Flatbed/Open Deck/Machinery Haulers

Hi cpape, Can you guys check idle time?
I know this is a touchy subject, but do you have way of doing that?

Try and figure the fleet avg. then setup a bonus program on that.
I know it will change with the seasons of course.
Also can you figure out a fleet avg. on your mpg?
Yes running open deck trls. cause bad mileage. Me when mty. I get 4.5 / 4.9 mpg
Lded. well sometimes down to 1.5, but avg. 2.5 with the weight I carry..

You guys have alot of runs to Balt. what is the avg. on those lds.
Then setup a bonus if they can meet or beat that avg.
Just a thought

 

You'll always have a certain percentage that just don't care...infact they do much less than that! They don't have a dime invested so why should/would they care...that's their attitude...unfortunately.

Cpape, even if you adopt an attainable bonus structure some will never change their ways and will ALWAYS have excuses as to why they get poor fuel economy and have to idle their truck 24/7. "They don't turn the heat/ac off in the GD office so why should I turn my truck off" is their battle cry! I guess it becomes a decision as to whether you need them and their excuses or if "retiring" them and hoping for better performance from a new recruit is the better option.

Can you check idle times to pinpoint exactly when idling occurs? If so, when a guy is idling while loading/unloading/securing the load pick up the phone and call him and ask the driver directly why the truck is running! That'll get their attention in a hurry. It will show that driver how serious the carrier is about unnecessary idling too. It may also cause the "rats" to flee the ship which in the long run wouldn't be so bad would it?

 

I think you would call him a slow learner.

 

Old dog, new tricks.

How unfortunate that a man that has 20 with the same employer (in an industry that has 100% annual turnover) and yet he apparently isn't willing to try new techniques.

 

Man, I need to get back to this. I took a job hauling vans and containers and I'm just irritated by it.

 

Your worst day throwing chains and tarps would always be better than swinging doors, even if they had good days!

 

Do you have APUs on your trucks? What areas do you have your guys run and what time of year? Keep a guy north of the mason dixon line in the dead of winter? Keep a guy in the deep south for june july august? Got a guy with a CPAP machine with a high setting and no APU? Your idle times are going to be high. Grow a brain and don't be a cheap ###.