OK for the last time! My original question was "are you a driver wth a disability?" I haven't seen one relevant reply. My disabilities are as follows: clubbed foot (both) at birth and many surgeries to correct them and not at all a problem with walking, standing, climbing, any thing at all to hinder truck driving. Also a spinal defect at birth which affects my hands,I have very weak grip strength.When my trainer didn't like my shaky attempts to downshift during slow driving the gears grinded and he saw my clumsy attempt to force the shifter into gear. Yeah I'm weak, but if ihad been allowed to practice more, there would have been no problem, it was just a matter of having the right RPM for the shift gate to open. So, when my trainer spoke toMaintenance about getting me an auto shift truckbecause of my shifting, it caused me to be re-evaluated by safety & they saw the same clumsy shifting & failed me.Now do you get it? I wasn't trying to hide anything, I am an able driver who holds a Class A CDL issued by my home state who also tested and approved my ability to drive a commercial motor vehicle. The trucking company was CRST and the trainer was Benito who after showing me how big his asshole was decided to befriend me a little bit, but his nonstop ranting to everyone he knew at CRST about my disabilities caused red flags to go up at safety. I could have dragged Benito through the mud wih me to the safety guy who fired me, but seeing myself as everyone else, and being the new kid on the block wouldn't have carried much weight. I saw benito in road rage mode, excessively speeding, his truck was goverened at 77mph unlike all the others which would only do 65.He would almost never allow a stop at a rest area and I was not able to force him to do so.And he would also do most of the city driving because he wasn't afraid to speed which he said he wouldn't force me to do, but as you all know, time is money.He averaged 8000 miles a week, got paid for all the miles because I was on salary while training.His head was so far up his own ass he didn't care if I made it.He even got more sleep than I did, stayed on the phone all the time, and spoke to everyone he knew in Spanish. I told him how rude I thought that was, but that didn't matter to him. I could go on and on. But the end of the story is I got the shaft & he got the prize.He even gets another new truck in January, he already has an 06 Freightliner with all the toys, now he'll get one with more chrome and fancy details for being such a valued trainer!

Low or non existant grip strength is in my opinion is a deal breaker. I realize that there are outfits out there that are willing to give drivers a break to get another hot body in the seat, but I'm telling you right now that I think your reasoning or rational is coming from someone who knows little to NOTHING about the industry and to be frank, I think you where hiding or trying to minimized your disabilities. This works in the school world (they by and large don't really care about your future) and the admin types at the trucking company.

When the rubber hit the road, your disability showed to be a problem in the real world as it relates to the job. This job requires MUCH more than just shifting and turning in "slow maneuvers". If you are ever in trouble (like a steer tire blow out) your disability can cause death dismemberment and total destruction of the truck the load and your company's financial well being if not total existence. I'm sorry to break this too you, but there are certain jobs where a disability just means that you are not and should not be even considered for the job.

Safety did their job! They are there to protect YOU, the general public and their company. This is a check and balance. There are many drivers who are where you are. This isn't about your disability no matter how much you WANT it to be. This is about time frame and your performance.


This means NOTHING! The federal standards are VERY LOW and those with some pretty horrible driving skills are out there right now saying the things that you are saying. CDL school is like high school! You get through and then the next higher level is training, the next level is the real world. You just failed to meet the standards to compete in the next level.

I've been where you trainer was a few times! When the "powers that be" want to run drivers through the program that can not drive, there seems to be a problem when those who know better (and I'm in no way defending the lion share of "trainers" out there) are doing an honest evaluation on the driver THEY HAVE BEEN WITH IN A TRUCK.

I could have dragged Benito through the mud wih me to the safety guy who fired me, but seeing myself as everyone else, and being the new kid on the block wouldn't have carried much weight.

IF you could have given and honest evaluation on the trainer at that time then it was your DUTY to do so. I really do not think that you could have at the time.

ALL of these are credible and worthy points, BUT there is a problem with it. MOST trainers and training programs have DE-evolved into this system and the drivers who complain about it (real trainers) are in the majority. None of this means that you can drive and survive and not kill anyone with your physical limitations. NONE of it!


You're kidding right? Did you speak to everyone you knew in English? How RUDE!!!! Maybe his friends and family spoke........ wait for it.............

SPANISH?

Sounds like sour grapes to me. This guy met the standards and HAS a job, you where trying to get the job and meet a standard.... you didn't.

ooops double

billy i was not aware companytrucks at crst would go that fast.
y not just cut your losses and move on to a company with autoshifts like usxpress they also have air release fith wheels.
i am however concerned with someone showing you his ahole r you joking or is this for real?

OK, I suppose all of you who replied were just as perfect the day you started driving without need of practice, which makes for perfection, as you are now. I'm impressed!!!! I've been driving since I wasn't even old enough to get a license & I sure must be stupid to think that my accident free record would somehow make me a candidate for the unsafe driver award. How many of you, answering honestly, do dumb distracting things while driving your rigs like reading maps, drinking coffee, talking on phone, etc;etc;....You might say"I'm that good cause I've had lots of practice" or " I've been doin this so long, I can do it with my eyes closed"
What makes you think you'll be ready or alert enough to avoid an accident? Also, tell me that you'll stop driving the very first time you notice your grip starting to weaken when Arthritis stiffens your joints, How many of you are so fat, you can barely walk? How many of you have sleep apnea and do nothing about it? Do you even dare to admit that to anyone in Safety? I have lots of room for improvement and I was also the first one to admit it. I also have the ABILITY to IMPROVE, and the WILLINGNESS to do so. And Still not one person has answered my original question " Are you a driver with a disability, and how are you, or were you treated?"

Hey Fozzie, what were you trying to say about the speaking in Spanish thing? I know Latino people have friends and relatives who know not English and I'm open to that fact, BUT,I often could detect when I was the one being talked about, and I'm sure if it was you, you'd feel the same way I did. I'm really sorry I ever said anything at all about my own problems, (how selfish of me!) on ths site. I don't need a pity party, just an equal opportunity to provide for my family. The dumbest thing I've done is to expect help from here when I know better that God will bless me when I get my head out of my own ass & look to Him and try to be a blessing in someone else's life. Have a Nice day,
Billy

billy ill be the first one to answer your question yes i have a disabilty if you consider being a narrowminded ahole a disability.
I dont get the firing you for failing you evaluation after you allready passed it in orientation either.
if you truly feel you have been wronged which im sure is the case, then heres a link for you.
You can call speak to one of their lawyers ..651.454.5800
or check their site out
http://www.truckersjusticecenter.com/
good luck

I've had students who spoke spanish all the time to their friends and family and even in person while I was standing there. Was I being talked about? I'd like to think so, I was the primary force in their lives at the time and they were going through something that they never had done before. My first student EVER was from Columbia and spoke broken english. I'm just not that paranoid nor worried.

You got an "equal" opportunity and you flubbed it. I've failed drivers on road tests and CDL skills tests and the people fall into two distinct groups. There are those who take the responsibility and accept that they through their own performance failed to meet standards and will do better next time, and those who will not no matter how badly they did and no matter how much training, re-training and re-re training that they get will blame the moon, the stars, the man on the street, the cat next door and still will end up in the same place. They seem so sure that trucking is so damn simple that anyone can do it, when that little playhouse gets burned down, they blame of course anything and everyone because they of course have just called those before them who have failed idiots! You did not fail because of your disability, you failed because of your preconceived notions and were not up to the tasks and standards that the company set for you. Either do something to meet those standards or quit. All the other rants and raves is just crying over spilled milk!

Get over it! Get over yourself, and either apply yourself to get back in or shut up and get out! I hear the victims all the time and rarely does the story change much.

I know what you mean fozzy i had a one student that got into my truck you tell them to start in 1st or second only, after youve seen them trying to start in 4th or 5th and they attempt to start out in forth with the button up,ninth i thought this punk did it on purpose after i spent my own money putting him up in a nice hotel he went awol good for him. but i think this billy guy has a point. i know years ago when i trained i always did better on the first road test then the one after training was done. hes says he was training the saftey dept already gave him a road test and then allof a sudden hes not qualified. the easiest solution is to find another carrier and keep trying.