I Hit A Bridge

I recently did one of the big no no's of driving and struck a bridge. It was unmarked and the company GPS led me down the road. There was minimal damage to the truck and I wasn't even cited for it. I was terminated from my position for a preventable accident. I have 1 years experience with an otherwise clean record. Do I have any options or is my career over?

I wouldn't say over. But definitely a huge hiccup. Perhaps try talking with your former employer about being rehired and retrained. I imagine the insurance company had their fingers in the cookie jar when it came to you being fired.

Just curious as to where this happened? I haven't seen too many unmarked bridges since I've been out so I'd like to know where it is.

I was only with them for a couple months. They aren't a training company so getting them to retrain me isn't an option. I did start out with a starter company that trains and left on good terms with them.

Just curious as to where this happened? I haven't seen too many unmarked bridges since I've been out so I'd like to know where it is.

Chicago

If it is unmarked how is one to know if it is safe? Is it just knowing your truck? I understand this is not your question I do apologize but I believe everyone can Learn from mistakes.

If it is unmarked how is one to know if it is safe? Is it just knowing your truck? I understand this is not your question I do apologize but I believe everyone can Learn from mistakes.

They typically tell you if it looks too low to get out and look to be sure.

Really sorry to hear this happened, LuDiesel. I think someone will give you a chance. If you get to the interview and they ask yoi, tell them what happened, tell them you learned from it, and tell them you now always plan your trip after checking your route against the map of low bridges in Chicago. (Link is https://gettingaroundillinois.com/gai.htm?mt=tpr ).

This is the exact reason Chicago is my second-least-favorite city to drive in. There are lots of unmarked low bridges there.

Once I was in Chicago on one of those company trips middle managers sometimes get sent on. We went to see a White Sox game in Comiskey Park. (That's how you know an exec made the choice. Any middling middle manager would have know the Cubs at Wrigley Field is the place to be.)

Anyway, we were leaving in three or four chartered buses to head back to our very swanky hotel when there was a loud crunching sound on the roof of the bus. Yep, the air conditioning unit didn't quite clear it. No sign on the bridge either.

Basically, in Chicago, you should just assume that the clearance between the road and the bottom of the bridge for the El is too low and find another route. Or better yet, look at the map before you go.

(My least-favorite city is trickier, and puts incorrect information on their signs.)

It's one of my greatest fears about becoming a truck driver. It's a situation that anyone could find themselves in, IMO. Bridges and power lines SHOULD NOT ever be built over roads that are too low for legal vehicles. I think it's more obviously a blunder by the people that designed them than anything else.

But the theme for truck drivers is to take all the responsibility for everyone else's incompetence without the authority to change anything.

Failures before you hit the bridge:

1. Building the bridge too low for a truck to pass in the first place. 2. A company GPS telling you to go under it.

Yet a truck driver takes the full blame when they have the least ability to change the situation, and the least chance of judging it properly since it's flying at them at road speeds. I mean, in the dark, you're not even going to necessarily see power lines you could potentially hit. The entire situation is ridiculous.

I'm sorry it happened to you.

Ryan's List:

Failures before you hit the bridge:

1. Building the bridge too low for a truck to pass in the first place. 2. A company GPS telling you to go under it.

Missed (at least) one: 3. Roadway is repaved, "shrinking" the road-bridge distance by an inch. Happens for older underpasses.

An unmarked low bridge on a truck usable road is rare. However, you should watch each and every bridge you pass under. Hopefully you'll get a headache feeling when you are heading for a lower than average bridge.

This bridge is signed, but at 13' 6", and even after passing under several times, I still put on the flashers and move at about 5mph till I get through.