Driver Terminated

[gandydancer]

Originally Posted by soberups

I have had one start to roll on me---it was an old 600 that had no compression left in the motor, and when I was getting out my knee bumped the spring-loaded parking brake and released it. I had it in gear but with no compression it started rolling anyway. Fortunately I was still in the car and was able to secure it.

My one roll-away wasn't in a package car. I left my Nissan p/u in my driveway with a loaf of bread on the front seat and the rear window slid open. Some raccoons got inside and had quite a party until one of them touched the pull-and-twist parking brake. *bang* They had an exciting ride down the driveway and across the street and through my neighbor's retaining wall.

Thing was, that kind of parking brake was why I had bought that make of p/u. I too drive in San Francisco and had learned to use my Datsun's knife-switch-and-button hand brake to avoid rolling back when I had to stop a stickshift in upslope traffic, and when the doors fell off that p/u all the other brands only had the foot-loaded-hand-release version of a parking brake. I thought the pull-and-twist would be an ok replacement for the knife-switch version, but by the time the raccoons took their joyride I had several times had to dive for the footbrake when I'd leaned into the Nissan and an a slight touch from an errant elbow or package had touched the pull-and-twist's handle and released it. Along with the much inferior set of hooks for tying down a load it was the strongest source of my impression that even Japanese car design was going in the toilet.

[rocket man]

Mistakes happen .Ihope he gets his job back. just tell him he will have to go to 3 panels with out a doubt he will miss peak, good luck first a second hearings go no then deadlock dont give up go to the third. ITS gonna take a while the way things are now but you will make out ok good luck.

[upsguy72]

First of all why did he have a roll away if he was following proper methods he wouldn't of had a roll away unless there was a mechanical failure.

Stop car parking break on key off. Should be automatic after at the first week of driving and doing it 1000 times.

When parking on a hill turn wheel into curb for additional protection in case of mechanical failure.

There shouldn't be any rollaways have you ever had your personal car roll away on you????

[moontheloon1982]

Originally Posted by upsguy72

First of all why did he have a roll away if he was following proper methods he wouldn't of had a roll away unless there was a mechanical failure.

Stop car parking break on key off. Should be automatic after at the first week of driving and doing it 1000 times.

When parking on a hill turn wheel into curb for additional protection in case of mechanical failure.

There shouldn't be any rollaways have you ever had your personal car roll away on you????

I had an automatic roll away on me due mostly to mechanical failure(the shifter was broke and didnt click into park every time). I dont know about you, but my personal car is also an automatic and i've never had IT run away on me. Of course I was charged with the un-avoidable accident and am currently back on the preload awaiting a meeting to discuss re-instatement to my previous position. I know I could have avoided this accident, that said, it was still kind of a tough-luck situation. I'll do my time on the preload and i'll eventually get my job back...luckily the contract clearly states that no employee shall be made to repeat progression through any pay scale...meaning I will go right back to top rate when I get back on the road.RIght now i am struggling to get by on the meager earnings of a 5 year preloader. WHY DOES ANYBODY WORK THE PRELOAD IF THEY HAVE NO AMBITION TO BECOME A DRIVER OR ANY KIND OF FULL TIME EMPLOYEE??!! there are much easier ways to make 10.50 an hour! collecting cans might even net higher earnings depending on what state you reside in. If you collect them with that same 'sense of urgency' that is.

[dannyboy]

i had a roll away and a slide away, both times i was able to get back into the car before it left the road or struck something. blessed or lucky depending on your viewpoint.

as for the personal car/ups truck analogy, my personal vehicle was only driven by me or my wife (now my son and daughter as well) so there was never the abuse that a ups truck goes through.

many of our drivers after several years of delivery still dont have a clue as to how to treat the vehicle. it does not belong to them, therefor they dont take care with how they drive it, stop it, and park it.

d

[rod]

Originally Posted by dannyboy

as for the personal car/ups truck analogy, my personal vehicle was only driven by me or my wife (now my son and daughter as well) so there was never the abuse that a ups truck goes through.

Are you sure about that?--most kids beat the crap out of their parents car the first chance they get. (I did)

[brownmonster]

Rod, was that a Model T or a Model A?

[rod]

Originally Posted by brownmonster

Rod, was that a Model T or a Model A?

excuse me while I wipe the beer off my screen

[covemaster]

Rod !!!! send us a picture of you in that bow tie and those sexy flannel pants!!!

[rod]

Originally Posted by covemaster

Rod !!!! send us a picture of you in that bow tie and those sexy flannel pants!!!

I'll see if I can find any flash cubes for my Insamatic

[sortaisle]

Over here in Spokane, a rollaway in the yard is forgivable, but outside of the yard, if it's due to negligence, your done.

[UpstateNYUPSer]

Originally Posted by rod

Are you sure about that?--most kids beat the crap out of their parents car the first chance they get. (I did)

My kids were both pretty good with my car but neither seemed able to put gas in it.

[browniehound]

What is the driver's record prior to this? If it was a mechanical failure then there is nothing he could do about it. If it wasn't then its a serious issue.

I want to say everyone makes mistakes and give the driver a second chance. I also think roll-aways are about as bad as it gets for accidents in the workplace. The potential for serious damage, death and injury is just too great.

I've heard of 3 roll aways in my 10 years and all resulted in minor damage and no injuries by the mercy of GOD. All three drivers got their jobs back after a 3-day suspension.

I have to say though it makes me cringe when I think what could happen from a roll-away UPS truck. Children and playgrounds top my fear list.

Every driver I know has the habit of truck in lowest forward gear and park break on at every stop. I don't know any one who doesn't do this by pure force of habit.

Now, if UPS purchased trucks with automatic transmissions from day 1 like every other small package company in the universe their trucks would be less prone to roll-aways and would probably cut the roll-away number by 95%.

Instead UPS purchased trucks with no power steering and manual transmissions until the mid 1990s to save money I assume. By doing this they compromised safety to save a buck. The older trucks don't have a shoulder strap seat-belt??? This is the most basic of safety features that every vehicle now has and UPS still negelcts to equip their older vehicles with them.

Instead, UPS is now installing sensors in every vehicle that will notify the center if the truck is being driven with the bulk head door open, if the driver has his seatbelt on, and if he's in the seat while the engine is running.

I can't believe this. This is too much even by UPS's standards.

I am actually dumbfounded by this. UPS can't afford power-steering, automatic transmissions, and shoulder-strap seat-belts, but will pay to catch the 1-3% of us that refuse to wear their seatbelts???

How about spending that money on airbags for every new package car?

I didn't think so.

Brownie

[Apkg4u]

We had a driver with a roll away, he got suspended, Should have been terminated with all the damage he caused. But in our building, usually they get fired and work under article 7, then a suspention which is usually at the centers disgrestion. Hope this helps...

Jeff

[Indy135]

he shouldnt be fired in my opinion....i know the package car drivers are always in a hurry, stuff happens, just an accident, but he should be disciplined cuz it could of had a very bad outcome

[chev]

I had a near rollaway with a set of doubles. It only rolled about 5 feet. Scared the crap out of me. Especially because I was between trailer 1 and 2 when it started rolling. Totally my fault. A rookie mistake my first year in feeders. I had put the set together on a bay door and totally forgot to pull the tractor brake. Since it was now hooked to the rear trailer which had no air charging its brakes, it would not move. When I went in between the trailers at the dolly and connected the air lines, all was still well. Then I turned the air on, thus charging the rear trailer. I nearly chit my shorts when the whole unit started rolling away with me in the middle. Thank God someone had given me sound advice about this very situation. Don't run for the tractor to apply the brake. You will likely be run over trying that. Instead, yank the red air line off the rear trailer or the dolly. It will immediately lock the brakes on the rear trailer. Needless to say I learned my lesson. Luckily no one got killed. Namely myself.

[dilligaf]

Originally Posted by UpstateNYUPSer

My kids were both pretty good with my car but neither seemed able to put gas in it.

LOL Upstate. That reminds me when I was in HS and would borrow my mom's car. If I didn't put gas in it she wouldn't let me use it the next time. She was fanatical about and there was no bargaining. I rarely ever forgot to put gas in and I learned to limit my activities to what I needed to do. I did drive in style though. She never owned anything other than a Cadi.

[covemaster]

Chev glad you are still here to tell that story, quick thinking on killing red line!!! we had a guard killed up in Nor east in between a set years ago!!! it was ugly,was not drivers fault!!!!

[Sleeve_meet_Heart]

Originally Posted by moontheloon1982

I had an automatic roll away on me due mostly to mechanical failure(the shifter was broke and didnt click into park every time). I dont know about you, but my personal car is also an automatic and i've never had IT run away on me. Of course I was charged with the un-avoidable accident and am currently back on the preload awaiting a meeting to discuss re-instatement to my previous position. I know I could have avoided this accident, that said, it was still kind of a tough-luck situation. I'll do my time on the preload and i'll eventually get my job back...luckily the contract clearly states that no employee shall be made to repeat progression through any pay scale...meaning I will go right back to top rate when I get back on the road.RIght now i am struggling to get by on the meager earnings of a 5 year preloader. WHY DOES ANYBODY WORK THE PRELOAD IF THEY HAVE NO AMBITION TO BECOME A DRIVER OR ANY KIND OF FULL TIME EMPLOYEE??!! there are much easier ways to make 10.50 an hour! collecting cans might even net higher earnings depending on what state you reside in. If you collect them with that same 'sense of urgency' that is.

The drinking binge and diving head-first into an empty pool probably caused the roll-away

[bluehdmc]

Originally Posted by chev

I had a near rollaway with a set of doubles. It only rolled about 5 feet. Scared the crap out of me. Especially because I was between trailer 1 and 2 when it started rolling. Totally my fault. A rookie mistake my first year in feeders. I had put the set together on a bay door and totally forgot to pull the tractor brake. Since it was now hooked to the rear trailer which had no air charging its brakes, it would not move. When I went in between the trailers at the dolly and connected the air lines, all was still well. Then I turned the air on, thus charging the rear trailer. I nearly chit my shorts when the whole unit started rolling away with me in the middle. Thank God someone had given me sound advice about this very situation. Don't run for the tractor to apply the brake. You will likely be run over trying that. Instead, yank the red air line off the rear trailer or the dolly. It will immediately lock the brakes on the rear trailer. Needless to say I learned my lesson. Luckily no one got killed. Namely myself.

Now, I wonder if the person who gave you the "sound advice" was speaking from experience?