Spotty Cell Signal Might Have Gotten Truck Driver Fired; 'I Wasn't Texting And Driving'

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Ever sent a text message that didn't go through right away because of spotty service? All the time, right? Glen Kraft learned that lesson the hard way.

Kraft, a truck driver from Nestle, hauls a huge load every day from East Dundee to Appleton, Wisc., and back.

"It's peaceful. You're in the truck by yourself," he said.

Nestle recently recognized Kraft for pointing out a safety issue, but he later was suspended for violating a major company rule regarding texting.

"He goes, 'you were texting and driving.' I said I wasn't texting and driving. When I sent that text out, I was sitting on the shoulder," Kraft said.

His driving log showed he was on the road at the time his boss received a text from him, but Kraft contended he pressed the send button while his truck was stopped, and the picture message must not have gone through until several minutes later.

"When I started driving, I heard it go … voop, and then I started thinking what's going to happen?" Kraft said.

It might sound like a convenient excuse, but a Boost Mobile map shows service is spotty in the location where Kraft had pulled over.

While a CBS 2 photographer was filming there, he used his work phone to text a picture to his personal phone. That message didn't come through for nine minutes.

"They say the signal could loop for 10 to 15, 20 minutes before it catches a signal, and that apparently is going to be the time it stamps on the sent text," Kraft said.

That's the explanation Apple support gave both Kraft and CBS 2.

Nevertheless, a representative for Nestle said "any corrective actions are taken only after a thorough and complete investigation."

"I don't know how you could be fired for a bad signal, or suspended," Kraft said. "Why would I text and drive and text it to my boss?"

Late Friday afternoon, Kraft said his suspension turned into a termination. Nestle wouldn't comment on any individual employee's case.