Stevens Transport aviary

Sitting at my second stop waiting for them to open. There are a bunch of other trucks ahead of me including at least one Stevens.

 

They have started training a new safety person for the weekends, so that will improve the wait time and response. One of the biggest complaints.
Did some rearranging of personnel and we have another person working phones weekends. Yesterday we never had a back up greater than 10 calls, and most of the time was around 4. Had the QCs within 15 minutes for lumper and swaps most of the time. Other issues were up to an hour or so, but these are less important things like, "Can I get a preplan?" (Those of us that do QCs and phones don't do load planning or preplans)
So hopefully things are getting better.

 

Got to first pick last night so we would be first in line. Still waited 1 1/2 hrs for a door only to see that none of the numbers matched up. Whole Foods gave us the wrong pickup number apparantly. Now sitting waiting for response from WF with good pick number.

 

Flatbedding has quick turnarounds on loading and unloading but the 'outdoors' and 'hands on' aspects are a pain in the arse. Most companies will compensate you for the tarping and securement of loads but pulling tarps in N.Dakota in January in -25F and 40mph winds ain't romantic. Backing into a dock with your reefer load and taking a nap is as easy as it gets. TMC and Maverick are better than Melton.
All fleets drive the same trucks, same problems, same frustration.

 

Another nightmare visit to NYC. Not really, the first drop was fairly easy and quick, showed up early to the second. Appointment, we don't need no stinking appointment. I arrived at 0224 and didn't get in a door for 8 hours. The Stevens dedicated NYC driver was still waiting when I left. Had a rejected box there as well. Was about 5 hours late to my last drop, no problem there. Now I'm sitting at a Walmart down the road taking a break as I haven't slept since night before last, I think. Just got a load assignment for a run from NJ to SC. 700 miles. now I've got to find a truck wash between here and the shipper to clean out the blood, and I need to get rid of the pork loin in the trailer. I'm heading to bed and I'll roll when I wake up, probably a bit early, I'm 3 hours from my pick up and I have a window, plus it drops at the final.

 

ojs tank wash in kearny nj does reefer washouts

 

I stopped at the streaking beacon at the Petrol in Bordentown on my way to the shipper. Waiting for a door now. McDonalds milk. Who knew?

 

Got a nice message on my qualcomm this morning from my driver manager after I told him that I shut down at 2:30 am (two hours short of 19) due to being tired and fatigued:

And I quote: "no sir, that is not a good excuse"...

Yes, it is on the qualcomm...

 

Take a good picture of it and show to Safety next time on yard. And i'd be looking for a new DM. He works for you, not the other way round.

 

I'd take that to his boss...Archie (Alliance) or John Powers (Company), notify Kipp and I'd stress that this is a LIFE & DEATH issue. (Put that in writing in an email). Point out your good record and this isn't just a lazy driver.
Now in the future to avoid this fallout, call safety and tell them you are too tired to drive any further safely and ask to be shut down.
Now the record shows safety reponsible for the shutdown, not the driver. Safety does trump all. I hear DMs and operations people whining and complaining sometimes over this issue, but Safety is teflon coated.
And this type of shutdown does not count against the driver in any way.
I hear this happen a couple times a night (safety sits right behind me) and they take pride in the driver having had the smarts to call.

If you follow up on this, let us know what happens. Lots of us want to know.