Opinion ID: 77182
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Viola Underwood's Application for Employment

Text: 9 Sometime in 1998, while she was working at Wal-Mart, Underwood had a conversation with Paige about being hired as a truck driver for the county. Underwood asked Paige if the county hired females as truck drivers. Paige replied affirmatively and told [her] how to get a job, and that if [she] got the experience he would hire a woman. Paige stated that Underwood needed to obtain the required training and that she would need to go up under the hood and get familiar with the parts and everything. 10 In November 2000, Underwood began her training as a truck driver at a truck driving program in Selma, Alabama, and she completed this training in January 2001. On February 5, 2001, Underwood obtained a Class A commercial driver's license, which enabled her to drive large trucks, including 18-wheel tractor-trailers. With her Class A license, Underwood also had a hazardous materials endorsement and a passenger endorsement. In her deposition, Underwood testified that she had two months of driving experience as part of a training program with Wiley Sanders where she drove 18-wheel, 13-speed vehicles over long distances with a trainer. 11 In January 2001, Underwood visited the Perry County Shed and spoke with Paige about possible employment opportunities as a truck driver with the county. Underwood testified that Paige told her that there was one Class A driver position open and two Class B driver positions were going to be . . . open[]. Underwood's testimony is unclear about when the Class B positions were going to become vacant. Although counsel for the Commission and Paige asked Underwood to clarify her going to be . . . open[] statement, the record does not contain the next page of the deposition transcript in which Underwood presumably answered that question. 12 In Alabama, a Class B driver is licensed to drive a straight truck with either a single, dual, or triple axle, and weight rating of 26,000 pounds or more. An example of a Class B truck is a small dump truck. A Class A driver is licensed to drive anything a Class B driver can drive, as well as tractor-trailer[s] with the combination, two part vehicle. 13 Paige said that he was going to hire David Dallas for the Class A position because of Dallas's extensive experience. Paige said he would hire Underwood for one of the Class B positions if she applied. Underwood told Paige that she would take any position as a truck driver, including the Class B position, even though she had a Class A license. 14 The record shows that Underwood submitted an application for each position as it became open. After Underwood's conversation with Paige in January 2001, Underwood twice applied for employment as a truck driver. Underwood filed applications three times — in January 2001, March 2001, and May 2001, but Underwood testified that she submitted the third application form after the County lost her second one. Although the record does not contain either of her other two applications, the record contains a copy of the May 2001 application. 15 The May 2001 application stated that Underwood was applying for a truck driver position with the county, but the application did not specify whether Underwood sought a Class A or Class B position. The application did not request and Underwood did not supply any information regarding her driving record or license status. Underwood testified that she never interviewed for and was not offered any job with Perry County. 16 It is undisputed that Underwood had two convictions for speeding in Perry County District Court in the five years before her application. Certified records from Perry County reflect that on February 11, 1998, Underwood was found guilty of driving 71 mph in a 45 mph zone, and on March 23, 1999, she was found guilty of driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone. Neither Paige nor the Commission knew about these convictions when they decided not to hire Underwood. 17 The Commission and Paige contend that Underwood's convictions for speeding in excess of 15 miles an hour above the posted speed limit are serious traffic violations. Understood does not dispute that contention. Both federal regulations for commercial drivers and Alabama law provide that speeding in excess of 15 miles an hour above the speed limit is a serious traffic violation, and convictions for a serious traffic violation temporarily suspend the license of a commercial driver. 49 C.F.R. § 383.51(c); Ala.Code § 32-9A-2.