After a little over a years faithful service to company which included being a Driver Trainer and Road test Examiner.
I was involved in a single vehicle (my Truck) accident. The company placed me on unpaid suspension waiting the results of the safety commitee investigation.
After 6 weeks of not making any money and not being able to apply for any type of new work (because was still classified as employed by said company) the fired me for unsafe safety rating.
This mind you my only accident the whole time I was with company and up to this point not a single moving violation or ticket.
While Driving down I-95 in New Haven Ct it was about 11:30 pm on Oct 8th. It was raining, visibility was good, roads where wet but passable.
I had just gone through the interchange of I-91 and I-95 headed south to Delaware on my dedicated account. A car traveling south bound pulled in front of me from the far left lane.
I was in the middle lane of 3. After about 100 yards the car put on his brakes for no appearant reason. I applied my brakes and my ABS on the tractor failed causeing the tractor brakes to lock up.
The trailer (53' dry van) was empty and started to come around me. I ended up jack knifeing and going through the gaurd rails taking out a light pole and into a set of trees along the side of the highway.
The truck was totalled. When the police arrived a witness told the state trooper what had happened, then I gave my statement as well.
The Trooper then gave me a ticket for failure to maintain my lane. Said it was just a basic titcket and that all i had to do was pay it and it wouldnt even show up on my license.
I then had some friends come and get me and bring me to a hotel in Springfield Ma. Waited for a drug test guy to get there to test me for drugs and alcohol. (which never was or ever would be in my system at any time).
The next few days I repeatedly tried to get in touch with safety to let them know to check the truck and they would see that the ABS failed on the tractor.
The Tractor was also sceduled to go to Volvo that coming weekend for some major repairs.
The company just kept delaying me and telling me they were waiting for report from safety board. Well because I went 6 weeks without pay I was not able to pay the ticket.
Which has resulted in me losing my right to drive a commercial vehicle. And the report that USXPRESS made on my termination states unsafe safety rating.
Which in turn has made it impossible for me to get a job with any other trucking company.
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