First Official Meeting with Drivers

My advice? You'd better be prepared for some of those drivers telling you that 396.11 does not require a post trip inspection.

§ 396.11 Driver vehicle inspection report(s).
(a) Report required. Every motor carrier
shall require its drivers to report,
and every driver shall prepare a report
in writing at the completion of each
day’s work on each vehicle operated

 

Bottom line is , there are some "log policies" that are generally "company requirement". There are parts of the FMCSA Bible that are grey and then fall into the purview of carrier interpretation and implementation.

 

No argument but that’s not what she said. She is under the impression 396.11 requires it. Would you stand up in front of a room full of drivers and say the FMCSA says you must do a post trip inspection at the end of the day?

 

What's with the all caps?

 

Pre and/or Post Trip Inspection is the classic example of this. As well as the "preferred minimum times" to be logged.

 

And they, the new desk jockey, have used the information gathered, to come up with new and exciting ways TO HOLD YOUR HAND! "Let's micromanage drivers some more! We can get the safety scores down even more! It will be a new tomorrow at XYZ Trucking! So now drivers, when you do your pre trip (why are you people arguing about the DOT regs, like whether or not the DOT requires a pre trip, when the new safety person is implementing new Company Policy), and post trip, you have to do a HUNDRED POINT SAFETY CHECK before you start and after you start, and send this in to your driver leader, who then has to give you the okay to go off duty!!!"

So, you're sitting there, with the squirts, trying to do this safety checklist, with your stomach rumbling, full on mudslide about to happen, and you're rushing to do the safety checklist so that you can log off duty on your elog device. How do you feel, driver? You know whose idea this was. And you're thinking, "If those idiots were really concerned with SAFETY, they would have fired his dumb arse! Now I have a full on mudslide and I'm sitting here, grown arse man, having to ask permission to log off duty so I can run into the bathroom and take the Browns to the super bowl!"

Implementing new company policy is not raising the bar, it's DUMBING everything down so the dummy that needs his hand held will have his hand held. Why the hell do office jocks feel like this is a good idea? Raise the bar. Get busted at a weigh station? Fire him. Can't figure out the HOS? If you are paying this fool a rate to be an experienced driver, fire him. Absolutely no handholding. I will guarantee you the guys remaining will be excellent.

"But Six, we need drivers and..."

You will have drivers. Worlds better drivers after you trim the fat and raise the bar. But instead, company policy will outlaw walking and chewing gum, so that idiots that can't walk and chew gum can have a job. And then YOU want to talk to ME about safety...YOU are the one that put that idiot in a truck, not ME! Do not talk to ME about SAFETY.

So, nothing changes. Have the little meeting, give them cookies and donuts. In one ear, out the other.

 

Well because Six.....the new safety person was fixing to blame the new company policy on the FMCSA when she should blame it on the company

 

So how can you accurately fill out a report without doing an inspection?

 

Simple just read the rule. you do not have to do your inspection at the end of the day. You only need to complete the report at the end of the day. No doubt the safety girl was fixing to tell the drivers the law requires them to log 15 minutes and do an inspection

 

Well that doesn’t pass the sniff test. Let’s see what the FMCSA has to say about that.

I’m not sure what point you’re making but it’s incorrect.