We have all been there. You are driving down the highway and an 18-wheeler appears to have a precarious load, or is easing into your lane. This rush of fear and adrenaline is a result of our primal understanding that this moving mass can cause mass damage! As drivers, we want to trust that the truck, its operator, and the load is is carrying are secure and safe for transport. Unfortunately this is not always the case.
Trucking companies have amassed a variety of ways to continue doing business despite state and federal safety regulations – and every single their trucks hit the road your life is in danger.
How Trucking Companies Continue to Keep Trucks on the Road
From blatantly ignoring legal notices to playing the system, trucking and transportation companies can continue business as usual, and your safety is in jeopardy.
In a recent Northeast Ohio case, a trucking company was ordered to cease operations after an inspection uncovered over 40 violations on one truck! The catch, this company was supposedly already out of business. Since 2014, this company had already been ordered twice, to complete a laundry list of repairs.
In the US, many complain that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) are simply not doing enough to prevent dangerous equipment and companies from hitting the roadways. While an easy online search can uncover any trucking or transportation company’s safety and history records – an equally easy purchase can gain a company a new USDOT identifier and ultimately a clear bill of health.
The Motivation
Greed is the top motivator for trucking companies that continue to operate with unsafe equipment. While some infractions may seem trivial, there are many moving parts that need to work together and even a single small item could cause a problem. For some owners and operators, justifying and pushing these very real, very dangerous issues out of their mind is second nature.
Some companies that face expensive repair bills, excessive fines and other related fees resort to cheating the law and have a reckless disregard for human safety.. The cost of human life and injury is a distant worry – and our laws and regulations are not doing enough to ensure this doesn’t happen.
