Trucks and Truckers Take a Hit in December. Part 1

This latest article focuses on the fact that many of the drivers have criminal histories, to include drug use. That is fair enough reporting. But it is not an issue that is rampant for the remainder of the U.S.

In the article it was quoted;

In some cases, Dallas County probation officers referred clients to truck-driving schools. Some county probationers were working as truckers while they were failing court-ordered drug tests. And some have injured motorists in truck accidents after obtaining their commercial driver's license, according to state records.

How does that become an issue except that the State of Texas failed to provide due diligence? If they were aware that some of the inmates they had placed into driving jobs, were failing drug tests, why did they not act upon that information?

One of the drivers in the article was Charles Mr. Snider, who had a long history of drug related court appearances and convictions, dating back to 2001. Mr. Snider tested positive for drugs by the justice system in July of 2004, but it was not reported.

"We would have acted on it," he added, "and it could have resulted in Mr. Snider's dismissal."

Dr. Noyes, the Dallas County probation chief, said "notifying an employer about a positive drug test is a gray area under the law but is typically not done because of privacy protections. But, he said, if the probationer worked in a safety-sensitive industry, such as trucking, he would seek guidance from the court on whether an employer could be notified."

It appears the privacy rights right of one individual, outweighs the safety of the motoring public.

After a minor accident in May of 2004, Mr. Snider was then involved in another accident in July of 2005.

Mr. Snider was still driving for JRJ Paving on the morning of Jan. 17, 2005, when he rammed into the back of a slow-moving dump truck, then hit a street sweeper on Interstate 45 in southern Dallas. The dump truck, which was protecting a convoy of street sweepers, had a flashing arrow board to warn approaching traffic, according to the accident report.