Comments By Unity

Got off phone with the person taking care of my claim and I explained to her I do not feel comfortable unloading a trailer right now and want an MRI/x-ray for peace of mind. Was basically told my status is I'm good to work and I can talk to someone about it but not much I can do.

I'm sorry but if someone is going to tell me I'm fine and then refuse to give me an MRI/x-Ray, I'm not trusting there judgment. If my ligament is actually damaged and I end up hurting it more, I'm the one who has to suffer through it for the rest of my life and/or get surgery.

Called my DM and was told he has nothing to do with it and I have to take care of it and get back to him. Called my primary doctor and he'll get back to me later today.

Not only did she say I'm fine, she said it's not work related.... I was on duty doing my post trip, how is it not work related?

So the new doctor I went to after contacting my employer says it's not work related and I'm fine to continue unloading trailers right now. I'm sorry but what the hell is going on here?

As much as I enjoyed unloading twice a week, I might have to make the switch back. Called injury number and they are going to have me see another doctor. I hope I get my leg back to 100% soon.

Sounds to me like you need to be doing OTR with plenty of drop and hooks.

Thanks for the reply mate. I was rolling with it because I felt it was reasonable to do so for the things you mention besides other reasons. I would like to however point out I was called to switch over by them and they specifically told me I get to choose the type of loads I get if I switch over.

When I talked it out, we agreed two loads a week and they gave me a pay number to work off. I wouldn't get the same stores all the time so the numbers weren't going to be exact every week. I find what you say reasonable but the thing that really bothers me isn't that I've been getting some bad weeks, it's more that I get the really strong impression they don't intend to ever bring me back to the type of schedule I was told I would get. On top of this, the pay difference I've been seeing is not small. I would essentially have to work ~2.5x harder for roughly the same or less pay then what I was told coming in. It is not a small difference and I don't like being mislead. The loads I would need to match what I was promise are there btw, they simply got more drivers and now give the long loads to O/O's. They told me they have to be fair which is fine if they ignore the fairness of telling me one thing and giving me another.

It's one thing for me to go to them and go in with the understanding it can be all over the place. Getting called to join and being told x when I get z seems like a bait and switch that doesn't sit well with me at all.

All that aside, I've overwork my body for many companies and while I've built great relationships with some, I've been taken advantage of by others. Unloading 3 trucks a day every day when we are suppose to switch out people. Finishing 9 hours of work in 3 and my boss trying to let go of another employee so I can do the job of two people...

I know bad weeks, but I've also started to be more mistrusting of people. Your right I've just started and a couple weeks ain't so bad but it only takes a sec to damage you're body and I've given people that "benefit time" enough times that I'm starting to worry about my health when I get older. I just don't want to be taken advantage of and end up all damaged to "enjoy" my retirement...

I asked a driver next to me if he knew where I can park as a bobtail cuz I didn't want to take the full spot but he wasn't very helpful on the curtesy front. Just told me it's first come first serve which is not really the attitude I was looking for.

Now, I did actually park as if I had a trailer because of those times I see a spot and it turns out to be taken. However, the "makes it easier for people to park beside me statement" I find solid. Sure we are all suppose to be professionals and know how to back but I have to be reasonable given what I've experienced backing and watching others back.

There aren't that many people I see back smoothly and perfectly on the first try when it's a tight fit and/or dark. Either they make many corrections(the front wheels tell the story) backing the first time or they do pull ups. Being the added headache causing damage creates, I'd take only that reason for parking in the back as good enough for me.

Maybe it evens out, IDK? **** for giving the impression a spot is free, courteous for giving extra room to make backing easier?

Making it so two bobtails can park seems cool but cordinating that would kind of lower that reason down in my rookie view.

Parking in the car lot would seem doable I suppose but I didn't think that was a good idea so I just stayed there, took a shower, and then left.

Haven't heard back from the US Legal people about what they will do but I'll update here when they contact me.

I switched to dedicated from OTR before I finished my first week of solo OTR driving. I really like the switch because I was asked what kind of loads I wanted and I got to exercise unloading the trailer. I got 3 solid weeks of solid pay and loads but it all went down hill after I went to the doctor.

After I came back from an appointment with the optometrist, which I made sure they knew about 2 weeks in advance, the loads have been all over the place and it seems they would like to have me unload every day(I originally asked for two unloads a week, long and short run). I tried to just roll with it not really knowing much about the trucking world.

This pay week I was working out to unload 3-4 times but I ended up getting hurt on my second unload. I went to the doctor and was told I hurt a ligament in my knee, to take very good care of it for a month and come back for a check up. Now I'm not sure what I want to do after this problem heals(which I'm really hopeing for) and during the healing process.

Anybody here have experience with workers comp for swift or any of the process? Switching to light duty(not going to be unloading a trailer for a while) and/or what options I get? Things to do with a hurt knee?

I really like unloading the trailer for the exercise but if they are going to start trying to give me more and more unloads a week, I might want to switch back to OTR. I rather not damage myself any more then I have already overworking my body (back problems).

Thanks guys.

CHP: California Highway Patrol.

I'm sorry, I'm not sure how to answer your question. Aren't all CHP officers DOT enforcers?

City Highway Patrol? For me city cop or trooper vs DOT could mean the difference in likely-hood of being able to fight a ticket and winning, up here anyway. I would imagine fighting anything in Cali just based on what I've heard would be hard. I could be wrong. Good luck on the legal service, hopefully they get back to you pretty quick.

Thanks for taking the time to reply mates.

I just called the legal service after I faxed them my ticket and they will see if someone takes my case. I don't expect much given, like Michael says, I was either in the lane or not. However, if no one takes my case, I'll feel fairly bad given it was my understanding they *will defend you when you get a ticket, not *might...

Thanks Brett for helping me out a bit with the stress but I really wanted a clean record. I should have just stopped at the next truckstop exit for my 30...

It was a CHP officer Kemo? I'm just hoping for a break at this point, I wouldn't tell the judge it went down any other way then the truth...

I was driving on the right lane and entering the left passing lane as needed when I came up on a truck that had his signal on to merge from the passing lane to the right lane. I saw none of the trucks slowing down to let him merge so when my turn came up, I slowly decelerated and signaled he could enter. At this point, I notice our speed was around 48mph on a 55 with car speed at 70. I stayed in that position waiting as his signal stayed on but he did not merge. After some time, I decided to accelerate and at that point, as I was clearly gaining on him, he decided to merge in. I wasn't sure what was going on but I figured maybe he is just new. I stayed behind him for some time in an attempt to see whether he would continue to drive slow, which he did. After some time, I saw an opportunity to enter the passing lane. I signaled in and started to pass when he then merged in front of me. I'm still not thinking much of it until I see he isn't speeding up. I waited but was adding to the congestion going so slow in the passing lane. After I returned to the right lane, I gave it some more miles but was pushed back because of the merging on onramps. I try to slow down for that traffic even tho it's my understanding they should adjust to me because there have already been multiple times they don't and I'm stuck in a really hard place. People talking on the phone and not even looking at there mirror to see me or just not caring...

I came up on the truck once again and saw multiple trucks pass him on the left. When I saw it was clear, I signaled and got behind a truck that was passing him. Just as my hood gets close to his trailer tail, he merges into the passing lane. Now I'm starting to think he is doing this on purpose as I see plenty of room building in front of him but he is still going below 55 on the passing lane. As I prepare to move back right to avoid staying in the passing lane, I see it's clear to my left. I entered the lane and hit 62 on my cruse control. After I finished the pass and move to the middle lane, I'm about to signal to go back to the right lane when I see police lights behind me. I come to a stop thinking he is going to ticket me for going 62. He came up to the door and told me, one, going on that lane is an automatic stop and two, I was going 68. I informed him my truck is governed at 62 but he assured me I was doing 68. I tried to explain why I entered that lane and that my cruse control said 62 but he said he wasn't pulling me over for the speed anyways but because I entered the left most lane in a 3 lane freeway and caused congestion. He said the truck beside me was going 65 , after I keep failing to clearly explain everything that happened(nervous). He went to his car with all my info.

The officer came back and gave me a ticket for "failure to drive on right lane" with an approximate speed listed at 68. What options do you guys think I have, I pay out of my check for legal assistance if I'm every given a ticket but would getting a lawyer help my case? I was on the left most lane, that's without question. My truck also had a sticker on it that said you can press the throttle peddle twice to hit 68 but I've tried that multiple times when in places like NM and it doesn't do anything. I have however notice the truck sometimes hits 65 even when the cruse control says 62 if I'm holding the peddle down? If I was truly going 68 and he speed up to 65 after going below 55, it seems he truly was doing this on purpose but now I have a ticket in a commercial vehicle...