Do driver still abandon company trucks?
Posted by truckensafely@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 15 comments
With just about every trucking company out there that reports driver’s behavior, just curious what happens if you quit your job & just walk away from where you left it?
Kkalemauser@reddit
I left Werner during training with a trainer, and they put “truck abandonment“ on my DAC report.
The trainer was an asshole.
keytiri@reddit
I got off both of my trainers’ trucks; the last one was after I was after I was supposedly eligible to “upgrade,” but my trainer was threatening to keep running. I didn’t actually have permission for the second one, as I was supposed to wait to be routed back; the company apparently discussed whether or not I should be allowed to upgrade. I told them upgrade me or I’m done, I passed their test and went solo.
After the fact, one of them mentioned they were discussing hitting me with “load abandonment.” At the time of training and immediately after, we’d always been told that anything the trainee does reflects onto the trainer. Apparently I wasn’t the only trainee during that period to be emboldened and they revised the language shortly after us. Another trainee had gotten their trainer fired 🤣.
Maybe they got the last laugh as I’m still working at my “starter” years later 😬.
Kkalemauser@reddit
Lots of local companies don’t even check DAC reports. I’ve been trucking 20 years between 2 companies.
Though 8 months ago got rejected by several local companies. I heard I could go back and fight the mark of my report. I don’t care.
Specialist_Taro8087@reddit
I did the same thing but I called safety over the weekend and was unable to get ahold of my dispatch. Trainer was an actual fucking psycho. I took my bags and got an uber to the nearest greyhound. That Monday I got a call from Werner profusely apologizing.
Kkalemauser@reddit
Werner asked for me to come back with a different trainer, I refused.
I asked for 48 state flatbed trainer got a 11 van western driver.
Werner had me wait 2 days at the terminal for this guy. I should have walked then. This was 20 years ago.
Washedhockeyguy@reddit
That’s a career ending decision. It is never worth it to abandon your truck
BB5er@reddit
The best trucking jobs are usually small companies that serve a specific niche. Even if they do pull a DAC, it’s probably not heavily weighted, and they’ll give you a chance to explain yourself.
I can tell you first hand, it’s less about your explanation and more about how you tell it.
If necessary, own your shit, say something like “not my finest moment.” Be humble, not defensive.
CarPatient@reddit
Dude we had an carrier run a driver out of fuel and then abandoned him the other day.. They called the repo a week and a half after they stopped giving him loads and he had already covered two tanks of fuel for them...
Far-Resort-7483@reddit
From what I've heard, people that do that get blacklisted and get sent a bill for whatever it cost the company to recover their equipment.
firemarshalbill316@reddit
Blacklist sure. Sent a bill? They can eat a dick. If I do abandon a truck, which has to be very special circumstances, I'm way pass caring about a trucking career. And the bill will get a return to sender or G-13 classified.
ExtentAggravating733@reddit
It leaves you liable for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. Was it ever common to do?
ConfectionOk201@reddit
You should never abandon a truck. If it's bad enough that you want to quit, find the closest terminal to you and drive the truck there. Clean the truck out and take pictures of everything to document how you left it. Make sure to give the keys to whoever is in charge at the terminal and let them know what you're doing.
IllustriousLeek39@reddit
The “report” everyone referenced is called DAC. Not every company subscribes to it. They have to pay for the service to report and read. Once you’re past the mega stage of your career DAC isn’t really a thing. However, it is required any future employers reach out to current and past. The responses are limited, but the not eligible for re hire for safety reasons can be a killer.
Delicious_Peace_2526@reddit
Life happens. If you have one of those jobs that sends you out for weeks at a time and won’t get you home, I could see walking away from a truck. My last job would deadhead me home every weekend if they had to. Don’t let dispatchers tell you that you can’t drive 500 miles for some well deserved home time.
TheJuggernaut043@reddit
It goes on your record as truck abandonment.