Two Kinds of "Out of Service"

ATeam · Dec 22, 2006

When you go home for the holidays and put yourself out of service, do you put just the truck out or yourself (yourselves for teams) too? There is a difference, at least at FedEx. If you put your truck out of service but leave yourself in, you can be called in for a drug test; which might not be such a good thing if you drink booze, thinking it is OK because the truck is out of service.

We're home now. To be sure about our status, we sent an 09 message on the Qualcomm unit. It confirmed that our requests have been honored. Both the truck and its drivers are out of service over the holidays.

It's Miller time!

romoore245 · Dec 22, 2006

That's interesting, but when we came back in service after thanksgiving Panther called and sent me in for a drug test. I was chatting with the spotter and he told me they were only testing for drugs. That anything else would be considered a special request test. I was dumbfounded! Then I thought back to the test April had to take after the wreck, was that only drugs as well? Not that there was a doubt of passing it or not, but shouldn't compaines be testing for what's most readly available, and causes the most problems on the road?
I wouldn't want to be called with a load after a few drinks either, not that I would run the load, but that I would get myself in trouble with how I would turn down the load. They would test me for something IQ maybe?
Happy Holidays to all!!! And to all...

themagicoen · Dec 23, 2006

I might be wrong but... DOT only requires a drug test after an acident if there was only damage, if there is an injury then you are tested for booze. On randoms the company you drive for can decide if they want to do drugs, booze or both. They have to do so many of each. Side story, I thought my truck was out of service one night and I got plastered, felt my phone ringing and it was Panther, try talking to a dispatcher that can't figure out why you didn't accept the load offer on the QC when your drunk, it's not easy. Didn't take the load btw.

nightcreacher · Dec 23, 2006

rule of thumb,if you get a ticket for the accident,then you get to do that drug alcohol test,no ticket no test
if you plan on drinking during holidays,just dont put truck out of sevice,put yourself out too,you could be called for drug test,but probably not alcohol test
HAVE HAPPY HOLIDAY

RichM · Dec 23, 2006

RE: Two Kinds of

As Steve say the big thing is the Citation,or a fatality will result in a test even though you were not issued a citation.I am not certain if this is true, but the illustrious Pat G from Fedex safety told me once that if a commercial vehicle had to be towed from the scene that would also result in a test.

It's very rare but if you were out of service and the truck was availble you could possibly get a call stating that they needed the truck to help out with a transfer due to a breakdown. The driver of the broken down unit would complete the trip in your truck and return it to you.

Another rare situation is that if you were available and the truck out of service you could get a call asking you to pickup a rental unit to service a key customer.

I have been stopped driving a truck at a roadblock in NM where they waved some type of red wand that could detect alcohol in the cab. This way they don't have to ask you to consent to an alcohol test.

terryandrene · Dec 23, 2006

RE: Two Kinds of

Whether required or not required by your carrier or the government, I think it would be a wise business decision for a CDL holder to get a drug and alcohol test after any accident. There are too many litigious people in this world who would see the logo on your truck and figure you'd have plenty of money to share with a poor accident victim, injured or not. It would be nice to have test results when the plaintif tells the judge you had the smell of alcohol on your breath and your eyes were glazed.

Tennesseahawk · Dec 23, 2006

RE: Two Kinds of

We were told in orientation: Tow, ticket, nurse, or hearse. If a vehicle has to be towed, if you get a ticket, or if someone goes to the hospital or dies, you get a drug test. Gotta agree with Terry... too much can happen after any accident. Ambulance chasers can concoct any story they want. If you've had the drug test, at least those facts are on your side.

"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas

jaminjim · Dec 23, 2006

RE: Two Kinds of

I think the company should submit to a test if they wanted me to loan my truck to an unknown person to complete a run.

But I will admit to being asked to go get someones loaded truck and finish the load from Ohio into Canada. Can you say no thankyou fast enough.

Can you hear it now: Anything to claim, why no sir/mam Guns, drugs, sex tapes. Real answer would be I don't know, can you say inspection.

nightcreacher · Dec 23, 2006

RE: Two Kinds of

in 23 years in this business,ive helped a guy by going with him to finish load,ive driven a leased truck to finish my load as to a wreck,but ive never been asked to let someone take my truck to do his load,its always they want me to take his trailer,so if its miller time,put yourself out of service,and truck,cover your butt

marvinkwagner · Dec 23, 2006

That was somthing that I didn't know about.

Thank you.

How ever No worries:
No Im not Square but

I don't Drink I cant stand the taste nor the feeling like crap the next day. In the service I would go out and watch every one else get soused and laugh at there actions as they got drunk I had a good time watching the stupid things they did while they got drunk
I don't Smoke I can't stand the smell and who wants yellow teeth not to mention lung and throat cancer.
I don't Dip who wants to eat worm dirt any way and then get bad gums and teeth.

I don't do Drugs I never have and never Will. The School I went to you got the Heck beat out of ya if they thought you were a drugee.

But again thanks for the Information I didnt know that

Kevin Wagner USN Ret 23years

cheri1122 · Dec 23, 2006

Rich, you said it's rare, but one could get a request to allow another driver to complete a run in your truck - I can't believe any driver would permit an unknown driver to take their truck anywhere, for any reason. The potential liability is too great to risk, IMO. JamminJim is right: a company that asks you to do that should be drug tested themselves!

davekc · Dec 23, 2006

We did this once back in the Roberts days, but we knew the driver. He fell ill and we completed his load and took his truck home.
Biggest difference was we knew the driver. It would be tough in todays world, even more so if you didn't know them.

Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

RichM · Dec 23, 2006

RE: Two Kinds of

There is no way that I would allow a stranger to take my truck but it is a possibility that you could get asked to do it.

A few years ago we were dispatched on a run from Vancouver BC to Rochester NY. It was some special chemicals going to Kodak. Well in looking at the log books it was obvious that we did not have the hours to go straight through. I communicated this info when I was in Spokane WA and gave the hours that we could run for the next 2 days.

Well they came back with some crazy proposals,we would turn our truck over to some other team in Minneapolis and this unkown team would take the freight to Rochester and hopefully come back to Minneapolis.
My answer was no way. Then they proposed finding a single driver who would drive while we spent time in the sleeper getting some hours back. Once again I said no way.How in the world could I rest with a stranger behind the wheel of my truck. Dispatch found this hard to understand.

End of story,we arrived in Rochester about 24 hours late from the original delivery time and when I pulled off the NYT there was a guy waiting in a pick up. He took one drum and blasted away while we went in on our regular pace. Moral is "who would turn over their investment to a stranger and hope all goes well". Not this guy

EagerBeaver · Dec 24, 2006

RE: Two Kinds of

I just sent a message on the clink (qualcomm) and asked if there was a seperation of truck and driver when it comes to out of service and if there was to go ahead and place us drivers out to. Reply was "done" so I did a status check and found under our names as drivers the words
out of service
out of service personal

Truck also showed out of service as usual, I thank you for turning me on to this.
I always put truck on as solo and designated my co driver as driver if I wanted to have a drink with dinner. But didnt expect to be at risk when truck was out of service. Now we know, "and knowing is half the battle" -G.I Joe (I think)

Who's crackin?

DannyD · Dec 24, 2006

I wasn't aware of the two kinds of out of service. I'd just say "I'm out of service" & leave it at that. And like the others, if I'm out of service no one else is going to be using my truck. I'm just shaking my head that someone would even suggest that a driver loan out his or her truck. I wonder if the one suggesting it would be so eager to loan out their car.

Happy Holidays,
Danny