When all else fails, call OSHA

[dilligaf]

A driver from the CACH was threatened with termination for this very same situation. She was dispatched to the Conrail terminal at 63rd and State on the south side of Chicago,in the middle of the night, and found her trailer to also have no working lights whatsoever. She called the CACH and at first spoke to a sup,and then a manager who both told her to bring the trailer back so it would make the sort. She pointed out the safety issue repeatedly and was ultimately told by the manager that she could either bring the trailer back or she could secure the tractor and consider herself terminated and find her own way back to the building. Mind you,Conrail 63rd is in a south side neighborhood the equivalent to downtown Baghdad. The driver caved and brought the trailer back.

The unions stand on this was that she should have found a witness to the conversation,and called a cab or rode back with another driver once one arrived. Complaints were filed on the manager and this ,along with his numerous other actions against employees, got him busted down to supervisor and transfered to the Addison hub where he is still racking up complaints.

I would have called local law enforcement and requested a DOT officer to meet me, explain the situation, have them follow me back and have them cite the mgr on the spot. I would guess that DOT would have gladly done this.

 

[bad company]

I would have called local law enforcement and requested a DOT officer to meet me, explain the situation, have them follow me back and have them cite the mgr on the spot. I would guess that DOT would have gladly done this.

I was going to rep this post, but it wouldn't let me. Great idea!

 

[RoyalFlush]

I would have called local law enforcement and requested a DOT officer to meet me, explain the situation, have them follow me back and have them cite the mgr on the spot. I would guess that DOT would have gladly done this.

Great idea, if you can find one. I'd love to have them sit outside the gate and site all the drivers in violation. If everyone did what they are supposed to do, we could eliminate most of the situations that lead to "unsafe" equipment on the road in the first place.

 

[cachsux]

Great idea, if you can find one. I'd love to have them sit outside the gate and site all the drivers in violation. If everyone did what they are supposed to do, we could eliminate most of the situations that lead to "unsafe" equipment on the road in the first place.

It`s not as hard as you think. The freeway is right outside our gate and the area State Police building is five minutes down the road. Management hates when the drivers and staties call each other by their first names.

 

[local804]

No shortage of them in this company! lol

lol

 

[tieguy]

Great idea, if you can find one. I'd love to have them sit outside the gate and site all the drivers in violation. If everyone did what they are supposed to do, we could eliminate most of the situations that lead to "unsafe" equipment on the road in the first place.

We frequently recieve DOT inspections going through wiegh stations and rarely get fines. In fact the DOT will tell you that UPS is one of the best on the road.

Here again the folks on this site who love to wallow in negativity have painted a picture that does not in fact match reality.

Most mechanical issues can be caught on a proper pre-trip and are repaired by concerned and committed mechanics. The citations you would like to see levied on the company for the isolated incidents like this one would actually fall in the laps of those drivers and mechanics.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

Im not going to dignify this w/ a response

You just did!

 

[dilligaf]

It`s not as hard as you think. The freeway is right outside our gate and the area State Police building is five minutes down the road. Management hates when the drivers and staties call each other by their first names.

 

[dilligaf]

We frequently recieve DOT inspections going through wiegh stations and rarely get fines. In fact the DOT will tell you that UPS is one of the best on the road.

Here again the folks on this site who love to wallow in negativity have painted a picture that does not in fact match reality.

Most mechanical issues can be caught on a proper pre-trip OR POST TRIP and are repaired by concerned and committed mechanics. The citations you would like to see levied on the company for the isolated incidents like this one would actually fall in the laps of those drivers and mechanics.

I agree Tie, DOT usually does not have any doubts about the safety of our equipment. The majority of the time the equipment is maintained to an acceptable standard. (Sober, we know well about the 2 point seatbelt issue, please save it). I think the percentage of equipment issues is low given the whole picture. Things happen, usually on rte but not always. I really don't think that everyone is wallowing in negativity.

The citations that should be levied on the company, should be towards those mgt personnel that force drivers to take out unsafe equipment through coersion, threatening and intimidation.

 

[SWORDFISH]

You just did!

Its my code word for jerk.

 

[705red]

We frequently recieve DOT inspections going through wiegh stations and rarely get fines. In fact the DOT will tell you that UPS is one of the best on the road.

Here again the folks on this site who love to wallow in negativity have painted a picture that does not in fact match reality.

Most mechanical issues can be caught on a proper pre-trip and are repaired by concerned and committed mechanics. The citations you would like to see levied on the company for the isolated incidents like this one would actually fall in the laps of those drivers and mechanics.

Tie did you read the article and the OSHA ruling? Anywhere in it did it mention the negative posters on the Cafe? Whats next? Will you deny that this incident never happened?

People here have expressed their stories from their experience working here, are you saying that everyone that has posted in this thread is a liar?

We might be the safest company on paper, and after this ruling we will only be safer. More people will have the stones to refuse to drive unsafe vehicles. IMO

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Red, Tie is right. I have a friend who is a trooper in charge of the inspection stations and he has told me several times that we are by far the safest (as far as equipment) on the road.

 

[cachsux]

By far some of the safest equipment. You should see some of the broker stuff that comes in. But the theme is when our equipment does break or malfunction should we listen to someone telling us to drive it who`s only vehicle experience is a 4000 lb personal vehicle?

 

[rod]

Red, Tie is right. I have a friend who is a trooper in charge of the inspection stations and he has told me several times that we are by far the safest (as far as equipment) on the road.

Apparently they haven't looked underneath the older vehicals and seen how much welding and jerry rigging has been done to them. Our mechanic spent more time lying underneath welding crap together than anything else.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

By far some of the safest equipment. You should see some of the broker stuff that comes in. But the theme is when our equipment does break or malfunction should we listen to someone telling us to drive it who`s only vehicle experience is a 4000 lb personal vehicle?

I was simply stating what a law enforcement officer told me in regard to the vehicles that he has seen come through the portable inspection stations. These guys go through the vehicles front to back and, yes, underneath. This is not to say we have never had vehicles pulled out of service but, for the most part, the inspectors are impressed with the condition of our vehicles.

 

[cachsux]

I was simply stating what a law enforcement officer told me in regard to the vehicles that he has seen come through the portable inspection stations. These guys go through the vehicles front to back and, yes, underneath. This is not to say we have never had vehicles pulled out of service but, for the most part, the inspectors are impressed with the condition of our vehicles.

I agree with you. But as drivers,especially the newer maybe naive ones,we should not have to feel threatened by a member of management to "make the cutoff" when a piece of equipment shouldn`t be leaving the yard.