Should deaf people be allowed to drive package?

Should deaf people be allowed to drive package for UPS?


  • Total voters
    92

Griff

Well-Known Member
I say no. It's a serious disability and driving these trucks around is a large responsibility. I don't think I've ever actually said that before, but it's true and it's stuff like this that reminds me of that. After doing this job for X amount of years, would you trust yourself to do it deaf? I mean come on...
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
I agree with Griff.

Add to that, How do you deal with customers? How do you help them? You may be able to, but the time it would take to communicate would kill you!
 

browniehound

Well-Known Member
I say deaf people should not be allowed to drive commercial vehicles. However, I saw a documentery on discovery health last night on 2 teenaged co-joined girl twins. They truly were remarkable. They have 2 heads yet only 2 legs and 2 arms. 1 twin controls 1 half of the body and the other controls the other. Yet they can perform any task you and I can. They play high school sports and had just went for their driver's license. This is what truly amazes me. Because we all know, 2 heads at driving is not better than 1. But if they can get a license, than I guess deaf people should be allowed to also????
 

DS

Fenderbender
Its just stupid.
How could a deaf person hear someone honking thier horn,
like say a fire truck,or an ambulance...or a police car...
where I live its the law to pull to the right and slow to a stop if necessary to let them pass...no backup camera sounds...
then theres dogs at resi`s....doorbells that dont work,
people yelling from inside,I`m in a wheelchair please give me
a minute,I need my medicine,or the neighbor across the street yelling,I`ll sign for that,its just unsafe on every level.
I`ve known quite a few deaf people and I`ve never met one that has mastered the spoken language to the point thats
required to be a package driver.The only job I can think of other than in the office would be a feeder loader...the boxline
would be much too dangerous if you couldn`t hear the buzzer
or the familiar "wire"scream
but on the bright side you couldnt hear the sups either
 

RockyRogue

Agent of Change
The only job I can think of other than in the office would be a feeder loader...the boxline
would be much too dangerous if you couldn`t hear the buzzer
or the familiar "wire"scream
but on the bright side you couldnt hear the sups either

I've seen a number of deaf UPS handlers. All great workers. The first one I met was an unloader and one of the first to get a vibrating pager for evacuations, etc. Another I saw in the hub a couple weeks ago. He communicated via sign-language and the person he spoke to understood him. However, in terms of driving, I can see the problem. I think I saw somewhere about drivers with sight in only one eye and a debate about allowing them to drive. They were allowed to get a license and drive on American roads. My opinion on the topic itself is that if they can get a license, they should be allowed to try to be a driver. I know the liability issues involved are a problem, let alone the responsibility of driving a package car. But...give 'em a chance. I've been passed over for jobs for whatever reason and another employer offered me a similar position and I excelled. Maybe it'd be the same for these deaf UPS'ers. -Rocky
 

Channahon

Well-Known Member
I agree with Over's comments. I understand the ADA concerns, and feel everyone should be afforded opportunities, but a drivers job requires both visual and audio skills all day long.

I just don't get how the courts can ignore Federal requirements as noted below.

Federal rules mandate that drivers of trucks exceeding 10,000 pounds be able to hear a whisper from 5 feet away. The government leaves it up to companies to decide who is qualified to operate lighter vehicles.

I would guess a deaf person would be hard pressed to hear a whisper from 5 feet away, when the person who whispers is behind them, for the purpose of the deaf person not being able to lip read. The test requires 2 syllable words, letters or numbers.
 

Harry Manback

Robot Extraordinaire
I think, if your state's DMV finds a deaf person capable of driving a personal vehicle, that person should be allowed to drive a pkg car. Of course there's safety issues. Deaf people drive all the time. We practice the 5 SEEING habits, those habits are designed for one thing: keeping us alive. And in the spirit of "keeping it real" how much can you actually hear in your package car anyway. I drive w/o a radio and I still can't hear my mobile ring when the car is running. I think deaf UPSers at least deserve a chance to prove whether they can or cannot perform the job.
 

disneyworld

Well-Known Member
All I'm going to say is you can't hear anything while you are driving them anyway. But I agree with the customer communication aspect.
 

local804

Well-Known Member
I think, if your state's DMV finds a deaf person capable of driving a personal vehicle, that person should be allowed to drive a pkg car. Of course there's safety issues. Deaf people drive all the time. We practice the 5 SEEING habits, those habits are designed for one thing: keeping us alive. And in the spirit of "keeping it real" how much can you actually hear in your package car anyway. I drive w/o a radio and I still can't hear my mobile ring when the car is running. I think deaf UPSers at least deserve a chance to prove whether they can or cannot perform the job.

I am going to agree with you on this one.
 

local804

Well-Known Member
Its just stupid.
How could a deaf person hear someone honking thier horn,
like say a fire truck,or an ambulance...or a police car...

Do the emergency vehicles in Canada Have lights?
They are people also and are capable of doing the job. They did not chose to be deaf and it should not be held against them. All people are created equal. Lets let the courts figure out this one.
 

wakyzachy

I am the IRS for UPS!
I could see why the company would want this. It would probbally be a pretty big tax write off. Its dangrous no dought about it. I would say no, but we can find you another job here in the hub.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
I don't think that deaf people should drive commercial vehicles for safety reasons. I know a lot of handicapped people who drive personal vehicles and I have no problem with that. I have done volunteer work with deaf and blind people, so I have a lot of insight into the hardships they go through. They do learn to compensate for their disabilities to a certain extent, but I still don't think its safe to do the high pressure type of driving that Package Drivers do.
 

local804

Well-Known Member
I don't think that deaf people should drive commercial vehicles for safety reasons. I know a lot of handicapped people who drive personal vehicles and I have no problem with that. I have done volunteer work with deaf and blind people, so I have a lot of insight into the hardships they go through. They do learn to compensate for their disabilities to a certain extent, but I still don't think its safe to do the high pressure type of driving that Package Drivers do.

We are not talking about commercial vehicles. They are lightweight vans weighing less than 10,000 lbs.
 

cental34

Well-Known Member
I think, if your state's DMV finds a deaf person capable of driving a personal vehicle, that person should be allowed to drive a pkg car. Of course there's safety issues. Deaf people drive all the time. We practice the 5 SEEING habits, those habits are designed for one thing: keeping us alive. And in the spirit of "keeping it real" how much can you actually hear in your package car anyway. I drive w/o a radio and I still can't hear my mobile ring when the car is running. I think deaf UPSers at least deserve a chance to prove whether they can or cannot perform the job.

+1

I've worked very closely with the deaf, and I'm actually studying to be an interpreter. I can see no reason to not give a deaf individual a chance on the road. The ability to hear is not a necessity in order to drive. Many deaf drivers are far more attentive to the road in order to look out for emergency vehicles.

As for communication, there's many devices that allow for face to face communication, all the way down to a simple pen and paper. Don't forget many deaf are able to read lips and speak very well.
 

DS

Fenderbender
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?
 

cental34

Well-Known Member
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?

How much well can a hearing person hear anything outside of his vehicle with all the engine noise, a blaring radio, or chatting on their cell phone? If it's truly a safety issue, then why are cell phones not banned while driving? seven out of ten times, when I see a package car driver on the road, they're chatting it up on their cell phone.

And as I said in another thread, this is an ADA suit waiting to explode.
 
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