Should deaf people be allowed to drive package?

[dave_socal]

UPS already won a similar lawsuit involving a one eyed employee invoking ADA for driving privileges. So no worries, I say let the deaf drive only first teach everyone in America the sign language that describes things like " you just killed my dog mother...." or " stop you idiot the crossing guard wants off your grill" thats all. Whats the problem?

 

[SeniorGeek]

UPS already won a similar lawsuit involving a one eyed employee invoking ADA for driving privileges. So no worries, I say let the deaf drive only first teach everyone in America the sign language that describes things like " you just killed my dog mother...." or " stop you idiot the crossing guard wants off your grill" thats all. Whats the problem?

I do not see anything about commercial driving in this statement. Does this mean we should take the driver's licenses from all who can't pass a hearing test? (This would be a "non-discriminatory" way to get most people over 60 off the road.)

If it is about commercial driving, the DOT has already drawn that line at 10 000 pounds GVW.

As others have mentioned, the level of noise plus the isolation (assuming the doors are closed when the vehicle is in motion) makes cagers* effectively deaf to the world outside the vehicle.

* Motorcyclist terminology: Cagers are those who sit in 4-wheeled metal cages when traveling from one place to another.

 

[Anonymous UPSer]

Why not let deaf people drive? Judging from the posters here, they let dumb people drive, why not deaf as well?

 

[BLACKBOX]

Why would UPS even consider this? The Liability issue is staring you right in the face. I believe there are other jobs in the UPS system more suited to accompany their handicap, package driver is not one of them, besides how would you pass the DOT exam??

 

[local804]

Why would UPS even consider this? The Liability issue is staring you right in the face. I believe there are other jobs in the UPS system more suited to accompany their handicap, package driver is not one of them, besides how would you pass the DOT exam??

Not too sure you need a dot card for a van under 10,000 lbs.

 

[705red]

Why not let deaf people drive? Judging from the posters here, they let dumb people drive, why not deaf as well?

The dumb ones only drive a little while, they are really needed more in upper management positions.

 

[OldUPSDriver]

I believe the dumb ones become stewards and/or feeder drivers.

 

[rod]

Not too sure you need a dot card for a van under 10,000 lbs.

So why as a package car driver would UPS send me(and everyother driver in my old center) to get a DOT physical every other year for 30 years? I can't believe they would waste money on a driver they didn't have to. Part of that phisical was a hearing test.

 

[ikoi62]

Everyone is totally missing the point here.
Its unsafe to street a deaf driver.He`s leaving a resi...
He cant hear the kids talking,he cant hear the girl screaming.
He cant hear the horns blaring telling him he`s dragging her under his truck...
its just wrong...cant he find another job where his deafness
wont matter?

the same thing could be said about the drivers who wear ipods or other mp3 players or the ones who wear the bluetooth device while talking on the phone.

 

[trickpony1]

I believe the dumb ones become stewards and/or feeder drivers.

.......or maybe the "dumb" ones that become stewards and/or feeder drivers follow Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection which, essentially, says, ".....the strong and the smart survive, the weak and the stupid perish....".

(some humor intended but I'm sure someone will misunderstand what I just posted)

 

[SeniorGeek]

So why as a package car driver would UPS send me(and everyother driver in my old center) to get a DOT physical every other year for 30 years? I can't believe they would waste money on a driver they didn't have to. Part of that phisical was a hearing test.

DOT allows two types of hearing test:

1. Audiometric testing (tones played through an earpiece or headset at calibrated levels), or
2. Forced Whisper testing (an uncalibrated whisper from 5 feet away, out of the line of vision, in a quiet room).

I have not had a DOT card for a while, but I do not recall ever having audiometric testing for a DOT exam. The "forced whisper" method allows the examining doctor a lot of leeway, and does not require any special equipment.

The lawsuit that caused this question to be posted is about passing the DOT/FHWA hearing test - which would fail many people we would not usually call "deaf".

If calibrated audiometric testing were done, maybe 15-20% of UPS drivers would be disqualified before reaching retirement. (I based this on information about noise averages in trucks and OSHA information about hearing losses over time. After 20 years of 40-hour weeks, about 5% of people would suffer enough hearing loss to fail the test. At 25 years, about 10% would fail, and by 30 years, about 20-25% would have failed. By 35 years, nearly 50% would be expected to fail. All these figures make the assumption that there is zero hearing loss from factors outside the workplace. YMMV.)

 

[Hangingon]

Well, do you really need 2 arms to deliver? I'm sure the courts could see us acommodating someone missing a limb by allowing them to 2 trip to every delivery stop. The first trip carrying the DIAD the second the package. If you want to go far enough, we could accomodate any disability by, if nothing else, putting someone else on the car to do all the driving and delivering.

 

[local804]

So why as a package car driver would UPS send me(and everyother driver in my old center) to get a DOT physical every other year for 30 years? I can't believe they would waste money on a driver they didn't have to. Part of that phisical was a hearing test.

Rod,
We are talking about a van under 10,000 lbs. Our package cars are well over that plus some. UPS is a company that is penny wise and dollar foolish so I wont even comment on your second comment. They have proved to me over the years that they choose to save money rather than look good on paper(sarcasm). We get dot cards but do we get drug tested and why? It all has to do with weight and class of the license. I started driving without taking a road test(dmv) and didnt have a cdl. I was hired with a regular car license (NY) and had to get a dot card.

 

[rod]

Rod,
We are talking about a van under 10,000 lbs. Our package cars are well over that plus some. UPS is a company that is penny wise and dollar foolish so I wont even comment on your second comment. They have proved to me over the years that they choose to save money rather than look good on paper(sarcasm). We get dot cards but do we get drug tested and why? It all has to do with weight and class of the license. I started driving without taking a road test(dmv) and didnt have a cdl. I was hired with a regular car license (NY) and had to get a dot card.

I drove an Ford Econoline van for 4 years and then they went to the bubble top vans. Spent many years in one of those. Still had the same old physical every other year. Can ya hear me now

 

[BLACKBOX]

It seems like they alternate Audiometric and Forced Whisper every other year, I've had both but prefer the Forced Whisper if I had to choose. Those percentages you noted on the progressive hearing loss is something to think about.

The state I'm in actually ask UPS if a group of drivers would wear noise monitor devices around our belt for a whole shift. 10 of us wore these devices but never heard back the results of the test.

 

[over9five]

"10 of us wore these devices but never heard back the results of the test."

There is only one reason they are hiding the results. It came out far worse than anyone had imagined.

 

[MissedBusiness]

80% no..... bigtime majority not even close

 

[aspenleaf]

Re: Morelucks thread
http://www.browncafe.com/community/threads/update-on-law-suit.76248/


Should UPS hire deaf people to drive package cars? Please post your reasons for or against.

I say yes and why not we have blind preloaders. . .

 

[UPS Lifer]

We do hire deaf people to work for us. My first encounter wiht a deaf person was on the metro unload line. I heard packages slamming onto the metro unloader. i went to talk with the hubperson and the person ignored me. I thought the person was not working as directed until I got in his face to find out why he refused to acknowledge my comments. That is when I found out he was deaf. He was also mute. Honestly I was flaborgasted. I couldn't beleive we would put employees like this in a situation that could be potentially unsafe. In the hub there are safeguards and there must be a mutual avenue for cummunication such as a pad and pencil. Employees are trained using a person who can sign. These employees are hard working valuble members of our team. However, the jury is out on being able to drive without hearing. I am not sure that this task may be too challenging even for the most adept hearing impared employees.

 

[cental34]

Employees are trained using a person who can sign.

You mean an ASL interpreter?