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ABF | Coming To A Truck Near You....

After several company get driver facing cameras the rest will get them because they know you got no where to go to avoid them . Few years most will have them. If a union couldn't keep them out then nothing going to stop them. Many guys hate these brakes now slamming down on its own saying its dangerous but they didn't care those opinions either . I actually like how it keeps my distance when cruise control on. And I have a override .
 
Maybe it's good that all us....."Older Ones"...are retiring.....We have a creative subversive streak that the...modern employee seems to be missing........
....or maybe a sense of humor , coupled with a flagrant disregard for how the Powers That Be have decided we should...."comport" ourselves.....

Anyway,........if we were still employed,.....it would probably make for some breath-taking, highly entertaining, fall-down-funny....You-Tube videos........

What a Shame!.....The Internet could use some......."quality" entertainment......
 
Don't they realize injury attorneys can subpoena these records when there is accidents potentially costing the company millions of dollars in jury awards and settlements.
 
Jaloc said:
Don't they realize injury attorneys can subpoena these records when there is accidents potentially costing the company millions of dollars in jury awards and settlements.
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Sure they do, they're hoping the driver is caught (for what ever reason) not paying full attention, so they can push as much of the liability on the driver. They could care less if you go bankrupt and have your life ruined, so long as it doesn't affect them or the stock price.
 
i don’t work for abf, but another union carrier. I’m very disappointed to see another company go down this road. I thought there might be hope that more carriers would stick with no cameras or remove the inward facing ones at least. We got both way facing cameras a year ago and it’s barely tolerable. Getting scolding for avoiding an accident that you could only avoid if you didn’t show up for work that day is getting annoying. Worst part is the woman “coaching” you on your events was hired off the street a year ago, never drove a truck, and until a few months ago was a secretary. It really ruins your mood. I have a good job, so I choose to stay. But it’s horrible for workplace moral. Good luck to you guys at abf
 
Pennsbest83 said:
i don’t work for abf, but another union carrier. I’m very disappointed to see another company go down this road. I thought there might be hope that more carriers would stick with no cameras or remove the inward facing ones at least. We got both way facing cameras a year ago and it’s barely tolerable. Getting scolding for avoiding an accident that you could only avoid if you didn’t show up for work that day is getting annoying. Worst part is the woman “coaching” you on your events was hired off the street a year ago, never drove a truck, and until a few months ago was a secretary. It really ruins your mood. I have a good job, so I choose to stay. But it’s horrible for workplace moral. Good luck to you guys at abf
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Thank you, Sir......I no longer work for ABF,......or anyone, for that matter.......But, after 41 years of making my own split-second decisions,.......and later on realizing that....none ...of my actions would be able to be codified in some sort of...."Safety Manual"......to....ahh...."teach"....how to be "safe" in a truck.......
....I am very happy not to have to put up with another assault on my dignity as a human being, by a Corporate Legal department,.....
...Who are much more concerned with alleviating ANY responsibility for their Corporate Overlords in the event of an accident,....
...than they are about actual Safety.......

For example.........Do you see a big push for airbags and curtain air cushions in tractors?......The same as in cars?
How about engine restraints,...to keep the motor out of the driver's face,...in the event of a front end collision?

Both items would add too much to the cost of the manufacture of the truck,.........but MIGHT save driver's lives........
Cameras WON'T save driver's lives..........but will save the corporate wallet,...IF they can provide "evidence" that the Driver was a "contributing factor" to an accident........

And......We see which items have the Corporate attention........Rather spend money on ....cameras,...than devices that might..save a driver's life.....

And,.....Anyone who owns a TV set,....knows all about ambulance-chasing lawyers,...and : "Injured By A Big Truck? Call Us!!"

In 95% of car/truck accidents.........the car was the initial factor in the event........

Where's the....Driver-Facing cameras in ....cars? "Infringement Of My Constitutional Rights To Text, Drink, Smoke Weed, and Act Like A Flaming Idiot While Driving Around 40-Ton Vehicles!!"

Good Luck Hiring people.........
 
canaryinthemine said:
Thank you, Sir......I no longer work for ABF,......or anyone, for that matter.......But, after 41 years of making my own split-second decisions,.......and later on realizing that....none ...of my actions would be able to be codified in some sort of...."Safety Manual"......to....ahh...."teach"....how to be "safe" in a truck.......
....I am very happy not to have to put up with another assault on my dignity as a human being, by a Corporate Legal department,.....
...Who are much more concerned with alleviating ANY responsibility for their Corporate Overlords in the event of an accident,....
...than they are about actual Safety.......

For example.........Do you see a big push for airbags and curtain air cushions in tractors?......The same as in cars?
How about engine restraints,...to keep the motor out of the driver's face,...in the event of a front end collision?

Both items would add too much to the cost of the manufacture of the truck,.........but MIGHT save driver's lives........
Cameras WON'T save driver's lives..........but will save the corporate wallet,...IF they can provide "evidence" that the Driver was a "contributing factor" to an accident........

And......We see which items have the Corporate attention........Rather spend money on ....cameras,...than devices that might..save a driver's life.....

And,.....Anyone who owns a TV set,....knows all about ambulance-chasing lawyers,...and : "Injured By A Big Truck? Call Us!!"

In 95% of car/truck accidents.........the car was the initial factor in the event........

Where's the....Driver-Facing cameras in ....cars? "Infringement Of My Constitutional Rights To Text, Drink, Smoke Weed, and Act Like A Flaming Idiot While Driving Around 40-Ton Vehicles!!"

Good Luck Hiring people.........
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I haven't had a tractor without a driver side air bag since 2003.
 
Ted Decker trk said:
I haven't had a tractor without a driver side air bag since 2003.
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Well.......I retired in 2016, after driving a 2004 Vision Mack for 8 years.... I can guarantee there was no airbags in that truck,....or in the 2006 Pinnacle Macks.......
And the Sterlings......well....you were lucky if the doors actually stayed shut on those,.....let alone airbags......

None of the new fleet trucks for line haul had airbags.......There was a brand-new Freightliner that had a front end collision dragged to our terminal........no evidence of airbags in that truck.....

Can’t say anything about the KW’s.......don’t know anything about them......
But cars have had airbags for decades.....and fleet trucks may only be getting them......now.?

That was my point. New technology for trucks is focused on liability limitation,...and not safety....

Are you sure you’ve had airbags in 2003? Good if you did,.......but I don’t think most fleets had spec’d them until......maybe...recently.
 
canaryinthemine said:
Well.......I retired in 2016, after driving a 2004 Vision Mack for 8 years.... I can guarantee there was no airbags in that truck,....or in the 2006 Pinnacle Macks.......
And the Sterlings......well....you were lucky if the doors actually stayed shut on those,.....let alone airbags......

None of the new fleet trucks for line haul had airbags.......There was a brand-new Freightliner that had a front end collision dragged to our terminal........no evidence of airbags in that truck.....

Can’t say anything about the KW’s.......don’t know anything about them......
But cars have had airbags for decades.....and fleet trucks may only be getting them......now.?

That was my point. New technology for trucks is focused on liability limitation,...and not safety....

Are you sure you’ve had airbags in 2003? Good if you did,.......but I don’t think most fleets had spec’d them until......maybe...recently.
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Yep, standard equipment in Volvos since they changed the body style radically, 2000, I believe .

Freight shakers standard since 05 or thereabouts
 
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Ted Decker trk said:
Yep, standard equipment in Volvos since they changed the body style radically, 2000, I believe .

Freight shakers standard since 05 or thereabouts
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Ahh,........So only the foreign truck manufacturers install airbags. Looking on the Internet, it seems that truck manufacturers are ....exempt ...from airbag rules covering passenger cars. Volvo seems to be the only manufacturer that installs them as a matter of course as OEM.

Apparently Freightliners can add them if the fleet purchasers .....request....them, and pays extra. There's an article on www.trucks.com,.....entitled: "Truck Driver's Widow Pushes to Make Truck Airbags Mandatory." dated 9/26/2016....where the widow of a driver,...who died in a non-airbag Freightliner,.....is pushing for legislation.

My point, Ted,....(..if I can be so familiar..).....is that trucking companies have always been....more than happy,.....to install and pay for , technology ....to surveil and record the driver........ostensibly to reduce or eliminate the liability toward the company, in the event of an accident....Or a law violation......
Older drivers will remember "shaker" clocks.....

And,.........If you will look up: "Cab-UNDER tractors".........much more than happy to pay for technology to increase their profits, at the EXPENSE of the driver's safety.........

Why do companies put driver surveillance ahead of ...driver safety? Airbag technology SHOULD be mandatory,.......considering the ...amount of time we spend in the cabs.....
 
My previous tractor, a Volvo had the air bag light come on, there was a tag on the door jamb that at 10 years it was to be replaced, Shop had it 40 minutes, light out, VCR signed, Ok to operate....
 
canaryinthemine said:
Ahh,........So only the foreign truck manufacturers install airbags. Looking on the Internet, it seems that truck manufacturers are ....exempt ...from airbag rules covering passenger cars. Volvo seems to be the only manufacturer that installs them as a matter of course as OEM.

Apparently Freightliners can add them if the fleet purchasers .....request....them, and pays extra. There's an article on www.trucks.com,.....entitled: "Truck Driver's Widow Pushes to Make Truck Airbags Mandatory." dated 9/26/2016....where the widow of a driver,...who died in a non-airbag Freightliner,.....is pushing for legislation.

My point, Ted,....(..if I can be so familiar..).....is that trucking companies have always been....more than happy,.....to install and pay for , technology ....to surveil and record the driver........ostensibly to reduce or eliminate the liability toward the company, in the event of an accident....Or a law violation......
Older drivers will remember "shaker" clocks.....

And,.........If you will look up: "Cab-UNDER tractors".........much more than happy to pay for technology to increase their profits, at the EXPENSE of the driver's safety.........

Why do companies put driver surveillance ahead of ...driver safety? Airbag technology SHOULD be mandatory,.......considering the ...amount of time we spend in the cabs.....
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I remember shaker clocks. One company I worked for only had two actual units at one barn. All trucks had a small box on the floor with a lock so ostensibly you didn't know if one was riding with you or not . You could tell though by listening for tell tale tick tock. T/M brought some Big Ben alarm clocks and would put those in so you didn't know if you were riding with a clock or the recording device.
 
canaryinthemine said:
Ahh,........So only the foreign truck manufacturers install airbags. Looking on the Internet, it seems that truck manufacturers are ....exempt ...from airbag rules covering passenger cars. Volvo seems to be the only manufacturer that installs them as a matter of course as OEM.

Apparently Freightliners can add them if the fleet purchasers .....request....them, and pays extra. There's an article on www.trucks.com,.....entitled: "Truck Driver's Widow Pushes to Make Truck Airbags Mandatory." dated 9/26/2016....where the widow of a driver,...who died in a non-airbag Freightliner,.....is pushing for legislation.

My point, Ted,....(..if I can be so familiar..).....is that trucking companies have always been....more than happy,.....to install and pay for , technology ....to surveil and record the driver........ostensibly to reduce or eliminate the liability toward the company, in the event of an accident....Or a law violation......
Older drivers will remember "shaker" clocks.....

And,.........If you will look up: "Cab-UNDER tractors".........much more than happy to pay for technology to increase their profits, at the EXPENSE of the driver's safety.........

Why do companies put driver surveillance ahead of ...driver safety? Airbag technology SHOULD be mandatory,.......considering the ...amount of time we spend in the cabs.....
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Don't mistake what I'm saying. Companies I ran for used leased Ryder power. Plain Jane trucks but they all had driverside airbags. I believe the companies do sacrifice driver comfort and safety in order to pad the bottom line . Look at the old Corn Flake tractors . I only worked casual for them but I remember the trucks had no fuel gauge, spartan interiors, no AC etc etc. when 80% of the guys passing me had power steering , windows up with AC on , riding on air bags.
I agree they should spend less on surveillance and more on safety and driver comfort but they'll never see it that way. These days in our legal environment it's just a blame game. I'm glad I only have 10 years or so left. They've taken all the fun right out of trucking. These companies are all the same and from what I can tell union representation means less and less with each passing year. Old man Hoffa is probably rolling over in his grave (wherever that might be). It is a sad state of affairs. I don't think it will change any time soon .
 
I think the only reason they are talking about driver-facing cameras, is because of a fear of driving more potential new-hires away from trucking.

Mr. Hoffa , in my opinion,....could care less about violations of driver’s dignity and right of privacy.......
But, he will use the driver hiring situation to make it appear he actually does care.........in spite of years of evidence to the contrary.

Let’s see what oily decision comes out of the meeting.......
 
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