Trucking News: Amazon's Incognito Truck Crashes

[ironpony]

The "incognito" mega. I've had their trucks pass me way over the speed limit in a no passing zone on a two lane public road in a business park. According to this, Amazon controls the vans, holds them to unreasonable delivery schedules, the drivers are unregulated, and when they **** up Amazon doesn't know who they are because of the legal separation of their independent contractors from Amazon...

The Human Cost of Amazon's Fast, Free Delivery

Amazon directs the destinations, deadlines and routes for its network of contract delivery drivers. But when they crash, the retail giant is shielded from responsibility.

By Patricia Callahan

When she added Gabrielle’s name to the chart in her kitchen, Judy Kennedy could picture the annual ritual. At birthdays she would ask her newest grandchild to stand up straight, heels against the door frame, so she could mark Gabrielle’s height beside that of her other granddaughter in the Maine house the family has lived in since the 1800s.

But there are no lines for Gabrielle.

In January, the 9-month-old was killed when a driver delivering Amazon.com packages crashed a 26-foot rented box truck into the back of her mother’s Jeep. The baby was strapped into a car seat in the back.

The delivery driver, a subcontractor ferrying pallets of Amazon boxes from suburban Boston to five locations in Maine, said in an interview that he was running late and failed to spot the Jeep in time to avoid the crash...

 

[r3gulator3]

What’s worse is a lot of them box truck guys think they don’t need a CDL. Don’t need a log. Ect. It will be interesting since this story is coming out of the old money northeast to see what legislation will follow in regards to gvwr<26001

 

[ironpony]

What’s worse is a lot of them box truck guys think they don’t need a CDL. Don’t need a log. Ect. It will be interesting since this story is coming out of the old money northeast to see what legislation will follow in regards to gvwr<26001

If they were regulated under the FMCSRs, Bezos would be required to have his corporate name on the side of those trucks... LEASED TO: AMAZON.

 

[Sinister]

I once saw a young girl in her Chevy Cruze in the twin cities. University of Minnesota sticker, Uber, Lyft stickers.

Working her way through college most likely.

Also, she had her car stuffed to the gills with amazon boxes.

No “_____ courier service” sign, no MC number, no USDOT number.

I think Amazon will have problems in the future...

 

[Mike]

I think Amazon will have problems in the future.

And the problems will start in California.

 

[ironpony]

Sounds a whole lot like the total bottom feeder megas that try to run their drivers like slaves - except these guys can.

 

[Mike]

Personally, I don’t like the idea of Amazon being targeted for the problem here.

Personal responsibility. A driver crashed and killed a kid, not Amazon.

Do all delivery drivers need to be under FMCSA guidelines? Possibly. Gonna be awfully expensive pizza delivery at that point though.

 

[ironpony]

Personally, I don’t like the idea of Amazon being targeted for the problem here.

Personal responsibility. A driver crashed and killed a kid, not Amazon.

Do all delivery drivers need to be under FMCSA guidelines? Possibly. Gonna be awfully expensive pizza delivery at that point though.

There is a difference between a local pizza joint, and one of the world's richest men goading delivery drivers into unsafe driving, then evading responsibility for the consequences, doncha think? Also there is a difference between a kid with a Domino's sign strapped to his beater car, and a box truck.

 

[Duck]

There is a difference between a local pizza joint, and one of the world's richest men goading delivery drivers into unsafe driving, then evading responsibility for the consequences, doncha think? Also there is a difference between a kid with a Domino's sign strapped to his beater car, and a box truck.

True but how do you regulate one without affecting the other?

 

[r3gulator3]

True but how do you regulate one without affecting the other?

Uber a Lyft don’t fall under taxi rules because it’s considered sharing a ride with someone. I don’t understand the legalese but my second ex wife did that shit for 3 years and yes we got a 1099 and paid taxes on the shit. I don’t understand how it doesn’t fall under public service Commission like a cab. I think that the same public service commission that applies to busses and cabs should apply to these 26ft box trucks. Just my opinion.

Joe working at dominos pizza that’s something else entirely. Most of those people aren’t scheduled for a full 8 hour shift so in my opinion it’s self policed. I did it as a second job for a while with a was a struggling newby tech with a family. I worked 8 at the shop and 6 at dominos and that was considered two shifts for delivery.

 

[Mike]

Uber a Lyft don’t fall under taxi rules because it’s considered sharing a ride with someone. I don’t understand the legalese but my second ex wife did that **** for 3 years and yes we got a 1099 and paid taxes on the ****. I don’t understand how it doesn’t fall under public service Commission like a cab. I think that the same public service commission that applies to busses and cabs should apply to these 26ft box trucks. Just my opinion.

Joe working at dominos pizza that’s something else entirely. Most of those people aren’t scheduled for a full 8 hour shift so in my opinion it’s self policed. I did it as a second job for a while with a was a struggling newby tech with a family. I worked 8 at the shop and 6 at dominos and that was considered two shifts for delivery.

I disagree on the pizza folks. Many of them are working full time jobs, then out driving like lunatics down the streets as a 2nd job, and incentivized just like the Amazon folks to get each delivery done as rapidly as possible.

They are virtually doing the same exact thing as amazon or Uber/Lyft. As a matter of fact, when delivering people is slow, many of those folks are delivering food via Uber Eats.

They are all delivering some sort of package to a specific location, be it a box of merchandise, a box of food, or a human. And many of them are doing these jobs to supplement their income, which means they are driving on the same limited test that we prevented from doing.

 

[r3gulator3]

I disagree on the pizza folks. Many of them are working full time jobs, then out driving like lunatics down the streets as a 2nd job, and incentivized just like the Amazon folks to get each delivery done as rapidly as possible.

They are virtually doing the same exact thing as amazon or Uber/Lyft. As a matter of fact, when delivering people is slow, many of those folks are delivering food via Uber Eats.

They are all delivering some sort of package to a specific location, be it a box of merchandise, a box of food, or a human. And many of them are doing these jobs to supplement their income, which means they are driving on the same limited test that we prevented from doing.

Well, run local and get a second job. Boom now you’re on an equal playing field. I don’t understand how Uber/Lyft gets away with it, but cabbies can work 20 hours a day. No one bats an eye. I’m guessing it has to do with the length driven and crossing state lines that creates the issue.

To be honest I don’t give a ****. Stupid people play stupid games and win stupid prizes.

 

[r3gulator3]

Oh and driving like lunatics is an individual choice if dominos catches you breaking any laws you are terminated.