Operating illegally upon owners request

by Tim
(Florida )

Stopped at a weigh station ran a level 1 inspection on truck and trailer. On doing so marked trailer out of service dew to brake drum cylinder or cover being missing on both axles left side making braking system faulty.

Boss says he ain't getting raped on repairs and insist I continue to destination which is 12 hours away still and prolly 5 or more weigh stations on the way. What do I do?

I'm pretty sure if caught operating or violating out of service order is 90 day license suspension but am a single dad of two and need this money.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place if you will. Being 16 hours from home can't just leave and go home.

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Jul 08, 2016
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Bro NEW
by: Anonymous

You are in a bad spot, I would keep a copy of that out of service order.

You leave the truck owner may try and nail you with abandonment, good luck finding another job.

If you wiggle out of this situation find a better job.

Good luck

Jul 08, 2016
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Didnt read everything slowly.. like i should have NEW
by: Tommy don't hide

Sorry bou't that brotha...

Yes, you can go home and leave the truck.. and still get paid... and still have recourse.

Don't move an O.O.S. truck. Ever. Not unless you drive a tow truck.

He can't make you sit there without pay. He can't make you move the truck. He can't keep you from going home. He most certainly cannot hold your last paycheck or take any money from it that has to do with this load.

Call the customer. Tell your boss that you at least "saved" the load and informed the customer that it will be a little late. You don't have to give them all the gory details.

Plenty of recourse here.

Don't drive the rig.

Go Home.

Get a new job.

A compliant company won't care about this B.S as long as you have it properly documented, after all, they are putting out their hard earned profits to be compliant, and your company isn't...

Get it?

Jul 08, 2016
Rating

Start with this... NEW
by: Anonymous

Fill out your daily inspection report and keep marking it down daily.. just for a few days

Show him... turn it in, keep your copy...

If it remains un-repaired, take it to the next level

You are responsible for your safety and the safety of those around you...

If you get HIM.. and he retaliates... guess what? You got him again.

Don't worry about what the next company is going to think. Why? Because you will NOT go to work for a company that is blatantly NON-compliant.

All companies are non-compliant to some extent because there are far too many laws out there for us to even live properly... if "they" really wanted to enforce all written laws, we would be a Socialist country... and we are headed that direction.. once ELD's are mandated. And I dont even want to get started on the violation of rights that an ELD will impose on a lifetime professional driver who is used to making responsible decisions as to when and where he will stop, eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom.

Point is, you are crossing into the same territory.

Give him an opportunity to fix the rig with your inspection report (a legal document)

I spent years in Safety and Compliance with a very, very large California based trucking company, so throw a little trust my way.

If you would like to see pictures of axles that have removed themselves from a tractor and gone across three lanes of freeway, i have plenty of those also. Problem is; people were killed and i have to keep those pictures under wraps.

Do what's right. It really is THAT simple... do whats right.

If you ARE NOT comfortable in the situation and you fear that this is a strong safety issue, remember, people's families are out on that road also.

I could give a rat's ass what your employer thinks he can or cannot afford. If he chose the trucking industry as his career, he WILL comply with his driver's requests... as long as they are reasonable. He WILL repair his vehicles when they are in need of repair. He WILL maintain his equipment... unless he wants to try to run a trucking company without trucks.....??

Is 'safety' a reasonable request?

Jul 08, 2016
Rating

Tough decision for some
by: Hervy

I understand that you could be in a situation that causes you to not want to risk losing a job. However, you are also risking a bigger problem with getting a better job.

Either you are working for someone who is broke or has poor decision making habits.

You are going to get dinged, for moving that truck if you get caught. That guy may fire you and other trucking companies are going to look at you sideways because of it.

Personally, I think I would tell the boss to use common sense and weigh the cost against the risk of getting stopped again and facing a serious violation for moving a truck that is out of service.

Bottom line, I would say, "I am not moving driving this truck illegally."

Document the communications between you and if he fires you there is recourse.

Reporting shady trucking companies

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