Why ticket the driver

No...It isn't rocket science.
But after you get out of school and go to work for some bottom feeder, You'll find out how difficult it is for some of these guys that have to deal with the daily ultimatum of "Get it done, Or else!"

Like I said before...Before you talk down to these people about something you know nothing about, Come on out here and do what they do for a while and then make your comments!

I don't expect you to "eat crow"....But don't assume that this is anything like being a commercial pilot because it's not!

 

I don't care what these other guys say and I don't need to have 2 minutes under my belt to know this is the way to be...Sir, you have integrity and are a true example to newbies like myself, thank you!...

 

In full disclosure I support making entering this industry far more of an investment for a new driver.

Increased training standards starting with no unsupervised driving for the first month(read trainer must be in jump seat and logging on duty doing what they should have been doing all along). Actual time invested in teaching the inspection of vehicles for defects( at a minimum 20 documented hours). Skid pad training. Actual real world backing instruction.

That's just a starter. Groups like OOIDA have been pushing to get training standards, and classification(right now we are collectively unskilled labor) increased. It is my belief that the higher standards might gain a greater respect for the job and the industry as a whole where people would understand the value of doing it right over just going through the motions.



A ban on any Carrier conducting basic training, or forming formal alliances with any school is also high on my list but that is a whole thread unto itself.

 

It's a shame that drivers are treated like they are. There is the fantasy world and the real world.The real world is people do what they must to survive and the fantasy world is that drivers are not forced into violations. I realise that the DOT are doing what they are paid to do but the whole industry needs an overhaul. Yes drivers should not be driving beond HOS, falsifying log books, and driving vehicles unfit to be on the road, but the truth of the matter is that if a driver refuses a load or is late for a delivery especially a newbie eventually they will be replaced, not at every company, but many of the bottom feeder companies, as they have a continuous source replacements. Yes there are many newbies fortunate to have found good companies to start out with but there are many more that are forced into making decisions to be employed or bend the rule to various degrees. The DAC is a joke and is a tool for employers to leverage employees into non conpliance. This is not to say ALL companies are doing this, but many do! Times are tough, jobs are hard to come by,and companies know this, so to all you that will say they would never bend the rules or sit in the companies office until said violation has been repaired has a short memory of when they started or not in the industry or fortunate in their company. I'm not saying that I/we need to become dangerous and put our lives and the lives of others at risk but with the way the rules are written now drivers will continue to bend the rules and lose. I agree that training should be standardized, more real world training with a trainer NOT teaming, trainer logging ON DUTY! The biggest problem, in my own opinion, is getting paid by the mile. Drivers want to make money! They don't get paid for vehicle inspections, chaining, fueling, getting loaded/unloaded etc. so the main source of revenue is mileage. This does'nt mean this goes for every driver out there but for an awful lot of drivers. Drivers should get paid by the hour, a minimum scale,or base salary plus on time pay, safe mileage pay etc. to make up their total pay. This would help out while sitting at dock for hours w/o pay and companies would have to deal with the cost. All lumper pay should be handled in the shipping cost and Not throught the driver's. Companies that refuse to repair vehicles and force drivers to drive drivers should have a anonimous way to get their rigs written up w/o the driver being held hostage by the company.The DAC is a one way tool and should be done away with if drivers have no way of disputing what is reported
This is not a fix it all or for every driver out on the road, for those of you that are happy with the way your paid and treated don't reply. I know that some get paid by the hour, have top notch equipment, all issues are handled w/in a reasonable time frame but far to many of the drivers out on the road are being exploited and forced into having to make decisions they should'nt have to. This is just my observation and opinion.

 

I'll just break this down so it's easier to understand.

01/23/09 Log book Violation
You, yourself received both a speeding ticket and a log violation for over the 11/14. Your claim of not knowing which time zone you were in is blown as a lie by the speeding ticket. You were speeding because you knew you were over and you were racing your book to the truck stop. So, were you placed out of service for this? You never did say.

01/14/10 Canadian MTO what a joke

07/09/10: Driver got pulled over in Michigan for Speeding

08/25/10: I hate CSA 2010 Period!

And then, yesterday, you complained about your driver almost being placed out of service, which the officer had every right to do. But rather than be thankful to that officer for merely inconveniencing you a little bit instead of ruining your whole day, you rail on about how Law Enforcement is wrong to do their jobs.

The main theme of your posts throughout all of these rants is how it's the police, DOT or MTO who is at fault, never you or your drivers. You and your drivers have a history of log book violations. I'm surprised you scored as well as a 28 on your CSA 2010.

So, let me turn it around on you: Don't you lecture me about how to stay out of trouble while running a successful business. Success is not measured by how many trucks you have or how much revenue you bring in. Revenue is not profit.

Success is measured by how long you stay in business without going broke, getting shut down by the authorities or borrowing money from Daddy to stay afloat.

 

So your not only a rookie telling folks how the industry works, your making rules on who can reply to your post? "for those of you that are happy with the way your paid and treated don't reply"

 

some how this post went on the wrong thread.

 

My first trip to Laredo Texas I made a mistake. Young officer pulled me speeding 2mph over posted speed; I was getting off on exit 3 for fuel and calling it a night. Again there you go with assuming on what I was going to do.

01/14/10

This was a new driver to us he had over 10 years’ experience; we spent 2 weeks training him. He did pretty well for the 1st 2 months and then it was one thing after another, including peeling 43’ of roof on a 53’ trailer. The time he got pulled over in Vineland not too far from our yard he was charged for not having a working odometer, all he had to go and look at the hub meter on rear axle. He was placed out of service because for some stupid reason he put down he took his 10 in Tifton GA when in fact he was in Dalton GA. He would have accumulated $4,000 in fines. I showed the officer the hub meter and truck GPS information for the entire trip and he charged him with receipts not matching with log book.
This driver did a few more runs even with all of the problems I just can’t fire them it’s not that easy in Canada. SO what I did is gave him less and less work until he gave me his notice.

Again I had no control over what the driver did during his trip.

Yes he did because he is an “Idiot” I had no control over what this driver did; he had ample time to get to his destination.

Again how is that my fault? The driver has been driving for us over a year. We did everything within the law to ensure that the driver had valid driver license. According to the Ontario law he has never been suspended and had a clean record. He has been pulled over in many States and never a problem. But again according to you this is all my fault?
According to the DOT it is my fault for allowing a driver to drive a commercial vehicle without a valid CDL in NY State

The problem with CSA 2010 it makes the company responsible for anything that the driver does even though it is completely out of their hands.

Like I stated the DOT officer was pulling a dirty trick. At the end he let us go because he knew he was in the wrong.

Whether my drivers or I are right or wrong, drivers need to stand up for themselves.
I’m here to show other drivers that they are not alone in this so called profession.
The main theme here is to share stories with people on this forum so that we can learn from our mistakes and offer our support to each other.

You are joking! Success is measured on how your family, friends and co-workers think of you. Success is also measured that when the time comes can you retire.
I like the daddy part. Is that the best you can come up with? My dad was a car mechanic for over 30 years and the only help he gave was to show me that the world is a harsh environment, nothing is given everything is earned.
Having said that. My employees think I’m very successful. When they come by the house they see 3 BMW’s in my garage and 3 in the driveway. They also notice 7 motorcycles and a 24 foot racing trailer. Wait till they see the 2005 Prevost Motor coach. So yes I’m very successful.

Enough said!

 

I agree!

 

General

§392.7 Equipment, inspection and use. (a) No commercial motor vehicle shall be driven unless the driver is satisfied that the following parts and accessories are in good working order, nor shall any driver fail to use or make use of such parts and accessories when and as needed:
Service brakes, including trailer brake connections.
Parking (hand) brake.
Steering mechanism.
Lighting devices and reflectors.
Tires.
Horn.
Windshield wiper or wipers.
Rear-vision mirror or mirrors.
Coupling devices.













§395.3 Maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles. Subject to the exceptions and exemptions in §395.1:
(a) No motor carrier shall permit or require any driver used by it to drive a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle, nor shall any such driver drive a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle:
(a)(1) More than 11 cumulative hours following 10 consecutive hours off-duty; or
(a)(2) For any period after the end of the 14th hour after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty, except when a property-carrying driver complies with the provisions of §395.1(o) or §395.1(e)(2).
(b) No motor carrier shall permit or require a driver of a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle to drive, nor shall any driver drive a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle, regardless of the number of motor carriers using the driver’s services, for any period after —
(b)(1) Having been on duty 60 hours in any period of 7 consecutive days if the employing motor carrier does not operate commercial motor vehicles every day of the week; or
(b)(2) Having been on duty 70 hours in any period of 8 consecutive days if the employing motor carrier operates commercial motor vehicles every day of the week.
(c)(1) Any period of 7 consecutive days may end with the beginning of any off-duty period of 34 or more consecutive hours; or
(c)(2) Any period of 8 consecutive days may end with the beginning of any off-duty period of 34 or more consecutive hours.




Drivers can not abdicate, be coerced, or forced into illegal decisions. Excuses are great until they are examined. There is no excuse, you are making the decisions. Irrational fears are irrelevant.