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Criminals watch their prey like lions and hyenas do. They look for the weak, who wont put up much resistance. It's like all these threads started by some driver complaining that his dispatcher forced him to do something. How does someone behind a desk, force a person behind the wheel, to do something they don't want to do? I eventually realize that some people choose to be victims.

Kid in school says, "Say another word, and I'll knock your head off."
a. Do i keep quiet, and walk on eggshells for the rest of my days in school?
b. Do I say in a loud voice, "Another word!"?

Guy drives up, opens a door, "Get in the car or I'll shoot!"
a. Do I get in the car, and hope that he just robs me?
b. Do I resist?

Dispatcher says, "Take this load or you're fired!"
a. Do I take the load and cry about it on TTR?
b. Do I ask the dispatcher where he wants his truck?

The wife says, "Either it's me or that truck/boat/motorcycle/sportscar!"
a. Do I bow down to the wife?
b. Do I put a hand on my truck/boat/motorcycle/sportscar and say, "I sure am gonna miss my wife"?

See Bulldog, you're not a victim. You're not working for a POS bottomfeeder company, driving a POS truck, making POS wages. You do a good job. You know you do. The people in your office know you do. They also know that you can quit your job at 0800 Monday, and have another at 0803 the same day. They can't bully you.

And this is also why you get some many different opinions of a company. Some drivers have no self respect, so they need respect from their employer. Bottomfeeders play on this and advertise this in the ads. "Come to Moron Trucking, where you will be treated like family!" They pay you peanuts, give you an underpowered post truck full of idiot lights, a rulebook for first graders, and tell you about how you can get a fuel bonus if you get a certain fuel mileage and do not idle the truck. And that driver cam is for your safety...yeah right.

And they pay you $35000/yr. Which would you prefer...$35000/yr and a name or $52000/yr (the minimum you OTR drivers should run for) and a number? Well, since none of the office candy has given me some strange, and no one in the office has ever invited me over to their home for a meal, I cant say that I really care if they know my name or not. That being said, I would still prefer the extra $17000.

As far as driver facing cameras go, if it were about safety, then police cars would be required to have them. For you bottomfeeders, the cameras is the beginning, not the end. It will get worse. But you guys are used to bending over and taking it. It's what you do. It's your 'lifestyle.'

Who told you that paying your dues means that you have to bend over and grab your ankles and let Moron Trucking have their way? A recruiter? Another driver?

 

That's it.

Drivers who say they don't have a problem with driver facing cameras are sheeps being lead to slaughter.

 

I talked to a driver working for JBS and besides cameras they also have a microphone so they can listen in to your negotiating skills with the lot lizard's.

 

My company has been going over installing camera for years. Of course the drivers got their arms in the air not really thinking how they work. The history of our trucks is we do a lot of freeway driving and there are many scam artist out there that see the deep pockets and plan an accident by letting the truck run into the back of the car. It's a hard case to prove by word of mouth so that's where the cameras come in. During a safety meeting the terminal manager explained to all drivers how this system was set up. The camera is point at the drive as well as the front of the truck. It is not powered all the time and is only powered when a great amount of air pressure is applied to the truck. When this happens it shows the car too close to the tuck and if there is an accident the camera will show the car shot in front of the truck with intentions of collecting money for an accident. It's happened 5 times so far and all 5 times were shut down.

On the other hand there are some drivers that like to drive too close to the car in front of them and at the end of the shift that driver is taken back in the break room and shown a better way and safer way to drive. Never is it used as a punishment tool and only to improve that drivers driving skill. It seems all the drivers like it. I'm sure you're going to have a few but that's with anything. It could save you from a heavy civil suit or just dismissed. Either way I believe it's a better way.

 

If your company has reverse facing camera, wear a speed-o it will solve them watching you drive.

 

A simple dash cam showing in front of the truck would prove the same thing in such cases of fraud.

The driver-facing cam, on the other hand, is NOT showing what other traffic is doing, and cannot show attempts at insurance fraud by other motorists because the other motorists are not in the driver-facing camera's field of view.

Don't confuse the two. I have no problem with cameras aimed outside the truck showing what the driver can see...even have one of those myself. The problem arises when that camera is pointed at the driver. There is no reason beneficial to the driver for the driver-facing camera.

 

They would use child labor, if they could. Saving a buck, at the cost of your driver, isn't very smart. I've seen those trailers with the "Our greatest asset sits 50' ahead" bullcrap. There should be an asterisk that says, "*and we don't trust him, and usually treat him like dirt."

 

What are we stealing?

 

"You see, fine jury, this driver was picking his nose (tuning the radio, talking to his girlfriend, taking a drink of water, sneezing, coughing, yawning, blinking) at the time of the accident. Therefore, he was distracted."

Anyone who trusts a jury of his/her peers, trusts a lawyer, or trusts the public, is the true moron. I trust myself; and therefore, don't trust anyone who doesn't trust me, by putting a camera in my truck that is pointed at my grape.