EOBR’s
Justice for Truckers
Rickey Gooch [email protected]
William Salin [email protected]
615-443-2088
________________________________________
EOBR’s
The answer to the FMCSA fatigued driver scenario is the very expensive EOBR
unit. For some reason the big brains at the FMCSA think tank think that a
machine telling a driver what to do will somehow make drivers operate safer.
I was talking to a long time trucker this morning that not only is as close
as you can get to a perfect driver but also a perfect CSA educated driver.
Let’s call him Dave.
Dave has been driving for many years for a major hazardous materials trucking
company. He has always loved his job. If fact Dave has been a trainer for his
company for years and the company go to guy when something needs to be done
right. It was nothing to be talking to Dave and have an upper level company
executive break into our conversation and take Dave away to another call.
About two months ago Dave came to work after being away at another company
division office training drivers and discovered that all the trucks at his
facility had been fitted with EOBR’s.
Dave was very familiar with the units even though he had never had to use one
before. Dave liked using paper electronic logs and felt that EOBR’s might be
a good idea. It was certainly worth a look.
The first week Dave had the new EOBR log he experimented and learned
everything he could about the device. Soon he had the unit mastered and
settled in for an easier less stressful journey due to the sales hype of the
FMCSA propaganda.
Before the week was up Dave found that his new robotic friend was anything
but a friend. Usually by the time Dave was nearing his 70 hour rule he would
always have 5 or 6 hours left. With his new EOBR managing his time if there
had been no unusual stalls on the road he would only have an hour or so. He was
also told exactly when to stop and sleep and when to wakeup. His fuel stops
were even timed away so not one minute could be spent being a human. Yep
Dave’s new log buddy now controlled his life in such a way that Dave found
himself tired all the time. Sleepy in fact with a few tons of fuel in his
tow.
So my friend Dave got on the phone to report his findings to those in his
company who always called on him when the job needed doing right!!!
Long story short Dave is about to go to work for a new carrier now. Yep gave
up that 90000 dollar plus job because Dave knows he can’t spend what he
can’t make if he is dead.
Dave’s experience is real and what he tells me I can believe. When Dave
discovered CSA he made sure he knew it well. The major company Dave has
worked for all these years still has not mentioned CSA to any of its drivers
but when they read that the FMCSA wanted EBOR’s in every truck they had no
trouble spending hundreds of thousands to make Mr. LaHood happy. EBOR’s for
fleets? Looks like a driver rebellion waiting to happen. Question is are
they going to be rebelling against you or your company?
Rickey Gooch
Justice for Truckers
