Trucking companies have been warning of an impending problem for years. Veteran truck operators are retiring, and there are too few younger drivers looking to fill their spots. This has resulted in recruiters becoming less selective when making hiring decisions. Many of the truckers that they do hire lack experience. This concerns many traffic safety analysts.
Human resources officers at many trucking companies used to not give the resumes of truckers who’ve had their commercial driver’s license (CDL) for two or fewer years a second look. They also used to avoid hiring truckers who had accidents or tickets on their record. These companies have had to lower their standards to fill their vacancies though.
If you suffered injuries due to the inexperience of a trucker, contact a Houston personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Call 713-622-7271 today to schedule a free consultation about your case.
Trucking Company Hiring Practices
This new hiring practice has prompted trucking safety organizations to come up with a checklist to use in evaluating candidates.
These safety organizations recommend that trucking companies interview candidates who have stable work histories. They point to mechanics, military veterans and farmers as good candidates for truck driving roles.
Truck safety analysts encourage trucking companies to make sure that their prospective candidates graduated from an accredited CDL school and that they meet Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) guidelines.
Trucking Safety
Trucking safety organizations also emphasize how important it is for these companies to have a stable insurance carrier if they’re going to hire on inexperienced truckers. They recommend that carriers list their truckers and their skill levels. An insurer should have a desirable loss ratio as well.
These organizations also recommend that trucking companies limit the routes to which they assign their inexperienced truckers. They warn that it may be inappropriate to assign a new trucker to travel into a busy city if they’re not experienced in doing so.
Most truck safety analysts recommend for newer truckers to be mentored by more experienced ones as this can equip them with certain knowledge and skills that they’d never be able to learn in the classroom.
Houston is the main transportation corridor. Thousands of trucks pass through the city on an everyday basis en route to other parts of Texas and the rest of the country. The thought of there being many inexperienced truckers hauling goods on our city’s busy roadways is hard to digest. If you’ve suffered serious injuries in a crash at the hands of an inexperienced trucker, then a Houston truck accident attorney can help you recover any compensation that you deserve in your case.
