got routed to your blog by someone who knew that i drives a semi
my name is les fairbanks and i am from minn has been hauling various cargoes the past 10 years and am currently hauling autos across the midwest mainly i never went to a truck driving school a friend who was a driver just told me to get in with him on the passenger side and he showed me how to shift gears and to watch the turning radius and so was born a new trucker i started out hauling sugar beets to the piling stations from the farm fields wet my whistle there by the end of the campaign the other drivers told me i was the best beet hauler they had seen and the owner begged me to drive this load of barley needles to north dakota i was scared to cross state lines but i needed the mortgage payment coming due i did unload it there and another load back home and he asked me to do it again and before i knew it i had hauled 100 some loads ran into some problems at the elevators when the manager didnt want me to take his load to the minneapolis/st paul area but the elevator employee told the manager that i had done it before without a problem and the mgr relented
in all sum of all fears, before i knew it i joined this company that hauls cars all over the lower 48 he has heard of me and asked me to come and work for him i told him i dont have a lic and he said he will help me procure one and when he sat down with me the first time he didnt look at my disability saying he likes to give everyone a chance and he wrote ten pages listing the benefits rules income without mentioning if i can do the job had to go thru the training period (normally three weeks with another driver) i did it in 5 days understood the balancing of the cars pickups to make a load of 10 or 11 cars running over the height limit and the weight limit i never forgot the night of may 5 2001 in which i joined another truck of whom my friend was driving i left my rig in grand forks nd and rode with him to minot with the understanding that when i help him unload and drive back to grand forks that he will also help me unload my load of cars anyway it was a cats and dogs night raining heavily and he got sleepy from the wipers wiping back and forth and misjudged the curve on the hwy and the front tire hit the soft shoulder and spun out of control and we ended up in the median the load of 11 cars was fine but mired in deep mud from all the rain i hid in the sleeper before the cops came around and after the tow trucks came i went out quietly and the cops didnt ask me for my papers friend told them i was riding along to make it short the tows got us out the next afternoon and we finished the load to minot nd and i drove back to grand forks
i am still working for that company and kept all the logbooks and made a short movie my wife who also is hearing challenged rode along with me a lot of times now the drivers for the company owns their own trucks as o.o.e and i am disgusted with the fact that i worked longer than they do and i cant buy my own rig due to license i have a cdl a and a health card that allows me to go interstate the doctor who passed me said he had passed worse drivers than me so he wasnt hesitant in signing thou i am 110 percent deaf in both ears thou i speak english articulatly the drivers make a lot of money while i just sit in the shop ekeing out a living fixing their trucks when i could be making 4 times more hauling cars
i had air failures on my rig and i knew it almost right away when the rig starts to be slower than normal i look at the gauge most trucks dont have buzzers the doctor who regularly signs my health card just keeled over and my card expires today i was in contact with my congressman but hasnt heard anything since
i could go on about bad brakes, hissing hydraulic lines, wobbly front steers, transmission failures , tires blowing that makes me become hearing for 10 minutes but better stop there
Hello,
I wanted to say thank you very much for bring up this topic, I really enjoyed it and can relate to it; because I own and run a towing company here in NC. USDOT and FMCA won’t let me drive my OWN tow truck across the state lines and in my state I am only allowed to tow trucks no more than 10,000 lbs. We drowned in legal battles over that federal regulation 391.41 section 11 which states that a CDL applicant must be able to hear a forced whispered voice from at least five feet away and must not have an average hearing loss greater than 40 decibels in an auditory tests with or without hearing aids. Also you must have a medical card that certifies the hearing capabilities. That law was made in 1951!! No one has even bothered to bring that up to be reviewed, and never answered the most important question of “WHY”? We wrote our congressman Howard Coble and was able to have a personal visit with him. He is an important key player in DOT and FMCA issues. Even allowed a diabetic insulin dependent driver to drive, so hope he would help to get that regulation reviewed and revised. We were told that we should know by late March or early April 2007. We visited with congressman Howard Coble in OCT 2005. This has been a long battle. And to be blunt, NAD would not help at all!!! We already asked NAD in 2005 and found NAD already tried and lost few years ago and so they buried it!! they would not bother with that again but hope they can prove me wrong some day in future. again congrats Jack for brought this vlog up! thanks keep up the battles and do not give up as we never did until the DOT and FCMA get a black eye! thanks
oh good point about truck driver……… i NEVER see any deaf truck driver in southeast location. but i saw mostly hearing and FEW hard-hearing. so i understand some deaf like work truck drive. but in here south carolina one of my old classmate, he work at solider service field but he work with truck drive not as go to WAR serivce just in usa field as rookies solider train at field. anyway they get job and good pay. ……… but in my mind, i think why not get set COMPANY for deaf work truck driver?! i mean deaf company as other company need truck driver ready call to deaf company truck driver so they can get chance job work?? that’s my guess if it’s will be easier for deaf to get job if they have any of company support deaf as can work at home dept bring woods or supplies stuff carries heavy so they can do that if they get good chance work truck driver. and it’s sound not right for company reject them deaf who have TRUCK DRIVER LICENSE it’s not right! and u are right should start talk to NAD discuss about it. that’s all i can offer my idea. hope get success for them. keep up with VLOGS!
I agree with you. I am truck driver too and when they hire me they put me on 3rd shift (overnite). They kept tell me when hire new person will change shift. They never did I worked there many years and finally frustrated then quit. I would like to chat w/you via vp about my experience. Please email me good time to discuss to see if worth to talk. ok? Thankyou, Brad
I want share my experience that I use dream drive semi-truck driver after graduate WSD. So, I happen have my girfriend s father who own semi-truck business that does haul out to western states. So, I ask him if he will hire me for semi-truck driver? He say “no” due to Federal and State regulations and laws. It is really complicated and stupid law and semi truck owner also have poor attitude toward deaf people like you can’t drive this semi truck for many different reasons.
But, all of you deaf and hard of hearing people and communities need work together and knock head on NAD and people in Washington D.C. till they change the regulation and law for Federal and States.
Keep going on Jack’s eye!!!
hey its me again was hoping for more comments so thought i would add my own once again to keep the juice flowing
the salesman from freightliner once told me after i told him that i couldnt haul interstate after my arrest back in 2002 that the reason i cant haul is that the usdot is more concerned about the safety on the road and the salesman laughed and said if they are that concerned they would take half of the drivers off the road on the road i has run into drivers i wouldnt let use my rig some company drivers who runs o o e has requested that i complete their route instead of using another company drivers do so they just know i will haul it to the final destination without any problems
at the scales what i do is i park the steer axle on the scale and count to 10 and then move to the drives and count to 10 once again and then move to the trailer axles and count to 10 again and the move on to the freeway and watch in the mirrors to see if the scale house door swing open fast and the cop run out then i stop and back up or i just run the scale truckerspeak butwhat i hate is those roadside checks at those rest areas i hasnt been stopped there i pull over and they just wave me by back to the interstate
yup in reply to the emails i has hauled porsches bmws and brand new factory vehicles once i stopped at a dealership near montana and boss said to take a corvette new one back to a private party by the iowa border i stopped by to take it on as a backhaul and was given the silent treatment the dealer told me that corvette ah he took me to that car and showed me the sticker price 52000 i said i only wanted the keys and papers he was not real confident and as my boss told me later he called my boss real mad apparently they wanted the best driver to pick it up and deliver it andmy boss said when he called him is he deaf q yup that s him give him the keys and he will deliver it 1000 miles later but the dealer watched me drive the corvette which had stick shift on the trailer and watched me when i chained it down the corvette is a low bottom so i had to adjust the ramps when i drove it on the next day i delivered to the private party and he was happy that it was delivered the next day i drove most of the night past the h o s regulations and most of the day when i arrived at the destination and collected the money
hey once at a truck stop i was taking a piss break i walked back to my rig which had 11 cars on it 94 foot long 14 and 10 inch high i saw some truckers looking at the load and when i saw them talking i approached them they said they wouldnt even think about driving something like that i shut my mouth and pantomined that i cant hear and i took pride in their reaction they said they cant even think about that trailer that rides 4 inches off the bottom of the tar and the swing room i wrote in paper that i been doing this a long time and it is no big deal i just hog the road turning around had some truckers that said they got deaf brothers who wanted to be a trucker and surprised to see that i am deaf also wanted to know how their brother could be a trucker as well qq but they didnt follow up on it
locally people has been asking me to operate a moving van to move them to a new house and they dont have the lic and i do and they ask me to drive the truck and the rental company refused me cuz i am deaf thou i got the top license possible in my state but i said i have a lawyer who is more than happy to take care of this little matter and i drove the rental trucks for my friends and drove it back and dropped it off so this friday i have an appt with this dr i knew i will lose this health card but i know my boss will look the other way as well those o o e drivers they always advise me on how to run the scales those car hauler trucks doesnt run cheap the truck i drove for this guy he bought it new for 230 thousands dollars not including the trailer which ran another 60 more yup 60 000 but the cars on it doesnt run cheap ya know my wife who is deaf also said hey you haul a million dollars worth of cars and usdot dont give ya a lic when yo boss does let ya haul those porsches huh when he dont let his other company drivers do this q he doesnt bat an eye when he gives me a load and ask me to do this another load
i asked the nad a long time ago to assist me and they finally sent me an email that they are washing their hands off that matter leaving me out cut and dry i thought huh some deaf org huh ha so thus i was keepiing all the log books and the videos and the paperwork to prove that i did haul thru 17 inches snowstorms and hail and black ice whatever so when i cant haul no more hah my wife then will say i was hauling those cars a lot better than many that he had to assist in loading cars that is why she made the video of me driving those cars on the truck and trailer
need more input from those truckers now keep this moving on and those truckers that brags too much keep out of it i know some truckers that claim they haul but i know them i steeer clear of them they dont amount to much makes the rest of us real truckers look bad \
Me too, I was hoping for comments from more experienced drivers that have gone through the B.S. with the DOT…
Some older scales have a sign that say roll down your windows and listen/talk with the speakers. I did the same thing with Les…wait 10 seconds, and then process for next axle.
One scale in Colorado has light that turns to green and I processed as I do I check mirrors to make sure that everything is clear. When I am about ready to get on the ramp, the guy opened door real fast like it is going to break the hinges off and waved, I made the judgment to keep going because I was so far ahead and ready to enter the highway.
At Kansas scale, one officer asked me if I have extra hearing aids b-a-t-t-r-i-e-s. Sure, I showed it right out of my pocket!. She smiled and said have a good day!
Am not too happy with people in Ohio, they are worst perspective attitudes I ever seen. At Kroger dock, one guy had to hold my hand, walking to the dock door and gave “instructions” to stay by the door when trailer is unloading. A forklift operator laughed out so loud when he saw that. So dumb!!!!! At a different dock, the boss was panic and looking for someone to back up my rig. I used the gestures while everyone in the office watching us. I told him I can back into the dock without any “pull-up” which I did. After trailer is unloaded, I gave him a blunt “thank you” while the office girls chuckled. At a warehouse in eastern Ohio, forklift operator that keeps putting pallets in, I got vibes that the trailer tandem will be overloaded. Sure bet, they are over by 9,000 lbs. I talked to my dispatcher about this problem and instructed to go back and straighten it out. When I got back, I gave them instructions to shift only 5 pallets around. Guess people in the warehouse couldn’t read plain simple English and left 5 pallets out. Dispatcher said, “Don’t waste time with them and keep moving on to Georgia without that 5 pallets”
At any crowded truck stop, you get couple of pull-ups before you get your entire rig in the right space. When I came in, I noticed all drivers were wide awake and must be enjoying the show, so I said to myself, “Let’s party” I put on their show…to get my Mack with 270” wheelbase and 53’ trailer in WITHOUT a pull-up! Other drivers’ jaws dropped just like in commercial came out and talked to me. When they found out that I wear hearing aids, they open restaurant door to let me go in first. They looked at me and we had a good time chatting!
Am getting sick and tired when I see attitudes from the medical doctors who just too quick to say about forced whisper hearing test and refuse to issue medical card without reading the whole thing. In the 391.43 Medical examinations; certificate of physical examination…If the individual fails the whisper voice test, the audiometric test should be a-d-m-i-n-s-t-e-r-e-d….
Even at truck school, instructors keep asking me…”have you done that before?” I asked them…”When can I take the road test and get hell out of this class”. Regulations prevented me to take early test out. You guys need to recognize that today’s hearing impaired drivers are far much more advanced than you think as to compare in the 1950’s
Few months ago, I got an interview job for Bakery Co. for Diesel Mechanic, they said must have CDL I m not driver just Mechanic so I went to DMV of Wisconsin I asked to take test for CDL said that not allow deaf people get CDL that B.S. Laws. I used to lived in Louisville, KY I used to work part time for T.J. truck & trailer Repair when trucks broke down on highway we are service as 24 hours too dangerous city heavy traffic never happens to me in Kentucky not need have CDL I can back to Ky but I m stuck with my wife want stay in Wisc close her family hard time get job in Wisc too many discrimination.
States and Bush complaints about SSI or SSDI, Deaf people cant get job!
I was worked at “Leaf farm” for meat. at live in kenosha , wis.
I drive a fork lift and trailer driver… so he superivor was mean to me……..
he don`t like a deaf who work anything…. now I tell you. so I was drive a
fork lift stand go to pick up as skid w/ boxes then I go to frezz-room. stop
to pull a door then enter and my eyes ” Watch” as by go to closed door…… now what happed s_ _ _ ! Did man was drive fork lift., he don`t
pay attention to door. just wreck by door. he don`t have a carry.
now he blame to me……. then I Quit !!!!! I pissed off him.
try he want to blame to any to deaf…..
please do you watch to If if if who hearing blame to “DEAF”
never know……. PLEASE you watch any your`s company….OK
I like help to you and you are strong. Don`t FEAR !
lawyer.,
Bryan “davidson” Duerst.
I wish., I am lawyer. BUT .I don`t skill an lawyer….I am so sorry.
OOP ! LOL
actually truck drivers is on the bottom of any job skills so if deaf people not allowed to operate a semi the next lowest is huh what q maybe cleaning toilets or wiping the dispatchers ass not quite the ideal job u have in mind except being on the road miles and miles to roll before u call it a night or a day not remebering the name of the towns and cities you passed thru earlier in the night or the daytime then my wife asked me the day i got home from the asphalt where did you go qq i said huh no idea lemme look at the log book i just know when i am gone too long when i cant handle my dodge ram pickup i drove like 40 mph 10 miles home from the terminal drove it like a drunk pickup got auto but i press the pedal like i shift a semi and back off the pedal like one mile before the stop sign and realize that i am driving this pickup road looks so small then and trying to flick off the turn signals when pickup got auto shut off wife get mad at me at night when i hum the tranny and the shifting and the airbags sounds only way i get to sleep the engine idling like at truck stops and when it skip a rev i wake up fast then youre a real trucker i has fallen asleep while driving what qq yup no different than those hearies i fell asleep and woke up and still in my lane and i was thinking oh jeez time to get religious !!! i carry a camera around to prove any damages so i dont get blamed for damages to cars i document every scratches carefully dealers like to pad the damages or try to cheapen the trucking costs hoping for a free haul/delivery due to this bumper damage that wasnt my fault at all
Chuckled…making a wide right turn in a Volkswagen…jeez…after a long layoff, I still miss the shifting gears when hauling maximum loads which rock the cab like a baby rocker between each gear, airbags that works very hard over the musical concrete slabs, so much rhythmic movement in suspension system. I had fun with small hp engines because I can play with gears more often sometimes. Guess that I am spoiled with bigger engines. Their torque is so addict! Still, the job is for today’s modern cowboy, the road warriors that goes out to keep America running…
yep when i took my girlfriend on the road she is deaf later to be my wife she got confused by my way of dress when i am on the road she figuired all truckers are cowboys all i had on was a t shirt and shorts and red wing shoes expecting me to wear a 10 gal hat and shirt from a rodeo and perhaps some leather huh she said huh ya no trucker till we got in my semi and hauled cars out of the city she had a tough time of it till much much later on i just remarked to her that trucks keeps america going proud to be part of that
more later on my health card issue i got some referrals from my friends who is hearies about how i could get a renewal on my health card so a little grease money swing it my way
will let ya know friday dont miss a gear till then ha les
like i teased some people you are a real trucker when you get in the cab and try to adjust the rearview mirror for those who brags about being a trucker dont answer this riddle all others laugh with me rrrrrrrrrrr
alll deaf must to go test hearing aids proof and D.O.T must go dr test proof paper show to hearing aids show paper for how much sound to 100% and must 500hz 1,000 hz and 2,000 hz I read that book from FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER “SAFETY REGULATIONS” and other truck driver guide to c d l book help that lot and read allllllll stuff make sure clear it i went to with DOT dept truck driver spoke and stuff must hearing aids test proof paper show to dr will read paper then will gave to you physical card dot card will pass then you will go to read for work driver or school i learn that please listen deaf people go buy book green and read pager 391.43 read it clear and careful must that 40db will gave you pass and gave to card will read go school or go driver truck that why please talk with jack barr information i still support with jack barr and I want to work on the driver truck meet and all state and canada too try sign paper proof how many people not go school and physical card sign paper proof to wash dc show to meet with paper over paper sign paper deaf allow to go work driver truck travel
I’m member of teamster union so I looked teamsters website one thing I’m very impressed that teamsters fighting with Congress to block Mexcian truck (unsafe truck) come to United States.. You can browsing it http://www.teamsters.org if you support teamsters to block mexican truck then you just fill up ur address & email adress then it will AUTOMATIC email to US CONGRESS ( your statetown) there already a support to speak as words for you.. as save ur time! if if Deaf communties, NAD or anyone make website as teamster’s website it will much easy and keep chains deaf communties to deaf communties or anyone deaf or heaing people who support to remove Federal law with hearing level.. then US congress might more listen and willing something for our fight (dream).. Also I dont understand why US congress & president Bush plan to allow mexican truck to United States with unsafe truck and driver might have no english written & read langauges even United States Congress allow them come in US before my teamsters union fight to block them… and still not allow Deaf ppl as want be trucker that no sense?! right?!
today went in for my physical that was long overdue and i got mine but the doctor suggested i get my next one elsewhere and signed my card under the provision that it is good for just one year didnt even get the shout or the whisper test just the vision and the piss test the doctor is a foreign one india i think but at least i passed and not have my job outsourced to india huh q what is best is that i didnt get molested
looking forward to my next load see u round 10-4 les
I just wanted to add to what John D. Grebenc was saying about the trucks from Mexico. I want to stress that the main concern the Teamsters have is that Mexico does not have the same safety regulations we have, so the trucks are not going to be subject to the same standards of safety that our trucks are subject to. And, the drivers do not have the same tests that the US drivers have to go through, so they dont have the same training, which makes our roads more dangerous.
I think it would be interesting to see what the Teamsters might suggest as a way to deal with discrimination on the job. If you’re a member with the union you can try to use the union to fight back. Many truck drivers are recognized by the law as being independent contractors and this means they are not protected by the same laws as employees including when it comes to discrimination — the Teamsters may be able to help with that kind of situation. as independent contractors, we can’t sue our employers for discrimination which is a big problem.
I agree with John D. Grebenc’s suggestion that we try to petition to change the Federal Law. NAD and the rest of us should contact our Congress people about this issue.
NAD? be blunt with you , they are nothing but a joke, they lost and buried thier case with this issue some years ago, My lawyer went through with em in 2005 and helped nothing but acted like there are so impossible but I knew we can prove NAD wrong as we should try to petition to change this federal regulation. we should contact our Congress people as we did contacted our Congressman Howard Coble in 2005 and paid a visit with him as he is one of most important key players on DOT issues that won to allow the diabetic insulin dependant CDL applicants to drive also can help to have that regulation reviewed and revised. The formal DOT hearing issue review would be held sometime late March 2007 or early April 2007
I’ve never experience what it is like inside the cab. I don’t have CDL class A. All I have is merely California driver license class C. But I’ve always want and dreamed to be truck driver when I was a teen. I got a chance to drive full size Uhaul truck from Portland, Oregon to Fremont, California last Feb. 2006. I was so thrilled! I love it every bits! I never felt so good about it! I know it is not 18 wheeler but it is still a big deal to me! I’ve been applying for truck driver position today with few companies such as Schneider National, Interstate Distributor Co., Swift, and Knight Transportation. My dream is drive 18 wheeler rig across 48 states. But after watch your Vlog part one, part two, and comments about deaf truck driver tonight. I feel lost interest because I am full blown Deaf on both ears and I don’t use hearing aids. I don’t speak. I use ASL. I notice that many deaf drivers wear hearing aids. I feel that I will waste my time trying to get driver job. Should I still go ahead and try for it? What is your advice?
My suggest that you or someone who can draw the formal written letter for everyone of us can make copy of it and sign own name and sent it in to our district U.S. Congress to legalize deaf to drive 18 wheels rig across the 48 states.
hey renny dont give up i am full blown in both ears and wears an hearing aid when i am hauling only i use asl too just a normal deaf guy there are several like me out there just keep plugging along start small and grow big
I don’t have hearing aids. I wonder if I am require to wear hearing aids during I drive rig? I might can ask Voc Rehab to see if VR can pay me hearing aids if I am require to wear them during driving the rig.
I can’t stand hearing aids but I will wear them if I have to.
hello les and renny you can go voc rehab willing paid for you two new hearing aids and go test hearing then show to proof phyiscail dot will be pass then go school driver truck
hello renny i did went to scheider nathional driver truck have proof how long you have work job like two year then you have already c d l permit must have class A only
When did you apply for Schneider National? I was reading their website that they will pay you truck school, motel, two meal a day. So that mean they will hire and train inexprience non CDL drivers.
Maybe they mean that you need to have previous solid long time career job before join S.N. Trucking? I work for Safeway for ten years maybe that will help me?
Morris, you got it right, I got email from NAD that DOT is having formal hearing this spring and will get back to me when something is good for us to keep us busy…guess we as the real truckers need to do is to keep NAD real busy by contacting them as hard as you can. NAD always can find extra help from someone…
Les, your doctor gave you one year provision…same thing with my health card is good for one year! How strange is that…
Renny…I am glad you asked that question “Is that worth?….well, if you have been dreaming for so long to become a truck driver, then the answer is yes. You will get the chances to meet someone that who knows ASL in the world of trucking business. I met a quite few already. Once at a truck stop in Ohio, I met a deaf truck driver who wears the hearing aids and we chatted in ASL. Small world.
I started my first job, hauling sugar beets. All you need is to keep eye on the tractor signal lights…when you are full of beets, it blinks all 4 lights. They must have figured out that communicating by light signals (standard equipment for sugar beet harvesters) is the best because the noises from the engines is very high and they worked very hard too. You can just turn off the hearing aids and be happy on the field and enjoy the light show! All day and night long.
I remember when I got pre-hired into Swift at Kansas City, the doctor performed the whisper test, I raised my arm every time he say something that sounds like a wheel lug nut that slides across the bottom of one gallon tin can. He got pissed off. He got someone in to do the whispering and he kept and hold both of my arms down, (Les, I “ROFL” about they didn’t molested me too.) You know what the results is…they just sent me back home on Greyhound bus next day.
John D. Grebenc, thanks for the information from the Teamster’s website about those Mexicans and their unsafe trucks!!!! I even read in the newspapers where couple of people that got killed in our “backyard highways” by tractor-trailers accidents and that prompted me to sent a couple of e-mails to our Senators, both national and local to halt that pilot program that to allow Mexican truck companies to enter US. I even mentioned about the hearing test which it hasn’t changed for years for American drivers to our Senators…
Amanda…I used to be a member of UAW and understands what you are talking about…it took my guts to stir the pot to get their attention…that we are just an equal member no matter what kind of disability you got…it has been a while since I was an union member…hopefully, the things has changed that is the best for everyone.
Am still looking for that opportunity to drive again…time will come for sure, or it better be sooner…
I was browsing around websites about truck drivers. I found a website about women in trucking association called “WIT” http://www.womenintrucking.org/. I have a suggest. I suggest we open our own assocate. I was thinking of what called ourselves. I suggest, Deaf Trucker Association “DTA” or Trucker Assocication of the Deaf “TAD”.
I suggest that we get in touch with NAD and WIT to ask for advises how to open our own association. Maybe we should start with setting up our own website?
Renny…some trucking companies such as Scheider National have their own driver training programs. Some driver schools are indepentently owned, some run by community college system. Some companies will hire graduation students, other companies prefer 1 or 2 years OTR (over the road) experience before they can hire. When companies hires graduation students, they usually go out on the road with the trainers (like extra driver to ride with you) for 3 to 6 more weeks before you can drive “solo”.
keep digging for the opportunity and throttle down to the metal to get your first CDL…
Randy
Thank you for your supportive. I decide that I should go ahead and try for it. I will go to French Camp, Calif. this Wednesday, April 4, 2007 for Schneider Nation career fair. About a hour drive from my home. I will let you guys know what is up after my visit with S.N. career fair.
Here’s updated from a trucking company. I got a call from Interstate Distributor Co. She said that she is not sure what to do with deaf applications. She was asking me how to deal with deaf people. Like ASL interpreter? How to keep in touch during hauling. Know what?! She actually asked me if I would request ASL interpreter to travel with me during hauling?! ROFLMAO! I explain to her that I only request ASL interpreter during classes and then after that I can be on my own and I have sidekick pager to keep in touch and I am not familiar with Qualcomm but I did mentioned about it anyway. She said she will get in touch with her supervisor and meanwhile she suggest that I go to DMV to find out if I can issue CDL class A license. I will go to DMV this Wednesday to find out before go to French Camp, CA for Schneider National career fair.
I say don`t worth it this hearing aid. why because I saw a who
hearing semi driver., still stay runner….then this tire is worn out.
won`t a stop. long way then I yelled to man driver. he go to stop it.
I don`t understand. he is hearing. Did you saw it ????
I want too bad a WelCome “DEAF MEN AND WOMEN IN
TRUCKING DRIVER. Very Cool. Again,,,, Try I go to truck driver of school.
So I hope. Plan who Deaf men and women go to meeting
to where is ? wausau,wisconsin or minn or mich ????
I have good idea : who deaf teacher a truck driver of class for the Deaf Only. Do you think about about Me said ? you let anyone to know ?
Deaf can do it,
Bryan Davidson Duerst.
Good Luck and smile !!!!!!!!
I want to talk about Randall’s article. I notice that that newspaper is from 1988! That mean Mr. Michael Cousin is 60 years old by now! We need to push DOT to legalized deaf drivers to haul 18 wheeler rigs. Before Mr. Michael Cousin became too old to haul the rig!
I went to Schneider National career fair yesterday. I met Recuiting Manager Mr. Craig Kimball. He was friendly with me. He said that he do not have sign language interpreter with him because they was going to have meeting with people who want to join S.N. So, I collected the information then went to home. I wish I’ve contact with them before I show up because they could’ve gotten me ASL interpreter. I’m going to have a interview soon though a VP.
sorry to be out of touch for a while but i am back and ready to give my inputs
the women in trucking mag has an article about a lady who apparently is the first woman trucker but there was a footnote in there that mentioned that she lost most of her hearing due to a scarlet fever thingy and she owned a trucking company the website is http://www.goecities.com/TheTropics/1608/firstlady.htm copy and paste
in my previous comments i stated to start small that is to start hauling for the local farms or small 10 wheelers until you get the feel for the tranny syncrohinization shifting and turning radius and the terminology of the switches and levers in the cab a good way to to haul harvest loads like sugar beets or whatever in your area fall period it is how i got started i usually stop at a rest area or a truck stop and call my boss by tty and relay opr to get my next load or via fax when load is too detailed for the relay opr errors in directions has occured thru the relay opr and that cost me time our company is too small to have qualcomm 9 rigs total so doesnt make sense for my boss to have qualcomm right now was wondering how NAD is going to send out info on the USDOT hearing this coming spring i would like to know what is going on hope they get something going on soon before i get too old to climb in the cab!!!!!
Hi, “hearing-impaired” CDL holders…I have been browsing all websites that is related to hearing lost and driving. One thing I noticed is that there is a huge research databases all over the world about all kinds of issues in transportation. On this particular document by Suzanne E. Lee, on her Doctor of Philosophy dissertation in Industrial and System Engineering, Role of Driver in Commercial Motor Vehicle Operation: An Evaluation of the FHWA Hearing Requirement. I do find some flaws in her research in gathering the information. Any scholar persons would have the chance to rebut her research if they are in right place. Since her work is now on the Internet and I decided to post it in this blog for you guys to review it.
In my inner-personal communication class at Inver Grove Height Community College, my professor did his research on how human mind simulate in communicating. His finding shows that the eyes, touch, and hearing (exactly in the order) are the important communication simulators. However, he found that lot of hearing people in all over the world does NOT recognize due the fact they are using their eyes in their communication process. His finding that showed the percentage of three sensors, eyes sensor above 50%, touch sensor little above 30% and the least important sensor, the hearing at 17%. I asked my professor, “What about me?” His reply was “I am envy of you”. Why? “You process whole a lot more information than rest of us, the hearing people”. He put all of students in the classroom to do one experiment to prove his theory is right. After the experiment, the whole class was surprised, instantly.
Because of this scholar experience with this professor, I determined that IF Suzanne E.Lee took this inner-personal communication class with me and I know she would have written her doctor dissertation report, differently.
Bottom line, we need to pay close attention on how inexperience dissertation writers who assume that hearing impaired drivers have more accidents than hearing drivers that COULD influence the hearing people way of thinking that we are in high risk group. Someone just said “Paint the truck in bright orange so we will know they can not hear” when it comes to unregulated railroad crossing issues in other blog sites.
NAD? Good question…hoping they are working on it and get back to us.
PS…if you wanna me to say that “article” in ASL, let me know. (Note: For ASL interpreters, your skills must be at level 5 to interpret my ASL in future posting…)
damn good well written dissertation i learned a lot from it thou i dont agree with some thou i didnt read it all yet am gonna print it for when i am out on the road again to read in the sleeper
wish she had asked some deaf drivers for their opinions as well maybe this blog be one of the best venue for her to purvey later on q q
noticed some drivers comment on how you have to hear a tire blowing or the tranny going out i am stone deaf and was able to hear a trailer tire blowing out whereas some company drivers that i work with came home with two blown tires and didnt know it or dont even do pre trip checks hey i even remember that driver who decided to check his trailer brakes on the highway he thought just cuz he is empty be good time to do that what an idiot if i own my own rig i wont even loan him my tractor
i adapt to survive in this dog eat dog world and i could even know what is wrong with the rig just by the feelings ive lost air to the trailers and knew it almost right away had to have the valves adjusted just cuz it wasnt the same just pulled over in a city and find this freightliner dealer or the cat dealer and they usually do a good job could even have told the drivers in that dissertation something i think they put that down cuz it is in the manual not what they experienced
non-cvo deaf drivers probably will have more accidents now with the sidekicks blackberrys out the studies disproved what i previously thought was to be true but those tangible variables is at work once again nothing is perfect
There is an example that I like to write in rebuttal for Suzanne’s research. One day I was hauling fully loaded freight on a Texas state highway that were in construction phase. There were hundreds of concrete barriers that lined up with no shoulders to spare for miles and miles. All sudden, there was a single “clunk” on the floor pan of my Mack truck which I felt it first before I heard it, in terms of milliseconds apart. I investigated the source and found out that the clutch pedal has gone down to the metal. Damn, the clutch is broken.
Ouch, there is no way you can grind your rig to halt where you could have miles and miles long of traffic backup. So I decided to keep going until I find safe exit. When I found the exit, I managed to use the right gears to get the rig though a couple of traffic lights until the last light got stuck in red for a long time. So I brought her to stop. Guess what I do next when the light turns to green? All I did was to turn off the engine and put tranny in lowest possible gear in. When light turns green, I started the engine; starter is strong enough to get rig move a little to get the engine started again. Shifted gears without using the clutch pedal until I find hardware store. I parked on street with 4 way flashers on and went in the store to get cotter safety pin. (clutch’s cotter pin fell off) Installed and I got clutch back into operation again.
What I am saying here is that I do not need to hear when I shift gears, all I do is feel the engine load, rpm, transmission normal mechanical gearspeed “frequencies”…Guess you guys must have not recognize how valuable your eyes and touch sensory is there for you to use beside your hearing…
yep know the feeliing when ya clutch go out yup i had to put gear in granny low and start engine when on a hill went 500 miles without a clutch and how about eh day when my tranny went out first thing i knew it went out was on an interstate oil smoke burnt then i checked gauge and nothing huh but truck not strong till i stopped at dealership to drop off cars then i realized real hot so i shut off engine after i adjusted hyrdraulics posts to get cars off and dropped them off then started engine and watched gears till i got home 100 miles away got home with tranny smoking i overhauled it and drove it away a week away have to watch the pedal travel half inch travel or slop whatever if it is off then time to get it adjusted i do that myself boss not usually mad if i had to pull rig off to get this or that fixed cheaper than having the usdot find that out for me me in jail bonding out all the time just watch the gauge when ya shift tranny to upshift go low 500 to downshift go 500 rpm higher you be fine only schooling i got was a five min drivein a truck cab and the i am a truck driver so much for school only reason for school is most truck drivers wanna bes is a completee idiot no wonder they got a 3 wk school i could teach anyone how to be a truck driver i taught my other deef brother how to haul and he got it with a 5 min instructions but he wont go interstae knwoing he going to jail i told him i will do the dirty work and lead others into this field i aint scared anymore
Mike Smith
hello everyone I want to you send to me your name and email and address and i can send to paper sign paper and full name and we will start set up for member for ” Driver Truck For the DEAF and deaf of hearing Member Club” start set up and we will order machine sew picture of coat back show to people who can fight driver truck semi wheel and member will start set up please help to me and jack eyes I am start support with you and all everyone please start fund money for order coat and plus save money build for paid gas travel to wash D.C. so who have already truck semi bring to road to wash D.C. meet to me and jack eyes will start permit park to street show to white house and something support for deaf can do job driver truck i will start work picture semi wheel picture this week or next week please send to my email is Volvo492@aol.com jack eyes will help you and Ill help to you support alll everyone meet for club future build strong for deaf and can driver truck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you pal please go to read part III please read more add list please
Mike Smith
hey alll everyone please email to me reason jack eye wan tto me care of him work for me and so please you need to send to me fund for wash DC white state captioal so any you want to money send to money put to bank for go to wash DC support for deaf can driver truck need to proof it that why jack eye will gave to me fund money that jack and I will work meet about new policy and new set up member club like that so please allll everyone send to money and your name and address and VP phone number i will call you and email to you will help that please let me know how much money you want to send to fund for wash DC please help to jack eye and I work together
there real very good comments. i still want be truck driver and travel across the usa! need to fight up with FMCSA, Senate, Congress and white house. to change new policy to allow deaf to drive in at alll usa plus allow drive over line state. “INTERSTATE” like travel 48 states!
also need fight up to prevent mexico not to become trucker because that way will make worse bad and problem in usa plus lead to accident. what way not fair to deaf cant become a trucker .
my point ” WHY US CONGRESS AND BUSH ACCPET LET MEXICO TO BECOME TRUCKER ?? WHAT ABOUT DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING? THAT WAY MAKE ME SICK TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
dont be give up and stay be very strongy and goal to be “WINNER AND SUCESSFULLY” become trucker and drive over across the usa ! job is earn money for life needs, etc u know what i mean.
any question??
“DEAF PRIDE” CAN DO IT ! YEAH! RIGHT !!!! “DEAF KEEP ON TRUCKIN'” YEAH!
TELL U THAT I M KINDA SUPPORT AND HELP FOR MIKE SMITH AND JACK EYE TO FIGHT UP WITH DOT FMSCA. TELL U THAT MIKE SMITH & JACK EYE ARE KINDA HARD WORK AND LOVE TO HELP AND SUPPORT FOR U AND ALL DEAFIES & HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE TO BECOME A TRUCKER.. THEY NOT KINDA OF SCAM FOR MONEY NOOO. WE NEED UR SUPPORT AND HELP TO BUILDING STRONGLY BE STAND UP TO SPEAK OUT TO DOT FMSCA AND WHITE CAPTIAL WHITE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON DC. ALSO WE NEED UR HELP AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER TO GET SUCESSFULLY TO GET ALLOW TO DRIVE TRUCK AND GET CDL CLASS A PLUS CHANGE NEW POLICY FOR DOT FMCSA TO ALLOW DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE TO DRIVE TRUCK PLUS ALLOW DRIVE INTERSTATE OUT OF STATE LIKE” ACROSS THE USA”..
BE STRONGLY & TRUST & BE STRONGLY FAITH IN US TO HELP AND SUPPORT THAT WHY..
REASON MONEY FOR SEND FOR SEW MACHINE FOR COAT THEN SEND U COAT AND GET READY BE TO FIGHT UP WITH DOT FMSCA AND CAPTIAL WHITE HOUSE THAT SHOW PROOF THAT ALL OF U REALL WANT BE TRUCK DRIVER, WANT DRIVE OVER THE STATE LINES ” INTERSTATE” PLUS GET CDL A TOO PLUS WAIVER ” HEARING PROGRAM” THEN U WILL FEELING GOOD AND HAPPY TO ALLOW GET BE TRUCK DRIVER ..
THAT U WANT RIGHT ???? WE ARE VERY VERY SERIOUSLY STEADY DO IT TO FIGHT UP AND STRONGLY PLUS STAND UP TO SPEAK OUT !!!
ALSO MONEY FOR HELP BUILDING FOR MEMBER CLUB FOR USA & CANADA DEAF & HARD OF HEARING TRUCK DRIVER MEMBER CLUB!
WE WANT SEE ALL OF U BE HAPPY AND FEEL GOOD PROUD THAT WAY U BECOME SUCCESSFULLY BEAT DOT FMSCA ! DOT FMSCA WILL GOING LOSER IF ALL OF U FIGHT UP AND STRONG STAY STAND UP SPEAK OUT THAT WAYTO SUCCESSFULLY !
DO U WANT FAILURE FOR UR DREAM AND GOAL BE TRUCK DRIVER ??? I DONT LIKE THAT !!!!
PLEASE COME COME BE STRONGLY , TRUST , FAITH IN US EACHOTHER PLUS HELP AND SUPPORT EACHOTHER LIKE A FAMILY TEAM BE STRONGLY..
WE SUPPORT AND HELP U PLUS WE NEED UR SUPPORT AND HELP TOO…
THAT WHY WE NEED ALL DEAFIES AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE GOING TO WASHINGTON DC AND FIGHT UP , PROOF THAT U WANT BE TRUCKDRIVER IN UR REAL DREAM AND GOAL! .. TRUCK DRIVER IS PART OF JOB TO EARN GREAT MONEY FOR UR LIFE NEEDS…
I M WANT BACK TRUCK DRIVER I MEAN IT THAT WHY NEED TO FIGHT UP WITH DOT FMCSA & CAPTIAL WHITE HOUSE.. TO GET SUCCESSFULLY AND BEAT TO WIN! BE HAPPY!!!!! BECOME TRUCK DRIVER , ETC!!!
PLEASE TRUST US… WE NOT KINDA OF JOKING , OR PLAY GAME AROUND U NO WAY .. WE ARE VERY DEEPLY SERIOUS STEADY !!! WE WANT SEE ALL OF U AND US TO GET SUCCESSFULLY AND STRONG LIKE ” BE DEAF & HARD OF HEARING PRIDE” BE EQUAL HEARING LIFE ! U WANT SEE GET GOOD MONEY DURING U DRIVE TRUCK !!! RIGHT !!!!
HOPE ALL OF U WILL DO IT AND HELP & SUPPORT EACHOTHER TO GET SUCCESSFULLY!!!! PLEASE !! THANKS…
WHICH ONE U WANT BE STRONGLY LIKE A EAGLE OF USA OR GIVE UP TO WEAK TO NOT GET SUCCESSFULLY?? WHICH ONE !!!
WE ARE BORN IN USA FREEDOM !!! BE STRONGLY LIKE EAGLE !!!!
THUMB UP!!! ALERT ALERT!!!!!!
KEEP UP DONT BE GIVE UP!!! STAY STRONGLY AND STAND UP!!!! OK THANKS
TELL U THAT MIKE SMITH AND JACK EYE ARE VERY HONSETLY AND WANT HELP & SUPPORT ALL OF U TO SUCCESSFULLY TO GET TRUCK DRIVER!!!
I MEAN IT!! I M KINDA STRONGLY STAND UP ON MIKE SMITH AND JACK EYE’S SIDE.. PLSU I M STAND UP ON ALL OF U TOO!! WHY WE ARE HERE TO HELP AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER!!! TO GET SUCCESSFULLY AND WIN TO ALLOW ALL DEAFIES AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE TO BEOCME TRUCK DRIVER , GET CDL CLASS A, DRIVE OVER STATE LINE”INTERSTATE” PLUS WAVIER HEARING PROGRAM ” THAT WHY…
I CAN SEE MIKE SMITH AND JACK EYE’ S EYES REAL KINDA VERY SERIOUSLY AND HONESTLY PERSON!!
HOPE ALL OF U WILL HELP & SUPPORT EACHOTHER .. REMEMBER BE STRONGLY, FAITH IN , TRUST ARE VERY IMPORTANT KEYS.. PLUS++++ PLEASE DONT BE GIVE UP!!!!!
Joey, you’re funny to ask us to send complaints to NAD… To me NAD is deadbeat… just a groupies who pat other’s back…. Try to think as blue collar and want to know what NAD is all about… I did tried to learned about NAD thru their websites…I found nothing in it to be enticed to support or join NAD…. So NAD need to clean up their stinky website…
I am very upset at the way people treat deaf and hard off hearing.I am a truck driver and it is very hard to get work because i am hard of hearing (well that is the first time i ever heard you must have 40% or better to be able to drive a truck.) but we have people who cant speak english and they are getting trucker jobs beacuse they can hear but cant speak english does this make it right . no it is not right but the still ignore us because we do not meet there requirement of 40 % hearing but they make driver book for spanish speaking people wow that is true. why dont they make some thing to help all deaf and hard of hearing people so we can work and support our family. if you would like to talk to me call me on my vp 407-944-0806 and lets keep all deaf and hard of hearing people working to support there family and to have an happy life
I’m a CDL-A driver with 1yr. exp. I would like to know how to contact Teamters & how may I join the truckers union. I would like your input on this importent question? please e-mail the answer. Thanks Steve Davenport
i am female and i did went international professional school trainning drive, i graduated on june21,2006 and got cdl a license , eager looking for job as truck driver they wont accept deaf because they afraid high insurance for deaf and afraid they drive risk. when the man told international professional school trainning drive they offer me go oklahoma and orient for trainning there. so i rode jefferson bus to oklahoma and shuffle bus picked me up and arrived hotel and gave me room with lady there and next day we went orient meeting us xpress co i sat and ask where is interpreter there he said no we dont have and make speak and we have to take over again test for dot physical i told him i already had dot physical and he said test again to have add hear their word to pass but i passed 5 feet whisper not word so messed up send me back home texas AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED THEY PISSED OFF ABOUT THAT AND LOOK FOR JOBS STILL AND NOW MAYBE ONE WILL INTERVIEW ME SOON AND I WILL FIND OUT IF TRUE THEY HIRE ME AS TRUCK DRIVER
i was a ex-truck driver student. i kicked the deaf interpreter out of the class. i cannot let him to use the phone all the time. he alway was so late for the class. the deaf interpreter was not doing a job. the school gave me one thound dollars.
i cannot find a interpreter because there was many interprter women. the interpreter women were afraid of driving a truck. i was so stuck.
thank you
bob
HEY STEPHEN DAVENPORT , PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT DRIVER TRUCK I AM SUPPORT FOR DEAF CAN DRIVER BUT MUST PASS HEARING AIDS 40db then phyiscal dot must have been pass hearing aids before go driver road my email is Volvo492@aol.com
The issue about deaf truck drivers not allowing to drive in some states while other state allowed deaf truck drivers. I am not surprised about NAD not doing anything in helping deaf truck drivers.
It has happened to me, except the difference here is; I used to work as ground support for a major airline where I drive huge loader to large jets for loading or unloading huge freights from the plane and lowered to the ground where tug pulls long train of cargo. Also, I guide plane from taxi-way into gate with hand signals to communicate with pilot then secure plane before loading/unloading. I also drive tug with 4 cargo train, each weights over 10,000 lbs from plane into building and vice versa.
I had no problems, no accidents and everyone loved my work while other hearing employee who took same training class with me got involved in mishaps that causes excessive damages and delayed flights.
But, guess what? I got suspended due to safety because of deafness and hearing employee who caused mishaps still continue working.
I filed lawsuit, but lost on a technicality and NAD DID NOTHING!!!
Keep fighting not to give up trucking!!! My friends are truck drivers whose are deaf and can do it. Deaf people are not quitters! We have DEAF POWER! I enjoyed to view many issues about CI,discriminations,etc. I am glad to know what the HELL going on on this damn world!!!! Keep ON,JACKEYES!!!!
I M HARD OF HEARING ALSO PART OF DEAF WHEN WITH OUT HEARING AIDS SO FIRST OF ALL I M TRUCKER DRIVER 18 WHEELER SO FIRST OF ALL HAVE TO WEARING HEARING AIDS IMPORTANT MAKE SURE U NEED NO MORE THAN 40 DECIBAL MAKE SURE U NEED LESS THAN 40 DECIBAL ALSO HOW CAN U COMMUCATE WITH CONSUMER WHEN U DELIVERY OR UR JOBS THA BIG PLM … ALSO I M VERY VERY WELL ORAL SPEAK GOOD …. ALSO USE SIGN LANGAUAGE TOOO… I M 23 YRS TRACTOR TRAILER SINCE I STARTED 19 YRS OLD THEN GOT LICSIENSE WAS 20 YRS OLD .I WORED WITH MY FAMILY OWN BUSINESS AS MOVING COMPANY RIGHT NOW I WORKED FOR BEVERAGE COMPANY… I WISH SUPPORT U… BEST U HAVE TAKE NEW HEARING AIDS FIRST THEN TAKE HEARING TEST MAKE SURE U PUT VOLUME HIGH WHEN U TAKE TEST .. THEN AFTER U GOT AUDIOLOGY FORM RESULT TEST… CAN’T ALLOW WITH OUT HEARING AIDS … BUT AFTERR WHEN U GET TRUCKER DRIVE U CAN TAKE IT OFF HEARING AIDS MAKE SURE U WATCH ALL THE TIME VIEW MIRROR AND WATCH TIRES AND WATCH AIR BRAKE SYSTEM ON PRESSURE GAUGAE WHEN IF HAPPEN GO DOWN AIR LEAKING BE SURE U WATCH .. I KNEW I WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS VERY VERY FRSUTATE BEC I HATE JOB MOVING COMPANY I THINK ALL OF U CAN ASK APPLY MOVING COMPAN REALLY NEED HIRING DRIVER PLUS MOVER DELIEVRY OR PICK UP… WANT GOOD COMPANY VERY HARD AFRAID AND ALSO HOW CUD WHEN WE STOP WEIGHT STATION SOME TIME THEY HAVE SPEAKER TELL U PUL OVER OR TELL U GO SOME OF NEW SHOW SIGN GO OR PULL OVER EASY FOR US…. .. ALSO DOT INSPECTION WILL TALK U WHEN DOT INSPECTION ASKED U PULLED OVER TO INSPECTION TRUCK .. HOW CAN U COM,CAITE THA BIG PLM …I MET DOT INSPECTION NOTICE ME I WEAR HEAIRNG AIDS AND TALK WITH THEM HAD NO PLM….. WISH ALL OF U FIGHT BACK TO NAD AND DOT REALY STUPID .. REMMA VERY IMPORT HAVE TO TAKE HEAIRNG AIDS TEST ….. GO TO SEE DR FOR AUDIOLOYGY FORHEARING TEST… VERY IMPORT OR IF U RE DEAD BOTH EAR WON’T HEAR OR WITH HEAING AIDS HEAR WITH OUT THEN U CAN’T DRIVER TRUCK THAT WUD BE TOUGHT TO REFUSES … ALSO THA S UNFAIR WHO HAD DIABTEIC IS WORSE DANGER BEC CUD BE PASS OUT! OR DZZZY IN PAST YEAR AGO ..IN NYC CITY BUS HE WAS DAIBELTIC ALSO HE FELL PASS OUT HITTT NUMBEROUS OF VEHILCE AND SMACK PEOPLE AND HIT BUILDING .. THA IT UNFAIR FOR US…. ALSO SCHOOL BUS DRIVER WHO WAS HEARING MAN WHEN STUDENT OPEN DOOR FOR EMERGY DOOR WHILE BUS WAS MOTION HE FELL OFF STREET.. BUS KEPT GOING DRIVER HOW CUD HE SI NT DEAF SCHOOL BUS HAS ALARM FOR EMERGY DOOR ON REAR DOOR….. THA UNFAIR FOR ALL OF US .. SO HOPE U FIGHT ALLL DOT AND NAD …. THKS U WISH U ANYQUESTION SEND ME TAKE CARE
i supports all many power deaf/hard hearinig will fight to beat up washinghan,dc and u.s sentae in washginghan.dc at white house.the support win ,win,win the powers many deaf/hardining truckers in the future and the argee support power deaf/hard hearing to powers,powers,powers.keep up to get support all many deaf/hard hearing win,win trucking and get jobs in the future keep god bless thumb -up.
please help me I have 2 weeks until I perform my road test. I am at AIT
in las veas Nevada the instructors there gives personal attention to all
the female students except me. They keep telling me I do not dress or
look like a truck driver yet my $9000.00 cashiers check spent just like all
the other students. I work in fashion I also have a Master degree in
Medical Technology. The only thing I need help with is gear shifting I can
drive the truck can perform the pre-trip the en-route and post route
I can alley dock and parallel park serpentine so so. If you know a trucker
who will be willing to to tutor me in the Las Vegas Area on proper gear
shifting please let me know. I have to do this I was married to a wonderful
military man he died a year ago our dreams were to drive a big rig for
8 years sit back and grow old together he was an officer a pilot he died
from a blastoma brain tumor. my phone number is 702 458-4795 I got
to do this too many want me to fail. JJ
64 comments
Comments feed for this article
March 22, 2007 at 11:09 pm
debby
I think you should be in History Through Deaf Eye. It is good example how hard it is for deaf people with good experience or best qualify to get job.
March 23, 2007 at 12:35 am
kira
yes true, pain in ass.. by the way.. it was the russian president M.S. Gorbachev 🙂
March 23, 2007 at 2:45 am
les fairbanks
got routed to your blog by someone who knew that i drives a semi
my name is les fairbanks and i am from minn has been hauling various cargoes the past 10 years and am currently hauling autos across the midwest mainly i never went to a truck driving school a friend who was a driver just told me to get in with him on the passenger side and he showed me how to shift gears and to watch the turning radius and so was born a new trucker i started out hauling sugar beets to the piling stations from the farm fields wet my whistle there by the end of the campaign the other drivers told me i was the best beet hauler they had seen and the owner begged me to drive this load of barley needles to north dakota i was scared to cross state lines but i needed the mortgage payment coming due i did unload it there and another load back home and he asked me to do it again and before i knew it i had hauled 100 some loads ran into some problems at the elevators when the manager didnt want me to take his load to the minneapolis/st paul area but the elevator employee told the manager that i had done it before without a problem and the mgr relented
in all sum of all fears, before i knew it i joined this company that hauls cars all over the lower 48 he has heard of me and asked me to come and work for him i told him i dont have a lic and he said he will help me procure one and when he sat down with me the first time he didnt look at my disability saying he likes to give everyone a chance and he wrote ten pages listing the benefits rules income without mentioning if i can do the job had to go thru the training period (normally three weeks with another driver) i did it in 5 days understood the balancing of the cars pickups to make a load of 10 or 11 cars running over the height limit and the weight limit i never forgot the night of may 5 2001 in which i joined another truck of whom my friend was driving i left my rig in grand forks nd and rode with him to minot with the understanding that when i help him unload and drive back to grand forks that he will also help me unload my load of cars anyway it was a cats and dogs night raining heavily and he got sleepy from the wipers wiping back and forth and misjudged the curve on the hwy and the front tire hit the soft shoulder and spun out of control and we ended up in the median the load of 11 cars was fine but mired in deep mud from all the rain i hid in the sleeper before the cops came around and after the tow trucks came i went out quietly and the cops didnt ask me for my papers friend told them i was riding along to make it short the tows got us out the next afternoon and we finished the load to minot nd and i drove back to grand forks
i am still working for that company and kept all the logbooks and made a short movie my wife who also is hearing challenged rode along with me a lot of times now the drivers for the company owns their own trucks as o.o.e and i am disgusted with the fact that i worked longer than they do and i cant buy my own rig due to license i have a cdl a and a health card that allows me to go interstate the doctor who passed me said he had passed worse drivers than me so he wasnt hesitant in signing thou i am 110 percent deaf in both ears thou i speak english articulatly the drivers make a lot of money while i just sit in the shop ekeing out a living fixing their trucks when i could be making 4 times more hauling cars
i had air failures on my rig and i knew it almost right away when the rig starts to be slower than normal i look at the gauge most trucks dont have buzzers the doctor who regularly signs my health card just keeled over and my card expires today i was in contact with my congressman but hasnt heard anything since
i could go on about bad brakes, hissing hydraulic lines, wobbly front steers, transmission failures , tires blowing that makes me become hearing for 10 minutes but better stop there
happy trucking
March 23, 2007 at 4:08 am
Morris
Hello,
I wanted to say thank you very much for bring up this topic, I really enjoyed it and can relate to it; because I own and run a towing company here in NC. USDOT and FMCA won’t let me drive my OWN tow truck across the state lines and in my state I am only allowed to tow trucks no more than 10,000 lbs. We drowned in legal battles over that federal regulation 391.41 section 11 which states that a CDL applicant must be able to hear a forced whispered voice from at least five feet away and must not have an average hearing loss greater than 40 decibels in an auditory tests with or without hearing aids. Also you must have a medical card that certifies the hearing capabilities. That law was made in 1951!! No one has even bothered to bring that up to be reviewed, and never answered the most important question of “WHY”? We wrote our congressman Howard Coble and was able to have a personal visit with him. He is an important key player in DOT and FMCA issues. Even allowed a diabetic insulin dependent driver to drive, so hope he would help to get that regulation reviewed and revised. We were told that we should know by late March or early April 2007. We visited with congressman Howard Coble in OCT 2005. This has been a long battle. And to be blunt, NAD would not help at all!!! We already asked NAD in 2005 and found NAD already tried and lost few years ago and so they buried it!! they would not bother with that again but hope they can prove me wrong some day in future. again congrats Jack for brought this vlog up! thanks keep up the battles and do not give up as we never did until the DOT and FCMA get a black eye! thanks
March 23, 2007 at 5:16 am
Joshua
oh good point about truck driver……… i NEVER see any deaf truck driver in southeast location. but i saw mostly hearing and FEW hard-hearing. so i understand some deaf like work truck drive. but in here south carolina one of my old classmate, he work at solider service field but he work with truck drive not as go to WAR serivce just in usa field as rookies solider train at field. anyway they get job and good pay. ……… but in my mind, i think why not get set COMPANY for deaf work truck driver?! i mean deaf company as other company need truck driver ready call to deaf company truck driver so they can get chance job work?? that’s my guess if it’s will be easier for deaf to get job if they have any of company support deaf as can work at home dept bring woods or supplies stuff carries heavy so they can do that if they get good chance work truck driver. and it’s sound not right for company reject them deaf who have TRUCK DRIVER LICENSE it’s not right! and u are right should start talk to NAD discuss about it. that’s all i can offer my idea. hope get success for them. keep up with VLOGS!
Joshua Womick
March 24, 2007 at 2:48 am
Bradley Mayo
I agree with you. I am truck driver too and when they hire me they put me on 3rd shift (overnite). They kept tell me when hire new person will change shift. They never did I worked there many years and finally frustrated then quit. I would like to chat w/you via vp about my experience. Please email me good time to discuss to see if worth to talk. ok? Thankyou, Brad
March 24, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Jeff Holub
I want share my experience that I use dream drive semi-truck driver after graduate WSD. So, I happen have my girfriend s father who own semi-truck business that does haul out to western states. So, I ask him if he will hire me for semi-truck driver? He say “no” due to Federal and State regulations and laws. It is really complicated and stupid law and semi truck owner also have poor attitude toward deaf people like you can’t drive this semi truck for many different reasons.
But, all of you deaf and hard of hearing people and communities need work together and knock head on NAD and people in Washington D.C. till they change the regulation and law for Federal and States.
Keep going on Jack’s eye!!!
Jeff Holub
March 25, 2007 at 2:10 am
les fairbanks
hey its me again was hoping for more comments so thought i would add my own once again to keep the juice flowing
the salesman from freightliner once told me after i told him that i couldnt haul interstate after my arrest back in 2002 that the reason i cant haul is that the usdot is more concerned about the safety on the road and the salesman laughed and said if they are that concerned they would take half of the drivers off the road on the road i has run into drivers i wouldnt let use my rig some company drivers who runs o o e has requested that i complete their route instead of using another company drivers do so they just know i will haul it to the final destination without any problems
at the scales what i do is i park the steer axle on the scale and count to 10 and then move to the drives and count to 10 once again and then move to the trailer axles and count to 10 again and the move on to the freeway and watch in the mirrors to see if the scale house door swing open fast and the cop run out then i stop and back up or i just run the scale truckerspeak butwhat i hate is those roadside checks at those rest areas i hasnt been stopped there i pull over and they just wave me by back to the interstate
yup in reply to the emails i has hauled porsches bmws and brand new factory vehicles once i stopped at a dealership near montana and boss said to take a corvette new one back to a private party by the iowa border i stopped by to take it on as a backhaul and was given the silent treatment the dealer told me that corvette ah he took me to that car and showed me the sticker price 52000 i said i only wanted the keys and papers he was not real confident and as my boss told me later he called my boss real mad apparently they wanted the best driver to pick it up and deliver it andmy boss said when he called him is he deaf q yup that s him give him the keys and he will deliver it 1000 miles later but the dealer watched me drive the corvette which had stick shift on the trailer and watched me when i chained it down the corvette is a low bottom so i had to adjust the ramps when i drove it on the next day i delivered to the private party and he was happy that it was delivered the next day i drove most of the night past the h o s regulations and most of the day when i arrived at the destination and collected the money
hey once at a truck stop i was taking a piss break i walked back to my rig which had 11 cars on it 94 foot long 14 and 10 inch high i saw some truckers looking at the load and when i saw them talking i approached them they said they wouldnt even think about driving something like that i shut my mouth and pantomined that i cant hear and i took pride in their reaction they said they cant even think about that trailer that rides 4 inches off the bottom of the tar and the swing room i wrote in paper that i been doing this a long time and it is no big deal i just hog the road turning around had some truckers that said they got deaf brothers who wanted to be a trucker and surprised to see that i am deaf also wanted to know how their brother could be a trucker as well qq but they didnt follow up on it
locally people has been asking me to operate a moving van to move them to a new house and they dont have the lic and i do and they ask me to drive the truck and the rental company refused me cuz i am deaf thou i got the top license possible in my state but i said i have a lawyer who is more than happy to take care of this little matter and i drove the rental trucks for my friends and drove it back and dropped it off so this friday i have an appt with this dr i knew i will lose this health card but i know my boss will look the other way as well those o o e drivers they always advise me on how to run the scales those car hauler trucks doesnt run cheap the truck i drove for this guy he bought it new for 230 thousands dollars not including the trailer which ran another 60 more yup 60 000 but the cars on it doesnt run cheap ya know my wife who is deaf also said hey you haul a million dollars worth of cars and usdot dont give ya a lic when yo boss does let ya haul those porsches huh when he dont let his other company drivers do this q he doesnt bat an eye when he gives me a load and ask me to do this another load
i asked the nad a long time ago to assist me and they finally sent me an email that they are washing their hands off that matter leaving me out cut and dry i thought huh some deaf org huh ha so thus i was keepiing all the log books and the videos and the paperwork to prove that i did haul thru 17 inches snowstorms and hail and black ice whatever so when i cant haul no more hah my wife then will say i was hauling those cars a lot better than many that he had to assist in loading cars that is why she made the video of me driving those cars on the truck and trailer
need more input from those truckers now keep this moving on and those truckers that brags too much keep out of it i know some truckers that claim they haul but i know them i steeer clear of them they dont amount to much makes the rest of us real truckers look bad \
March 25, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Randall Doane
Me too, I was hoping for comments from more experienced drivers that have gone through the B.S. with the DOT…
Some older scales have a sign that say roll down your windows and listen/talk with the speakers. I did the same thing with Les…wait 10 seconds, and then process for next axle.
One scale in Colorado has light that turns to green and I processed as I do I check mirrors to make sure that everything is clear. When I am about ready to get on the ramp, the guy opened door real fast like it is going to break the hinges off and waved, I made the judgment to keep going because I was so far ahead and ready to enter the highway.
At Kansas scale, one officer asked me if I have extra hearing aids b-a-t-t-r-i-e-s. Sure, I showed it right out of my pocket!. She smiled and said have a good day!
Am not too happy with people in Ohio, they are worst perspective attitudes I ever seen. At Kroger dock, one guy had to hold my hand, walking to the dock door and gave “instructions” to stay by the door when trailer is unloading. A forklift operator laughed out so loud when he saw that. So dumb!!!!! At a different dock, the boss was panic and looking for someone to back up my rig. I used the gestures while everyone in the office watching us. I told him I can back into the dock without any “pull-up” which I did. After trailer is unloaded, I gave him a blunt “thank you” while the office girls chuckled. At a warehouse in eastern Ohio, forklift operator that keeps putting pallets in, I got vibes that the trailer tandem will be overloaded. Sure bet, they are over by 9,000 lbs. I talked to my dispatcher about this problem and instructed to go back and straighten it out. When I got back, I gave them instructions to shift only 5 pallets around. Guess people in the warehouse couldn’t read plain simple English and left 5 pallets out. Dispatcher said, “Don’t waste time with them and keep moving on to Georgia without that 5 pallets”
At any crowded truck stop, you get couple of pull-ups before you get your entire rig in the right space. When I came in, I noticed all drivers were wide awake and must be enjoying the show, so I said to myself, “Let’s party” I put on their show…to get my Mack with 270” wheelbase and 53’ trailer in WITHOUT a pull-up! Other drivers’ jaws dropped just like in commercial came out and talked to me. When they found out that I wear hearing aids, they open restaurant door to let me go in first. They looked at me and we had a good time chatting!
Am getting sick and tired when I see attitudes from the medical doctors who just too quick to say about forced whisper hearing test and refuse to issue medical card without reading the whole thing. In the 391.43 Medical examinations; certificate of physical examination…If the individual fails the whisper voice test, the audiometric test should be a-d-m-i-n-s-t-e-r-e-d….
Even at truck school, instructors keep asking me…”have you done that before?” I asked them…”When can I take the road test and get hell out of this class”. Regulations prevented me to take early test out. You guys need to recognize that today’s hearing impaired drivers are far much more advanced than you think as to compare in the 1950’s
March 25, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Jeff Willis
Few months ago, I got an interview job for Bakery Co. for Diesel Mechanic, they said must have CDL I m not driver just Mechanic so I went to DMV of Wisconsin I asked to take test for CDL said that not allow deaf people get CDL that B.S. Laws. I used to lived in Louisville, KY I used to work part time for T.J. truck & trailer Repair when trucks broke down on highway we are service as 24 hours too dangerous city heavy traffic never happens to me in Kentucky not need have CDL I can back to Ky but I m stuck with my wife want stay in Wisc close her family hard time get job in Wisc too many discrimination.
States and Bush complaints about SSI or SSDI, Deaf people cant get job!
March 26, 2007 at 12:32 am
Bryan "Davidson" Duerst
2 parts my comment :
I was worked at “Leaf farm” for meat. at live in kenosha , wis.
I drive a fork lift and trailer driver… so he superivor was mean to me……..
he don`t like a deaf who work anything…. now I tell you. so I was drive a
fork lift stand go to pick up as skid w/ boxes then I go to frezz-room. stop
to pull a door then enter and my eyes ” Watch” as by go to closed door…… now what happed s_ _ _ ! Did man was drive fork lift., he don`t
pay attention to door. just wreck by door. he don`t have a carry.
now he blame to me……. then I Quit !!!!! I pissed off him.
try he want to blame to any to deaf…..
please do you watch to If if if who hearing blame to “DEAF”
never know……. PLEASE you watch any your`s company….OK
I like help to you and you are strong. Don`t FEAR !
lawyer.,
Bryan “davidson” Duerst.
I wish., I am lawyer. BUT .I don`t skill an lawyer….I am so sorry.
OOP ! LOL
March 26, 2007 at 2:05 am
les fairbanks
actually truck drivers is on the bottom of any job skills so if deaf people not allowed to operate a semi the next lowest is huh what q maybe cleaning toilets or wiping the dispatchers ass not quite the ideal job u have in mind except being on the road miles and miles to roll before u call it a night or a day not remebering the name of the towns and cities you passed thru earlier in the night or the daytime then my wife asked me the day i got home from the asphalt where did you go qq i said huh no idea lemme look at the log book i just know when i am gone too long when i cant handle my dodge ram pickup i drove like 40 mph 10 miles home from the terminal drove it like a drunk pickup got auto but i press the pedal like i shift a semi and back off the pedal like one mile before the stop sign and realize that i am driving this pickup road looks so small then and trying to flick off the turn signals when pickup got auto shut off wife get mad at me at night when i hum the tranny and the shifting and the airbags sounds only way i get to sleep the engine idling like at truck stops and when it skip a rev i wake up fast then youre a real trucker i has fallen asleep while driving what qq yup no different than those hearies i fell asleep and woke up and still in my lane and i was thinking oh jeez time to get religious !!! i carry a camera around to prove any damages so i dont get blamed for damages to cars i document every scratches carefully dealers like to pad the damages or try to cheapen the trucking costs hoping for a free haul/delivery due to this bumper damage that wasnt my fault at all
March 26, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Randall Doane
Chuckled…making a wide right turn in a Volkswagen…jeez…after a long layoff, I still miss the shifting gears when hauling maximum loads which rock the cab like a baby rocker between each gear, airbags that works very hard over the musical concrete slabs, so much rhythmic movement in suspension system. I had fun with small hp engines because I can play with gears more often sometimes. Guess that I am spoiled with bigger engines. Their torque is so addict! Still, the job is for today’s modern cowboy, the road warriors that goes out to keep America running…
March 27, 2007 at 1:24 am
les fairbanks
yep when i took my girlfriend on the road she is deaf later to be my wife she got confused by my way of dress when i am on the road she figuired all truckers are cowboys all i had on was a t shirt and shorts and red wing shoes expecting me to wear a 10 gal hat and shirt from a rodeo and perhaps some leather huh she said huh ya no trucker till we got in my semi and hauled cars out of the city she had a tough time of it till much much later on i just remarked to her that trucks keeps america going proud to be part of that
more later on my health card issue i got some referrals from my friends who is hearies about how i could get a renewal on my health card so a little grease money swing it my way
will let ya know friday dont miss a gear till then ha les
March 27, 2007 at 1:26 am
les fairbanks
like i teased some people you are a real trucker when you get in the cab and try to adjust the rearview mirror for those who brags about being a trucker dont answer this riddle all others laugh with me rrrrrrrrrrr
March 28, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Mike Smith
alll deaf must to go test hearing aids proof and D.O.T must go dr test proof paper show to hearing aids show paper for how much sound to 100% and must 500hz 1,000 hz and 2,000 hz I read that book from FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER “SAFETY REGULATIONS” and other truck driver guide to c d l book help that lot and read allllllll stuff make sure clear it i went to with DOT dept truck driver spoke and stuff must hearing aids test proof paper show to dr will read paper then will gave to you physical card dot card will pass then you will go to read for work driver or school i learn that please listen deaf people go buy book green and read pager 391.43 read it clear and careful must that 40db will gave you pass and gave to card will read go school or go driver truck that why please talk with jack barr information i still support with jack barr and I want to work on the driver truck meet and all state and canada too try sign paper proof how many people not go school and physical card sign paper proof to wash dc show to meet with paper over paper sign paper deaf allow to go work driver truck travel
March 29, 2007 at 2:20 am
John D. Grebenc
I’m member of teamster union so I looked teamsters website one thing I’m very impressed that teamsters fighting with Congress to block Mexcian truck (unsafe truck) come to United States.. You can browsing it http://www.teamsters.org if you support teamsters to block mexican truck then you just fill up ur address & email adress then it will AUTOMATIC email to US CONGRESS ( your statetown) there already a support to speak as words for you.. as save ur time! if if Deaf communties, NAD or anyone make website as teamster’s website it will much easy and keep chains deaf communties to deaf communties or anyone deaf or heaing people who support to remove Federal law with hearing level.. then US congress might more listen and willing something for our fight (dream).. Also I dont understand why US congress & president Bush plan to allow mexican truck to United States with unsafe truck and driver might have no english written & read langauges even United States Congress allow them come in US before my teamsters union fight to block them… and still not allow Deaf ppl as want be trucker that no sense?! right?!
March 31, 2007 at 3:35 am
les fairbanks
today went in for my physical that was long overdue and i got mine but the doctor suggested i get my next one elsewhere and signed my card under the provision that it is good for just one year didnt even get the shout or the whisper test just the vision and the piss test the doctor is a foreign one india i think but at least i passed and not have my job outsourced to india huh q what is best is that i didnt get molested
looking forward to my next load see u round 10-4 les
April 1, 2007 at 3:54 am
Amanda
I just wanted to add to what John D. Grebenc was saying about the trucks from Mexico. I want to stress that the main concern the Teamsters have is that Mexico does not have the same safety regulations we have, so the trucks are not going to be subject to the same standards of safety that our trucks are subject to. And, the drivers do not have the same tests that the US drivers have to go through, so they dont have the same training, which makes our roads more dangerous.
I think it would be interesting to see what the Teamsters might suggest as a way to deal with discrimination on the job. If you’re a member with the union you can try to use the union to fight back. Many truck drivers are recognized by the law as being independent contractors and this means they are not protected by the same laws as employees including when it comes to discrimination — the Teamsters may be able to help with that kind of situation. as independent contractors, we can’t sue our employers for discrimination which is a big problem.
I agree with John D. Grebenc’s suggestion that we try to petition to change the Federal Law. NAD and the rest of us should contact our Congress people about this issue.
April 1, 2007 at 5:57 am
Morris
NAD? be blunt with you , they are nothing but a joke, they lost and buried thier case with this issue some years ago, My lawyer went through with em in 2005 and helped nothing but acted like there are so impossible but I knew we can prove NAD wrong as we should try to petition to change this federal regulation. we should contact our Congress people as we did contacted our Congressman Howard Coble in 2005 and paid a visit with him as he is one of most important key players on DOT issues that won to allow the diabetic insulin dependant CDL applicants to drive also can help to have that regulation reviewed and revised. The formal DOT hearing issue review would be held sometime late March 2007 or early April 2007
April 1, 2007 at 7:44 am
Renny
Hello Jack Barr,
I’ve never experience what it is like inside the cab. I don’t have CDL class A. All I have is merely California driver license class C. But I’ve always want and dreamed to be truck driver when I was a teen. I got a chance to drive full size Uhaul truck from Portland, Oregon to Fremont, California last Feb. 2006. I was so thrilled! I love it every bits! I never felt so good about it! I know it is not 18 wheeler but it is still a big deal to me! I’ve been applying for truck driver position today with few companies such as Schneider National, Interstate Distributor Co., Swift, and Knight Transportation. My dream is drive 18 wheeler rig across 48 states. But after watch your Vlog part one, part two, and comments about deaf truck driver tonight. I feel lost interest because I am full blown Deaf on both ears and I don’t use hearing aids. I don’t speak. I use ASL. I notice that many deaf drivers wear hearing aids. I feel that I will waste my time trying to get driver job. Should I still go ahead and try for it? What is your advice?
My suggest that you or someone who can draw the formal written letter for everyone of us can make copy of it and sign own name and sent it in to our district U.S. Congress to legalize deaf to drive 18 wheels rig across the 48 states.
Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks!
Renny Kassel
Fremont, California
April 1, 2007 at 2:04 pm
les fairbanks
hey renny dont give up i am full blown in both ears and wears an hearing aid when i am hauling only i use asl too just a normal deaf guy there are several like me out there just keep plugging along start small and grow big
April 1, 2007 at 4:56 pm
Renny
Hello Les,
I don’t have hearing aids. I wonder if I am require to wear hearing aids during I drive rig? I might can ask Voc Rehab to see if VR can pay me hearing aids if I am require to wear them during driving the rig.
I can’t stand hearing aids but I will wear them if I have to.
Renny
April 1, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Mike Smith
hello les and renny you can go voc rehab willing paid for you two new hearing aids and go test hearing then show to proof phyiscail dot will be pass then go school driver truck
April 1, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Mike Smith
hello renny i did went to scheider nathional driver truck have proof how long you have work job like two year then you have already c d l permit must have class A only
April 2, 2007 at 3:25 am
Renny
Hello Mike Smith,
When did you apply for Schneider National? I was reading their website that they will pay you truck school, motel, two meal a day. So that mean they will hire and train inexprience non CDL drivers.
Maybe they mean that you need to have previous solid long time career job before join S.N. Trucking? I work for Safeway for ten years maybe that will help me?
Renny Kassel
Fremont, California
April 2, 2007 at 5:14 am
Randall Doane
Glad that this posting is humming…
Morris, you got it right, I got email from NAD that DOT is having formal hearing this spring and will get back to me when something is good for us to keep us busy…guess we as the real truckers need to do is to keep NAD real busy by contacting them as hard as you can. NAD always can find extra help from someone…
Les, your doctor gave you one year provision…same thing with my health card is good for one year! How strange is that…
Renny…I am glad you asked that question “Is that worth?….well, if you have been dreaming for so long to become a truck driver, then the answer is yes. You will get the chances to meet someone that who knows ASL in the world of trucking business. I met a quite few already. Once at a truck stop in Ohio, I met a deaf truck driver who wears the hearing aids and we chatted in ASL. Small world.
I started my first job, hauling sugar beets. All you need is to keep eye on the tractor signal lights…when you are full of beets, it blinks all 4 lights. They must have figured out that communicating by light signals (standard equipment for sugar beet harvesters) is the best because the noises from the engines is very high and they worked very hard too. You can just turn off the hearing aids and be happy on the field and enjoy the light show! All day and night long.
I remember when I got pre-hired into Swift at Kansas City, the doctor performed the whisper test, I raised my arm every time he say something that sounds like a wheel lug nut that slides across the bottom of one gallon tin can. He got pissed off. He got someone in to do the whispering and he kept and hold both of my arms down, (Les, I “ROFL” about they didn’t molested me too.) You know what the results is…they just sent me back home on Greyhound bus next day.
John D. Grebenc, thanks for the information from the Teamster’s website about those Mexicans and their unsafe trucks!!!! I even read in the newspapers where couple of people that got killed in our “backyard highways” by tractor-trailers accidents and that prompted me to sent a couple of e-mails to our Senators, both national and local to halt that pilot program that to allow Mexican truck companies to enter US. I even mentioned about the hearing test which it hasn’t changed for years for American drivers to our Senators…
Amanda…I used to be a member of UAW and understands what you are talking about…it took my guts to stir the pot to get their attention…that we are just an equal member no matter what kind of disability you got…it has been a while since I was an union member…hopefully, the things has changed that is the best for everyone.
Am still looking for that opportunity to drive again…time will come for sure, or it better be sooner…
Randy
April 2, 2007 at 5:37 am
Renny
Hello everyones,
I was browsing around websites about truck drivers. I found a website about women in trucking association called “WIT” http://www.womenintrucking.org/. I have a suggest. I suggest we open our own assocate. I was thinking of what called ourselves. I suggest, Deaf Trucker Association “DTA” or Trucker Assocication of the Deaf “TAD”.
I suggest that we get in touch with NAD and WIT to ask for advises how to open our own association. Maybe we should start with setting up our own website?
Renny Kassel
Fremont, Califronia
April 2, 2007 at 5:41 am
Randall Doane
Renny…some trucking companies such as Scheider National have their own driver training programs. Some driver schools are indepentently owned, some run by community college system. Some companies will hire graduation students, other companies prefer 1 or 2 years OTR (over the road) experience before they can hire. When companies hires graduation students, they usually go out on the road with the trainers (like extra driver to ride with you) for 3 to 6 more weeks before you can drive “solo”.
keep digging for the opportunity and throttle down to the metal to get your first CDL…
Randy
April 2, 2007 at 5:51 am
Randall Doane
Renny…glad you brought it up, the womanintrucking.org will read it tomorrow…gonna be in sleeper by now…”
April 2, 2007 at 6:01 am
Renny
Hello Les, Mike, and Randall,
Thank you for your supportive. I decide that I should go ahead and try for it. I will go to French Camp, Calif. this Wednesday, April 4, 2007 for Schneider Nation career fair. About a hour drive from my home. I will let you guys know what is up after my visit with S.N. career fair.
Renny Kassel
Fremont, California
April 3, 2007 at 6:11 am
Renny
Hello everyone,
Here’s updated from a trucking company. I got a call from Interstate Distributor Co. She said that she is not sure what to do with deaf applications. She was asking me how to deal with deaf people. Like ASL interpreter? How to keep in touch during hauling. Know what?! She actually asked me if I would request ASL interpreter to travel with me during hauling?! ROFLMAO! I explain to her that I only request ASL interpreter during classes and then after that I can be on my own and I have sidekick pager to keep in touch and I am not familiar with Qualcomm but I did mentioned about it anyway. She said she will get in touch with her supervisor and meanwhile she suggest that I go to DMV to find out if I can issue CDL class A license. I will go to DMV this Wednesday to find out before go to French Camp, CA for Schneider National career fair.
Renny Kassel
Fremont, California
April 4, 2007 at 3:21 am
Renny
Hey Randall Doane,
Care to chat on VP? Look me up on DeafVP.com.
Renny Kassel
Fremont, California
April 4, 2007 at 3:38 am
Randall Doane
Check this out…article from NY papers about Deaf driver who dream to be a truck driver for a long time…
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=940DE2DD103FF935A35752C1A96E948260
April 4, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Bryan "Davidson" Duerst
hello deaf men and women
I say don`t worth it this hearing aid. why because I saw a who
hearing semi driver., still stay runner….then this tire is worn out.
won`t a stop. long way then I yelled to man driver. he go to stop it.
I don`t understand. he is hearing. Did you saw it ????
I want too bad a WelCome “DEAF MEN AND WOMEN IN
TRUCKING DRIVER. Very Cool. Again,,,, Try I go to truck driver of school.
So I hope. Plan who Deaf men and women go to meeting
to where is ? wausau,wisconsin or minn or mich ????
I have good idea : who deaf teacher a truck driver of class for the Deaf Only. Do you think about about Me said ? you let anyone to know ?
Deaf can do it,
Bryan Davidson Duerst.
Good Luck and smile !!!!!!!!
April 6, 2007 at 12:16 am
Renny
Hello,
I want to talk about Randall’s article. I notice that that newspaper is from 1988! That mean Mr. Michael Cousin is 60 years old by now! We need to push DOT to legalized deaf drivers to haul 18 wheeler rigs. Before Mr. Michael Cousin became too old to haul the rig!
Renny Kassel
Fremont, California
April 6, 2007 at 12:36 am
Renny
Hello,
I went to Schneider National career fair yesterday. I met Recuiting Manager Mr. Craig Kimball. He was friendly with me. He said that he do not have sign language interpreter with him because they was going to have meeting with people who want to join S.N. So, I collected the information then went to home. I wish I’ve contact with them before I show up because they could’ve gotten me ASL interpreter. I’m going to have a interview soon though a VP.
Renny Kassel
Fremont, California
April 7, 2007 at 8:50 pm
les fairbanks
sorry to be out of touch for a while but i am back and ready to give my inputs
the women in trucking mag has an article about a lady who apparently is the first woman trucker but there was a footnote in there that mentioned that she lost most of her hearing due to a scarlet fever thingy and she owned a trucking company the website is http://www.goecities.com/TheTropics/1608/firstlady.htm copy and paste
in my previous comments i stated to start small that is to start hauling for the local farms or small 10 wheelers until you get the feel for the tranny syncrohinization shifting and turning radius and the terminology of the switches and levers in the cab a good way to to haul harvest loads like sugar beets or whatever in your area fall period it is how i got started i usually stop at a rest area or a truck stop and call my boss by tty and relay opr to get my next load or via fax when load is too detailed for the relay opr errors in directions has occured thru the relay opr and that cost me time our company is too small to have qualcomm 9 rigs total so doesnt make sense for my boss to have qualcomm right now was wondering how NAD is going to send out info on the USDOT hearing this coming spring i would like to know what is going on hope they get something going on soon before i get too old to climb in the cab!!!!!
hope to run into ya at the truck stops !
April 10, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Randall Doane
Hi, “hearing-impaired” CDL holders…I have been browsing all websites that is related to hearing lost and driving. One thing I noticed is that there is a huge research databases all over the world about all kinds of issues in transportation. On this particular document by Suzanne E. Lee, on her Doctor of Philosophy dissertation in Industrial and System Engineering, Role of Driver in Commercial Motor Vehicle Operation: An Evaluation of the FHWA Hearing Requirement. I do find some flaws in her research in gathering the information. Any scholar persons would have the chance to rebut her research if they are in right place. Since her work is now on the Internet and I decided to post it in this blog for you guys to review it.
Click to access etd.pdf
In my inner-personal communication class at Inver Grove Height Community College, my professor did his research on how human mind simulate in communicating. His finding shows that the eyes, touch, and hearing (exactly in the order) are the important communication simulators. However, he found that lot of hearing people in all over the world does NOT recognize due the fact they are using their eyes in their communication process. His finding that showed the percentage of three sensors, eyes sensor above 50%, touch sensor little above 30% and the least important sensor, the hearing at 17%. I asked my professor, “What about me?” His reply was “I am envy of you”. Why? “You process whole a lot more information than rest of us, the hearing people”. He put all of students in the classroom to do one experiment to prove his theory is right. After the experiment, the whole class was surprised, instantly.
Because of this scholar experience with this professor, I determined that IF Suzanne E.Lee took this inner-personal communication class with me and I know she would have written her doctor dissertation report, differently.
Bottom line, we need to pay close attention on how inexperience dissertation writers who assume that hearing impaired drivers have more accidents than hearing drivers that COULD influence the hearing people way of thinking that we are in high risk group. Someone just said “Paint the truck in bright orange so we will know they can not hear” when it comes to unregulated railroad crossing issues in other blog sites.
NAD? Good question…hoping they are working on it and get back to us.
PS…if you wanna me to say that “article” in ASL, let me know. (Note: For ASL interpreters, your skills must be at level 5 to interpret my ASL in future posting…)
April 10, 2007 at 11:32 pm
les fairbanks
damn good well written dissertation i learned a lot from it thou i dont agree with some thou i didnt read it all yet am gonna print it for when i am out on the road again to read in the sleeper
wish she had asked some deaf drivers for their opinions as well maybe this blog be one of the best venue for her to purvey later on q q
noticed some drivers comment on how you have to hear a tire blowing or the tranny going out i am stone deaf and was able to hear a trailer tire blowing out whereas some company drivers that i work with came home with two blown tires and didnt know it or dont even do pre trip checks hey i even remember that driver who decided to check his trailer brakes on the highway he thought just cuz he is empty be good time to do that what an idiot if i own my own rig i wont even loan him my tractor
i adapt to survive in this dog eat dog world and i could even know what is wrong with the rig just by the feelings ive lost air to the trailers and knew it almost right away had to have the valves adjusted just cuz it wasnt the same just pulled over in a city and find this freightliner dealer or the cat dealer and they usually do a good job could even have told the drivers in that dissertation something i think they put that down cuz it is in the manual not what they experienced
non-cvo deaf drivers probably will have more accidents now with the sidekicks blackberrys out the studies disproved what i previously thought was to be true but those tangible variables is at work once again nothing is perfect
L
April 11, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Randall Doane
Check this out…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_language
April 11, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Randall Doane
There is an example that I like to write in rebuttal for Suzanne’s research. One day I was hauling fully loaded freight on a Texas state highway that were in construction phase. There were hundreds of concrete barriers that lined up with no shoulders to spare for miles and miles. All sudden, there was a single “clunk” on the floor pan of my Mack truck which I felt it first before I heard it, in terms of milliseconds apart. I investigated the source and found out that the clutch pedal has gone down to the metal. Damn, the clutch is broken.
Ouch, there is no way you can grind your rig to halt where you could have miles and miles long of traffic backup. So I decided to keep going until I find safe exit. When I found the exit, I managed to use the right gears to get the rig though a couple of traffic lights until the last light got stuck in red for a long time. So I brought her to stop. Guess what I do next when the light turns to green? All I did was to turn off the engine and put tranny in lowest possible gear in. When light turns green, I started the engine; starter is strong enough to get rig move a little to get the engine started again. Shifted gears without using the clutch pedal until I find hardware store. I parked on street with 4 way flashers on and went in the store to get cotter safety pin. (clutch’s cotter pin fell off) Installed and I got clutch back into operation again.
What I am saying here is that I do not need to hear when I shift gears, all I do is feel the engine load, rpm, transmission normal mechanical gearspeed “frequencies”…Guess you guys must have not recognize how valuable your eyes and touch sensory is there for you to use beside your hearing…
April 12, 2007 at 1:45 am
les fairbanks
yep know the feeliing when ya clutch go out yup i had to put gear in granny low and start engine when on a hill went 500 miles without a clutch and how about eh day when my tranny went out first thing i knew it went out was on an interstate oil smoke burnt then i checked gauge and nothing huh but truck not strong till i stopped at dealership to drop off cars then i realized real hot so i shut off engine after i adjusted hyrdraulics posts to get cars off and dropped them off then started engine and watched gears till i got home 100 miles away got home with tranny smoking i overhauled it and drove it away a week away have to watch the pedal travel half inch travel or slop whatever if it is off then time to get it adjusted i do that myself boss not usually mad if i had to pull rig off to get this or that fixed cheaper than having the usdot find that out for me me in jail bonding out all the time just watch the gauge when ya shift tranny to upshift go low 500 to downshift go 500 rpm higher you be fine only schooling i got was a five min drivein a truck cab and the i am a truck driver so much for school only reason for school is most truck drivers wanna bes is a completee idiot no wonder they got a 3 wk school i could teach anyone how to be a truck driver i taught my other deef brother how to haul and he got it with a 5 min instructions but he wont go interstae knwoing he going to jail i told him i will do the dirty work and lead others into this field i aint scared anymore
happy truckin’ yo deafies stick together man sk L
April 12, 2007 at 1:48 am
les fairbanks
checked yo recommended website can you just vp me 218 567 8502 or email me @ fyles4g@arvig.net for time for some cber time huh q trucker to trucker
L
April 24, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Mike Smith
April 24th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Mike Smith
hello everyone I want to you send to me your name and email and address and i can send to paper sign paper and full name and we will start set up for member for ” Driver Truck For the DEAF and deaf of hearing Member Club” start set up and we will order machine sew picture of coat back show to people who can fight driver truck semi wheel and member will start set up please help to me and jack eyes I am start support with you and all everyone please start fund money for order coat and plus save money build for paid gas travel to wash D.C. so who have already truck semi bring to road to wash D.C. meet to me and jack eyes will start permit park to street show to white house and something support for deaf can do job driver truck i will start work picture semi wheel picture this week or next week please send to my email is Volvo492@aol.com jack eyes will help you and Ill help to you support alll everyone meet for club future build strong for deaf and can driver truck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you pal please go to read part III please read more add list please
April 25, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Mike Smith
April 25th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Mike Smith
hey alll everyone please email to me reason jack eye wan tto me care of him work for me and so please you need to send to me fund for wash DC white state captioal so any you want to money send to money put to bank for go to wash DC support for deaf can driver truck need to proof it that why jack eye will gave to me fund money that jack and I will work meet about new policy and new set up member club like that so please allll everyone send to money and your name and address and VP phone number i will call you and email to you will help that please let me know how much money you want to send to fund for wash DC please help to jack eye and I work together
April 25, 2007 at 9:51 pm
James Queen
there real very good comments. i still want be truck driver and travel across the usa! need to fight up with FMCSA, Senate, Congress and white house. to change new policy to allow deaf to drive in at alll usa plus allow drive over line state. “INTERSTATE” like travel 48 states!
also need fight up to prevent mexico not to become trucker because that way will make worse bad and problem in usa plus lead to accident. what way not fair to deaf cant become a trucker .
my point ” WHY US CONGRESS AND BUSH ACCPET LET MEXICO TO BECOME TRUCKER ?? WHAT ABOUT DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING? THAT WAY MAKE ME SICK TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
dont be give up and stay be very strongy and goal to be “WINNER AND SUCESSFULLY” become trucker and drive over across the usa ! job is earn money for life needs, etc u know what i mean.
any question??
“DEAF PRIDE” CAN DO IT ! YEAH! RIGHT !!!! “DEAF KEEP ON TRUCKIN'” YEAH!
KEEP IN TOUCH
“RUBBER DUCK” CONVOY TRUCKER (JAMES QUEEN)
May 3, 2007 at 11:21 pm
James Queen
HEY ALL TRUCKERS & EVERYBODY…
TELL U THAT I M KINDA SUPPORT AND HELP FOR MIKE SMITH AND JACK EYE TO FIGHT UP WITH DOT FMSCA. TELL U THAT MIKE SMITH & JACK EYE ARE KINDA HARD WORK AND LOVE TO HELP AND SUPPORT FOR U AND ALL DEAFIES & HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE TO BECOME A TRUCKER.. THEY NOT KINDA OF SCAM FOR MONEY NOOO. WE NEED UR SUPPORT AND HELP TO BUILDING STRONGLY BE STAND UP TO SPEAK OUT TO DOT FMSCA AND WHITE CAPTIAL WHITE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON DC. ALSO WE NEED UR HELP AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER TO GET SUCESSFULLY TO GET ALLOW TO DRIVE TRUCK AND GET CDL CLASS A PLUS CHANGE NEW POLICY FOR DOT FMCSA TO ALLOW DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE TO DRIVE TRUCK PLUS ALLOW DRIVE INTERSTATE OUT OF STATE LIKE” ACROSS THE USA”..
BE STRONGLY & TRUST & BE STRONGLY FAITH IN US TO HELP AND SUPPORT THAT WHY..
REASON MONEY FOR SEND FOR SEW MACHINE FOR COAT THEN SEND U COAT AND GET READY BE TO FIGHT UP WITH DOT FMSCA AND CAPTIAL WHITE HOUSE THAT SHOW PROOF THAT ALL OF U REALL WANT BE TRUCK DRIVER, WANT DRIVE OVER THE STATE LINES ” INTERSTATE” PLUS GET CDL A TOO PLUS WAIVER ” HEARING PROGRAM” THEN U WILL FEELING GOOD AND HAPPY TO ALLOW GET BE TRUCK DRIVER ..
THAT U WANT RIGHT ???? WE ARE VERY VERY SERIOUSLY STEADY DO IT TO FIGHT UP AND STRONGLY PLUS STAND UP TO SPEAK OUT !!!
ALSO MONEY FOR HELP BUILDING FOR MEMBER CLUB FOR USA & CANADA DEAF & HARD OF HEARING TRUCK DRIVER MEMBER CLUB!
WE WANT SEE ALL OF U BE HAPPY AND FEEL GOOD PROUD THAT WAY U BECOME SUCCESSFULLY BEAT DOT FMSCA ! DOT FMSCA WILL GOING LOSER IF ALL OF U FIGHT UP AND STRONG STAY STAND UP SPEAK OUT THAT WAYTO SUCCESSFULLY !
DO U WANT FAILURE FOR UR DREAM AND GOAL BE TRUCK DRIVER ??? I DONT LIKE THAT !!!!
PLEASE COME COME BE STRONGLY , TRUST , FAITH IN US EACHOTHER PLUS HELP AND SUPPORT EACHOTHER LIKE A FAMILY TEAM BE STRONGLY..
WE SUPPORT AND HELP U PLUS WE NEED UR SUPPORT AND HELP TOO…
THAT WHY WE NEED ALL DEAFIES AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE GOING TO WASHINGTON DC AND FIGHT UP , PROOF THAT U WANT BE TRUCKDRIVER IN UR REAL DREAM AND GOAL! .. TRUCK DRIVER IS PART OF JOB TO EARN GREAT MONEY FOR UR LIFE NEEDS…
I M WANT BACK TRUCK DRIVER I MEAN IT THAT WHY NEED TO FIGHT UP WITH DOT FMCSA & CAPTIAL WHITE HOUSE.. TO GET SUCCESSFULLY AND BEAT TO WIN! BE HAPPY!!!!! BECOME TRUCK DRIVER , ETC!!!
PLEASE TRUST US… WE NOT KINDA OF JOKING , OR PLAY GAME AROUND U NO WAY .. WE ARE VERY DEEPLY SERIOUS STEADY !!! WE WANT SEE ALL OF U AND US TO GET SUCCESSFULLY AND STRONG LIKE ” BE DEAF & HARD OF HEARING PRIDE” BE EQUAL HEARING LIFE ! U WANT SEE GET GOOD MONEY DURING U DRIVE TRUCK !!! RIGHT !!!!
HOPE ALL OF U WILL DO IT AND HELP & SUPPORT EACHOTHER TO GET SUCCESSFULLY!!!! PLEASE !! THANKS…
WHICH ONE U WANT BE STRONGLY LIKE A EAGLE OF USA OR GIVE UP TO WEAK TO NOT GET SUCCESSFULLY?? WHICH ONE !!!
WE ARE BORN IN USA FREEDOM !!! BE STRONGLY LIKE EAGLE !!!!
THUMB UP!!! ALERT ALERT!!!!!!
KEEP UP DONT BE GIVE UP!!! STAY STRONGLY AND STAND UP!!!! OK THANKS
ANY QUESTION ???
KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ 10-4
BE DEAF & HARD OF HEARING TRUCKER PRIDE” YEAH!
KEEP IN TOUCH!!!
THANKS
“RUBBER DUCK” CONVOY JAMES
May 3, 2007 at 11:23 pm
James Queen
HEY TRUCKERS AND EVERYBODY…
TELL U THAT MIKE SMITH AND JACK EYE ARE VERY HONSETLY AND WANT HELP & SUPPORT ALL OF U TO SUCCESSFULLY TO GET TRUCK DRIVER!!!
I MEAN IT!! I M KINDA STRONGLY STAND UP ON MIKE SMITH AND JACK EYE’S SIDE.. PLSU I M STAND UP ON ALL OF U TOO!! WHY WE ARE HERE TO HELP AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER!!! TO GET SUCCESSFULLY AND WIN TO ALLOW ALL DEAFIES AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE TO BEOCME TRUCK DRIVER , GET CDL CLASS A, DRIVE OVER STATE LINE”INTERSTATE” PLUS WAVIER HEARING PROGRAM ” THAT WHY…
I CAN SEE MIKE SMITH AND JACK EYE’ S EYES REAL KINDA VERY SERIOUSLY AND HONESTLY PERSON!!
HOPE ALL OF U WILL HELP & SUPPORT EACHOTHER .. REMEMBER BE STRONGLY, FAITH IN , TRUST ARE VERY IMPORTANT KEYS.. PLUS++++ PLEASE DONT BE GIVE UP!!!!!
ANY QUESTIONS ?
KEEP IN TOUCH
THANKS
“RUBBER DUCK” CONVOY TRUCKER JAMES
June 11, 2007 at 11:00 pm
deafmutearthur
Joey, you’re funny to ask us to send complaints to NAD… To me NAD is deadbeat… just a groupies who pat other’s back…. Try to think as blue collar and want to know what NAD is all about… I did tried to learned about NAD thru their websites…I found nothing in it to be enticed to support or join NAD…. So NAD need to clean up their stinky website…
June 20, 2007 at 1:23 am
ronald colarossi
I am very upset at the way people treat deaf and hard off hearing.I am a truck driver and it is very hard to get work because i am hard of hearing (well that is the first time i ever heard you must have 40% or better to be able to drive a truck.) but we have people who cant speak english and they are getting trucker jobs beacuse they can hear but cant speak english does this make it right . no it is not right but the still ignore us because we do not meet there requirement of 40 % hearing but they make driver book for spanish speaking people wow that is true. why dont they make some thing to help all deaf and hard of hearing people so we can work and support our family. if you would like to talk to me call me on my vp 407-944-0806 and lets keep all deaf and hard of hearing people working to support there family and to have an happy life
June 21, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Billy Clark
Hello Jack’s Eyes
Please contact me wscjr51@aol.com right away if not answer then you will be too late ok Tks
July 25, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Stephen R. Davenport
I’m a CDL-A driver with 1yr. exp. I would like to know how to contact Teamters & how may I join the truckers union. I would like your input on this importent question? please e-mail the answer. Thanks Steve Davenport
August 7, 2007 at 12:29 am
Linda Aldridge
i am female and i did went international professional school trainning drive, i graduated on june21,2006 and got cdl a license , eager looking for job as truck driver they wont accept deaf because they afraid high insurance for deaf and afraid they drive risk. when the man told international professional school trainning drive they offer me go oklahoma and orient for trainning there. so i rode jefferson bus to oklahoma and shuffle bus picked me up and arrived hotel and gave me room with lady there and next day we went orient meeting us xpress co i sat and ask where is interpreter there he said no we dont have and make speak and we have to take over again test for dot physical i told him i already had dot physical and he said test again to have add hear their word to pass but i passed 5 feet whisper not word so messed up send me back home texas AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED THEY PISSED OFF ABOUT THAT AND LOOK FOR JOBS STILL AND NOW MAYBE ONE WILL INTERVIEW ME SOON AND I WILL FIND OUT IF TRUE THEY HIRE ME AS TRUCK DRIVER
August 7, 2007 at 2:43 am
Linda Aldridge
i agree with all of you said about everything
August 7, 2007 at 2:44 am
Linda Aldridge
if you want talk about it contact to nativelinda00952@aol.com
August 7, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Jimmy Wise
WOW!!!
I agree with you and need to support Deaf Future
August 7, 2007 at 3:37 pm
robert barnett
i was a ex-truck driver student. i kicked the deaf interpreter out of the class. i cannot let him to use the phone all the time. he alway was so late for the class. the deaf interpreter was not doing a job. the school gave me one thound dollars.
i cannot find a interpreter because there was many interprter women. the interpreter women were afraid of driving a truck. i was so stuck.
thank you
bob
August 13, 2007 at 3:39 am
Mike Smith
HEY STEPHEN DAVENPORT , PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT DRIVER TRUCK I AM SUPPORT FOR DEAF CAN DRIVER BUT MUST PASS HEARING AIDS 40db then phyiscal dot must have been pass hearing aids before go driver road my email is Volvo492@aol.com
December 13, 2007 at 4:45 pm
Viking
The issue about deaf truck drivers not allowing to drive in some states while other state allowed deaf truck drivers. I am not surprised about NAD not doing anything in helping deaf truck drivers.
It has happened to me, except the difference here is; I used to work as ground support for a major airline where I drive huge loader to large jets for loading or unloading huge freights from the plane and lowered to the ground where tug pulls long train of cargo. Also, I guide plane from taxi-way into gate with hand signals to communicate with pilot then secure plane before loading/unloading. I also drive tug with 4 cargo train, each weights over 10,000 lbs from plane into building and vice versa.
I had no problems, no accidents and everyone loved my work while other hearing employee who took same training class with me got involved in mishaps that causes excessive damages and delayed flights.
But, guess what? I got suspended due to safety because of deafness and hearing employee who caused mishaps still continue working.
I filed lawsuit, but lost on a technicality and NAD DID NOTHING!!!
I support you truck drivers, keep on fighting!!
January 21, 2008 at 4:09 am
Edward
Keep fighting not to give up trucking!!! My friends are truck drivers whose are deaf and can do it. Deaf people are not quitters! We have DEAF POWER! I enjoyed to view many issues about CI,discriminations,etc. I am glad to know what the HELL going on on this damn world!!!! Keep ON,JACKEYES!!!!
July 10, 2008 at 7:10 pm
ADALBERTO RODRIGUEZ
I M HARD OF HEARING ALSO PART OF DEAF WHEN WITH OUT HEARING AIDS SO FIRST OF ALL I M TRUCKER DRIVER 18 WHEELER SO FIRST OF ALL HAVE TO WEARING HEARING AIDS IMPORTANT MAKE SURE U NEED NO MORE THAN 40 DECIBAL MAKE SURE U NEED LESS THAN 40 DECIBAL ALSO HOW CAN U COMMUCATE WITH CONSUMER WHEN U DELIVERY OR UR JOBS THA BIG PLM … ALSO I M VERY VERY WELL ORAL SPEAK GOOD …. ALSO USE SIGN LANGAUAGE TOOO… I M 23 YRS TRACTOR TRAILER SINCE I STARTED 19 YRS OLD THEN GOT LICSIENSE WAS 20 YRS OLD .I WORED WITH MY FAMILY OWN BUSINESS AS MOVING COMPANY RIGHT NOW I WORKED FOR BEVERAGE COMPANY… I WISH SUPPORT U… BEST U HAVE TAKE NEW HEARING AIDS FIRST THEN TAKE HEARING TEST MAKE SURE U PUT VOLUME HIGH WHEN U TAKE TEST .. THEN AFTER U GOT AUDIOLOGY FORM RESULT TEST… CAN’T ALLOW WITH OUT HEARING AIDS … BUT AFTERR WHEN U GET TRUCKER DRIVE U CAN TAKE IT OFF HEARING AIDS MAKE SURE U WATCH ALL THE TIME VIEW MIRROR AND WATCH TIRES AND WATCH AIR BRAKE SYSTEM ON PRESSURE GAUGAE WHEN IF HAPPEN GO DOWN AIR LEAKING BE SURE U WATCH .. I KNEW I WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS VERY VERY FRSUTATE BEC I HATE JOB MOVING COMPANY I THINK ALL OF U CAN ASK APPLY MOVING COMPAN REALLY NEED HIRING DRIVER PLUS MOVER DELIEVRY OR PICK UP… WANT GOOD COMPANY VERY HARD AFRAID AND ALSO HOW CUD WHEN WE STOP WEIGHT STATION SOME TIME THEY HAVE SPEAKER TELL U PUL OVER OR TELL U GO SOME OF NEW SHOW SIGN GO OR PULL OVER EASY FOR US…. .. ALSO DOT INSPECTION WILL TALK U WHEN DOT INSPECTION ASKED U PULLED OVER TO INSPECTION TRUCK .. HOW CAN U COM,CAITE THA BIG PLM …I MET DOT INSPECTION NOTICE ME I WEAR HEAIRNG AIDS AND TALK WITH THEM HAD NO PLM….. WISH ALL OF U FIGHT BACK TO NAD AND DOT REALY STUPID .. REMMA VERY IMPORT HAVE TO TAKE HEAIRNG AIDS TEST ….. GO TO SEE DR FOR AUDIOLOYGY FORHEARING TEST… VERY IMPORT OR IF U RE DEAD BOTH EAR WON’T HEAR OR WITH HEAING AIDS HEAR WITH OUT THEN U CAN’T DRIVER TRUCK THAT WUD BE TOUGHT TO REFUSES … ALSO THA S UNFAIR WHO HAD DIABTEIC IS WORSE DANGER BEC CUD BE PASS OUT! OR DZZZY IN PAST YEAR AGO ..IN NYC CITY BUS HE WAS DAIBELTIC ALSO HE FELL PASS OUT HITTT NUMBEROUS OF VEHILCE AND SMACK PEOPLE AND HIT BUILDING .. THA IT UNFAIR FOR US…. ALSO SCHOOL BUS DRIVER WHO WAS HEARING MAN WHEN STUDENT OPEN DOOR FOR EMERGY DOOR WHILE BUS WAS MOTION HE FELL OFF STREET.. BUS KEPT GOING DRIVER HOW CUD HE SI NT DEAF SCHOOL BUS HAS ALARM FOR EMERGY DOOR ON REAR DOOR….. THA UNFAIR FOR ALL OF US .. SO HOPE U FIGHT ALLL DOT AND NAD …. THKS U WISH U ANYQUESTION SEND ME TAKE CARE
July 31, 2008 at 10:55 pm
david morgan
i supports all many power deaf/hard hearinig will fight to beat up washinghan,dc and u.s sentae in washginghan.dc at white house.the support win ,win,win the powers many deaf/hardining truckers in the future and the argee support power deaf/hard hearing to powers,powers,powers.keep up to get support all many deaf/hard hearing win,win trucking and get jobs in the future keep god bless thumb -up.
August 30, 2008 at 1:41 pm
j. mondejar Iturriza
please help me I have 2 weeks until I perform my road test. I am at AIT
in las veas Nevada the instructors there gives personal attention to all
the female students except me. They keep telling me I do not dress or
look like a truck driver yet my $9000.00 cashiers check spent just like all
the other students. I work in fashion I also have a Master degree in
Medical Technology. The only thing I need help with is gear shifting I can
drive the truck can perform the pre-trip the en-route and post route
I can alley dock and parallel park serpentine so so. If you know a trucker
who will be willing to to tutor me in the Las Vegas Area on proper gear
shifting please let me know. I have to do this I was married to a wonderful
military man he died a year ago our dreams were to drive a big rig for
8 years sit back and grow old together he was an officer a pilot he died
from a blastoma brain tumor. my phone number is 702 458-4795 I got
to do this too many want me to fail. JJ