Black Boxes and Trucking Companies
So-called black boxes capture lots and lots of data of importance to lawyers in motor vehicle litigation. The information contained in these devices can literally make or break a case. In trucking cases, log books are now kept on computer by some trucking concerns.
This article talks about the fight in the trucking industry over these on-board data recorders, an issue coming to a head because the federal government may order that trucking logs be keep via computer rather than paper.
As one would expect, major resistance is coming from owner-operators. Many large trucking companies who insist that their drivers follow the law are already using on-board recording devices.
We will keep an eye on this issue in the coming months.
I have driven trucks both with and without the Qualcomms. The only problem I have with them is that the driver has no way of printing out a hard copy of the communications he engages in over them-thus no record of what took place between him and his driver manager. The company can make print outs of what was communicated but not the driver. Computers are like anything else in this world, what one can do, another can undo.
True, but what one does leaves a record, and one who undoes something another does will pay a price for it.
Thats true too.
Just a few more comments about the box for you and your readers.
A lot of "fuss" (for lack of a better word) is being made about Werner and their paperless logs.
I have nothing against Werner or any other trucking company in this country-they do their thing and I do mine, but first of all you have to realize that companies like Werner, J.B. Hunt, Schneider, and Arnold, just to mention a few, are not your "Typical" trucking companies and should not be used as role models for the rest of the trucking industry. They have "Distinct Advantages" over the rest of the trucking industry.
For one, the majority of their accounts are drop and hook accounts, meaning all the driver has to do is pull into a place, drop his trailer, pick up another one and go on about his business. Most of them do not have to wait until a shipper or consignee decides to load or unload their trailers.
Another "Distinct Advantage" is the size of these companies. They are so big they "Command" respect from shippers/consignees, meaning these shippers and consignees are not going to hold their trucks up too long for fear of having to pay big detention charges.
The "Typical" trucking company does not have those advantages so they have to "put up" with more from a shipper/consignee than the larger companies or they wont be able to survive. This means a lot of waiting for the driver! A lot of burning of his available hours!
Why should a driver be held responsible for something that is beyond his control??? They dont put an attorney in jail if "he" loses a case? They dont put a car mechanic in jail if "he" completely messes up your car when you take it to get him to "fix it"? (I know this from personal experience!) So why then, would you put a truckdriver in jail or fine him a big fine for something that "he" had Absolutely NOTHING to do with???? Can anyone answer that for me? I have searched and searched but cannot find a reasonable answer for it from anyone?!
To call Werner a "Typical" indication of how trucking is done is not only ludicrous, but is "Grossly Airheaded".
I'm sorry if you think I'm out of place but I'm not sorry for the way I think. I wish you the best!