Justice...

I was at work at 08:45 this morning ready to do the backing I was told to do with a different trainer than the day before. However, before hand the senior manager wanted to let me know that I was to get a new dispatcher (one that understood where I am coming from) and that he wished me luck on the backing. When I walked out the the yard I saw a rookie driver trying to learn how to blindside back. He
was having all kinds of trouble but was refusing to give up. After 30 minutes, it was my turn.

Everything went fine until I was told I failed for not using my seat belt. In my entire career, in close quarters backing, I have never used a seat belt as you need to move around so much to see everything. I  was told that was company policy, that the driver facing camera records everything when the truck is moving (a lie) and that he would let the senior manager know I failed.

I let the senior manager know where I was coming from. I let him know in 3 trucks over the last 6 months have never recorded me (that I know of) backing up and that safety has never said anything to me about it. I also let him know that I was on probation for a seat belt violation 6 months ago for doing what I have done my entire career – a tree was block my vision to the right and so I took my seat belt off, inched the truck out, verified it was clear – drove off and then put my seat belt back on – that was an absolute violation as I had no seat belt on when I was on a public road – even for a moment. The next time I was at thar customer, a video was generated of a hard brake – I nearly hit a car that I didn’t see – but I had my seat belt on… Policy is policy but it shouldn’t be absolute.

UNKNOWN to me I was told a few good drivers were let go because of the backing up seat belt policy that other drivers disagreed with to.

 UNKNOWN to me was they turned the cameras off the last 6 months while backing and seeing if the videos of hard brakes while backing or hard impacts while backing were generated while a driver was or wasn’t wearing a seat belt. Seems more backing accident while a driver had a seat belt on then off. Why they don’t really know but it could because of not being able to see everything – they are still evaluating everything.

UNKNOWN to me the company backing while not using a seat belt policy was changed a few weeks ago and that drivers were to be asked to wear it but they would understand why we don’t WHILE backing – under 5 mph – and that all other seat belt violations are still in effect. That trainer I had didn’t even know of the policy change yet.

I am lucky to be at “the right place / right time knowing that my career could have easily ended yesterday. I am very grateful for my dad to not only give me the patience to not raise my voice but to ask questions of why and to state your case and see where the chips fall. I also know I will be watched VERY closely in how I do things at work – which is perfectly fine with me as policy is policy except when it doesn’t make sense.

A heck of two days though and I am very tired… again grateful for a second chance though...