Fired Due To Failed Inspection? (not Placed OOS) Need Advice Please

Hi fellow truckers, I'm in need of some insight and advice as this is a first for me.

I ordered the DAC report to see where I stand. Should I order something else from the DOT?

Some background: 22 months of regional verifiable experience and had been with this company for 6 months.

What happened was that while stopped on a safe place to get some snacks out of the fridge, a DOT officer knocked on my window and asked me what I was doing stopped in there. While still holding some string cheese and a peach on my hand replied I was getting snacks to which he replied it was cool but since he was doing some OT work he wanted to proceed with a "quick inspection".

2 weeks prior I had the company mechanics given me a report detailing how my truck/trailer had passed their inspection and that I was GTG so I was not concerned. I knew 1 tire was a bit low on the tread but I didn't measure it since the mechanics said it was good.

The officer does the inspection and proceed to discuss the findings with me. He said 1 tire (trailer) was below legal level, 1 rear light was having some issues and that due to the nature its intermittent failure it was likely an electrical issue (the bulb was fine), and he found a crack in an airline sleeve from the tractor (those that connect to the trailer) with no airloss.

I was given the ticket/report and told I needed to fix it before getting loaded again. This happened in WY....

I was told by my manager that I would have to do some "training" regarding PTI but in 2 days the tune changed and I was called to the office and fired. She said she was shocked by the decision but replied it came from "above" and there was nothing she could do.

I was devastated as I was having a lot of fun with that job and it was a great fit for me.

She told me I was let go for a failing infraction.

I understand the importance of a PTI and should have measured the tire with a gage. The light was not apparent when I did the PTI and the crack in the line was not something apparent due to its location and elevation from the ground. There was no air loss from the system or noise.

How will this impact me ability to find another job? and is there anything I should be doing?

Thanks guys I really appreciate it

Braham

Wow, what a bummer for you. Sounds pretty trumped up to me based on your story. Is the company over staffed with drivers and using petty stuff to get rid of some? There has got to be more to this than you know about. I’m going to be very interested in what some of the more experienced drivers on the forum have to say about this.

I think it was the hose that did you in. Losing air or not doesn't matter, you either didn't check it or did but didn't report it. You can't screw around with the braking system and yeah, that's going to be a big deal.

Wow, what a bummer for you. Sounds pretty trumped up to me based on your story. Is the company over staffed with drivers and using petty stuff to get rid of some? There has got to be more to this than you know about. I’m going to be very interested in what some of the more experienced drivers on the forum have to say about this.

That’s was my first take BK. Likely they needed to get rid of some people due to slow business giving that winter is coming and I had been slower than what I was hired for by 10 hours or so. Assuming they won’t say it was a layoff as to not having to pay unemployment.

Still bummed though.

Thanks for your reply

I think it was the hose that did you in. Losing air or not doesn't matter, you either didn't check it or did but didn't report it. You can't screw around with the braking system and yeah, that's going to be a big deal.

I didn’t see it because of the location as I said. It was a small crack. Do you want to be helpful or point fingers? How “is going to be a big deal” useful here? Thanks

My gut tells me that there is something going on behind the scenes with the company. I can’t imagine getting fired from my company for a missed item on a pre-trip. Unless the trailer was missing and I didn’t notice or report it. That would get me fired.

Lol!!!! “Trailer? What trailer!?”

My gut tells me that there is something going on behind the scenes with the company. I can’t imagine getting fired from my company for a missed item on a pre-trip. Unless the trailer was missing and I didn’t notice or report it. That would get me fired.

Have you had any other whoopsies with the company? Any tickets? Other failed inspections? Weight violations? Accidents? Service failures?

Not pointing fingers, just trying to eliminate all possible reasons for being fired for such an offense.

What's the company? You may say it bc it might be relevant. It will not be considered trash talk about the company. You've yet to say anything negative about the company, so not worried about you coming off as a disgruntled employee.

There is more to this story. Those items would not normally get someone fired.

The other Infraction was a scale ticket when new as the total weight was low but due to inexperience with the material and flatbead. It was a 42$ ticket.

Other than that nothing and I never missed 1 day of work or took 1 day of vacation in 6 months.

I prefer to not name the company. I had a good experience and don’t have anything negative to say about them. I know that ultimately is MY responsibility but just wondering if this is a normal occurrence as I don’t see this as a “fireable” offense as others have mentioned and I was also wondering the repercussions that it could have while looking for another job.

Thanks so much for the reply

Have you had any other whoopsies with the company? Any tickets? Other failed inspections? Weight violations? Accidents? Service failures?

Not pointing fingers, just trying to eliminate all possible reasons for being fired for such an offense.

What's the company? You may say it bc it might be relevant. It will not be considered trash talk about the company. You've yet to say anything negative about the company, so not worried about you coming off as a disgruntled employee.

Have you had any other whoopsies with the company? Any tickets? Other failed inspections? Weight violations? Accidents? Service failures?

Not pointing fingers, just trying to eliminate all possible reasons for being fired for such an offense.

What's the company? You may say it bc it might be relevant. It will not be considered trash talk about the company. You've yet to say anything negative about the company, so not worried about you coming off as a disgruntled employee.