Stevens Transport aviary

If the nicey nicey approach isn't working I would try the opposite. You are trying to run a business and if your DM doesn't understand that request another one. My next call would be to your leasing dept about returning the truck unless they can guarentee miles. It is up to Alliance and the DMs to keep you moving, I would request that a manager at Alliance walk down the hallway to your DMs office and see what the problem is. Tell them if it doesn't improve drastically in the next 7-10 days then request a get a load to the yard and hop off. You made a commitment to Alliance it is time for Allinace to show they are committed to you. (rant over)

 

do not depend on stevens to reschedule an early running load. Stevens meat is looking to satisfy the customer needs, and if you are running early, the customer is satisfied.

Take it upon yourself to call the receiver, and get an earlier delivery. I did this all the time. When you call, be professional, never say you are the driver, just use your name with Stevens Transport, state we have your load of ____ and we can be there a day earlier. Would it be possible to deliver on ____ instead of _____. This approach worked for me most of the time... and when it did, I would inform my DM of my new PTA.

 

Thank you to all for your helpful suggestions. I did call the business manager today which resulted in a 3 way call with my DM and the Alliance ops manager. Another call to the repower person this morning resulted in me getting off this load tonight. So off to Chicago I go lol. I am feeling much better today aftermy phone conversation, spent most the day organizing my past trip packs in preparation to find an accountant that can do my quarterlys and last years taxes. I probably should have waited till January to start my lease but oh well, is all in the books. From the sounds of things and the fury of activity shortly thereafter on my QC it looks like things will improve, time will tell.

 

It will last until another squeaky wheel needs to be greased. Had the same talk on average 3 times a year.

 

I got off the yard! I only had 800 miles for this week since I had to hit the yard again. I don't need to be back for 90 days. I got a Purina load out of Ft Worth going to Van Burden. Only a bit over 300 miles but it helps keep it from being a negative check.sitting at the shipper with a 7 am appointment. Can't roll out of here until 9 and that's just a split.

 

Without going into specifics, I just want you all to know that there are certain management people listening. Once source of information is this forum. Several managers (including upper management) are reading the posts.
I have been approached by four in the last week regarding some of the things being said on here. Not necessarily by me, but others.
I am seeing people doing things in a positive way, that is a help to the drivers.
An example is the way the phones are being answered. There has been enough cage rattling that people are listening.
We can't fix Rome in one day, but I am encouraged in the last few days.
And please...I don't need anyone to post "yea, well that will go away" or "it won't last".
Who knows? I wake up each day and realize I have two choices: I can have a good day or a bad day.
I choose good each day. It may not end up that way, but it beats looking out at dark clouds an misery!
My old business partner use to tell me I was a bit pollyanna.
Keep slugging away. I am optimistic.

 

It's doing its job, then. The forum, I mean. While there is no real way to fix every problem every person has always, its refreshing to know that awareness is making a difference, and whether its big or small, every positive difference helps. That being said, whether you are company or alliance, your truck is your business. It is what brings in your income. The greatest advocate you have for your business is sitting in the drivers seat. Your voice is the best tool for getting what you need. Its simply business.

Side note... pollyanna. I giggled. And agree. Good is always better. Even bad has some good in it somewhere. -a fellow optimist

 

I am glad that they are listening and watching, The only effective way to make change is through communication. I think that this forum and other venues of posting are good because people often fear the face to face town hall style meetings in use by many companies as the possibility exists for being recognized as creating dissension when expressing concerns, I dont think that stevens employs this tactic but a venue such as this gives the drivers a means to bounce ideas off one another, vent within reason and will give management an accurate pulse of what is going on in the fleet morale wise all while preserving a small level of anonimity. Now I know trucking isnt a nicey nicey world and were not gonna get left with warm fuzzy feelings at the end of the day for the most part lol but it is a start to improving the communication. Many of you are ex military and remember the Officers vs Enlisted barrier well its kind of similar at stevens mentality wise wether intentional or not. Perhaps on the stevens website there could be a place for drivers to log in a drivers only and express concerns and suggestions in a safe environment free from back lash as long as they are being constructive and not rude obnoxious or openly defiant. I know there has been a push on social media great and wonderful but it would be nice to see an area we can go that we know internally is being monitored and listened to. Lets make it something that is constructive for both drivers and management. If we can get some constructive dialog going between management and the fleet and tear down that barrier I think overall it would be much better for the company as a whole. Yes I know there is a suggestion box at drivers services and a few other places on the campus, but how often does something helpful go in. I can imagine there are the usuall nasty instructons to management, the ridiculous ones of give us 80mph trucks and others in the tom foolery department lol. Communication benefits both the company and the driver and if both sides take an honest look and approach to solving some issues do believe that the company will thrive even better with increased customer satisfaction. The drivers know whats broken or needs tweaking, I know that this isnt a utopian pardise and not all accomodations can be made however it would also give management a way to respond back in a larger venue to convey information to larger masses. Please pardon my spelling, I am typng this in my sleeper after just waking up with no coffee yet lol. I think also if we could work on the communication, retention might increase a bit.

 

Hey Pollyanna.. I mean "Emulsified".. lol.. I believe it was Winston Churchill who said " A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty " . I thought that was kind of fitting to this discussion. That's a good attitude to have anyways !

 

management anywhere, tends to always think they have the answers, and rarely listen to the front line employees. They will ask for suggestions, and dismiss most, as either already tried that, or that will never work, as it makes management change. The trouble in the average manager's eyes is never the management or the management systems in place.

It is a very small percentage of Stevens drivers that even know about the aviary.