Orientation 02/29/12

Well here is EXACTLY what happened today. I pull into Carlisle terminal to top off oil and coolant because the old KW is back to guzzling both again. I needed a mudflap as I'd used my spare on the trailer today. When I park, I only meant to be there for a few minutes so I could take a leak and get the stuff I needed. Well it was kinda crowded in there so I park out in the middle next to a trainer's truck. Thats how I met Brad Lowry. He came out of the building to tell me I had to park in the trailer row. Ok, no problem. So then I get my jugs and walk into the building. I see the sign that says service desk and go in that door. Inside is a conference room sized room with several desks. Not like any other service desk I've seen at other terminals. Well nobody is around so I start looking about to find either the fluid station or SOMEBODY. Well I peek into the parts room and nobody is there. Finally, I decide to just go find the crap myself. I start to walk into the shop and out of nowhere pops this dude in slacks and a polo. Real gaunt looking guy with glasses who is like "HEY! What do you think you're doing? You can't go in there!" So I just stare at him and then he goes and sits at a desk. Doesn't say a word after that and starts fiddling with paperwork on his desk. So I just stand in front of his desk with my jugs until he looks up and asks what I need. I tell him fluids and he says he will go get them for me. So he goes and returns and I ask him to look at a tire on the trailer about a cap separation. He agrees then sits back down and goes back to his paperwork. I'm like "Hey guy, how about that tire?" Hes like "Right now?" I was frustrated at this point so I said "Uhh yeah." So we go outside and he checks the tire and says its good. I'm still trying to make conversation with SOMEBODY but this dude won't even talk to me. So I just ask him where the lounge is on the way back to the building. Well he just points in a leftish direction so I go through the door to the left which turns out to be your boy Mark's office. Didn't know because there is no sign or anything other than a white door to indicate that its the Safety office or something other than the driver's lounge. Well apparently he was doing counseling with another driver so he got all bent out of shape about me coming in. I just told him that I didn't know where the lounge was and he said something snarky so I walked off. Everybody in that terminal just acted strange. I never seen such a weird atmosphere. Even when I went in the driver lounge. All the guys in there just stared at me with these thousand yard stares. I swear it was like the Walking Dead in there. I just decided what with the unfriendliness and the smallness of the terminal, I could do better just going on down the road. Well, Carlisle just became like Denton and Phoenix to me. Only go in case of emergency and even then only if directed by dispatch.

 

Exactly. This was my experience at a few terminals when I was a Swifty. Carlisle was famous for yelling at drivers for everything. I enjoy how I am treated at company terminals now. Makes life on the road a whole lot better when you are treated like a valuable part of the equation.

 

I am sorry you are having to go through this. Further I hope this does not become a chronic issue for you. I guess I could add something negative about USA Trucks maintenance dept here, but you don't need to hear it right now. I hope you can get this issue fixed and if they can't I hope you land in a Freightliner or one of the newer Prostars.

 

is anyone having problems getting loads this weekend?Been mty since 11pm last night and still have not gotten anything

 

i have a physical scheduled in dallas monday morning.my medical card expires tuesday.down here in San Antonio since 8pm last night.