New Driver Is Already Stuck With An Unsafe Truck - Asking The Vets.

I'm a brand new driver, just picked up my truck, a 2013 right out of the gate. I called my company's road side hot line to report major problems with this truck. The engine is making lots of noise that's either a pully or the a/c compressor. The company sent out a guy who said he just has no idea which it is so he can't help. No fix to the problem. There is a bent tandom rim on the trailer and the tire is slowly losing air. There is one marker light out, one taped together and one hanging off the trailer. When the truck is at ideal I loss oil pressure, truck stops and tack just falls. I checked the oil level and its fine. this is just the few problems that really need attention now and I can't get the company to let me take it any place to get it fixed. When I picked up the truck the right fuel tank was bent in and after I filled it up today I drove threw the lot and parked and then I noticed sepage marks down the side of the tank coming from the fuel cap. Should I maybe contact safety since I can't get road side to help me out and their not routing me to a terminal for repairs. There's no way I can pull this truck past a DOT inspection! So what should I do, I need this job!

I'm a brand new driver, just picked up my truck, a 2013 right out of the gate. I called my company's road side hot line to report major problems with this truck. The engine is making lots of noise that's either a pully or the a/c compressor. The company sent out a guy who said he just has no idea which it is so he can't help. No fix to the problem. There is a bent tandom rim on the trailer and the tire is slowly losing air. There is one marker light out, one taped together and one hanging off the trailer. When the truck is at ideal I loss oil pressure, truck stops and tack just falls. I checked the oil level and its fine. this is just the few problems that really need attention now and I can't get the company to let me take it any place to get it fixed. When I picked up the truck the right fuel tank was bent in and after I filled it up today I drove threw the lot and parked and then I noticed sepage marks down the side of the tank coming from the fuel cap. Should I maybe contact safety since I can't get road side to help me out and their not routing me to a terminal for repairs. There's no way I can pull this truck past a DOT inspection! So what should I do, I need this job!

I don't remember who it was, but the best advice I can give is to go to a DOT station yourself and request an inspection if you get no response from your company.

Thanks for the tip, I may just do that but as a new driver/employee I don't want to steep on any toes but I do need these problems resolved. I should have mentioned that I did not drive this truck out of their terminal , I was sent to recover it from a former driver so the company did not know about any issues with the truck until I picked it up and notified them. I just feel they should have routed me strait into a terminal or now that I'm out on the roads they should allow me to take it to an outside shop. I've driven past two Freight Liner service shops already! The company told me no I can't take it there and no don't take it else where either. They've given me no farther options or assistance thus far.

I'm a brand new driver, just picked up my truck, a 2013 right out of the gate. I called my company's road side hot line to report major problems with this truck. The engine is making lots of noise that's either a pully or the a/c compressor. The company sent out a guy who said he just has no idea which it is so he can't help. No fix to the problem. There is a bent tandom rim on the trailer and the tire is slowly losing air. There is one marker light out, one taped together and one hanging off the trailer. When the truck is at ideal I loss oil pressure, truck stops and tack just falls. I checked the oil level and its fine. this is just the few problems that really need attention now and I can't get the company to let me take it any place to get it fixed. When I picked up the truck the right fuel tank was bent in and after I filled it up today I drove threw the lot and parked and then I noticed sepage marks down the side of the tank coming from the fuel cap. Should I maybe contact safety since I can't get road side to help me out and their not routing me to a terminal for repairs. There's no way I can pull this truck past a DOT inspection! So what should I do, I need this job!

I don't remember who it was, but the best advice I can give is to go to a DOT station yourself and request an inspection if you get no response from your company

I'm a brand new driver, just picked up my truck, a 2013 right out of the gate. I called my company's road side hot line to report major problems with this truck. The engine is making lots of noise that's either a pully or the a/c compressor. The company sent out a guy who said he just has no idea which it is so he can't help. No fix to the problem. There is a bent tandom rim on the trailer and the tire is slowly losing air. There is one marker light out, one taped together and one hanging off the trailer. When the truck is at ideal I loss oil pressure, truck stops and tack just falls. I checked the oil level and its fine. this is just the few problems that really need attention now and I can't get the company to let me take it any place to get it fixed. When I picked up the truck the right fuel tank was bent in and after I filled it up today I drove threw the lot and parked and then I noticed sepage marks down the side of the tank coming from the fuel cap. Should I maybe contact safety since I can't get road side to help me out and their not routing me to a terminal for repairs. There's no way I can pull this truck past a DOT inspection! So what should I do, I need this job!

I don't remember who it was, but the best advice I can give is to go to a DOT station yourself and request an inspection if you get no response from your company.

They can put you out of service and as a result you'll have that OOS on your record and have to explain that to all future employers.

You're the driver, and the equipment isn't operable, so you're likely to be put out of service.

I would keep telling them about the problems and hopefully eventually they'll get it repaired. Hope for a load going through a terminal so you can drop it and get the repairs. Let them know just how serious this is.

Try to not rock the boat. I know it's tough but you don't want to anger them before you even have the chance to get your career underway.

Soon your truck will break down under a load and it'll force them to either replower that load or the load will deliver late - that's when they'll come to their senses. But be as professional about this as possible.

Like Daniel said, be professional about it, however, if you feel unsafe driving, report it to your safety department and let them know you feel unsafe driving this vehicle until it gets repaird. It's not about steping on anyone's toes, it's more of keeping your career and nothe getting put out of service. I would not drive a truck with leaking fuel even out of the fuel cap. That's a hazard waiting to happen.

Like Daniel said, be professional about it, however, if you feel unsafe driving, report it to your safety department and let them know you feel unsafe driving this vehicle until it gets repaird. It's not about steping on anyone's toes, it's more of keeping your career and nothe getting put out of service. I would not drive a truck with leaking fuel even out of the fuel cap. That's a hazard waiting to happen.

And do your reports to safety on the Qualcomm or via Email - so you have a record of the conversation, as well as a followup phone call. And ask safety to get you routed to a terminal so the shop can rectify the defects. It sounds like the only major (OOS potential) defect on the tractor is the fuel tank situation - low oil pressure at idle will not put you OOS , but it's eventually going to leave you on the side of the road. It's the trailer that's really going to get you ding'd.

As Daniel said - "turning yourself in" and getting put OOS, will go on your PERSONAL RECORD. A mark you'd want to avoid if possible - but it sounds like if you ever were pulled for inspection, you'd end up this way anyhow.

Make sure you note ALL the safety related defects on your pre/post trip logs, and make sure these are sent into safety.

I've seen instances where a driver refused to operate an unsafe vehicle, was let go, and sued the company big time. This doesn't help your immediate situation though.

I'd be curious what company this was - doesn't sound like anything one of the "majors" would allow to happen. Are you a newly licensed/student driver - or do you have some time behind the wheel where you can start applying to other companies and move on?

I agree - since this was an abandoned/recovery - the truck should have been routed to the terminal for inspection. It's not like you were "issued" the truck at the terminal and had a chance to inspect it, choose a different truck and/or get the defects remedied before getting dispatched under a load.

Best option is to contact safety, in writing, and to try and get routed to a terminal. Run this up the chain of command if you have to, in a polite but firm manner. You did them a favor going out and recovering a truck.

Again - I'd be horrified to think a "major company" (Swift, Prime, Werner, etc.), would allow this to happen. I'd be curious to know who this is, as it would be a company I'd avoid.

Rick