need advice on company demanding drivers drive in unsafe conditions ASAP

It is lightly snowing in Springfield, MO area. Slower speeds needed. Ramps maybe a little icy going off.

 

Call again but with a dispatch buster (tape recorder) and get the owner to say the threat of drive or be fired. Then play it back to him. If that don't work, go to a scale house or port of entry and play it for them. He well be Labour liable for any accidents and the roads may get worse. Just my two cents.

 

Company drivers do not pay into Workers Comp, that is the employers responsibility. Also, no company is required to offer medical insurance to their workers, that is a "perk", and especially now with Obamacare as the law of the land (cough...cough...cough), employers (especially dirt-y-paper-bag employers [filter skirting]), well they have been given a free pass. As to the taxes, it is possible that this "employer" is considering these drivers as "Lease Operators", which would also play into the threat of drivers having to pay the deductible on accidents.

Quick question...what mirror was damaged, and when did hubby start employment with this outfit?

This whole situation is hinky, and AZ (primarily the Tucson/Phoenix corridor) has had it's share of the "under the table" shenanigans in recent years. You (WIFE) need to contact OSHA if the issue is safety (mirror, and demand of driving in unsafe conditions) or employee harassment (threats of job termination), with regard to the taxes, here is a link to who to contact: http://www.azdor.gov/ContactUs/TelephoneNumbers.aspx

 

Anyone ever notice how some drivers are bullied and some aren't? Why is that? Desk jockeys know who they can bully and who they can't.

If I feel the roads are too dangerous, I would pull over and tell the travel agent my decision. And when they start with the 'oh, it's a hot load, has to be there' spill, I'd tell them, "It will be there when it gets there." And that would be the end of the conversation. You don't try to reason with someone who is trying to be unreasonable. Driver is accountable? Driver makes the decision. End of conversation.

My conversation over a decision that I made ends after I tell them that it will get there when it does. If they want to threaten me with my job, they will have to call me back. And that most certainly won't make me speed up. Spine...it's an instant cure for bullying.

 

It seems like the problem lies with certain companies that are habitual bullies. If they had any type of safety dept. it doesn't show. All this company worries about is the load getting there, not the consideration if the load might get dumped on the way.

 

Try this fact too: The Motor Carrier Employee Whistle Blower Protection (49 U,S.C. 31105 and 29CFR1978 8)

Start with a formal complaint to the company. Then if they push back, as advised about going to the scale and speaking with the officers there. Now you have a"formal" complaint on record. "You have reasonable apprehention you, or somebody else, would have been seriously injured by the weather conditions if you had operated the truck." You have asked your employer to correct the unsafe vehicle's condition (or in case of weather) from operation the vehicle, but your employer refused to correct the unsafe condition...

You cannot be fired, disciplined or discriminated against; regarding pay, terms, or privilages of employment because you took one of 5 actions:
1) You filed a complaint related to a violation of the CMVSR.
2) You began a procedding related to a violation of a CMVSR.
3) You have testified in a proceeding related to a violation of a CMVSR.
4) You will testify related to a violation of a CMVSR.
5) You refused to operate a cmmercial vehicle, because of one of the following two items.
* You would have violated a FMCSR
* You had reasonable apprehension you, or someone else, would have been seriously injured or impaired had you operated the unsafe vehicle. You asked your employer to correct the unsafe vehicle's condition, but your employer refused to correct the unsafe condition.

 

I agree with being gone. But abandoning a truck is very poor advice. He should refuse to operate the truck until the weather improves and the mirror is fixed. Then take see it through until the truck is back to the home terminal where he got it. It is almost impossible to explain an abandonment on DAC and get another job. He could explain and get past being fired much easier.

 

No, that's Jerry Garcia.

 

From reading these posts, it looks like the driver had to take what he could to support his family. People who run companies like this really pi$$ me off, and I hope there is a special place in hell for them. Talk about kicking a man while he's down ! Besides pushing this man to put a lot of people's life in danger,look at these other factors. This man is going to have to dig deep in his pocket and pay his taxes and social security at the end of the year ! And no the government doesn't have pity when you owe them money. Before you know it the amount owed can be doubled due to penalties and interest. I sincerely hope both these drivers come out of this safe and find better jobs.

 

It's COMPANIES like this that give TRUCKERS a bad name!!!

Then when the fecal matter contacts the rotating blades, the company does everything it came to push the drivers under the bus!!!

Fine, Otter! truck, these companies throw drivers under the TRUCK!!!

Darn you and that wee little red pencil!!!