Fired From Walmart...

guys! Relax this is a forum known for being really friendly. Why the h*ll are people talking about fighting over a post. Maybe there's something personal I am not aware about but can someone enlightened me on what's so important that it's worth fighting about?

I'll say that to your face in any city of the country...I ain't scared of a man who hides behind that much beard...

Oh yes..one more thing..I think it's time you got another transplant..because you, sir, are heartless!!!!!!

First of all..I just found out about this today...I am concerned that drivers are being thrown into situations and not given proper training because they aren't technically company drivers...please stop being a jerk...not everyone is a perfect driver like yourself...

Why the attack rat...what the heck...

Yeah.

Your previous post from more than a year prior was, "Overweight and Punished". Now Walmart is The Bad Guy?

One question for you: how much responsibility do you put on yourself as the driver?

Chris W.,

Not about fighting but maybe some hard advice which could cost a life or serious injury to someone working in side a trailer that was not empty.

I just find negative comments about PackRat’s heart transplant highly inappropriate. This is a life or death issue and what he had to go through to still be alive and back to work is nothing short of miraculous.

Also, I can’t fault Walmart for being anal retentive about safety. Truck driving is always among the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the US. Someone told me recently that it’s the number 3 most dangerous job. I believe it. And dock workers can’t be considered collateral damage.

However, I have to credit Sharon for bringing this issue up on the forum. Now we have all been forewarned. Just this morning I made a delivery. When I got the green light, I only pulled ahead about 6 inches, got out and checked to see if I was totally free to go. That’s all I need, to be more paranoid. Lol.

Sharon’s comment about PackRat is the most disrespectful and hurtful comment I’ve ever read on Trucking Truth. Undeserved. As a moderator I will not tolerate this , especially when targeting someone like PackRat who voluntarily, directly and indirectly has helped thousands of drivers and readers of this forum in spite of the serious physical challenges he has overcome. He earned his place within this forum and deserves our respect.

Friendly? In kind yes, unfriendly towards people (Sharon) making comments like that. If any of you take issue with this or question the integrity of the Dinosaurs we call Moderators, please email Brett. Take it up with him. Sharon was completely out of line here and basically initiated the “so-called” fight.

To continue… Sharon’s initial comments basically shined the light of “lacking credibility” and “understanding” back on her. Not Walmart.

There are always two sides to every story and this one lacks not only the other side, but a first hand account of what actually happened or how these five drivers were trained. Facts are lacking. And then to present her concern by throwing Walmart under the bus is totally petty and feckless.

One of the biggest safety issues in this industry is a many driver’s basic inability to either understand instructions or flat out ignore them. The results of this ignorance are often disastrous. Ask yourselves this; “how can a driver attempt passing under a bridge with a height of , for example; 11’?” The simple answer is for whatever reason, they ignore multiple, conspicuous warning signs alerting them of the hazard. Ignorance…and laziness can kill people, damage property, excite lawyers and end careers.

The fifteen minute video Sharon spoke of, definitely contains more information than “knocking on the side of a trailer” to determine if its empty. In order to understand the contents of any instructional video requires that a driver actually view it. Did you view it Sharon? Rendering judgement without viewing it has no value.

The five drivers? Clearly responsible for not practicing basic common sense procedure when pulling an empty off a dark dock (no red or green lights), especially an operation they have no experience with. Err on the side of caution… always.

My other knock quite frankly, is not with Walmart but with Sharon’s company (safety and operations) for not recognizing this issue sooner and adjusting the delivery of training materials, determine gaps, and evaluating driver understanding and/or comprehension after the first dock incident, not the fifth!!! If true this is ridiculous and reckless on multiple counts. It’s not Walmart’s job to train their contractor’s drivers.

Echoing NavyPopop “this is about the risk of people dying” if basic, common sense is not applied to pulling an “alleged” empty off any dock, or even from a drop lot.

I ran Walmart NE Dedicated for Swift for almost 9 years. I was initially trained and frequently updated with anything affecting safe operation around the stores, the DC and vendors (backhauls). Much of this training originated with Walmart and was coordinated with Swift management. It was ongoing with mutual communication at the heart of it.

So… pulling empties from any retail store requires an added level of caution no matter who owns it. Read all of Rob T’s replies and also Kearsey. For me I never grabbed an empty off the dock or from the parking lot sight-unseen. My rule; “if I can’t see into it, I’m not moving it”. Simple. This requires me to crack the door if the trailer is in the open lot or request entry into the dock area to check what trailer is empty and okay for me to take. I also made sure the dock door was re-secured before going back outside. Following this approach religiously ensured safety and efficiency.

Common sense and attention to detail. There is no substitute.

Totally inappropriate to lash out at packrat like that. Also very disrespectful.

Two things come to mind with tone of the op and Mathew Ps comments. That the companies need to think of everything for you and that it's unfair. It's a sense of entitlement and also an inability to use critical thinking coupled with a lack of accountability.

Yes, only the mentally strong do survive in this industry. There are no participation trophies here. Drivers ate not unique and delicate snowflakes. We are responsible for a tremendous amount and a moment of poor judgment can be fatal to many.

You shouldn't have to be taught to look inside a trailer to make sure it's empty. It's basic deductive reasoning. Sucsessful drivers don't sit around blaming their problems on a lack of training, when they have questions, they find answers and take charge of their own career path.

A trainer is only half of the relationship. The trainee has responsibilities and duties as well. I've met trainees that got kicked off my trainers truck and said nearly verbatim what Mathew said and yet somehow I learned a tremendous amount from that very same trainer, have flourished at the company, won safety awards and continue to thrive.

You determine your future in this industry.

I'll say that to your face in any city of the country...I ain't scared of a man who hides behind that much beard...

I'll be at the Love's in SLC between midnight and 0030 tomorrow morning---Thursday AM. Would enjoy seeing you.

Her account is deleted. She took her ****ty attitude elsewhere…

I'll say that to your face in any city of the country...I ain't scared of a man who hides behind that much beard...

I'll be at the Love's in SLC between midnight and 0030 tomorrow morning---Thursday AM. Would enjoy seeing you.

That's too bad for her. She has still been looking the past couple days, though.

That other website is always looking for new members. Karens are always a good fit (pun intended) over there.

I thought the meeting could take place in Dodge City at the site of the O.K. Corral.

Then pick up a meat load at Cargill. Lol

Bruce has thoughts...

I thought the meeting could take place in Dodge City at the site of the O.K. Corral.

Then pick up a meat load at Cargill. Lol

I don't pull refers.