More CSA Blues; This Time Affecting Major Expedite Carriers

[layoutshooter]

I once had a tail light go out. It was very icy, cold, snow. The wires loaded up with ice and broke. I saw it go. I was in Wyoming, NO WHERE to get off the road. I just kept going. I came up on a scale. Got pulled in of course. The scale guy saw the light. He said he bet the ice got it, gave me the number of a shop, told me to go there and fix it. That was it. That is how is SHOULD be.

Without sense, nothing works. Too bad so few carriers and officials are more like that guy. That is the problem with a demerit based system. There is NO room for what is known as "stuff happens".

This system is a total joke. So it the "line of bull" about safety matters. I'm not stupid enough to fall for it, no matter who spouts it, carrier or government alike.

 

[geo]

one reason for getting into sprinter we have some great prices on new sprinters

 

[xiggi]

one reason for getting into sprinter we have some great prices on new sprinters

Sell em before the competition starts.

Sent from my Fisher Price ABC-123.

 

[ATeam]

Here's a portion of the lamp inventory spreadsheet:

EDIT:

Ha! Looking at this after posting, "Made By" might be better to say "OEM Source" and "Manufacturer's Number" might be better to say "OEM Number" No matter. It works for us. Develop your lamp inventory chart as you wish.

Note that the inventory begins at the front of the truck and works back.

Lamp lists will vary by truck. Our list includes:

Headlamp, high beam
Headlamp, low beam
Fog lamp, high beam
Fog lamp, low beam
Running lamp
Front side marker lamp
Front identification lamp
Cab side turn signal lamp
Truck body top front marker lamp
Truck body side turn signal lamp
Rear license plate lamp
Rear identification lamp
Top rear flash/turn/tail lamp
Bottom rear flash/turn/tail lamp
"Chicken lights:" Two rows on each side, one high, one low, that run from front of sleeper to back of truck body.

Inside lamps include ceiling and door lamps in cab; ceiling, closet, storage bin lights in sleeper; refrigerator light; and interior lights in the truck body.

 

[ATeam]

The scale guy saw the light. He said he bet the ice got it, gave me the number of a shop, told me to go there and fix it. That was it. That is how is SHOULD be.

Did you go in and fix it?

 

[spongebox1]

Got stopped in a scale house in Tenn and asked to bring paperwork and myself inside, after the the officer ran my license and glanced over my logs and receipts we walked outside for the truck inspection. I told him then that I had a top clearance marker lite out that I found at my last RR stop, he said if that's all that was wrong it would be no problem, he finished up and let us leave with a good level-1 . Its nice that not every inspector has a chip on there shoulder!

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[layoutshooter]

Got stopped in a scale house in Tenn and asked to bring paperwork and myself inside, after the the officer ran my license and glanced over my logs and receipts we walked outside for the truck inspection. I told him then that I had a top clearance marker lite out that I found at my last RR stop, he said if that's all that was wrong it would be no problem, he finished up and let us leave with a good level-1 . Its nice that not every inspector has a chip on there shoulder!

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Did he load the "Positive CSA Points" onto your record?

OH THAT'S RIGHT! We don't gain anything from good inspections.

 

[layoutshooter]

Did you go in and fix it?

I called the shop, they stayed open for me and I went straight in and got it fixed. When summer came I had the entire system rewired, with new lights. I don't like "repairs" on aging systems.

 

[spongebox1]

Did he load the "Positive CSA Points" onto your record?

OH THAT'S RIGHT! We don't gain anything from good inspections.

I'm still a bit uneducated on the whole CSA scoring so that being said why do they not give us good inspection points ( the short answer ) ?

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[ATeam]

I'm still a bit uneducated on the whole CSA scoring so that being said why do they not give us good inspection points ( the short answer ) ?

That's a question for FMCSA people to answer but I suppose it is because you are a professional who is expected to do your job. This is not Sunday school where you get a gold star for doing what whet you were assigned to do. It is not the military where you get a medal or letter of commendation if you do your job exceptionally well. I know of no civilian profession where the practitioners get paid extra or or are otherwise rewarded because they perform the duties of the profession in accordance with the regulations.

Plumbers do not get paid extra because they do a job to code. Homeowners do not get a bonus or special credit because the building inspector completes a satisfactory inspection. Restaurants receive nothing more than the right to continue to operate after the inspector gives them a top rating. So too with four-wheelers. No one gets bonus points or rewards from the government for driving for a year or three or ten without violations. The only time you earn points on your license is when a violation puts them there.

 

[ATeam]

I called the shop, they stayed open for me and I went straight in and got it fixed. When summer came I had the entire system rewired, with new lights. I don't like "repairs" on aging systems.

Good for you, and good for the profession. But you and I both know the sad truth that many drivers would not go in to get it fixed after catching a break like that from the understanding Montana scale cop. They'd chalk it up to good luck and keep on driving thinking something like "I'll save money and fix it myself when I get home" or "I'm not going to that place, they'll rip me off and they probably have a kickback thing going with the scale cop." or "I'm a driver. It's not my job to babysit them while they get fixed. I only get paid by the mile. It's the truck owner's problem to get this fixed, not mine."

The latter point is partially valid. If truck owners want their drivers to keep the trucks in good repair, it will help if the drivers are compensated to do more than just put miles on the truck.

 

[spongebox1]

That's a question for FMCSA people to answer but I suppose it is because you are a professional who is expected to do your job. This is not Sunday school where you get a gold star for doing what whet you were assigned to do. It is not the military where you get a medal or letter of commendation if you do your job exceptionally well. I know of no civilian profession where the practitioners get paid extra or or are otherwise rewarded because they perform the duties of the profession in accordance with the regulations.

Plumbers do not get paid extra because they do a job to code. Homeowners do not get a bonus or special credit because the building inspector completes a satisfactory inspection. Restaurants receive nothing more than the right to continue to operate after the inspector gives them a top rating. So too with four-wheelers. No one gets bonus points or rewards from the government for driving for a year or three or ten without violations. The only time you earn points on your license is when a violation puts them there.

I'm not saying we should be praised for a good inspection, like you said if we do our jobs correctly and are mindfull of repairs and safety issues than that lessons our chance of getting any violation in the first place but shouldn't a positive inspection offset a negative one within the company? And shouldn't that in turn go towards improving the score of the company?

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[JohnMueller]

Spongebox;

It is agreed that good inspections should "count". Perhaps FMCSA could give "points" for good inspections that eliminate some of the negative points.

I personally view every roadside inspection of our company. I agree that some of the LEO's are all too happy to write any small, minor and petty violations they can discover. Ridiculous. Unfortunately we have to deal with the idiots out there because it is their job and they are just upholding the law. They will more than likely win if the violation is contested. I wish we could enforce the "Bad cop - No donut" rule on them.

Drivers - keep voicing your opinions on CSA - make your comments known to those at FMCSA. They do invite comments. Please just do your best to protect yourself and your carrier from the "needless" violations that you could have prevented.

Thanks,

 

[spongebox1]

Spongebox;

It is agreed that good inspections should "count". Perhaps FMCSA could give "points" for good inspections that eliminate some of the negative points.

I personally view every roadside inspection of our company. I agree that some of the LEO's are all too happy to write any small, minor and petty violations they can discover. Ridiculous. Unfortunately we have to deal with the idiots out there because it is their job and they are just upholding the law. They will more than likely win if the violation is contested. I wish we could enforce the "Bad cop - No donut" rule on them.

Drivers - keep voicing your opinions on CSA - make your comments known to those at FMCSA. They do invite comments. Please just do your best to protect yourself and your carrier from the "needless" violations that you could have prevented.

Thanks,

Great advice sir!

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[cheri1122]

Good for you, and good for the profession. But you and I both know the sad truth that many drivers would not go in to get it fixed after catching a break like that from the understanding Montana scale cop. They'd chalk it up to good luck and keep on driving thinking something like "I'll save money and fix it myself when I get home" or "I'm not going to that place, they'll rip me off and they probably have a kickback thing going with the scale cop." or "I'm a driver. It's not my job to babysit them while they get fixed. I only get paid by the mile. It's the truck owner's problem to get this fixed, not mine."

It shouldn't be too hard to bust such stupid drivers, as we log all roadside inspections, so an inspector who finds a violation on the truck & a recent inspection logged can easily contact the previous inspector to inquire - and they should. One of the problems with CSA is how we are all assumed guilty of shady behavior, even when there's a reasonable explanation for a minor violation.

The latter point is partially valid. If truck owners want their drivers to keep the trucks in good repair, it will help if the drivers are compensated to do more than just put miles on the truck.

Disagree. If truck owners have drivers who don't want to keep the truck in good repair, because first, it's part of their job [simple maintenance, not major repairs] and second, because the drivers' safety depends on the truck being in good repair, then the owner should let that driver go. Paying them is like the carrier paying drivers to fill out the paperwork required to get paid, or remain compliant with the law - it is an integral part of a driver's job.

 

[layoutshooter]

If all you do is beat a dog when it does wrong, never reward that dog for doing right, that dog will, sooner or later, end up biting you.

 

[usafk9]

If all you do is beat a dog when it does wrong, never reward that dog for doing right, that dog will, sooner or later, end up biting you.

Well, not really. The non-beating (or the absence of pain) is reward itself for some dogs. Depends on their titration level.

I do get what you're saying, though.