Quote:
Originally Posted by Calvin
There is a bulkhead door that comes between the driver and cargo. The driver has to close the cargo door while they leave the truck to deliver packages. They also have to close the door when the truck is moving. What UPS is anal about safety is, if they can't hear horn, siren or any kind of noise surrounding. If the children playing around the package car without driver knowledge, and if they run over and if driver can't hear screams etc.
They are just worried about the liability bs. Hearing drivers do get in accidents and it had happened in my UPS location which totalled a couple of UPS trucks in the past.
It not just about deaf drivers, its hearing drivers also have safety issues too. Also UPS is part of federal company and is with DOT rules same as postal service. Independent company probably would be different and let deaf people drive, such as floral delivery, pizza delivery, etc for example.
Let's hope in the long run they will resolve this and at least give deaf drivers a try for those drivers job. Like I said earlier it's wait and see situation.
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Do they have convex mirror on back of UPS truck (mirror mounted on top side or side of truck)? (similiar to what you saw at Convenience store or Grocery store for clerk to see what their customers are up to at back end of the store) This allow driver to see what's behind the truck while backing up. Do they have two mirrors on driver's left or right side, one large rectangular mirror adjusted that driver can see convex mirror on back side of truck and upper surrounding area and 2nd mirror is a "fish eyed" view mirror to see everything on side of the truck??
Most important thing is to back up SLOWLY!! Not just normal backup. Also must have Emergency flasher on while backing up. It's driver's responsibilty to keep eye on Convex mirror looking what's around the rear bumper. Also newer trucks have rear camera to allow them to see and back up safetly. (some backup camera have "fish eye" view to see almost everything behind the truck.)
For kids, It is driver's responsibility to check AROUND and UNDER the truck to be sure no kids are are around the truck. If you see kids playing near the truck, you simply tell the kids to move as far as possible. But it's best that you park where you DON'T NEED TO BACK UP unless Absolutely neccessary. So basically, just park that you can drive out one way. Don't park on driveway where you have to backup.. That's the safety. I learned that from USPS driver training class.
I've heard UPS in Lenexa, KS (hub in Lenexa) had serious backup accident that killed the Package Loader employee. The Semi-tractor trailer backed up while the Package Loader got down outside of dock and tried to pick up thing that fell through between trailer and dock. The first Tractor Trailer left while guy was on ground and another Trailer immediately moved in and crushed him and driver didn't hear his scream. The driver lost his job. It was on the newspaper.
My point is that It doesn't make any difference if they are hearing or deaf, they do still makes mistake. UPS don't get the point...
For example:
My deaf friend who was a Omaha Paper employee who drive Semi-Tractor and travel all over across State of Kansas to pickup bundled cardboards. The manager had to let him and one of driver go after 6 months of working because of budget reason. Months later, he visited Omaha Paper Co to find out if they would re-hire him. The manager was glad to see him again and admitted that couple of their drivers that he hired after letting him go wrecks Company's semi-tractor just short period of time. He was disappointed that he should NOT have let my friend go the first place because he admitted that my friend is the best driver he ever have. But he couldn't hire him back cuz the CEO of company doesn't want to pay double monthly payment for insurance (Zurich Insurance Co) cuz he's deaf. So he couldn't hire him back. My friend told me that Zurich Insurance Co is very wrong for charging double on Company cuz of deaf CDL drivers. It's plain wrong!
Catty