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Tuesday, September 11th 2007

7:52 PM

I am probably making a mistake.

Well...
I had a meeting with my current employer today, along with a couple of the dispatchers. I explained that wherever my logbook says I was located at any given time is where I actually was. I keep my logbook legal.

This angered one of the dispatchers, but the company says that they will accommodate me with loads accordingly. I was told that they had come to expect most of the drivers to take shortcuts in their logbooks occasionally. But if I didn't want to, then that was my choice.  They would respect that.

So, I got some support from the company. And they are right. Most drivers will take shortcuts in their logbooks. The D.O.T. is surprised when a driver doesn't. But it's just something that I don't like doing.

I also got the feeling that I should watch my back around the one dispatcher. This makes me feel that I am probably making a mistake by staying here, but I will see...

My rule is to keep my logbook legal
Or else change jobs....
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Tuesday, September 11th 2007

11:07 AM

Job Changing time again in the Trucking Business

It's job changing time again.

I always said that if I could not work for a company and keep everything legal, then I needed to change companies.

The dispatchers of my current company are putting pressure on me to run illegally.

Anyone need a nasty, fat, old truck driver?
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Tuesday, September 11th 2007

10:24 AM

Trucking Companies need to take responsibility

Trucking Companies restrict the speed that their trucks will go.

Then their dispatchers send drivers on loads that are not planned properly. 
  • They are late to dispatch loads.
  • They don't allow for shippers taking extra time to load the truck.
  • The loads are scheduled without consideration for local speed limits.
  • They don't allow for bad weather.
  • Etc.

They also expect drivers to make up that time.

The only way of making up the time is by speeding in areas where they should be slowing down
In towns, construction areas, and high traffic areas.

Or by exceeding the time allowed for driving by the D.O.T.

In short, they expect drivers to take chances and make  up for bad planning.



The driver of this truck was killed last spring. He drove it off the side of mountain near my place. There was no evidence of him touching the brakes.

I don't know what happened here, but I believe that this happened because of long hours and poor planning. In short, I think that it was a tired driver who drove off of that mountain.

While I didn't take a picture of it, this truck was just one in a line of several trucks which had been in extremely bad accidents, just this year!
And that is just from one company.
I see accidents every day with trucks from almost every company.

Long hours and poor planning Kills Drivers!

We need to hold companies and dispatchers responsible...
3 Comment(s) / Post Comment