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TForce | Who is incharge of putting on placards at your terminal?

Well like I've already posted regarding this topic,maybe this is how I personaly look at this issue.
I know that everyone working here has certain responsibilties for the job they were hired for.

If somebody drops the ball,and either forgets,or just lets something go.
If its going to effect my job in the long run.
I do what I have to to get it right before I head out on my appointed run,or my route.

We do have these orange haz-mat cards at my terminal.
When dispatch hands us our DR's the card is with them.
We drivers take this card,and sign the bottom portion,and hand it back to dispatch.
We can keep the top with us ,or file it in the waste basket.
This card has the haz-mat placards we need or it has an (X) on the line that says none required.

I go out to pre-trip,and take care of the placards if I need them for my route trailer.
That trailer has the flip placards,so its no sweat to just flip the ones I need.
I do the same with the appointments on our pup trailers.
If its a stick on placard I always carry a roofing knife in my pants pocket to cut down shrink wrap pallets when I have to sort out that freight.
But I take my knife blade,and scrap the center out if I can get it to come off in tact.

Ok now heres how I'm looking at this whole deal.
Whenever someone doesn't do their job,but its going to effect me getting busted by a DOT officer in a spot check.
Then I feel its up to me to make sure I'm legal when I'm out on the street.

I'm sure there won't be any excuss that will cover me,about somebody else not doing their job,when the officer hands over a ticket for any haz-mat violations.
 
According to UPS, ( And this has been argued by Logan in our safety Dept.) A trailer is an extension of the building and according to new law does not need to be placarded until the trailer leaves the terminal. ( or just before actually).

The reason is the amount we handle is not consistant enough to require the building or anything that is an extension of the building to be placarded.

But by all means , if this is an issue, as well as the ICE AND SNOW ON TRAILERS, AS WELL AS NOT BEING PAID FOR ALL YOUR WORKED TIME, AS WELL AS THE ORANGE SHEET THAT MUST BE SIGHNED PRIOR TO LEAVING THE TERMINAL, These are all issues that can be addressed at the union hall when it comes time for a contract.

We have been operating like this for years, and nothing has been done about it, now is your chance. Vote now, or hold your peace, sorry if it offends any of you but it is the truth.:smilie_132: And to offend is not my intention.
 
Well then are you writting all the issues down on a pad to discuss with your union reps?
I know I would never remember even a small protion of the stuff we need in the contract language.

We've probaly got so much to include in the UPS Freight contract.
It will wind up being as thick as the New York Phone book.
 
BusterNite said:
This is a huge problem. Different rules for different terminals. I noticed NBR does nothing for placarding. They don't even take the old ones off the pup before loading it. The rules used to be that when the trailer was closed out it would be placarded by the dock workers. Im always either putting placards on or takeing old placards off. Is this part of my pre trip time. It can take up to a half hour to scrape 4 placards off. Bottom line, Its the drivers responsibility to have his paper work and haz mat in order when he leaves the yard. Catch 22 again!
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Yes it is just that, If I was to mention all the catch 22's I have run into in this company, it would eat away most of the space on jeff's server.

Do you realize we have the right to go down a posted( no truck's) road to do a delivery? according to the TM. "The company will pay for the ticket", ( yeah rite) and whatever fees are associated with it. I also asked if they were going to remove the violation from my liscence, and pay the xtra point's and costs associated with my personal INS.

It just so happens I misread the sighn, it said no thru truck's. So I did the delivery, this guy must think I will jump through hoops too keep this phucking job, what an idiot. I told him if it came to it, I would drive the truck back and go home instead if he preferred, rather then ruin my liscence for the benifit of anyone. It took alot of hard work too keep it clean and it is going to stay that way.

Meanwhile if you bring the issue to logan, he say's I always tell the people I am training that if the road is posted "no trucks" do not go. Dispatch will have to find another avanue to make the delivery. Point in case.
 
There is a safety memo put that hasn't been resended as of yet.

It states it's the dock supervisors job to change the placards on the trailer.

I refuse to sign the orange card or the manafest untill the trailer is properly plackarded.

To get my point across I had to wait for 45 minutes one night before the dock supervisor could get someone free to do it, and you should of seen the look on the dispatchers face when I put the trip card back in the window and said now you can pay me delay time.

This was the last time I had a problem.

STAND YOUR GROUND!!!!! DON'T DO THEIR JOB FOR THEM, you are not getting paid for it!!!
 
I have posted weight limit roads on my route.
As long as I have a delivery on any of those roads,and know I can clear the utility lines and tree limbs,I'm free to go down any of them.
But if I'm using one of these roads to get to another road,if theres a no limit road I could of used to get where I want.
If I get caught on a weight limit road just passing threw according to our laws I can get a ticket,for as much as $1.00 per pound over weight.
If this happens I'm on my own to pay out of my pocket.

But for the most part I've been doing the same route for about 7 years,and all the police officers know me,so if I decide to take a short cut,and use one of these roads I get a free pass.

This is whats nice about doing the same route all the time.
 
Well sir like I've already posted I may be the exception.
I make sure I'm legal before I go out on the street with anything needing placards.
If I see I need them,and don't have them I just do it myself.

You do your job the way you think is best for you,and I'll keep doing what works for me.
Just a matter of opinion,no big deal,its all good.
 
Apostolic said:
I have posted weight limit roads on my route.
As long as I have a delivery on any of those roads,and know I can clear the utility lines and tree limbs,I'm free to go down any of them.
But if I'm using one of these roads to get to another road,if theres a no limit road I could of used to get where I want.
If I get caught on a weight limit road just passing threw according to our laws I can get a ticket,for as much as $1.00 per pound over weight.
If this happens I'm on my own to pay out of my pocket.

But for the most part I've been doing the same route for about 7 years,and all the police officers know me,so if I decide to take a short cut,and use one of these roads I get a free pass.

This is whats nice about doing the same route all the time.
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Well by law APO. you are not supposed to go down that road, wether you have a delivery or not, most of these posted roads are posted by the town at random, again Logan says " Do not go down a posted road for weight limits, if you get caught it is your ticket" So with that being said, we have another catch 22, because the TM says disregaurd the sighn.

3 years ago one of our trucks went down a posted road, 4 ton to be exact,and the asphault gave out from under him weighing in at 30,000, because there was a unforseen pond flowing under the road, they had to call a wrecker to get him out. The hole road caved in and he sank about 3 feet. Luckily.

He recieved 4 days suspention, and a accident on the liscence. Why, because the TM told him to do it. How is that for safety first.
 
Safety First is a big joke. I do not take anything illegal, even if a TM tells me to. I will call Richmond first and let them explain if I am threatened with discipline.
 
Talk about catch 22.
You tell your TM your not going to do something because its not safe in your mind.
The TM says just do it,this is insubordiation for disobeying your authority,and this act can get you terminated right quick.
So you obey your TM,and something negative comes of it.

Do you think your TM is going to say I'm sorry I shouldn't have told you to do that?
No probaly it will be whats wrong with you,you should of used better judgment.
 
Apostolic said:
Talk about catch 22.
You tell your TM your not going to do something because its not safe in your mind.
The TM says just do it,this is insubordiation for disobeying your authority,and this act can get you terminated right quick.
So you obey your TM,and something negative comes of it.

Do you think your TM is going to say I'm sorry I shouldn't have told you to do that?
No probaly it will be whats wrong with you,you should of used better judgment.
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Your TM fires you for doing something ILLEGAL and you can prove it, there is recourse including getting him fired.

Following LAWS is not insubordination, breaking the LAWS could put you in jail.

Firing someone for following the laws you were told to follow when you were issued the liscence is defermation of charactor, is against the law and can be followed by civil law suits.
 
I know you are right Accelerator.
And so far so good with all of the TM's I've had to deal with in my long truck driving career.
but I also know we drivers walk a mighty fine line when it comes to the issue of what we feel is safe,and the TM's up againest making all the deliveries with a lack of equipment in their inventor.
 
MFASU said:
If the TM asks me to break Federal Safety laws, then let them fire me and I will own the U in UPS.
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The problem is, what roads are posted, is of no consequence too the TM, he does'nt care what happens too you, as long as the freight is delivered. The other opposing factor herein is the posted road sighns is not Fed. or State, it is town and they have the jurisdiction, my TM seems too think that we have the right to go down these roads to do a delivery, now it is against the law to stop the movement of commerce, but it will not hold up in a coart of law when it comes too public safety. If the road is posted it usually involves public safety, if you cause harm, it is your fault, you are the driver.
 
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