Cosmetic damage

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by philjo, Oct 2, 2011.

  1. Oct 2, 2011 #1
    philjo

    philjo Light Load Member

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    DOT obviously doesn't care about cosmetic damage to a truck, same as the company who owns it. The truck I have been assigned was wrecked last November, I've been driving it since May and have continuously written it up as having missing, loose, and damaged body parts. Even though I haven't been pulled in yet at a scale house, it bugs the hell out of me and makes me wonder what DOT is looking at when we roll across. If I were DOT id pull my truck over in a heartbeat just for inspection to see what else is wrong. Luckily its sound other than the obvious. But for a company as any wanting their drivers to have a clean neat appearance you would think they would expect the same for their trucks. I just don't get it.
     
    philjo, Oct 2, 2011
    philjo, Oct 2, 2011
    #1
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  3. Oct 2, 2011 #2
    CondoCruiser

    CondoCruiser The Legend

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    The no experience is why. New guys always get the junk simply because they are the ones that make more mistakes.

    You'll get a better truck. Give it time. Most companies sell the trucks at 4 years old. I bet it's near it's time.

    Just as long as everything works on the truck and nothing is about to fall off. The DOT won't write you up for an ugly truck.

    When companies get new trucks, they usually go to the drivers with the old trucks and not neccessarily seniority. So sort of it's good to have the oldest truck in the fleet.
     
    CondoCruiser, Oct 2, 2011
    CondoCruiser, Oct 2, 2011
    #2
  4. Oct 2, 2011 #3
    poppy

    poppy "I Love that Cushaw Pie"

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    one thing on the plus side, with all that damage, everone gives you plenty of room.
     
    poppy, Oct 2, 2011
    poppy, Oct 2, 2011
    #3
  5. Oct 2, 2011 #4
    philjo

    philjo Light Load Member

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    Indiana
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    CondoCruiser, no disrespect to ya. Im aware of the obvious of being the new guy. My company doesn't fix cosmetic damage on any of their vehicles. They don't buy new trucks anymore, I don't think we have any with less than 400k, most are replaced at 1million or over. My particular truck has 800k and I actually asked for it because of its well taken care of interior and best of all its engine, trans and gear ratio. We only have 4trucks outfitted like this and they are by far our best running. I being the new guy have a better truck than many of our veterans. My complaint is why doesn't DOT force companys to replace major components that a vehicle was built with. If they are so #### worried about a clearance light being out atop a trailer why not worry about debris flying out of a half missing fender, or missing catwalk for driver safety.
     
    philjo, Oct 2, 2011
    philjo, Oct 2, 2011
    #4
  7. Oct 2, 2011 #5
    rjones56

    rjones56 Heavy Load Member

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    When I`ve driven for others I always insisted that any cosmetic damage beyond paint was fixed before I would drive it.If I damaged anything I would repair it myself.My own trucks have waited until all the mechanical issues were taken care of before I started on the cosmetics.I`ve always felt that if you broke it-you should fix it.IMHO a damaged/dirty truck is a reflection on the driver first,then the company.I don`t blame you for wanting things fixed.
     
    rjones56, Oct 2, 2011
    rjones56, Oct 2, 2011
    #5
  8. Oct 2, 2011 #6
    philjo

    philjo Light Load Member

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    I totally agree it being a reflection. My truck is immaculate inside and washed often as the company will allow, which is once a month. I have a neat appearance by choice and wish the company did as well with their investments.
     
    philjo, Oct 2, 2011
    philjo, Oct 2, 2011
    #6
  9. Oct 2, 2011 #7
    Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    It's not the company that wrecked the truck, it was the driver, right ? So, a large company with boo-coo trucks fixing (out of their own pocket) trucks that drivers wreck, well you can't blame them for NOT wanting to spend more than actually is necessary. Moral of the story; drivers trash the inside of trucks, and scrape the sides and rip out wires and run over curbs and lay them over in ditches etc. NOT the dispatchers/safety guys/payroll dept/mechanics.
     
    Allow Me., Oct 2, 2011
    Allow Me., Oct 2, 2011
    #7
  10. Oct 2, 2011 #8
    philjo

    philjo Light Load Member

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    Dec 22, 2008
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    Yeah it was another driver who wrecked the truck. And yes I understand the company wanting to save money especially during todays difficult times. Ok here's the real deal, when a company is being audited by DOT and continues having solo drivers running team runs in the same time frame you'd think they would not want to take any chances on having their truck pulled in for anything. Just sayin
     
    philjo, Oct 2, 2011
    philjo, Oct 2, 2011
    #8
  11. Oct 3, 2011 #9
    Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Dispatchers trying to co-ordinate loads with drivers isn't always easy. They don't know which trucks are funky and which ones are primo, right ?
     
    Allow Me., Oct 3, 2011
    Allow Me., Oct 3, 2011
    #9
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