bring in; they just can't understand why you can't find anyone to help you in a truck stop at 2 in the morning when you're dead tired and trying to elbow back in that last parking space no one else wants...(I had TWO ground guides once trying to get out of a narrow building after loading and I still managed to pull a door off a trailer...so the point is moot..)

Also, if you have an experienced safety guy, he's seen this before. He knows what the deal is.

You will:

- have a safety interview.
- possibly have some remedial training, such as having to sit through another orientation (just the safety part)
- smith system class.
- spend an afternoon with a trainer at the terminal doing backing evolutions

You won't:

- get terminated. So don't sweat it. Learn from it and move on.

Good Luck!