I recently was driving to work on the interstate when I saw a big rig approaching from behind – rather quickly, I might add. I checked my speedometer and noticed I was going just above 70 mph myself, so the guy in the tractor catching up to me obviously was traveling well above that. I guessed to myself that he probably was an independent trucker who probably didn’t have all of the latest safety gizmos and doodads hooked up to his rig – you know, the ones that tell the guys back at fleet headquarters how fast their trucks are going and if they’re breaking the law while they’re doing it.
Much to my surprise, however, the truck that whizzed by me didn’t have a label on the side of the door that indicated he was a lone wolf risking a speeding ticket – rather, it belonged to a rather recognizable company. I wondered to myself why the driver for this well-known carrier was in such in hurry – and if his safety supervisors at headquarters knew he was floorboarding it well over the speed limit. Believe me, if I mentioned the fleet’s name, you’d know for sure the company certainly has the financial resources to be using most, if not all, of the latest safety technology on the market.
But that begged the question “If his bosses know he’s speeding, they’ll certainly do something about it.” And hopefully someone back home did notify the driver that he was exceeding the posted speed limit that morning – but I’ll never know for sure. Part of me wondered if I should call the “How’s My Driving?” 800 number on the back of his trailer – certainly those phone numbers aren’t there just for show.
I didn’t call the 800 number, and part of me now wishes I had. But knowing the company, I have to believe the driver eventually was scolded. I suppose the lesson I took from the experience was that in today’s tight driver market, even the larger fleets have the occasional bad apple slip through the hiring cracks. Hopefully this driver’s poor behavior was noticed, and he’s now been reprimanded – or perhaps fueling the most current driver turnover statistics.
