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Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2017
News | October 2017 | CSR
Trucking company sends driver packing
after multiple safety violations
Driver's repeated breaches of safety protocol put company
in unsatisfactory rating with government regulators, clients
BY JEFFREY R. SMITH
A BRITISH COLUMBIA adju-
dicator has upheld the dismissal
of a truck driver who accumu-
lated a significant number safety
protocol breaches in a relatively
short period of time.
Francois Lachaine was a truck
driver who started working for
Casey Transport, a long-haul
trucking company specializing
in refrigerated products based
in Abbotsford, B.C., in 2006. He
started out as part of a two-per-
son team that drove trucks filled
with cargo back-and-forth be-
tween B.C. and Quebec. He was
considered a hard-working driv-
er and took pride in his work,
with one co-worker remarking
that "it's a passion for him. He is
a machine. He eats asphalt."
Casey Transport was subject
to National Safety Code stan-
dards that imposed duties and
limitations on the conduct of
drivers and trucking companies
to ensure the safe operation of
commercial vehicles. Drivers
were required to keep logbooks
to ensure compliance could be
monitored and there were limits
on how long drivers could drive
before taking a rest. The code
had a system of points which
kept track of the safety perfor-
mance of both drivers and the
trucking companies.
On May 7, 2013, Casey Trans-
port issued a written warning to
Lachaine for refuelling in loca-
tions with higher fuel prices and
not having maintenance pre-ap-
proved. The next day, the com-
pany issue him a second written
warning for safety violations.
This warning was for speeding
(127 kph) on March 13, driving
on a closed highway on April 19,
and speeding again (136 kph)
on May 7. The second warning
stated that Lachaine must follow
all legal speed limit regulations
and "further infractions will not
be tolerated and will result in
further job action and possible
termination."
A short time later, the com-
pany learned Lachaine had been
speeding again (129 kph on May
20) and had submitted log sheets
saying he was driving on two
days for which he had already
submitted log sheets showing
he was off and resting. Lachaine
was issued a written warning
dated May 21 that falsified logs
were illegal and against company
policy. It once again said "further
infraction will not be tolerated"
and could result in termination.
Driver > pg. 7
