Will Deaf Employees Get to Drive UPS Trucks?
The article already had four pages of comments at the time of this blog posting. I skimmed the comments, and several of the hearing commenters seem to feel that it is a good thing that the deaf employees may not be permitted to drive small UPS delivery trucks. UPS for its part feels that allowing deaf people to drive the small delivery trucks would threaten public safety. The key is that the United States Department of Transportation imposes hearing requirements on drivers of larger trucks, but UPS applies the same standards to its smaller trucks.
Snippets from some of the hearing people's comments:
Get a job as a gardener or something that doesn't include risking me or my family against your disability.****
My concern comes from the requirement for drivers to be able to communicate with their dispatcher for emergencies, ASAP pick-ups, reports of traffic conditions and the like.
****
Society has to balance its risk taking, and not burden companies with potential risk they do not need.
Comments
I have a UPS driver who come to pick up packages from my company. Nice guy but sometimes crassy. Told him about some court ruling that deaf people cannot drive UPS trucks and he, after spending several years driving UPS trucks, remarked that is complete BS. He stated that his job is pretty much straightforward and simple, technology have improved considerably to the point that there’s less need to communicate between the driver and a local UPS center over the phone for any UPS issue. Texting emails can be done in this way for a deaf UPS driver and UPS. Don’t know why UPS is so shortsighted on that issue.
I was the one who submitted the newspaper link to DeafRead and reason I did that was because I was shocked at how a major newspaper would let ignorant/discriminating comments remain on their comments section. I felt that they should have deleted those comments under hate speech.
A sure fire persuasion gimmick to encourage trucking companies to hire deaf drivers.
Negotiate deals with truck stop center owners to ban companies that don’t hire deaf drivers from parking their trucks on their properties.
OK, so why can’t deaf people in the US drive trucks? That’d expand employment choices for deaf people. I know a deaf guy in Sweden who drives a semi-truck for a living. So why are truck drivers required to hear in the US? From what I hear, trucks are noisy. Truck drivers will eventually lose their hearing in their left ear, for example. Does that then mean that they can no longer drive trucks?
UPS drivers always carry an electronic “clipboard” for receivers to sign. Exactly how does the UPS system works for the driver? I read that most drivers drive a prearranged delivery pattern to avoid left-turns to save gas and avoid accidents…I do that myself in my personal car always try to avoid left turns.
Which shipping should I use? USPS, UPS, or FedEx?
Sometimes when I use USPS, I say to myself they have more deaf there and in better positions than UPS and FedEx. Makes me feel better. Am I right?
BTW, I always see semi-trucks drivers using their cell phones on the interstates…probably talking to their loved ones/family trying to maintain a long distance relationship on their job
UPS are fearful to hire Deaf drivers…Deaf drivers can do, have pagers with them if UPS commands emergency to them. Simple to have mobile or pagers. UPS are dumb. Deaf are SMART. Congrats to Court that enforces UPS to get more Deaf drivers. I support Deaf people.
The snippets you have selected from other hearing people’s comments reflect ignorance about the job, the technology used, and the capacities of deaf employees. I sincerely regret this. I have been a CART provider, and this is unfortunately typical of the attitudes I have seen my deaf and HOH clients faced with. I’d like to see a lot of media attention directed to deaf and HOH persons on the job, particularly in this example. I was going to say “a lot more media attention,” except that just before I wrote that, I realized I had not to my recollection seen any.
i dont understand why they not let deaf people work on ups, some deaf people are smart and some dumb deaf people are. whats about hearing people dumb and smart, that same way.. so how ever this is not fair to deaf people can doing job while work hand and eye and move around to seeing thing, deaf can drive car but deaf dont used cells phone, why ups used cells phone, thast could cause accenlty.. deaf know and watch on road and drive used mirrow!! always use mirrow, what about postoffice i heard that deaf work there also and smart and also surgey deaf person rich know how to surgry work and so many things who go college and that deaf people can doing it, it doesnt matter, this is not fair to deaf that have right to get job and earn it money for family , home, many things. but it shock me that ups felt not want deaf work? whats wrong with people!?!?!? they too much worry and think deaf might risk their company,,, fork lift too i had used that before and used your eye sight and take good care and good job. my husband deaf he know how to fork lift too, it doesnt matter same as car you learn first time step then know what to do then ahead time and everything fine.. well i guess if you think is true ok
Statistics show that Deaf drivers are actually safer drivers then hearing drivers. They are more observant and aware of the things going on around them. They don’t have the distractions of playing with the radio either. Why wouldn’t we let a Deaf or Hard of Hearing person drive? To me that is discrimination against the Deaf. It’s sad that people are so ignorant.
IF it was a significant safety problem, I would agree. But it isn’t.
I have deaf friends who are fine drivers (although, admittedly, it worries me when they sign while driving).
If they are worried about getting a message out to a deaf driver and can’t use the CB or whatever, install a printer into the truck. That way, he/she’ll know to pull over at some point to read it.
Barring them from working there doesn’t seem right. What were the reasons again?
The girl with the deaf husband knows, look people thier deaf, thats all. Deaf can drive better than hearing, there are no distractions, no cell phones ect. UPS needs to get a hold of that person, text them, they call pull over a check mess then. UPS is discriminating BIG time, surprises me with such a big Co. and a small mind, it’s really sad people are still ignorant to deaf people and that they aren’t handicapped or whatever the politically correct word of the day is. Take time to learn about other people other than yourselves once in awhile, you’de be surprised, there are others out there different and worth getting to know about.
I read all of comments. I was interested the stories. I had experienced with hearing employees that the problem with being discriminate has nothing to do with hearing impaired because they look at is if you have all the equipment. The equipments are pager, texting, computer, and interpreting so this is not being discriminate but if we have problem hiring, promotion, and training to provider interpreter that they look at this then you are not being discriminate only if you have the equipment that what I read on ADA bulliten explained on race, color, sexes, religious, other things but not personal problem with hearing and deaf relation are difficult to deal with law. There is somehow the law need to make the change if a person is willing to do the law change so how they can change because they are hearing judge and president and many political’s is very cold to the law. Which means the hearing impaired has to fight for their rights. I see many comments say is not fair that words are not important to hearing people which means oh is not fair of course is the way life. I was told by hearing people said to me. I never got promotion and provide training because I was low priority grade that I was disquanlify position job and training for 21 years. I always felt they dont care about me who I am. I think deaf people has powerful to be able to do the job. It was frustrated for me to worked for so long and I am less motivated because they made me feel less motived and they are wore me out.
Right now I do not have no income and no SSI because I was volunteer to resigned job because they discourage me to leave. Long story to explain why I leave because I do not feel appriecate at all. I felt the law is not supportive and no future for the hearing impaired that made them feel less important and very exhausting because they worked very hard and willing to work whatever they had been told to do the job because they are excited to the job and look forward to success and promotion except never happened at all because of law is not supportive.
I read many of the comments in the article and found some of them ignorant. Don’t people know that the sound of truck is a hazard for the hearing? Many truckers become deaf after years of work. Should we dismiss them because they became deaf, and forget that it is their main source of income?
All of sudden they are telling us that we can’t drive, swim, put down a fire… next time they will tell us that we can’t be lawyers or doctors.
I read many comments making reference of blind persons. Believe me, if right now there is a tremor or a natural disaster, I WOULD LOVE to be in company of a blind person.
Another comment said that “there is a reason for not we aren’t supposed to wear headphones while driving”, and that it was because hearing is important when driving. The actual reason is because HEARING people gives more attention to the call than to the driving, get distracted, and emotional by what they hear on the phone.
By the way, I’m deaf and CAN hear a siren… and where I live, people keep sounds the car horn just to INSULT, NOT to prevent. Not every deaf person has the same hearing loss, and I still think sound it is not relevant when driving…. since all that sound is actually NOISE, and traffic noise is considered a hazard and can make people deaf.
My favorite comment was the one saying that: “a hearing-impaired driver could do just a good a job as many other UPS drivers out there”. True.
I stumbled upon this blog while looking for pictures of UPS trucks for my son.
I am amazed by the ingorance of many.
I am UPS delivery driver. With all our training, I can tell you that the only danger with not being able to hear, is the sound of approaching emergency vehicles. But, I will remind everyone that I drive a “Freighttrain” and that the noise level in my vehicle is probably at an unsafe level. Hearing is a “MUTE” point. With all of the safety precautions that we are trained for, not one involves hearing. For example:the following is from ups employees web site.
The Five Seeing Habits
These five seeing habits promote safe driving.
Aim High in Steering
· Imaginary target — baseball/dart board
· Centers car in traffic lane. Safe path on turns.
· “Find a safe path well ahead.”
Get the Big Picture
· How wide and deep? What’s in it? Objects and ground.
· Keeps you away from billboards. Smooth stops and turns. Buys time.
· “Stay back and see it all.”
Keep Your Eyes Moving
· Move eyes. Front: 2 seconds. Rear: 5-to-8 seconds.
· Keeps you alive at intersections. Keeps eyes ahead of car.
· “Scan — don’t stare.”
Leave Yourself an Out
· Have an escape out. Take path of least resistance.
· Space on all four sides, but always in front.
· “Be prepared. Expect the unexpected.”
Make Sure They See You
· Communicate in traffic — horn, lights, signals.
· Establishes eye-to-eye contact.
· “Don’t gamble. Use your horn, lights, and signals.”
FIVE SEEING HABITS
1. Aim high in steering.
2. Get the big picture.
3. Keep your eyes moving.
4. Leave yourself an out.
5. Make sure they see you.
Ten point commentary
1. Leave one car length at stop light.
2. Look left right left at intersections.
3. Count 1-2-3 before crossing intersections.
4. Four to six second following distance under 30mph.
5. Check mirrors left-camera-right every 5-8 seconds.
6. Six to eight seconds following distance over 30mph.
7. Stale green lights pick a point of no return.
8. Twelve to fifteen second eye lead time.
9. Look over shoulder before pulling away from curb.
10. Make sure they see you. Use lights, horns, signals.
As far a deaf person being able to communicate with supervisors, thats what our DIAD is for. It allows text messaging between the hub and driver.
In my eyes there is not one valid reason why a person with limited or no hearing can’t do my job. All of our precautions have to do with line of sight. With our five seeing habits and 10 point commentary,if a driver without hearing loss has an accident, its because he failed to folllow one the habits.
Not because he can’t hear.
“Get a job as a gardener because it won’t risk my family’s safety?” What about when you drive drunk and decide to exit life with my truck nearby? What about your own driving? Are you safe 100 percent of the time, just like a truck driver?
Ya know, I’m Hard of Hearing. Two deaf co-workers and I are currently battling ignorant fools like this as I type. Our goal is, to one day, drive for the company. Reading trough some of these comments make me sick to my stomach. The whole communication barrier? Ha! virtually non-existence! The DIAD makes use of SMS between the HUB and driver, no voice needed there… And dose anybody realize that there are services out there for the deaf and hard of hearing. such as mobile relay services? I can use my blackberry to connect to an IP relay service which will in turn call any number I choose then relay what I type then type the responses of the person I called (such as ip-relay.com or sorenson ip relay)? Of course better not do something like that while driving, besides its illegal to use a cellphone while driving anyway. As for dealing with customers, whats wrong with pen and paper? Always works for me and my co-workers.
Not to mention we are indeed much more aware of our surroundings as our hearing counterparts. Just a few things to think about before y’all decide we’re not good enough to actually make more then p/t wages.