A Look at Commercial Truck Drivers

By Heather Siladi

Published on November 16, 2006

Esteban Hernandez, the driver of the truck, was ticketed after the accident for making an improper lane change that forced Nielson off Highway 114 between Paradise and Boyd, Texas.

Aggregate was in violation of its own requirement that drivers have a minimum of two years verifiable truck driving experience when the company hired Hernandez. Hernandez said under oath that he had just 10 months of experience operating a rock hauler in the United States. Aggregate also failed to verify Hernandez’s previous three years of experience, which is required by federal law.

The company alleged that it was actually Nielsen who caused the accident by illegally passing the truck in the right-hand lane.

Aggregate ultimately agreed to settle the case for an undisclosed amount. The company also set up trust funds in the amount of $100,000 for both of Nielson’s daughters. Aggregate did not admit liability for the accident.

According to Fort Worth attorney Steve Laird, stiff competition within the trucking industry is leading many companies to pay drivers less and less. He said that when drivers make less money than they once did, they feel an incentive to not only bend the rules, but to sometimes break them.

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