Safe Driver Award

So, this morning, finally, the email came from corporate with the names of those who are going to receive the Safe Driver Award.  It is given annually - if you qualify - on the month of your service anniversary.  I didn't know what to think all the way up until this morning - til' I got to work and opened up the email.

The email shows 1 year, 2 year - all the way up to as many years a person has been a safe driver.  I figured I was at 1 year since I didn't get it last year and it would reset back to 1.  Otherwise, I would be at 4 years.  I didn't see my name under 1 year so I thought - oh well.  I met all the qualifications for it, but for whatever reason, I am not getting it.

I open up the next email from a co-worker in the purchasing department.  He says congratulations on the Safe Driver Award.  ???  Back to the corporate email.  Now I am scouring through all of it, not just 1st year.  My name is there - on the 4th year of getting the award!

I had NO idea that it didn't have to be consecutive!  I thought that if you didn't get it in any given year, the counter resets to zero and you start all over again. Not!  Why is this so grand? Because on your 4th year, you get TWO/2/DOS/week's pay and it stays that way every year after that!  2 weeks pay?!!!  Yowsa!!!

I was like, YES!!!

Endeavoring to simply stay away from Highway Patrol at all costs.  That's what got me through the last 13 months without a warning from them for whatever - avoid the known hangouts for them like the plague as much as possible.  Can't always do that, but at the same time, they can't pull over every truck, in fact, they can only pull over and inspect a small fraction of them.  I'm not saying I am driving a dangerous truck.  We spent $5,000 on tires about 6 months ago.  Brakes are good. No cracks on anything. No leaks of any kind.  No nothing - yet if you get pulled over, they seemingly invent things to write you up for.  The younger ones are mini-gods. Dictators of their own right.  Stalin reborn.  Hitler reincarnated.

And you think I am exaggerating. Uh-huh. 25 years of their nonsense, I have a bit of insight not only from my own experiences with them, but from talking to countless other truck drivers and THEIR experiences with them, some of which are truly nightmarish in proportion.  I will fight any warning they give me from this point forth - actually starting when my company set forth it's new policy in response to USDOT new regulations - extreme regulations to say the least.

It didn't used to be this hard.  Truck drivers were professionals and the motoring public treated them with respect.  That is mostly untrue anymore.  On both counts.  Many people holding the steering wheel of a truck that are far from being any semblance of professional.  We used to all dress neatly and smartly.  We didn't throw "pee bottles" out the windows. We didn't drive in and out of heavy traffic as if we are operating a tonka toy in a dirt maze.  The motoring public doesn't really treat ANY other drivers with respect.

Well whatever.  I drove 132 miles today.  Doesn't sound like much until you realize it was ALL city traffic. I most definitely earn my pay and by the grace of God - keep out of accidents.  I hope it stays that way.

ben