Fired...
#11
10-07-2008, 01:01 PM
If you hit a power line with a rig that was not over-dimensional, odds are you took out a service drop, not a power line. Contacting either one can render you just as dead, but there is no real convention for service drop height. Also, I would be willing to wager your CB antenna is *not* stout enough to remove even a service drop...something more substantial on your vehicle got it.
The state utility commission, in conjunction with the power company sets the clearance limits for the given area/situation. The "feds" have *zero* to do with it. Again, as stated above, who stops? As long as you didn't snap a pole and drag it down the road... Last edited by HWD; 10-07-2008 at 01:05 PM.
#12
10-07-2008, 01:11 PM
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In my own little world, that rides right behind the cab.
Posts: 615
Funny aside to this. A few month back, down in Fl. I was on my way home down a street I know well. Thought to myself "Self, they must have finally put all the phone, cable TV and power lines underground", Got to the light at the corner and found where they had gone, here sat a dump truck waiting to turn right with of them strung from the front of his half up dump bed. Blew the air horn and pointed but he just waved made his right turn and set of to clean off some other streets.
Often wonder what that boy was on.
#13
10-07-2008, 02:41 PM
Sorry, I should have clarified a little better. The wire caught where my CB antenna bolts on, not the antenna itself, and yeah I took the pole down and dragged it a little. I didn't break or snap the actual wire. The pole was rotted to all hell and could have been kicked down from what I could see. I didn't realize I was snagged until I saw sparks in my mirror (which turned out to just be the lightbulbs breaking) It wasn't a high voltage line. It was just a little street light or something of that nature. The funny part of this whole thing is some guy in a wheelchair came up to my window and told me I'm snagged on a powerline (Thanks capt. Obvious), and when I told him he needs to get the hell out of there because it's dangerous, he asks if I could give him a few dollars for a drink haha... Either way, like I said, the cops didn't cite me and I'm waiting for my DAC report and dispute form in the mail just in case I need that. Trust me, I have no love for CRST, I'm just trying to find another job and everybody but Werner and US Xpress has turned me down JUST because I was fired, not even asking about my preventable.
Anyway, on a positive note, I spoke with a fleet manager at a regional OTR company up the street from me today and he couldn't understand why CRST fired me and I gave him all the details. He said as long as I'm 22+, have a class A with hazmat and no excessive traffic violations, they'll probably hire me, so hopefully that'll work out for me. Their miles and benefits are worlds better than CRST's anyway. Last edited by ta93gt; 10-07-2008 at 02:45 PM.
#15
10-07-2008, 03:48 PM
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In my own little world, that rides right behind the cab.
Posts: 615
Just curiouse but what would a US Marshal have to do with it ??? All they do is look for felons who cross state lines.
On the other hand if I cut off power, phones and the Monday night football to 1/4 of a million people I might be a felon 
Last edited by Walking Eagle; 10-07-2008 at 03:52 PM.
#17
10-08-2008, 02:59 AM
So here's my story. I'm a 23 year old man from Pennsylvania. I had been driving bus for the past year and a few months ago, I got my class A and began driving for CRST. I may be young, but I'm a very safety conscious driver, try hard to manage my fuel and speed (4.3% avg. idle) and run as hard as I can without being illegal or putting myself in danger of fatigue. Toward the end of my second month of employment, I was driving along state highway 204 in Savannah, GA when I snagged a low power line. From my understanding, and after talking to a friend of mine who works for the DOT, power lines (or any structure for that matter) are not to be lower than 14' or 14'6" depending on the state, if they cross STATE or FEDERAL highways. Anyway, after the police had arrived on the scene and cleared me to exit the truck, I realized that these lines had caught on my CB antenna. In other words, far too low to be legal. It was late at night when I was driving and I had no way to see or anticipate hitting them. I was not cited or fined by the police. They and the power company employees were very sympathetic to my situation and the officer wrote the most lenient report he could. I did not damage the truck. Unfortunately, CRST didn't see eye to eye and they terminated me upon arriving at their terminal for home time. Now that I've been applying to other companies, I've been getting turned away, not even because of my accident, but because I was fired from my last company. It seems to me CRST doesn't want drivers unless they're completely perfect without flaw. Has anyone had an experience like this. Have any insight? I need to find another job.
Sorry, I should have clarified a little better. The wire caught where my CB antenna bolts on, not the antenna itself, and yeah I took the pole down and dragged it a little. I didn't break or snap the actual wire. The pole was rotted to all hell and could have been kicked down from what I could see. I didn't realize I was snagged until I saw sparks in my mirror (which turned out to just be the lightbulbs breaking) It wasn't a high voltage line. It was just a little street light or something of that nature. The funny part of this whole thing is some guy in a wheelchair came up to my window and told me I'm snagged on a powerline (Thanks capt. Obvious), and when I told him he needs to get the hell out of there because it's dangerous, he asks if I could give him a few dollars for a drink haha... Either way, like I said, the cops didn't cite me and I'm waiting for my DAC report and dispute form in the mail just in case I need that. Trust me, I have no love for CRST, I'm just trying to find another job and everybody but Werner and US Xpress has turned me down JUST because I was fired, not even asking about my preventable.
Anyway, on a positive note, I spoke with a fleet manager at a regional OTR company up the street from me today and he couldn't understand why CRST fired me and I gave him all the details. He said as long as I'm 22+, have a class A with hazmat and no excessive traffic violations, they'll probably hire me, so hopefully that'll work out for me. Their miles and benefits are worlds better than CRST's anyway. Could this be why?
no excessive traffic violations
Drivers has done much worst damages and not get fired. Wrecking a truck and not getting fired. Hitting Customers fences and not getting fired, so why did they fire you for knocking down some lines that was to low in the first place? Not the first time Trucks knocked down power lines, TV Cable lines, and Phone lines.
__________________
Give me the Sea or the Open Road
#18
10-08-2008, 04:28 AM
I was interjecting humor with "A U.S. Marshall said" The bolt that holds the antenna on? How low was this wire hanging. I measured and my cb antenna mounts are 8 feet off the ground, A uhaul couldn't have gotten under that wire.
__________________
Don't trust anybody. Especially that guy in the mirror.
#19
10-08-2008, 05:10 AM
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Speedway Indiana
Posts: 1,751
__________________
Fuel for free. Pre/Post trip for free. Sit at shipper/receiver for free. "Work 80-100, log 70, get paid for 40." Welcome to OTR coolie carrier truck driving!
#20
10-08-2008, 05:40 AM
As for the "no excessive violations" I mentioned, I've never had anything else happen in the truck. I was just mentioning that as part of the terms of this new company I'm looking at. CRST gave no explanation other than "any incident within the first year of employment is grounds for a 'safety termination.'" |
