Here's a newbie mistake...

Anytime REDD anytime!

 

Don't assume, watch the video. He is a newbie. Two weeks solo.

I've mentioned this before, and it's kind of off topic, but the problem with new drivers isn't due to crappy training. It's due to crappy selection. Regardless of training period, how good and thorough the trainer, how many situations experienced etc the important things can't be taught. IMO the two most important qualities (besides the ability to actually control a truck) are patience and the ability to make smart decisions. This guy appears deficient in both of those.

 

i've read the whole post & its the drivers responsibility to check the bridge weights on your route regardless of what your co. says. you are the one driving the truck, not your dispatcher, use some common sense for crying out loud. don't make me come out their.

 

I agree and disagree...the training they receive is directly tangent to this discussion and to trucking in general. Most trainers/Mentors...as Rerun has stated are exceptionally lazy and will find a short-cut if possible...and this applies to training as well! There is so much more to this industry than OJT can or will ever be able to cover...there must be a suitable combination of all aspects! It just isn't made available by schools and/or carriers anymore...just crunching profit numbers and keeping a warm butt in the seat seems to be the rule!

 

Sorry the guy got a ticket ... But its his responsibility to make those kind of choices.. If the fuel gauge reads empty and it works its probaly out of fuel... You can't make them kind of choices and expect to have a job long! You can blame the company,trainer,or whoever else but its his falt and his alone!!!!!!!!! The signs even if they are not in the right place are for our safety and the motoring public.. Everyone wants to know why we are always in the spot light well heres you sign. Theres always another option.

 

Who ever said it was free?

Boy, men sure do ASSuME a lot. It must be a trucker thing.

But I didn't tell you how old those eggs would be, did I? Remember the book "Green Eggs and Ham"? Well, it's not food coloring that makes those eggs that color.

 

Unless his 'mentor' somehow made him think it's OK to ignore a weight restriction I don't see how it plays a part in this case. Otherwise, training is important of course. But I think it's more important to evaluate the person on certain important qualities. Unfortunately I guess that's too subjective.

 

I did watch the video before I posted. Like usual, it is driver responsibility, however, it is also a very despicable way to generate revenue for the state. I don't know how the signs are situated on that highway, but have read some posts of others who are familiar with that highway and if they say there's nowhere to turn around once you are apprised of the restriction, it puts that driver in a bit of a predicament is all I'm saying. The company should NOT have routed the driver this way, and the DOT should have had a truck detour.....but whatever. The only one here I see taking responsibility for this is the driver......so be it, he made a wrong choice. We don't know if he called his DM and asked for help. We don't know exactly where the signs were for this restriction. But whatever. And once Swift gets wind of this video, I'm pretty sure that Swift will terminate him because he brought negative exposure on the company.

And you truckers wonder why the industry is so screwed up and the drivers are the ones who pay for it?

 

I think most do wonder, but not in a case like this...

 

So there was a place to turn around. The driver stopped at some point to ponder the situation and made the decision to cross the bridge anyway. The driver is at fault, company routing arguements are a weak excuse to place the blame else where.