Got safety termination from schneider

Lots of young people & new drivers have bad combination of overwhelmed by lots of new info, they stop listening as soon as someone says "this is important", and they dismiss anything that seems like pointless rules. Andvthen they have a bad outcome (incident/accident) and want the focus to be "they are over-reacting to a small mistake" by enforcing the rule.

Most commonly this applies to drug tests. Rule is dont do X and the guy who failed the test wants only to talk about why the rule is wrong." It's failing an IQ test. You were told the rule. You broke the rule. You get what they give you. You didn't have to work there.

If the company says touch your nose before turning left, then do it. Telling them the rule is dumb doesn't remove the rule or the consequences of breaking the rule. This is an industry with lots of rules. It's not a group project at school where complaining can replace compliance.

 

Lighting up a DOT Urine Drug Test like a Christmas tree?

I'll have to remember that one....

 

Never underestimate the ability of a free thinker to blunder the most simple of tasks.

 

There is a distinct legal difference between "termination" and "terminated with cause". Although my post was meant to slightly be "tongue in cheek", it is also (often unfortunately..) 100% legally true. You can have your unemployment benefits declined for willful misconduct, but not for stupidity.

In short, the only way you can have unemployment denied in this case is if you actually told somebody you were going to back under this truck without looking. Or if you challenge the safety manager and say "I don't believe in doing it that way". Or say "I THOUGHT about doing it that way, but I was just too d@mn lazy to get out and look". But if all you have to say for yourself is "duuhhhhh, what's that?" and drool on the floor, you'll get your unemployment every time. And only the state unemployment department can make that decision, NOT your employer.

Unemployment insurance is the greatest thing that ever happened for stupid people...

 

I got unemployment for about a month during COVID. $990.00 a week, to basically hang out at home? Was I stupid for taking it?

 

At least in Wisconsin, employees may not receive unemployment benefits if they get fired for “violating reasonable requirements of the employer.”

DWD considers several factors when deciding if a discharge was for substantial fault:

• Did you violate your employer's requirement(s) by your action or inaction? - YES
  
• Were you discharged as a result of the violation? - YES
  
• Were you aware or should you have been aware of the requirement? -YES
  
• Did you have control over the action or inaction? - YES

4 strikes means non unemployment.

 

Yes.

You should have fashioned some boot straps out of grass clippings and pulled yourself into the 1% instead of relying on the insurance you paid for. Since you didn't, you're both lazy and dumb.

 

No one else will say it, but I will.

Some drivers, even experienced drivers don't know how to properly drop a trailer.
And I believe that is what happened here.

Some guys think raising the landing gear five feet before dropping it is the way to go. That or using the airbags. WTF?

I once damaged the cab extenders as a rookie, too. Not the end of the world. Wait until you overshoot the kingpin and it ends up in front of the 5th wheel plate.
That is a joy you won't soon forget.

Just be more careful. You need to feel the 5th wheel plate bump solidly under the apron while backing and watch it just lift the trailer, then ease across the plate clicking into position.

This incident is a harsh lesson, but it teaches you to not blindly trust the work of others.

I wish you good luck in finding other employment.

 

I guess that over time you just kinda "know" when a trailer looks too high. Also, as you slide up under it you can see that the trailer is too high above the top of the tires (that's how I do it, your results may vary.) In that case, and this is only on Volvos as far as I know, I can RAISE my 5th wheel like up to 6 inches if I need to to hook a high trailer. No other truck of any make or model that I ever drove could do that. They could all squat down but NONE could go UP. Also works for trailers that are very heavy and dropped right where the 5th wheel is locked ok but you have the FULL weight to crank down. Nope, just tell it to go 5th wheel up, and wait a few seconds and it will pick up the nose of the trailer for you and you can then crank the handle up with one finger. Go bump the switch back to the "normal" position and ride off into the sunset. God I love this truck.

 

I mean this with all due respect, original poster and I am not trying to be insulting in anyway, but three accidents in four months, it might be time for you to reconsider doing something else other than over the road truck driving. I believe in the rookie mistake that most rookies have their first year. Most companies will give you one as long as it’s not too extreme. But it sounds like you’ve had three of them in four months…And then the insurance which is more important you’re going to have them continue continuously and so they’re going to get rid of you.