Noobie mistake costs me my job

Thanks. That's very good advice.

Suzi

 

truckermario:

Iam real surprised that this company did not take the time to tell you in orientation the rules regarding mishaps, incidents, and accidents.

To me, they neglected to inform new hires of all the rules.

I feel bad for you that this has happened, but on the brighter side your integrity is intact because you were honest with them.

 

The only problem with omitting it is if the company calls schwans and they say that there was an accident then she may be Dq'd for not listing all accidents on her application.

 

fast is not always good. sorry to hear you got fired but you learned something and I am sure you will back under your next trailer slower and check the possition of the king pin before getting all the way under the trailer.
Just be careful and safe that is more important than fast. lot of luck in your next job.

 

It may not seem right but many co's. do have the 90 day rule where any little bobble can cost you. I once had a safety man tell me when new drivers called in with little fender benders, etc. he immediately quit worrying about them being safe, seems he had done or found a study that showed that drivers that "boo-booed" within their first 6 months of driving, were much LESS likely to be involved in serious crashes in their careers. He was telling me this after I had been with this company 5 months and was reporting pretty much the same thing, undershot the kingpin in a hurry and tapped the back of the cab. That was in 1983, and although I've had a few more "boo-boos" since then, not a single reportable accident....(knock on wood). The only reportables I have been involved in were hoods lost to other drivers when I wasnt even in the truck..........twice in three weeks, same truck, new hood, 1st month on the job with a new carrier....thought for sure I'd get canned, but fortunately I had driven for them in years past and they knew I didnt do it. Witnesses both times also helped, especially the last one, cause the offending driver tried to leave but was abruptly stopped by a group of very p.o.'d drivers.

 

Sorry to hear a scratch now gets a guy fired. I, as many here, grew up with the idea of telling the truth is always best. Those days are long gone in todays business climate, especialy with the mega corporations. Many companies are now filled with human resources nazis, and this is certainly not just exclusive to trucking companys. HR dept seems to run entire companys these days, and they have final say on the employee being disaplined and or fired. Be it the most trivial mishap, if it goes against 'policy', then they will come down on an employee without implying common sense to the situation. There is no such thing as making as minor mistake without possibly facing grave consequences, it seems.

Years ago, a guy could go to work for company XYZ and simpley go a good job, make a few tiny mistakes, but overall give his best and be in good standing. Now, he has got essentialy 3 departments to satisfy, all within the same company - HR (nazis), safety, and dispatch. That's like being married to 3 women and trying to keep them all happy all the time. Make one minor infraction and BY GOD YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT IT.

Today, a guy is forced to either not tell of the minor mishap or outright tell HR a lie, just to protect himself and his employment record. Hmmm... a little truth bending/fibbing,... or getting fired? Tough call there! Rest assured, these idiots rule without ethics themselves and apparently sleep fine at night (how, I do not know)

It has always been said about the dog eat dog world we live in, but IMO, it is truer now than ever. Kind of like $500 fines in Kalifornia over the slightest log infracton that was an accidental overlook/mistake that had no bearing of hours violation, much less getting anyone killed, etc.

I'm glad I was born back when I was, as many here might agree. We made all the same silly mistakes when younger, but society didnt crucify, fire, or fine the dickens out of us.

As for the trends of today, we can thank a huge lack of morals in power hungry polictitians, lawyers, and........Human resources natzis.

 

When I worked for Marten...They had G.O.A.L. stuck on everything.

In case anyone forgot...it means...GET OUT AND LOOK

Hurting a reefer unit in any way was grounds for letting you go.

Before you hooked up...you got out of the truck...and...LOOKED

You checked oil...if it ran out of oil...your fault, out you go.

You couldn't check oil properly with the trailer hooked up.

You checked the door to the unit to see if it was secured...if it wasn't and you smashed the doors...out you go.

High hooking one...drivers fault...out you go.

Much as I'd like to feel sorry for you losing a job and company you liked, I just can't.

It was your fault.

Pre trips save lives...one day it may be my life that's saved.

Personal responsibility enters in here.

 

Dear Big Red,
Everything you said is right and that is what all good truck drivers do. The truck is as much a lethal weapon as a gun. Just think about it. I drove for a lot of years and never had a accident or incident. But it was because I did what Big Red said.
There are truck drivers and steering wheel holders.

 

Mike had a boo boo the first month of working for a company. No big deal. He continued on. Sounds a bit harsh to me but, then again, it depends on how it happened and whose fault it was and if it could have easily been prevented.

I think learning from small mistakes makes you a much more careful driver and I'd not have fired you, that's for sure.

 

I learned the hard way to keep little oopsies quite myself,I was on a dedicated family dollar run,( I also learned very fast that my 379 was at times too much truck in some of those tiny alleyways) I was in a very small alleyway trying to dock and hit my bottom step on a concret barrier,nothing major,just alittle dent.Hubby even straightened it out,but trying to do the right thing I reported it and it's on my DAC.