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SAIA | No Smoking in the Tractors

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Brother Trucker

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Recently one of the city drivers was suspended for one day because he smoked in a linehaul unit. The kicker to this is that prior to the complaint there was not a no smoking sign placed in the tractor (this has been verified by two other drivers).

The driver in question had even changed tractors because he knew his original assigned unit was a no smoking unit. Our HR, Regional manager, and terminal manager still chose to suspend him.

Whats up with a suspension without the tractor being properly placarded or notice placed in the unit?

My assigned unit is a non smoking unit and I went to the local chain office supply store and purchased (inexpensively and as a courtesy to my fellow employees) decals to notify others that this is a non smoking unit.

I tried to put them on the doors to my assigned unit, but our shop soon remedied that and consequently I purchased additonal decals and placed them on the vent windows and back window of the tractor.

What are your opinions on this matter?

(1) If a driver doesn't want others to smoke in his/her assigned unit when is the appropriate time-at the time of assignment or as soon as it is convenient?
(2) Is suspension an appropriate response if the assigned driver fails to properly warn others of the unit's non smoking status?
(3) Is the employer responsible to communicate to others that are assigned to that unit(slipseat or city use) of the tractor's non smoking status?
(4) What would be the best way(s) to properly communicate to others of a unit's non smoking status?

I have ideas, but the input of others is wanted.
 
As an aside note to the above post, by management taking the above stand the following happened:

The suspended driver was allowed to use a day of vacation to replace the income lost by the suspension.

The suspended driver lost all overtime for the week as a result of the suspension (which came on the final day of the pay period).

$164 vs up to a possible $307.

One might speculate that a certain member of management had a financial dog in that hunt.

No apology was given by management for their error.

Another hardworking loyal employee has had his trust broken in management.
 
Some would say you are lucky your company has a no smoking policy for some equipment.
As for how management acted, it seems they have total power and control over their employees without any third party outside arbitration.
 
Brother Trucker said:
Recently one of the city drivers was suspended for one day because he smoked in a linehaul unit. The kicker to this is that prior to the complaint there was not a no smoking sign placed in the tractor (this has been verified by two other drivers).

The driver in question had even changed tractors because he knew his original assigned unit was a no smoking unit. Our HR, Regional manager, and terminal manager still chose to suspend him.

Whats up with a suspension without the tractor being properly placarded or notice placed in the unit?

My assigned unit is a non smoking unit and I went to the local chain office supply store and purchased (inexpensively and as a courtesy to my fellow employees) decals to notify others that this is a non smoking unit.

I tried to put them on the doors to my assigned unit, but our shop soon remedied that and consequently I purchased additonal decals and placed them on the vent windows and back window of the tractor.

What are your opinions on this matter?

(1) If a driver doesn't want others to smoke in his/her assigned unit when is the appropriate time-at the time of assignment or as soon as it is convenient?
(2) Is suspension an appropriate response if the assigned driver fails to properly warn others of the unit's non smoking status?
(3) Is the employer responsible to communicate to others that are assigned to that unit(slipseat or city use) of the tractor's non smoking status?
(4) What would be the best way(s) to properly communicate to others of a unit's non smoking status?

I have ideas, but the input of others is wanted.
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1. the minute he or she finds out that someone else will be in his or her truck.

2. No way in hell.

3. Yes. As it is the employers policy they are responsible to pass along any and all information about any piece of equipment in their fleet.

4. Decals or all trucks should either be smoking or non-smoking. This will insure that all drivers know the rules and or policies.

Personally as a smoker I belive that all trucks should be smoking especially city use only trucks as 99.9% of the time a driver can roll the windows down enough to dissipate the smoke. As for road trucks well dont do slipseat and it shouldn't / wouldn't be a problem. Each driver has his or her truck and nobody else drives it and the winnyassed non-smokers won't have to smell / breath any smoker.
 
Saddletramp69 said:
1. the minute he or she finds out that someone else will be in his or her truck.

2. No way in hell.

3. Yes. As it is the employers policy they are responsible to pass along any and all information about any piece of equipment in their fleet.

4. Decals or all trucks should either be smoking or non-smoking. This will insure that all drivers know the rules and or policies.

Personally as a smoker I belive that all trucks should be smoking especially city use only trucks as 99.9% of the time a driver can roll the windows down enough to dissipate the smoke. As for road trucks well dont do slipseat and it shouldn't / wouldn't be a problem. Each driver has his or her truck and nobody else drives it and the winnyassed non-smokers won't have to smell / breath any smoker.
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whinnyassed nonsmokers nice just because we choose to not smoke and breath in the tar and whatever other cancer causing fumes from the smoke thats great .and the cig ashes scattered all over the dash from having the window down nice too ...
 
If you don 't mind don't smoke your cigs all the way to the filter cause anothe driver might get that truck and be able to finish what you left behind take care of your brother and leave him something to smoke.
 
Santaclause said:
whinnyassed nonsmokers nice just because we choose to not smoke and breath in the tar and whatever other cancer causing fumes from the smoke thats great .and the cig ashes scattered all over the dash from having the window down nice too ...
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I never could figure this out. Was married, I had a pickup, wife had a car. She smoked, and I did not. I would leave my coffee cup in the console of the truck and she would use the truck. Then she could not understand why I was pissed when she left ashes everywhere (including my coffee cup). "You knew I smoked . . ." Sure I did, I just had no idea you had a total absence of consideration for the rest of us!
 
Collard Green said:
If you don 't mind don't smoke your cigs all the way to the filter cause anothe driver might get that truck and be able to finish what you left behind take care of your brother and leave him something to smoke.
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:rofl2: :rofl2: That was cool Collard Green
 
There is a simple solution. All terminals and docks are no smoking areas. ALL trucks, city and linehaul should no smoking areas. PERIOD.
 
othertrucker2001 said:
There is a simple solution. All terminals and docks are no smoking areas. ALL trucks, city and linehaul should no smoking areas. PERIOD.
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Disclaimer: I am a non-smoker

I think that is over the top, considering the amount of time a driver spends in the cab, and the absence of some place else to go to smoke. The people who leave their ashes all over everywhere are the same ones who leave you momentos of their trip to Chester Fried or McDonalds. A more reasonable solution is to enforce a policy on cab cleaning.
 
While this conversation has drifted somewhat, I still raise the question of proper notification of other drivers of the status of any particular tractor.

I, too, am a non-smoker and don't like to drive in a truck that has been smoked in. However, I feel very strongly that regardless of the status of the truck, others need to be notified in a timely manner. It is simply disrespectful to our fellow employees to wait until after complaining to management about smoking in a truck.

As to the above comments, I don't believe that all trucks should be either or. So long as the tractors remain assigned then there should be adequate communication as to its status. I also believe that the status should be the assigned drivers choice. I have to recognize that tobacco is extremely addictive such a habit is very difficult to quit.

As for the comments about leaving food wrappers and chicken bones, that too is disrespectful. That is no different than if someone chose to come to my home and open up a bag of garbage and empty it across my front yard. I leave a trash box in the cab of my tractor, and yet there seems to be the lazy individual who, like my children, seem to think the floor is a trash can.
 
when we bid on tractors as a linehaul driver we put on the bid whether we are a smoker or non smoker and that way they have the city driver that is a non smoker or smoker bid on that truck.but i see how it can get ugly if the truck is giving to a different driver that does not drive that truck he wont know if he can or cannot smoke in it so we put a sign in it no smoking but most of the time they do it anyway and dont waste your time going to mgnt cause they dont like the linehaul drivers anyway they going to take up for the city man.
 
Brother Trucker said:
While this conversation has drifted somewhat, I still raise the question of proper notification of other drivers of the status of any particular tractor.

I, too, am a non-smoker and don't like to drive in a truck that has been smoked in. However, I feel very strongly that regardless of the status of the truck, others need to be notified in a timely manner. It is simply disrespectful to our fellow employees to wait until after complaining to management about smoking in a truck.

As to the above comments, I don't believe that all trucks should be either or. So long as the tractors remain assigned then there should be adequate communication as to its status. I also believe that the status should be the assigned drivers choice. I have to recognize that tobacco is extremely addictive such a habit is very difficult to quit.

As for the comments about leaving food wrappers and chicken bones, that too is disrespectful. That is no different than if someone chose to come to my home and open up a bag of garbage and empty it across my front yard. I leave a trash box in the cab of my tractor, and yet there seems to be the lazy individual who, like my children, seem to think the floor is a trash can.
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I agree Brother Trucker!! I think a Employee should not be disciplined when he or she broke a rule that he or she did not know it was a rule...And I also do not totally agree with the "ignorance is no excuse" saying.
 
It is a well known fact that SAIA will make a stupid decision, stand by it and expect the rest to go along and uphold their ruling. REMEMBER THE INSURANCE CHANGE FROM ATNEA BACK TO UNITED HEATHCARE.THEY ADMITTED THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH UHC BUT THEY WERE CHEAPER. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A DOCTOR OR HOSPITAL WILLING TO ACCEPT UHC INSURANCE EXCEPT THE DOCTOR THAT DOES THE COMPANY PHYSICALS. PITT COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL---THE LARGEST HOSPITAL EAST OF THR RALIEGH DURHAM AREA-
WILL NOT TAKE THE INSURANCE . WHY?? ACCORDING TO PCMH "UHC WILL NOT PAY THEIR BILLS"
 
nightshadow said:
Disclaimer: I am a non-smoker

I think that is over the top, considering the amount of time a driver spends in the cab, and the absence of some place else to go to smoke. The people who leave their ashes all over everywhere are the same ones who leave you momentos of their trip to Chester Fried or McDonalds. A more reasonable solution is to enforce a policy on cab cleaning.
Click to expand...

I am a non-smoker too. We all have to help keep every thing else clean and the trucks are no different. Office workers have their time and places to smoke, so should truck drivers. City drivers have plenty of time to smoke outside the truck. Linehaul certainly has time between loads at these slow terminals. Another reason is hazardous materials. If the cab catches fire from a dropped cig, there goes the trailer, freight and all. Non-smokers don't twist the arms of smokers to smoke. Smokers should not twist non-smokers arms to smell their smoke. When you smell the smoke you are breathing in the same products of the smoker.
 
Collard Green said:
If you don 't mind don't smoke your cigs all the way to the filter cause anothe driver might get that truck and be able to finish what you left behind take care of your brother and leave him something to smoke.
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Hay Collard...
I left you a roach..... And you wont need any spray for this one. :) And a Playboy in there also...........

Just clean up when you are done!!!!
 
cab cleaning will never happen... management dont give a rip a long as the freight is delivered, it is up to city dispatch to assign trucks to like minded individuals as we do in clt, example being mitch wont let a smoker take a non smoking tractor..... me it doesnt matter..... i share a truck, two line drivers.... neither of us smoke....
 
Sheet Climber,

How do the road drivers and city drivers communicate about the smoking issue? That is what started this whole mess, the lack of communication. If that knowledge is stuck inside somebody's head and that person is not handy then the problem rears its ugly head time after time.
 
Sounds like you guys could use a Teamster contract, To which terminal should we send them first. How about Indy being they are alredy in town?
 
Johnny Big Rig said:
Sounds like you guys could use a Teamster contract, To which terminal should we send them first. How about Indy being they are alredy in town?
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Thanks, I needed a good laugh this morning. And SAIA is not in Indy. Yet.
 
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