SWIFT In Cab Cameras

Where is my Tin-Foil Hat? I am dumbfounded by the amount of half-truths and ignorant comments made in this thread. I could spend an hour going over each and every comment and talking about them... but i simply don't have the time, the patience, the energy nor the desire to do so. Heck a few of the statements made even made me think to check that I am still on Trucking Truth and didn't accidentally click over to the dark side on another trucking related web site.

There is also no way that a driver facing dash cam will ever help the driver, it can and will only be used to hurt them.

Ekoh, please don't think I'm singling you out, it was just the most recent comment in a long line that I don't agree with let alone fully understand. This is just one example. How can anyone make such a blanket statement? It is impossible to prove and it just doesn't hold water. I can think of many instances where video can save your bacon. One such instance is if you get cut off and hit a car. The driver of the other vehicle claims you were distracted or fell asleep or something and would have avoided the accident if only you didn't do so, and claims to have witnesses to back up his claim. If video evidence shows that you were awake and not distracted, then guess what?.... the driver facing dash cam just helped the driver! Tada.

but any lawyer will point out any time oyu checked your mirrors or anything like that. Yeah it will sow you were not sleeping but as a truck driver you HAVE to check your mirrors often and the general public doesn't know that. They will use even that 1 second of looking away against you.

So if a camera in your dashboard is going to make you quit the industry, I feel bad for you because there are almost ZERO industries where you will not have a camera pointed at you throughout your work day

That is what is so irrational about arguing against these cameras. The dude is on camera literally almost every minute of the day but this particular camera is where he draws the line. He doesn't stop going in Convenient stores even though they're filming him on his own personal time, not his work time. He doesn't stop going to movies, malls, or grocery stores where he's on camera being analyzed continuously on his free time. He doesn't stop driving through busy intersections and customer parking lots where he's on live surveillance at all times. He has a cell phone by his side 24/7/365 and doesn't mind carrying around a photo camera, video camera, GPS sensor, and microphone that authorities can tap into at any time.

But this one particular camera which happens to be on him when he's driving down the highway in someone else's $150,000 worth of equipment being paid to carry someone else's $100,000 worth of freight? Unacceptable.

The other 1000 cameras filming his every last movement, including the one in his pocket? No problem. Cameras filming every other type of worker except him, like in fast food joints? No problem. But this one particular camera on him while he is working is just unacceptable.

Either you're completely irrational or you have something to hide. Because there's nothing logical and rational about drawing the line at this work camera when you're already voluntarily on hundreds of cameras every day of your life while carrying a 'Government Monitoring Tool' (phone) in your pocket at all times along the way.

Those cameras are not strapped to my person facing me. This whole thing is creepy as hell. There is nothing irrational about a man who doesn't want a camera strapped to his person facing him, against his will. I have nothing to hide nor am I scared of this tech. This is a matter of principles. If this company is willing to de humanize me like this there is no reason to work with them. This tech may help a few drivers out there but it is almost blatantly obvious that it is going to be used to throw drivers under the legal bus. I am only talking about in cab cams.

Here is a little story for you. I was driving in IL and exiting from one interstate to another. I could see that this exit was particularly sharp at a steeper angle than most. The curve was rated at 35mph but I dropped the truck down to 15mph. The truck was under complete control, no saftey issues what so ever, yet the QC goes red. Next day I get a call from some 20yo wet behind the ears saftey clerk (never drove a semi) telling me that I am a unsafe driver and knocking points off my saftey record. I proceed to get his manager on the phone (20 year trucker vet) who actually apologized, knew this was BS but his hands were tied by company policy. What do you think they are going to do or forced to do to us with these cameras?

You keep saying cameras here cameras there and we all know that. Try saying camera strapped to your person facing you. It's different, invasive and out of line.

Being a 15 year vet Brett, are you honestly going to tell me you never stretched in your seat, late at night with no traffic. Reached behind the seat (grabing that jug) to get some juice. Drive with both hands on the wheel when not shifting. I could go on. This video states "we can monitor your bad subconscious behaviors and work with you on correcting them." What does that say to you?

are you honestly going to tell me you never stretched in your seat, late at night with no traffic. Reached behind the seat (grabing that jug) to get some juice. Drive with both hands on the wheel when not shifting. I could go on. This video states "we can monitor your bad subconscious behaviors and work with you on correcting them." What does that say to you?

Now we at least know part of the reason you're horrified of this concept. Any other dangerous habits that will remove your CDL?

This one acts more like a trucking company using bait. Not a trucker who knows what bait is. You will learn, maybe.

Where is my Tin-Foil Hat? I am dumbfounded by the amount of half-truths and ignorant comments made in this thread. I could spend an hour going over each and every comment and talking about them... but i simply don't have the time, the patience, the energy nor the desire to do so. Heck a few of the statements made even made me think to check that I am still on Trucking Truth and didn't accidentally click over to the dark side on another trucking related web site.

There is also no way that a driver facing dash cam will ever help the driver, it can and will only be used to hurt them.

Ekoh, please don't think I'm singling you out, it was just the most recent comment in a long line that I don't agree with let alone fully understand. This is just one example. How can anyone make such a blanket statement? It is impossible to prove and it just doesn't hold water. I can think of many instances where video can save your bacon. One such instance is if you get cut off and hit a car. The driver of the other vehicle claims you were distracted or fell asleep or something and would have avoided the accident if only you didn't do so, and claims to have witnesses to back up his claim. If video evidence shows that you were awake and not distracted, then guess what?.... the driver facing dash cam just helped the driver! Tada.

but any lawyer will point out any time oyu checked your mirrors or anything like that. Yeah it will sow you were not sleeping but as a truck driver you HAVE to check your mirrors often and the general public doesn't know that. They will use even that 1 second of looking away against you. p>

I was a litigation paralegal for 10 years, talked to lots of witnesses, sat through lots of trials. Almost all of that work was on the defense side in civil cases, many car accidents, and a couple defending truck drivers. We got one driver and trucking company off the hook when the other side's star witness pointed to an exhibit and indicated he changed lanes 10 feet in front of the truck. Suddenly they wanted to settle.

Bottom line is jurors are unpredictable and frequently make decisions based on something neither side foresaw. Lawyers know that. Video evidence can cut both ways, depending on what you were doing seconds before the crash. If you were alert and checking your mirrors, you're going to be fine. If you were staring at your cell phone, you're in deep.

The vast majority of cases (something over 90%, probably higher) never get to a jury. They settle based on the evidence and the lawyers' evaluation of that evidence. If you were texting, your company is not going to turn over video of that unless specifically requested (but the other side will probably ask). If you were alert and the other driver was clearly at fault, they're going to give that over before they're asked to try to make the case go away.

Either way, your job is probably safe if you did right, and probably toast (after the case settles) if you were wrong. And if you are injured and the evidence is in your favor, you are more likely to recover against the other driver for your medical bills, etc.

I don't like the idea of a camera facing me, but if it comes, so be it. I do my level best to stay alert and avoid distractions while driving, but if I screw up and kill someone, I've got to own that, too.

As far as privacy, everything that needs to be said has already been said. I don't like it at all, but the time to fight cameras is long past.

One last thought: 12 seconds of video may not be enough, or it may be too much. Just ask the cops who have been videotaped recently - some wish there was more footage, some wish there was no such thing as cameras. I have no sympathy for the latter group.

Good post Bud A. Thanks, it's one of the best so far IMO.

If I am having a heart attack or a stroke... pass out run into the side of a building disassemble myself and die... id rather everyone know its because I had a heart attack and not that I appear to have been fatigued...

If someone tries to hi-jack my load, id prefer that to be on camera.

If my DM tries to contact me while Im safely going down a long steep grade and can not contact back at the moment. He/She can see that I am not available.

most of us have wives or girlfriends or just plain crazy friends lol. sometimes they may be having a bad day. they text or call you. we are not allowed to use our telephones while driving, but most people do not care and will respond. some people do care but respond because the crazy people flip out and think you need to respond immediately. even if you tell them I can get a ticket and lose my job... that doesnt matter. "did you see a cop" no... I am being video taped.

This tech may help a few drivers out there but it is almost blatantly obvious that it is going to be used to throw drivers under the legal bus.

I think one of the things you fail to realize is that your company is held responsible for anything you do behind the wheel. You seem to think your own company is going to take this video so they can place the blame on you and get themselves out of trouble. That isn't how it works. If you screw up and there's a big wreck it's your company that gets sued. They're going to be defending you, and therefore themselves, at the same time. They're not going to be implicating you were at fault.

When first reading this post I decided to reserve judgement on an opinion. I do believe the case law isn't sufficient to see if it will affect drivers at this present time. One thing is for sure is this will be the start of many more companies using this technology and more. I am still torn, companies have a right to protect themselves and their assets and I believe protecting the driver from liability will be secondary. This being said will they use it to a driver to the wolves (attorneys). Their is an element of trust that both the driver and companies must have. I know from a safety meeting at prime they have tested cameras recently and announced at the present time they will not install them company wide. Their reasoning was the technology is still to new and better systems will be in place in the future to protect them and drivers. So in summery would I work for a company that has cameras facing inside the cab? Maybe in the future, but my jury is still out on how it's going to be applied. Trust is a two way street and good intentions are sometimes just that. So swift drivers must decide on their own if they believe the company has their best interest in mind or are they protecting the company and their liability at the expense of the driver. Greatest part is it's still America and we have the right to choose.

are you honestly going to tell me you never stretched in your seat, late at night with no traffic. Reached behind the seat (grabing that jug) to get some juice. Drive with both hands on the wheel when not shifting. I could go on. This video states "we can monitor your bad subconscious behaviors and work with you on correcting them." What does that say to you?

Now we at least know part of the reason you're horrified of this concept. Any other dangerous habits that will remove your CDL?

why are you here??? are you here to troll like a 12 year old or what??? you ARE NOT a driver as it is painfully obvious from your posts. If you are going to contribute do so if are are here to simply to pretend your cool do it elsewhere please.