Reporting faulty equip

At the end of the day, you are responsible for the truck being safe before you drive it. If it's unsafe don't drive it.

It's your CDL, it's your career.

That dispatcher doesn't give a ####. Is not his CDL.

Thoroughly pre trip.

Dude don't drive an unsafe truck. Bent frame? Unsafe. Report it and don't drive it until it's fixed.

 

Correct, no "safety department" per se, although there has to be one individual that is ultimately responsible for the safety of the motor carrier -even private fleets that don't think of themselves as a "trucking company"

As for the records, yes they need to maintain access to all carrier records at the principle place of business ( address on the MCS-150). This access can be electronic if they use a records management system ( like rental fleets do).

 

I brought that record location up because I am privy to what happens! A good friend of mine that operates a small (less than 25 units) fleet recently got busted for violating 390.29 because the records were at his residence and NOT at his office within that 48-hour window. He also got busted for violating 382.401 because his testing records were in an unlocked filing cabinet at residence as well. I was not made aware of the amount the fine was.

People scoff at me when I bring up the fact that some safety critters and carrier upper management types have been known to wet themselves when FMCSA safety auditors ID themselves. It is a fact they don't play AND they don't give mulligans for non-compliance. The FMCSA almost always has a "hit" list of problem drivers as defined by the data collected under part 350. They will go right to those records MANDATED by part 391 ESPECIALLY subpart C, Testing records required by parts 382 and 391, the log department and finally go through maintenance records. If they find sloppy incomplete records they will demand correction and will inform the carrier of a followup visit to confirm compliance. Upon a 2nd safety audit if they find the carrier had not cleaned up these records they can make that carrier cease operations. I will add one more important point. States can also do these audits, and the FMCSA can do them at any time for cause.

 

And there is that decorated corporate speech that follows a decision to mind bend a driver an tell him the sky is not blue and it's his fault. /truth.

"Fly by night" literally means to conduct something bad while everyone is asleep, particularly the Blackwatch (Police or Military Guards) are leaning against everything sleeping.

It is one of my biggest buttons to deal with a manager or disptacher intent on ignoring everything offered with or without evidence and particularly pretrip forms shown in support of the "Bent Frame Scenario" They already decided that you are not a driver, the sky is not blue and everything out of your mouth is not true or a denial as befitting someone who cannot be a professional etc. etc. etc.

Thats part of where I got hard in my attitude comes into play. If Dispatcher Drip gives me a tractor that turns out to have a bent frame? Fine Mr Driver go no where is on the job. That truck DOES NOT MOVE A INCH unless it is to hook onto a tow truck to go to FRAME shop or dealer.

Once Mr Dispatcher Drip understands that load and me is not moving a inch anywhere today or any day until I am issued a truck that passes a pretrip and file a DVIR that is clean before driving. The easier the situation will be.

Take advantage of video in your cell. Record everything date and time stamp off a local bank sign or something simple as your tractor's clock radio time and date.

No Dispatcher Drip that truck is broken. Someone needs to fix it.

Load needs to roll, yer late.

Not until I have another tractor I can pass DVIR on.

and whatever happens from here going downhill will be dealt with.

Document this day in writing with names, where, when, who, how and what. Your Home State will be most interested in this as is DOT/FMCSA anti corection as well when they find out that Dispatcher Drip fired you for doing your job preventing a broken truck from putting the public lives at risk.

 

I drove a truck like that back in Decemeber 2013, had it into the shop several times, they could not find anything wrong with it, 60 miles later the steering shaft out of the steering gear box snapped driving down a straight section of highway, next thing it was on its side with the front tank trailer sticking into the cab thru the sleeper wall.
CHP ruled the roll over as mechanic failure, but it was difficult to get a job afterward. Do not drive with a vibration coming from the steering

 

Not to bash anyone but ...

When drivers say the truck is shaking, I wonder what they mean,

Shaking to me is different than what it means to a new driver.

All trucks shake, it can be an engine issue or a tire issue or u joint issue,

 

Or a bad steer tire

 

when i slip seat tractors, drop & hook trailers, i thoroughly inspect both b4 i move, if i find any problems they gonna get fixed, safety first....no body makes money taking chances and getting caught, breaking down, getting stopped, killing self or others.....
itz tempting to run and fix later, chasing the $, strictly discretionary..personally, i will just take tha delay, etc depending on severity problems.....we learn over time symptoms and probable causes, if un sure, safety 1st......i'm safety oriented due to being an ironworker in younger dayz, we lost many men due 2 "slips" in safety....as we worked with loads far beyond 80,000 lbs. mistakes meant dead....money, dispatchers, etc just dont take precedence over possible loss of life.....i'm not overzealous, yet i'm mindful, careful about decisions i make....and i'm like others, i'll gladly quit, get fired, etc in favor of safety......no need 2 apologize for being accountable, responsible enough to question self, ask advice itz all growth development, learning experiences, etc.....youre on your personal path to develop personal principles, safe conscientious habits, integrity, etc

 

There are two things that really bother me on this issue. First is it is so important to be able to "hear" your rig. In fact, I will argue it is close to impossible to "correctly" shift a manual tranny with your sound system up so loud it vibrates the truck. You can drop a cap and not know it. I once had a "shimmy" because of some really sticky mud got stuck on one of my steers and took it out of balance. There are many different reasons that a tractor can shake, and this leads me to the 2nd thing that bothers me.

As I have said many times. I am the son of a Trucker. My pop drive trucks in the Army and was what is now called an 88M MOS. He taught me how to drive using the "FIST" system. He taught me over the years what makes a truck go and what to look for during a pre/post-inspection. For the most part if I am driving a truck I generally know if that "shake" is normal, or if it is something that requires stopping. I also can give a general reason for the shaking as to make sure roadside brings the correct parts to fix it. I am bothered by the lack of training new drivers get in this area. Some don't know what causes those real tiny donut-shaped halos you can see in the mirror. One of my first assigned trucks I noticed those things. I flipped right back to the terminal and wrote it up. I am not going to say what causes them. Ask a mechanic!