CSA 2010 and vans

[OntarioVanMan]

Why a drug test at all?

You filled out an application?

Why a medical?

I don't know but someone in a wheelchair gets a waiver to driver but can't preform a lot of the tasks and someone who has type one diabetes has to jump hoops to get the waiver, a bit weird. The next thing is the BMI thing, which I can agree some van drivers need to shed some weight to haul more weight.

Why, why, why....company policy...is all I know...If I want to sign on with them, then I jump thru whatever hoops they have.

If I so chose to invoke my right to ask why and object,,,they too can invoke their right not to sign me on...

 

[RLENT]

It gets confusing, especially when a few are saying yes and others are saying no.

Yup - that's exactly it.

And what should we expect ? ...... when we have all sorts of lawyers, bureaucrats, and Lord-knows-who-else (Joanie Claybrook ? ) involved in making up this stuff .......

The problem seems to be that the FMCSA is focusing on drivers and permitted carriers, which I think is one of the issues.

..... as opposed to ?

As a van driver, most carriers require you to submit an annual citations report, have your van inspected and in many cases a medical exam.

Yup, yup, and yup.

Was talking to my wife day before yesterday .... and found out a very interesting thing: Fedex Home Delivery has apparently done away with the requirement that contractors who lease on non-CMV vehicles have an annual D.O.T. inspection done on those vehicles.

Interesting .....

Well, FHD never hauls (placardable) Hazmat (or passengers) - so said vehicles will never, ever be CMV's while under lease .....

Seems someone up there at FHD Corporate fired up a web browser or cracked a book ....... and actually read the regs at Part 396 .... (will wonders never cease .....)

"§396.17 Periodic inspection.

(a) Every commercial motor vehicle shall be inspected as required by this section."

When you apply, you are not applying as a NON-CMV driver so you submit an MVR (or they get one), an application, and in some cases go through a back ground check.

That's true ...... but I would submit that most non-CMV folks - as a consequence of being ignorant of the regs - aren't applying as anything in particular ...... they are merely relying on the fact that the carrier, in good faith, is doing exactly - and only - what is necessary or required under the law or regulations.

Personnel at carriers will often do, or seek to do, variety of things other than what is strictly required under the law or regs ...... for various reasons.

Sometimes it is because of ignorance ..... sometimes it may be for insurance or liability reasons .... but more often than not I would say it is merely because it is just more convenient for them ...... they have to do X for all CMV's, so it is just easier for them to have everyone - including non-CMV's - do X .....

One standard that they have to meet ... and if everyone meets that standard ...... then there can be no doubt that they are in compliance ....

As a carrier, they are required to keep safety records on you, not your van.

Well, actually the van too - insofar as maintenance reports could be construed to be a "safety report" ....

They are required to mitigate your behavior and to make sure they don't get a poor rating.

Yup

So when your safety officer says no you are not covered but you have to do all that stuff, what are you?

Well, if one doesn't know what the regs really say and actually are, then I would say what you are, is, at best: a pawn

Because, in your own ignorance, you are relying on someone elses' understanding (and not your own) .....

If you do know the regs and are being asked to comply with something that actually doesn't apply to you, then one has a choice: you can either query and/or challenge it - in an effort to avoid having to comply with rules that clearly don't apply to your own particular situation .... or one can just willingly go along with it as part of being in the biz ....

Even in the latter case, where one is being regulated de facto (as a consequence of a carrier's misinformed or misguided actions), one is still not being regulated under the law ..... one is simply being regulated under a carriers own internal policy ..... which one allows by one's own acquiescence ......

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Rlent said

Even in the latter case, where one is being regulated de facto (as a consequence of a carrier's misinformed or misguided actions), one is still not being regulated under the law ..... one is simply being regulated under a carriers own internal policy ..... which one allows by one's own acquiescence ......

I think I said that without the "acquiescence " *L*

 

[RLENT]

we all require a valid drivers license and license plate...isn't that regulated by DOT ?

'zactly .....

To anyone who believes that vans aren't regulated, try this one if ya really think DOT don't regulate vans:

Haul freight with no authority, MC number, or the required insurance .....

And then let us all know how the DOT views that ......

 

[RLENT]

I think I said that without the "acquiescence " *L*

I had too much invested in my reply to just waste it

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I had too much invested in my reply to just waste it

ALL your replies have the investment factor...

 

[guido4475]

Why do you need a medical? same question back...

yes 1 drug test at the beginning...

Randoms...not that I am aware of....I've never had one or anyone I know of....

I had a random this winter while at the J in Indy...The doctor was not too thrilled that I filled the cup to the top...Had to have fun somehow..lol.

 

[aristotle]

I have been called in for random drug screens four times in the last seven years. Twice while I was at home( in service, available for loads) and twice out-of-town while in service and available for loads. My frustration was these calls would come at mid-day or late afternoon and interrupt peak availability times... resulting in a probable loss of revenue.

 

[bobwg]

Alert This may be a little off the subject but one of our drivers with a box van got pulled over by a Texas state trooper the officer said he wanted to get a closer look at his van which had the company name Landstar and the Dot numbers on it. The officer checked his drivers license and it was a CDL the officer then asked for the drivers long form DOT medical form. The officer wrote the driver a warning ticket for the license plate being covered by a license plate frame because you can not read what state the plate is from. So any of you with some sort of license plate frame like some dealers have, might want to get rid of the frames

 

[bobwg]

Also how many of you run down the highway in your cargo van with the company name plastered on it like Bolt , E-1 , Tristate, Panther , etc , with Dot numbers , ICC numbers, etc? Is that not a big flag to Dot and cops that you are a commercial vehicle even if you are under 10000 lbs ? just wondering

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Also how many of you run down the highway in your cargo van with the company name plastered on it like Bolt , E-1 , Tristate, Panther , etc , with Dot numbers , ICC numbers, etc? Is that not a big flag to Dot and cops that you are a commercial vehicle even if you are under 10000 lbs ? just wondering

I think most of us do..Bob..But for me, it has never been a problem...

 

[AMonger]

Also how many of you run down the highway in your cargo van with the company name plastered on it like Bolt , E-1 , Tristate, Panther , etc , with Dot numbers , ICC numbers, etc? Is that not a big flag to Dot and cops that you are a commercial vehicle even if you are under 10000 lbs ? just wondering

I have some decals but if CVs start getting messed with, they're coming off. My van has some windows and it's not white, so it doesn't look entirely like an expediter van, and we don't have a satellite dome so maybe I can pass.

 

[Jack_Berry]

that is a c-s ticket bob. half the license plates in texas have a cowboys bracket and the rest all say...don't mess with texas. cop was filling a quota.