Boss Trying To Make Me Drive Unsafe Truck
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Dennis, if you're nervous that you're going to get pulled over and get violations for the equipment, you know what you need to do. A DOT examiner is not going to accept "I told them it needed to be fixed" as justification for driving illegal apparatus. From my former lifetime, that's the kind of thing that guaranteed an enforcement - knowingly breaking the law and round about blaming someone else for it. I once had a breakdown (dispatch and terminal manager ignoring my constant notification about water pump squeal) on a -10F day. Sat in my truck outside of a shipper for over 10 hours before they remembered me. I walked away two months after that - once I had my 13 months in. In your case, the equipment is not only in bad shape (which doesn't always mean FMCSA non-compliant), it's unsafe and DOT unsat. You're the captain of the ship, and if it sinks it will be your name attached to that on the board of inquiry (Safety Department review). Use your in cab communication devices to notify them. If they don't have a commo link, send text and email messages. Attach photos. Tell them to get you back to terminal. And then give your notice. Two weeks notice is nice, but a clean MVR is a necessity. Dump those dodos.
And according to information posted earlier by our very own JRod, who is a recruiter, the DAC is limited in the information that can be posted on it. ( https://www.facebook.com/truckingtruth/posts/10157753207573481 ). Keep the pictures and the communications and use them to refute any "negative" commentary that your former employer may have. A reputable outfit will understand, and will expect you to hold yourself to those standards every day. Good luck - it ain't easy workin' for cheezey. I've been there, done that, and gave back their t-shirt.
Shipper:
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
CSA:
Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
FMCSA:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.
What Does The FMCSA Do?
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.MVR:
Motor Vehicle Record
An MVR is a report of your driving history, as reported from your state Department of Motor Vehicles. Information on this report may include Drivers License information, point history, violations, convictions, and license status on your driving record.
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
EPU:
Electric Auxiliary Power Units
Electric APUs have started gaining acceptance. These electric APUs use battery packs instead of the diesel engine on traditional APUs as a source of power. The APU's battery pack is charged when the truck is in motion. When the truck is idle, the stored energy in the battery pack is then used to power an air conditioner, heater, and other devices