Just an update on this subject. Was reading through the news section, and saw this. Guess the DOT doesn't see things clearly.
http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_6917656...e=most_emailed

 

Wow. $7,400 and $1,260? That's it? For killing a person? Jeezzz
They still have a satifactory rating? Jeezzz
They all still have their jobs? Jeezzz
What is the purpose of FMCSA? Do they have any authority at all? Sounds like they are either totally incompetent or some people were paid off.

 

It's possible that determination was the driver was cut off by another car which led to the roll over and eventually the death of that person. That could be a reason there were no criminal charges.

As for the fines, I wonder if they follow a preset fine schedule. Maybe falsifying logs is the same no matter what, so when you are 15 minutes off on a fuel stop, the fine is not $20k.

It's unfortunate that the victim's family has very little "justice", but the courts have decided what the penalties will be.

 

As with all cases, the court surely has some latitude. I wonder what the recommendations were from the FMSCA?
You know L&H's insurance company is trying to bail on them as fast as they can. The civil case could be a major $$ judgement against them.

 

i'm sorta a rookie, well, a rookie, ok? i used to be proud of being a "professional driver". i tried playing by the rules. :roll: now i am a truck driver. i get the load there on time. i pull areefer and carry lots of strawberries. i bend the rules when i need to. i have only met a few drivers who follow the dot hos to the letter. a professional driver would turn down a load going 1500 miles and has to be there in 36 hrs. a truck driver will get it there on time and safely. turned in 4600 miles last week. at $1.29/mile i can't claim to be a professional driver anymore :lol: . my logs are legal and pass dot inspections. should be a poll concerning how many drivers push,bend,strech, or just say heck with it and git er done.

 

This is just the beginning of the payouts.

I also felt dissapointed on the fines being so low. There is alot more to it that will be following.

I do feel there is some sort of "pay off" going on though. I know if they lose their "satisfactory" rating they will lose their 2 biggest accounts. How can you have over 90 violations and still get a satisfactory rating?

Also, as far as the family of the woman that was killed.....they were just waiting for this investigation to be completed.

Now that they have proof that the driver was driving illegally with dispatchers knowledge they can pretty much name their price for the wrongful death lawsuit.

This will equate to $$$millions$$$ to be paid by L & H Trucking, Inc.

 

I'm sorry but the last time I had freedom of choice and those drivers make a choice to drive illegal. I don't feel anyone is forced unless they have a gun to their head and their life is on the line. That driver should have some nuts and stick up for whatever he believes in.

 

A person lost their life, we do not know anything of the woman, her family or how their lives are forever changed.
Same with the driver and his family. He certainly should never be allowed to operate another commercial vehicle.
The people that work for the company, the "innocents" that had nothing to do with falsifying logs. How will they be impacted with the loss of their jobs if the company is forced out of business?

All for what? What was the purpose? A few extra measly dollars.

People are always complaining they are being overly regulated by government. But the reasons for the regulations are that some within that industry, violate the rules of common sense, common decendency, and endanger the safety and lives of others. All this is done because of greed. Their own personal greed, nothing more.

 

if dot changed the rules that we could drive within an 18 hr period, would that make things better, this woman is still dead

if they got totally away with logbooks, would that make things better?

what if they did away with logbooks altogether, would you guys change your mind? this "its breaking the law" crowd amaze me, because we all know they change laws depending upon cirucumstances that many times have nothing to do with anything other than appeasing a specific group

if he had run over her after only driving four hours, would you guys then congratulate him?

accidents happen, thats a part of life, and even if it was my own family, i realize that accidents happen

if the guy was drunk or drugged up or even up for 20hrs straight, i would have an issue, but 90min over his 14 hrs does not mean he is the devil

and yes, we all have the ability to say NO, but we also know what happens when you say NO.

if the guy was tired, he should have pulled over, regardless, no load is worth dying or killing anyone, thats pretty much all any us should really have to say about the matter.

sorry for the loss of life, sorry that it makes the trucking industry look bad, but again, accidents happen

 

as far as the company goes, they are trying to make a profit out here, i dont know them, they may be the devil or they may be a good bunch of people trying to make their company profitable and need drivers to push the envelope

we all drive over the speed limit at various times, though we all know the consequences, why? because the speed limit is a general rule based upon some engineers study, but we all know, we go 70mph because we have done it, its safe, and we havent killed anyone

the road, the vehicle and the driver and conditions can handle the speed. the only ones who have a problem is that the cop who has been commanded to go out and make his quota now has it issue tickets, and then some of us get pompous and say, you shouldnt have broken the law

but the speed limits went up nationwide all over the country from 55mph to 70mph, with no major changes in the roads, so why was it wreckless, illegal and dangerous one day and after they pass a law, all was ok?

because little of it has anything to do with safety.

if they really cared about safety, all vehicles would be governed at 45mph or even less

why dont we try that instead?