poor vehicle maintenance - would you stay?

I've done only 2 shifts with a new company. I am thrilled to have the job, because everywhere else knocks me back because I have no experience. I've done runs with 2 different drivers in 2 different trucks. Both the trucks are scanias and both have brake problems. With the first one, the retarder would only operate at a quarter power, which means the foot brake is needed too much. The second one was worse. Whenever the foot brake is applied, the retarder kicks in on full and stays that way until the accelerator is applied, every single time. But when the retarder is used with the retarder handle, it cuts in an out. The driver said it's been like that for ages and the mechanic can't work out what's wrong.

I'm pretty sure that if they were inspected, they would be deemed unroadworthy (i'm not sure what that equates to over there, but basically being put off the road as unsafe). If I was stopped driving an unroadworthy truck, I would be fined. I don't feel the trucks are safe. There are no massive mountain ranges I have to go over, but there are hills with a steep enough grade that there are advisory signs for trucks to use low gear.

I feel quite torn. On one hand I really want to keep the job and get valuable experience. On the other hand, I don't feel terribly good about the company, it's trucks and the maintenance/safety of the vehicles. What would you do? Am I being too fussy about the trucks? I should be able to expect to have a safe vehicle to operate, shouldn't I? As a part time relief driver, I'd be driving most of the trucks at one time or another. I hate to think what the other trucks might be like. On the way home last night, we past the first truck I'd driven broken down on the side of the road. When I went out in that first truck, we had to rush to get back because the truck I was in last night was broken down. I just don't know what to do. *sigh*

 

I'm in the south west of Western Australia. A fairly rural area with not a whole lot of trucking companies. The company I've started with has trouble keeping drivers and I think I'm starting to see why. I'm thinking it's not just about the mining boom and all the drivers wanting to go up north and make the mega-bucks working the mines.

 

I guess if I can survive cutting my teeth with a company that doesn't maintain it's trucks very well, once I've got the experience and can move onto a better company, I'll appreciate it even more, hey? I just want to be safe on the road, and I don't know if these trucks are safe.

 

that's good to hear. i didn't know if i'd have a load of people saying "omg! no, that can't happen. run away as fast as you can!" or what. i know a lot of safely navigating down hills is about correct gear selection, so i guess i'll get really good at selecting the right gear.