Just Too Picky?

Alright I like my vehicle that I'm driving to be in good working order. So, this small company I went to work for, one month ago, sent me out in a truck that drove like grandpa's old 41 pickup. Barely could keep it in the lane. And would pull the trailer over 35 mph unless you were going downhill. I posted about this experience. So, I've been working around the shop, waiting for a truck, and no obvious rush from the owner to get me on the road. Running parts, tearing down a greenhouse, washing trucks, etc. Being told " your truck will be ready next week" every week but nothing. I approached him a couple of times, expressed my concerns, and my need to make a living. So, last week he fired a driver. I cleaned out his really nasty truck. Nice truck thought after the thorough cleaning. A long nose, freightliner classic xl. 1999. I found out this Monday that it would be my truck. I was very skeptical because I really haven't driven a longnose. I drove it around some. The speedometer doesn't work, or the horns, and the tractor ABS light stays on. Defroster doesn't work. Can't get in or out of the driver door. And, with no experience in a long nose, was gonna be sent to pick up frozen chickens in SC and deliver in NY. I really felt in my gut that this wasn't a good idea. I don't think NY is a good training ground for a rookie in a long nose for the first time. But, I wanted the safety issues addresses. Owner said I am picky, that he's wasted his money on me (400 a week for busting my ass) and said goodbye. So, picky? I think these are DOT issues that I would be ticketed for, let alone hurting someone or something trying to learn to turn a long nose truck in NY. Am I picky?

I am new to the trucking world myself and after reading your post, I cannot help but wonder. All those faults you listed would definitely as far as I know get you tickets from the DOT. By the mere fact that he was trying to get you to drive it anyways with all those things, would it be safe or wise to report them to the DOT in order for him to change his standards and keep other drivers from getting into a hassle with DOT? Any experienced drivers please chime in. I am not by any means trying to give advice here but with this post am wondering what would be the best course of action to do?

Report his a$$. You're not too picky. He's just not picky enough. If he's willing to let things like that go unfixed, what else is he willing to cut corners on? He's a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Well you might remember, Persian C. I posted about this guy a few weeks ago. My first run with his company. Hauling frozen chickens. The reefer unit stopped and it was about 11 p.m. on a Saturday. When I finally got him on the phone, he said just leave it overnight and bring it to the yard first thing Monday morning. Even after telling him the temp inside the reefer was approaching 52. Yep. And I'll tell ya, last Saturday he wanted me to bobtail a truck to N Wilkesboro, about 1 1/2 hour drive, to a mechanic there who was going to bypass all the computer stuff in the engine. The truck had absolutely NO tail lights, brake lights, or signals. The entire wiring harness was missing. NOPE. But that's just me being picky.

There are a million small trucking companies that operate the same way. They're broke, plain and simple. The owners are often old school drivers who didn't have power steering, air ride suspensions, air conditioning, or any of that stuff back in the day. They drove during the outlaw days when you did whatever you had to do to get another mile down the road.

See, that's why I tell people not to call the major companies "starter companies" as if you only work there until you can move on to something better. The major companies have the best equipment, the strongest finances, and by far the most perks for their drivers. They're simply too big to get away with the garbage a lot of the little companies try to get away with.

I've been through the same thing you just went through. I've refused to drive trucks that were unsafe. I've refused to take trailers that were way overweight. The owners will try to mock you and make you feel as if you're the idiot who doesn't know what he's doing. Of course they're the ones that have been in this industry 30+ years and they still can't manage to finance trucks that would pass a Mexican road inspection, but whatever, right?

Just go on down the road to a place with nice equipment. And if you don't want to be pushed to run illegally make sure they have electronic logs also.

I completely agree with Brett.

I wouldn't even bother about trying to report them, there are lots of places like that, and I can guarantee you that the local highway patrolmen know about them, and probably write them up every now and then for some extra revenue. Those guys have been operating like that for years and they don't have the resources to do it any other way. One day they will fold and they will disappear without anyone even noticing or caring.

This is why there is such a benefit to working for the larger companies - they understand the ramifications of skirting the law, and they go to great lengths to keep their equipment in top notch condition.

Yeah I wouldn't even consider reporting them. I certainly would have nothing to gain in doing that. I just parted knowing I did the right thing. I wish them all the best