Camera question

The mega companies love the cameras because it has reduced the number of lawsuits/claims they get served with, or at least that's what I was told last year during orientation last summer. Of course, what's good for the company isn't always good for the drivers! I remember getting messages several times a month telling us to not roll through STOP signs. It seems as though some high mileage drivers were getting caught doing this and safety wanted it to stop ASAP. I'm not privy to know if someone actually got fired for it, but you never know.

Supposedly, the SmartDrive cameras are able to detect when a driver does a U-turn, although I've done them at low speeds on private property and have never had it trigger. I've been tailgating before, the truck tells you that you are too close and then if you don't back off within a few seconds, the camera is triggered. So the camera will make you more aware of what you are doing and keep you alert to the fact that you are always being recorded. Don't believe that you are not for a second, as the light on the camera is just to let you know that you are going to have some explaining to do. I believe that the camera can be remotely accessed by the proper people in the company any time they want to, I have no proof of it, but being what human nature is...you get the idea.

At my last company, if your SmartDrive score got too high, it would cost your safety bonus for that month and maybe the month after that if you weren't super careful to bring it down.

After driving with an outward facing camera, it makes me long for the days of driving for Schneider in 2017 with one of the last 10 speed trucks they had in Phoenix.

 

If she’s ummm... voluptuous enough to set off an “event” I doubt she fitting between you and the wheel!

 

It’s how the big companies can make a driver who may never have an accident or any other safety concerns appear to be unsafe to another company.

 

Exactly, I believe it’s why Knight will not rehire me as well. I had a few vids that cost me my safety bonus and I’m sure that is now being used against me, even though it’s got to be at least 8 months ago, considering I’ve been out of the truck since December. The operations people want me back, but safety decided to “pass” on my application.

Give it enough time and you can get the goods on any driver and they will. The vids probably get put in your driver file.

 

Here’s what I know about the forward-facing cameras used by my last few employers, they are on whenever the truck is running, but the memory is erased continuously as new video is recorded. Anything that triggers the camera as an event automatically saves video from a preset amount of time before (about 15 seconds, at least with my company, they can probably change that somewhat) to a similarly preset amount of time after. I hit a guy who pulled out right in front of my bus a few years ago, and the video showed the whole thing and cleared me.

As for driver-facing cameras, I guess it depends on your company and how much time and money they want to spend, but I do know for a fact that my company doesn’t actively monitor them, but only runs them the same way as the front-facing camera. How do I know? As I’ve mentioned several times before, I ran with a sock over mine for a couple of months and never heard a peep from Safety. I’m sure they would have said something if anyone had been trying to look!

 

Have a good friend that’s been driving for a particular company since 03. Zero safety issues, no accidents or ticket of any sort. Suddenly, they put him in a truck full of cattle prods safety is riding him. Hard brakes from the shadows of bridges and plastic bags, and dozens of write-ups from the safety man. Still a spotless record, but now you have a driver that had actually planned to retire from a company start looking at others.

“Oh, it’s no big deal if you’re doing nothing wrong, Six.”

Enjoy your cattle prods.

 

They want cheap meat in the seat, not expensive sirloin! A lot of seasoned drivers are leaving the industry because of this rampant technocracy.

 

It's interesting you brought this up. Last week I was speaking to someone I have known for close to 40 years. I lost count of the millions of safe miles he has under his belt. Did this job right every time. He put in his papers to retire and will be doing so at the end of August. He put it this way. When I add up all the pluses and all the minuses until just recently the pluses outweighed the minuses, it no longer does so today. More and more I see the old hands walking away. When I think about this I am always reminded of this --------

 

My wife , and all the strippers as im making it rain on them hoze, tell me all the time how handsome I am. I don't know if they are just being nice or what.. but.... no way can I have a camera on me. So degrading!!!! Have some pride. Have some dignity.. what happen to this thing of ours???

 

Have another friend that got his CDL and ended up at Useless. Been there 3 years and the money is crappy. Big problem? Auto restriction. He was one of many who went to school, trained on a manual, but on the very day they were to test out, the manual rig broke. And suddenly, a day later, it’s back up and running. But he’s stuck with a restricted license. And there’s no school discount for restricted licenses. That’s like paying for a DUI but don’t even drink. They PORKED you.

Hey guys, don’t be so eager to please. If you don’t want driver cams, you don’t have to deal with them. There are other options. If you want to start local, you can start local. Contrary to popular belief, the megas are not the majority. You do not have to join the circus. But make absolutely sure that the school doesn’t limit you to the megas by tricking you guys into paying top dollar for an auto restriction.

Six back quiet.