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TForce | Two preventable accidents do you think they’ll hire me?

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Brandonva804

TB Lurker
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Applied for Linehaul position with UPS freight and got an interview for tomorrow. I have two preventable accidents within my first year.

The first was November 10 I hit a mirror on the shoulder of the road. Another truck.

The second I slid on ice and got stuck in a ditch.

I have a year+ of experience.
 
I used to break the old west coast mirrors, 20 dollars a pop until I learned to not stop in particular dark truckstops.

And ice? giddy up. Never mind sliding into a ditch, some of our company trucks did that on I40 going too fast and we endured a few jackknifes in convoy on ice. Usually got it back. Some did not, fell into the median and totaled everything.

My accidents usually consists of taking cars out in cabovers on the right steer. Three times. Two the first year long ago and the third of all things in a old 83 cabover for which I specifically told the company leadership not to put me in a cab over for that reason. But what do they do? Ignore the 50 conventional in the corner and stick me a cabover. boom took out a car one late night in rush hour. Serves them right. All three got new replacement vehicles gratis Cash so that the insurance does not know anything.

It had no meaning then.

Now? HA... you so much as rub a trailer and someone squeals on you and that's it yer fired. Then unhireable etc.
 
1984Sideways said:
I used to break the old west coast mirrors, 20 dollars a pop until I learned to not stop in particular dark truckstops.

And ice? giddy up. Never mind sliding into a ditch, some of our company trucks did that on I40 going too fast and we endured a few jackknifes in convoy on ice. Usually got it back. Some did not, fell into the median and totaled everything.

My accidents usually consists of taking cars out in cabovers on the right steer. Three times. Two the first year long ago and the third of all things in a old 83 cabover for which I specifically told the company leadership not to put me in a cab over for that reason. But what do they do? Ignore the 50 conventional in the corner and stick me a cabover. boom took out a car one late night in rush hour. Serves them right. All three got new replacement vehicles gratis Cash so that the insurance does not know anything.

It had no meaning then.

Now? HA... you so much as rub a trailer and someone squeals on you and that's it yer fired. Then unhireable etc.
Click to expand...
Trucking companies insurance has a high deductible some 2 million so for small stuff insurance co does not need to know
 
I actually had a semi do some damage to our vehicle when his tire zipper bombed next to our car. Took out a bit of paint down to metal.

The company was more than willing to issue a comcheck after they learned I was a driver myself and am familiar with the situation and who to call etc. What bothered me was the implication in the suit's words on the phone...

"What cash should we write that out for? What do you want?"

Pause while I thought it over. Probably 50 bucks if that most of it in labor at the body shop for a little dab we can do ourselves at home. Hardly worth it. However from the other end I could have said we took 5000 in damage and they would have paid.

Such a dirty business this is. If you sit and think about how much cash went out the door to all the drivers so that the insurance company knows nothing...

If you think that's the end of it, hold on to your coffee cup for this....

There has been times I make a dent in someone's world. Knock out a block (Concrete or bricks) squeezing a 53 around for example. Whistle up a contractor get estimate on the spot, haul out wallet and paid cash directly to the angry property owner plus 10% for his trouble.

As long my company knows nothing at all it did not happen on my end. However. Companies in trucking have big ears. They LEARN the story maybe weeks. Months. Or even a year or two later. I might have forgotten it by the time a suit comes to me and says driver, what about this such and such accident for 3000 dollars. Know anything about it? HMMMM? With a partially filled bus ticket in one hand.

Who me? I don't recall.

Come on now driver, 3000 dollars remember it? What happened?

Hell if I know. You would think someone would notice 3000.00.

We did driver. what about that? 4 months ago? hmm? Fess up.

This is where you get to taking the suit to dinner or coffee and tell a story. The story and coffee etc does not happen on company time or property etc. The suit is usually satisfied. But that's all they get. Nothing written down or signed by driver.

Its always the TINY damages that trip a trucking company of a billion dollars.



Any of you think I am full of it... Consider this...

When any day or night goes by as normal until someone says to you:

"Driver put that in there."

You say: "It wont fit"

"Driver, don't sass. We put trucks all the time."

It wont fit.

Eventually it will be made to fit but there will be a cost in damage, time and money.
 
Last edited:
Brandonva804 said:
Applied for Linehaul position with UPS freight and got an interview for tomorrow. I have two preventable accidents within my first year.

The first was November 10 I hit a mirror on the shoulder of the road. Another truck.

The second I slid on ice and got stuck in a ditch.

I have a year+ of experience.
Click to expand...
Nope
 
1984Sideways said:
There has been times I make a dent in someone's world. Knock out a block (Concrete or bricks) squeezing a 53 around for example. Whistle up a contractor get estimate on the spot, haul out wallet and paid cash directly to the angry property owner plus 10% for his trouble.

As long my company knows nothing at all it did not happen on my end. However. Companies in trucking have big ears. They LEARN the story maybe weeks. Months. Or even a year or two later. I might have forgotten it by the time a suit comes to me and says driver, what about this such and such accident for 3000 dollars. Know anything about it? HMMMM? With a partially filled bus ticket in one hand.

Who me? I don't recall.

Come on now driver, 3000 dollars remember it? What happened?

Hell if I know. You would think someone would notice 3000.00.

We did driver. what about that? 4 months ago? hmm? Fess up.

This is where you get to taking the suit to dinner or coffee and tell a story. The story and coffee etc does not happen on company time or property etc. The suit is usually satisfied. But that's all they get. Nothing written down or signed by driver.

Its always the TINY damages that trip a trucking company of a billion dollars.



Any of you think I am full of it... Consider this...

When any day or night goes by as normal until someone says to you:

"Driver put that in there."

You say: "It wont fit"

"Driver, don't sass. We put trucks all the time."

It wont fit.

Eventually it will be made to fit but there will be a cost in damage, time and money.
Click to expand...

Worked with a guy that took out a mailbox. Went on Saturday to replace it himself, never reported it. The homeowner called FedEx to let them know he did a great job on the mailbox and how appreciative they were. He got fired that day.
 
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