Question To Roehl Drivers/trainers

What division are you in?? A friend of mine ran curtainside for years and spent more time on the west coast than anywhere else. They have a flatbed terminal in Fontana Ca.

I’m a Dry Van National, what division or fleet should I move in to so I can do west coast more?? 🤔

My company has started installing forward facing cameras (no audio) in trucks that the primary driver has volunteered to have put in. I don't yet have an assigned truck so somedays I have a camera some days I don't. It doesn't bother me either way.

The way our cameras work is a little different than most carriers. Most carriers everything is always recorded but it records on a 10 second loop overwriting previous data. The only time it's actually saved is when there's a critical event (hard brake, taking a corner too fast, etc). My company has one that will register the hard event and they can go back at review video. They also have the ability to watch your camera in real time. In our drivers meetings we're often showed videos that drivers were able to avoid accidents because they anticipated the hazard or maintained their lane rather than swerving for deer. They're used for training purposes and it's also cleared multiple drivers of any wrong doing including head on collisions. It eliminates the he said she said factor and there's no disputing what actually transpired. Management and your DM have far more important things to do even if they didn't there's so many drivers the likelihood of being randomly selected is low. I get it, many people hate being watched and that's your choice. It's also your employers choice to record to protect their assests. With the amount of people driving around with mounted dashcams or their cellphones in hand you're likely going to be caught on camera if you do something stupid anyways.

With the constant increases in insurance premiums due to outrageous lawsuits cameras aren't going anywhere. Just 2 years ago I was talking to a manager and he told me we'd never have cameras in trucks because so many drivers are opposed to it. Currently we're technically in a "trial" period with them but they praise them every chance they get. I think it was already decided they're putting them in all company vehicles (even regular cars) they're just trying to make sure they're satisfied with the brand before sinking more money into it. Oh yeah, all I've heard from a majority of drivers is they'll quit if the company even considers cameras. Same exact crap I heard when they retired our last manuals. Guess what, all those people are still employed driving their autos that I'm guessing will have a camera in the next year.

I dont know, I see WE all over the west coast and midwest frequently. I have a front facing camera, non driver facing. My safety bonus is contingent upon it. I actually just got my own dashcam and installed it and will likely change it out to driver facing as well so I can dispute issues that come up frequently such as ghost triggers of the mitigation system and false threats from the forward looking radar. (I had 14 hard braking events due to shadows in 4 hours of driving the other night).

From an ideological standpoint, I find driver facing cams installed by the company invasive and repulsive, but thats and ideological viewpoint. I wouldnt choose to drive for a company that employed them based on that, but thats personal choice and ideology. Front facing cameras I can totally understand as long as there is no audio. My biggest gripe with them isnt their data, its the interpretation of their data effecting my safety bonus, but thats just an idiosyncrasy of the company I work for in that even though the camera showed no vehicle or threat in view, my safety manager can not get the points removed so I still potentially loose money.

The camera itself as was mentioned isnt a bad thing, it can and does clear the driver of many if not most events. I dont even know I have one most of the time to be honest, the lights on it were so bright and annoying at night that I put tape over them. I just drive as safe as possible anyway. if records it does, if it doesnt it doesnt.

Davy wrote:

My biggest gripe with them isnt their data, its the interpretation of their data effecting my safety bonus, but thats just an idiosyncrasy of the company I work for in that even though the camera showed no vehicle or threat in view, my safety manager can not get the points removed so I still potentially loose money.

Knight-Swift has an appeal process your safety manager should be following. I can recall two instances where an event interpretation added points to my score. I contested both of them; terminal safety manager agreed (both very obvious), appealed up the food chain to Safety VP and the points were deducted before the bonus period closed.

Push a little harder Davy..but pick your battles wisely.

As far as the inward camera ideology? That goes both ways.

Your employer is entrusting you with a multi-million dollar liability risk, for the most part as a leap of faith because of limited experience. I’m in favor of outward and inward facing cameras because too many times I see so-called professional drivers conducting their business in an unsafe manner; texting, watching video, eating a bowl of cereal, feet propped up on dash… following too close, really dumb stuff. Maddening and disturbing.

Everyone around us can observe how we drive (like lane control and drifting issues, telltale sign of texting or drowsiness) and what we are doing behind the wheel (especially other truckers)…everyone that is, except our employers. How else can the unsafe drivers be held accountable unless there is documented evidence proving unsafe behavior? No other way… Besides don’t you want them to observe you conducting your business safely? Like I said, works both ways.

And the privacy concern? When parked, pull the curtain to cover the lens. Privacy secured. Simple. Besides when the ignition is off, at least with the camera technology I’m familiar with, the inward facing camera is disabled, only outward facing is enabled. Invasion of privacy is a rather weak argument when considering our every move in public is recorded.

If you do your job safely and adhere to your companies policies, you have nothing to worry about.

And the privacy concern? When parked, pull the curtain to cover the lens. Privacy secured. Simple. Besides when the ignition is off, at least with the camera technology I’m familiar with, the inward facing camera is disabled, only outward facing is enabled.

The system my former company had was set inside of the window curtains, so couldn't be covered by them. When the truck was turned off, the camera was not turned off automatically. It had a code to be entered into a number box (looked like a calculator) down below the vent on the dash. However, that didn't work all the time as it would pop on, especially if the truck was idling, which I had to idle it for my CPAP. Different type of systems apparently.

Laura

Since this discussion has morphed into one about inward facing cameras, I’ll throw in my 2 cents. (Mainly due to the fact that I’m still waiting for my truck to be fixed and I’m very bored, lol)

I’m in favor of the cameras because they protect the company and the company pays my wages. As long as I pay attention and drive responsibly, I have nothing to worry about. When I’m parked, I can cover the camera, as per company policy. But I rarely do because I forget it’s even there 99% of the time. So, I view the camera as a protection for the company and myself and rarely think about it. The company I drive for is relatively small, so I’ve had the opportunity to meet the owner and all the executive staff. These are some very smart and experienced people and I know the cameras were installed only after a thorough evaluation of the pros and cons. I think this is the same for most companies so as to protect the company and drivers from frivolous accusations and lawsuits. My company gives their drivers who prove to be safe and dependable a lot of freedom to get their assignments done as the driver sees fit. So I accept their policies to be the result of sound decision making.

Since this discussion has morphed into one about inward facing cameras, I’ll throw in my 2 cents. (Mainly due to the fact that I’m still waiting for my truck to be fixed and I’m very bored, lol)

I’m in favor of the cameras because they protect the company and the company pays my wages. As long as I pay attention and drive responsibly, I have nothing to worry about. When I’m parked, I can cover the camera, as per company policy. But I rarely do because I forget it’s even there 99% of the time. So, I view the camera as a protection for the company and myself and rarely think about it. The company I drive for is relatively small, so I’ve had the opportunity to meet the owner and all the executive staff. These are some very smart and experienced people and I know the cameras were installed only after a thorough evaluation of the pros and cons. I think this is the same for most companies so as to protect the company and drivers from frivolous accusations and lawsuits. My company gives their drivers who prove to be safe and dependable a lot of freedom to get their assignments done as the driver sees fit. So I accept their policies to be the result of sound decision making.

What company do you drive for? Do they offer OTR/Long Haul?