‘I need to get out’: Western Express truck driver given the wrong license plate. His manager said to cover it with cardboard
A truck driver is calling out his employer after putting him in a situation where he could’ve risked losing his job.
In a recent video, TikTok creator Chris (@truckingwithchristian) explained how he got in some hot water after his truck’s registration didn’t match the vehicle’s license plate.
“Western Express is f*cking horrible and I need to get out…I’m afraid I’m going to lose everything,” TikTok user @truckingwithchristian protested in a 5-plus minute long rant about the alleged shady practices of his trucking company employer, Western Express.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Christian via TikTok comment for an update and Western Express via email for comment.
@truckingwithchristian Manager told me to put a Cardboard Box on my License Plate after i got pulled over for having the wrong one🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 #fyp #blacktruckersoftiktok #jobhorrorstory #westernexpress #cdl #horriblebosses #irl #vlog
♬ original sound - Chris
Christian, who refers to himself as a “regional Solo Driver, Rapper, and WWE Fan”, evidenced by the championship belt he wars in his clip, posted a video with nearly 630K views explaining an incident which occurred while driving a vehicle for the shipping company who’s headquarters are in Nashville. To set the scene: Christian is a new trucker working for Western Express, and in other videos on his channel, he explains in detail everything that goes on with getting a Commerical Driver’s License and what the life of a commercial trucker is like– from hours, to compensation and best practices.
However, in the video referenced above, he recounts an incident which occured while he was in Maryland at a weighing station when a cop discovered the registration inside the vehicle did not match the truck’s license plate. After being let off with a warning, Christian explains he drove straight back to the terminal to get a new plate. Apparently, when calling the company to get a new plate they explained the person responsible for this task was on vacation. So, Christian called his deputy manager to explain the situation and the company provided him a solution. Christian explained, “He says take a cardboard box…and write the license plate on it so it’s visible from 50ft…and he’s telling me this with a smile on his face like this shit is f*cking funny,” Christian explained, while the manager admitted to him, “‘I know this is shady, I know this is super shady.’”
Christian felt this was no laughing matter. “I don’t want to lose my baby. I don’t want to lose my house. I don’t want to lose my car. I don’t want to lose my job. I don’t want to lose everything,” he intensely proclaimed.
Truck accidents can result in complex liability determinations, with factors like the cause of the accident, driver's adherence to the law and trucking company policies playing a role in holding individuals or companies responsible. Employers are often held vicariously liable for their drivers' actions, making them accountable for compensating victims. The law pertains to protecting the company in the event of an accident that was the driver’s fault. However, according to Christian’s testimony, he did absolutely nothing wrong: the trucking company gave him a vehicle with which the registration did not match the plate.
Many in the comments defended Christian and seemed to think that the company was at fault, assuming that the company was responsible for providing Christian with a legal vehicle to drive: “Us little people gotta we gotta start getting personal lawyer. None of us have the money but it's the only way to hold corporate people accountable,” one user wrote, while another took it a step further, “Refuse to move that truck until you get a correct plate.”
Another offered another suggestion, which involved Christian no longer working for Western Express and other businesses that subject him to engaging in this type of on-the-job behavior ,“You have a CDL you have money in your wallet you can find a job anywhere since you’re new it’ll be easier to find a job at a mega carrier. Try Werner.” Other users expressed the importance of protecting Christian’s CSA at all costs. A CSA is essentially a compliance, safety, and accountability score attributed to all drivers. Also, CDL’s are not easy to come by and there are a particular number of infractions that must occur in order for an individual to lose or have their commercial driver's license suspended. One user warned of this, “It's your CDL on the line. Do what you need to do to protect yourself. Stay safe, bro.”
Christian explains in the video’s conclusions, “I might have to sue Western Express because I can’t keep doing this. I have already reported these people way too many times. Nobody cares…because they don’t have a CDL license at risk.”
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The post ‘I need to get out’: Western Express truck driver given the wrong license plate. His manager said to cover it with cardboard appeared first on The Daily Dot.