Question
The insurance company my employer uses apparently knows absolutely nothing about military vehicles. I must provide them with the vehicle specifications and a driving "resume" from my experience in the military. My question is in two parts: 1.) If I had my Class B CDL for 2 yrs, regardless of experience, the insurance company seems to have NO problem with carrying me. However, because I just got my civilian CDL, they want information from my military experience in excess of information required for civilian drivers. Is this the norm? Legal? 2.) Does anyone know where I can get the vehicle specifications for the M900 series, 5-ton, tactical wheeled vehicle?
Answer
PN
I've not heard of our former military being given such a hard time about the experience. Since you are a driver and not an owner-operator all I can tell you is that you are at the mercy of your employer. If you can't comply then what? Are there any other job opportunities that would make it easier on you?
If you were an owner-operator and came to our agency with military experience, we would give you credit, subject to insurance company guidelines.
As for being legal to request this information...you can check with Opie at the Law Forum, but from my experience, we insurance people can request the information.
Best of Luck,
Connie the Insurance Lady
Answer
Not wanting to sound mean but, the insurance broker may be more knowledgeable than you think. Chances are from the sounds of it you were not in the MOS that specialized in Motor Vehicle Operation, perhaps you were a supply clerk that drove primarily on post picking up parts from supply warehouses to deliver back to your supply room with limited deployment on exercises in military convoys. Big difference from the civilian world, I take you are trying to work for a local delivery company that pulls no trailers? Any way I'm sure the insurance company would settle for general figures for specifications ie;
1. 3 axle 6 wheel drive
2. 40 foot long by 9 foot 6 inches wide
3. Weighing approximately 29,000 pounds empty with a GVWR of 39,000 pounds (5 tons???) (Note: These vehicles were under rated and overbuilt most 3 axles are legal for 54,000 but these units are top heavy so that's the reason for the weight limitation)
4. Automatic 3 speed transmission
with Cummins 230 hp in-line 6
5. Designed and manufactured by (General Dynamics? or General? or Freightliner????)
top speed of 58 mph (???)
Hopefully you have some of these answers if not you'ld better call a motor pool and ask for the specs out of the Field Manuel.
As far as the legality goes it's like Connie says; Your prospective employer has to abide by his/her insurance company's wishes or risk being cancelled or having the insurance rates raised. Just like OTR drivers have to go with a trainer or have 1 year OTR or more in some cases.
You maybe able to get more info on the vehicle at the Army's homepage or who ever manufactures the beast.
Mike
Answer
Well, I appreciate the responses to my inquiry, and they were pretty much in line with what I expected to hear. I was finally able to obtain some photos and vehicle specifications from the Defense Reutilization Management Office, although it took considerable effort. As far as my military driving experience, my MOS was a 2131, Towed Artillery Weapons Technician. And of the 4.5 yrs I spent in the Marines, I spent all but the first 6 months and the last 7 months of active duty deployed. I was assigned the M928, Truck, Cargo, 5-Ton most of the time, however I was also licensed for the entire 900 series truck, the M35, M109, M1008, and the M998 in addition to the 4000/6000/8000/10000 lb rough terrain forklifts. In my unit, we had no motor vehicle operators that held that MOS, those operators were always assigned to a Motor Transport unit. We were responsible for licensing and utilizing our own personnel for operating our own equipment. As a support unit for Division Artillery units, I spent most of my time driving in support of those activities. So in short (too late, lol), I was more than the total sum of mechanic, clerk, rifleman, and Driver.
Had it been standard practice to enter all driver's license information into our SRB's, this could all be avoided, however, it is only standard operating procedure for Motor Transport Units to include this information in the individuals official records.
In response to the insurance company denying my coverage, today I sent a very detailed letter describing exactly the experience I had driving what, where, and approx. weekly driving hrs. It is good to know that there are SOME companies that will recognize the considerable training that military drivers get. Whether in the books or on the road, military drivers are held to a much higher standard of performance and required training than their civilian counterparts, and considering some companies standards, I believe this to be a considerable statement to the quality of driver found in the military. And YES, there ARE exceptions to that rule also. Thankyou for your replies.
Answer
Oh I don't know about the higher standard, after all how familiar are you with the FMCSR? Military drivers are exempt from FMSCR and lead a sheltered life, being deployed in Okinawa or what Diego Garcia was done in a controlled environment your convoy movements were planed around peak traffic hours and routes were pre-planed with clearance secured from local authorities. So don't get on your high horse I've seen both sides. With the multitude of duties you described your driving time was less than 1/4 of the 4.5 years spent with basic, AIT leaves, travel, etc and don't be throughing all those nomenclatures out here either because the differences are nominal.
It seems as if you feel like your being picked on when all you had to do was do a little leg work to accomplish your goal, you knew the answer but wanted to fume a little so all of your complaints were unfounded as it seems your getting the job with a little pride to boot for going the extra distance to achieve your goal, BZ for you. Just don't forget there are a lot of Vets here from different campaigns, wars, and the cold war years that put forth the necessary effort to do their job for X amount of years so your not that special.
Mike
Answer
No high horse here. I wasn't putting down civilian drivers, in fact, my comment was praising the efforts of the trucking community. But have you ever been as paranoid with the Provost Marshall behind you as DOT? I guess what really got me was that my wife had her CDL less than a year, driving a schoolbus, and she doesn't get hassled by the insurance company to drive a dump truck for another company. I've been driving trucks since before i was in the military, big ones, little ones. I've been driving a wrecker for 5 years, have experience in the big trucks, and the insurance company wants me to "prove" i can handle a Dump Truck! If I had absolutely NO experience, and had been issued my CDL a year previous, they wouldn't have said a word. So you tell me, who insures that there are quality drivers out there? The DMV? Or the Insurance Companies who dictate who an employer can or cannot hire?
And BTW, I have ridden with my wife on several occasions and am quite satisfied that she is a very capable driver. In fact, currently she is outperforming many veteran drivers. Hats off to the lady drivers out there, she does you proud!
[This message has been edited by putnamm (edited July 14, 1999).]